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Sustainable Field of Work: Suggestions for LEED Green Associate Candidates

 

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Question:

Jason asks: Is there any clarification yet on (1) what is considered a sustainable field of work OR (2) what qualifies as an education program in green building principles and LEED? I have tried sent numerous emails to GBCI and cannot get any answer nor can I get through on the phone to actually speak to someone (after being on hold for over one hour)... Thanks.

Answer:
Advice provided by: Rob Freeman Jr, LEED AP, Green-Buildings.com
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Hi Jason: A lot of people are asking this question...

GBCI's LEED Green Associate handbook is quiet on what a "Sustainable Field of Work" is.

In our sole opinion, a sustainable field of work is "any job or position that can have a positive impact on the sustainability of a green building project".

Examples of Sustainable Fields of Work:

  1. Architect
  2. Interior designer
  3. Engineer
  4. Commissioning agent (CxA)
  5. Building developer
  6. Environmental consultant or someone who assists with a brownfield or greyfield site to resolve an environmental problem and/or reuse an existing structure.
  7. General contractor employee (i.e. working for a Turner Construction, Skanska, LendLease, etc.)
  8. Sustainable building materials provider or installer (i.e. insulation installer, mechanical systems, roof installer, solar panel manufacturer or installer, geothermal installer, stormwater management systems provider, etc.)
  9. Green services provider (i.e. provider of energy efficiency improvements, lighting retrofits, green cleaning services, etc.)
  10. Green Property Management (i.e. working for a property management company that emphasizes LEED and green building sustainability as a strategy for creating property value like Jones Lang LaSalle, etc.)

FWIW, we've stood by this assessment since 2009 and no one has told us we're incorrect about it.

Training Options for LEED Eligibility

An "education program that addresses green building principles" is popular because it can be an online class, offline class or college course.

GBCI's LEED Green Associate guide states that "For candidates who have attended or are attending an education program that addresses green building principles, GBCI will accept a certificate of completion or an official transcript in lieu of a letter of attestation."

Green-Buildings.com offers online LEED training and offline classes for LEED training that provide Certificates of Completion.

When looking around for the right course, inquire whether the trainers have actually taken the LEED exam. The best of these courses are taught by experienced builders, architects or designers who are also LEED APs themselves and who have been teaching green building principles for years.

Good luck!

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Expert Advice and Comments

Sustainable field of work

Thu, 05/07/2009 - 17:11 — Tarin Erickson (not verified)

I am an architectural historian working for a cultural resources firm. I have my masters degree in Historic Preservation, but I do not have any educational or professional experience in green building yet. It's unclear to me whether preservation counts as a sustainable field of work yet. GBCI cannot give me an answer unless I apply.

RE: Sustainable field of work

Sat, 11/06/2010 - 08:34 — GBGuru

Hi Tarin,

You should be fine. Preservation is more sustainable than not. GBCI should approve your experience for several reasons, not the least of which is that you have a masters degree in an important field that affects real estate. The majority of the building stock in the US are existing (i.e. old as opposed to new construction) and introducing green building principles and/or pursuing a LEED certification for those buildings is something USGBC wants to promote.

Sustainable field of work

Sat, 12/31/2011 - 22:41 — Noah Downs (not verified)

I am a landscape designer, would this count as a sustainable line of work?

rpfjr's picture

RE: Sustainable field of work

Tue, 01/03/2012 - 17:15 — rpfjr

Hi Noah,

Yes, this should qualify. If you have worked on any projects that involved stormwater runoff, parking lot considerations (as it pertains to the impact of impermeability and the environment), bioswales or the use of flora that do not require a lot of water for maintenance, etc. this should qualify.

Rob is the founder of Green-Buildings.com.

Sustainable field

Tue, 01/17/2012 - 13:32 — luke (not verified)

I am an outside salesman that works in a supply industry that supplies energy efficient lighting (LED, Induction) , solar modules/systems, and encourages energy efficient retrofits. Could this qualify as a Sustainable Field?

rpfjr's picture

RE: Sustainable field of work

Wed, 03/28/2012 - 15:58 — rpfjr

Hi Luke, it's possible. You might want to give the folks over at GBCI a call. What I would do if I were you is describe my eligibility (or have a supervisor do so) by saying that you specialize in selling energy efficiency solutions for the lighting industry.

Rob is the founder of Green-Buildings.com.

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