I applied to take the test made by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) to become a LEED AP (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, Accredited Professional).The USGBC is a non-profit organization who has set up a point system to rate buildings on how "green" they are. By being LEED accredited, I will be familiar in the point system and can assist owners and builders in order to give their buildings the highest buildings possible.
There are a total of 69 points possible for a building to have. For a building to become a certified "green building" it needs at least 26 points. 33 points will get the building the Silver rating. Gold buildings need 39 points, Platinum requires 52 points.
The points include things like having places for bikes to park, reusing an existing building, reduced water usage by efficient landscaping, and redeveloping a brownfield. (A brownfield is an area of land that has been condemned, such as an old refinery, a gas station, or a landfill.)
Anyway, I have until June 30th to take the test. I have been attending study sessions this semester on Saturday mornings. Hopefully I'll have more time in the summer to study before I have to take the test. This is definitely the way of the future (the way of the future, the way of future, the way of the future).
To see all the buildings that have been certified in the United States, you can look here.
3 comments:
I think you should evaluate 916 Laurel Lane. After all, we have recycled an old house, we have lots of insulation now and double-paned windows, AND we have very efficient landscaping - whatever needs to be watered (except for the vegetable garden) has to get by on the rainfall or not at all!
this is chris. I just don't want to sign out and sign back in again.
that's pretty cool stuff.
I'll bet that certification will be useful once companies start upgrading their systems and stuff.
Is there any sort of tax break or other compensation for getting a certified building?
oh yeah, obama has made it mandatory that all new government building be certified, and with the government expanding as it is, that means tons of work. wahoo!
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