What is LEED?
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a rating system devised by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) to evaluate the environmental performance of a building and encourage market transformation towards sustainable design. The system is credit-based, allowing projects to earn points for environmentally friendly actions taken during construction and use of a building. LEED was launched in an effort to develop a “consensus-based, market-driven rating system to accelerate the development and implementation of green building practices.” The program is not rigidly structured; not every project must meet identical requirements to qualify.
These LEED products are currently available:
- LEED - v3.0 for New Construction and Major Renovations
- LEED - for Homes
- LEED - for Core and Shell
- LEED – for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintanance
- LEED – for Commercial Interiors
- LEED - for Schools
- LEED - for Retail
- LEED - for Healthcare
- LEED - for Neighborhood Development (in pilot stage)
Detailed information on the LEED program and project certification process is available from USGBC at http://www.usgbc.org/. The program outlines the intent, requirements, technologies, and strategies for meeting each credit. Credits are broken down into individual points. A building requires at least 40 points for certification in LEED-NC v3.0. Silver, gold, and platinum levels are also available.
LEED Certification Levels..
- Certified 40 - 49 Points
- Silver 50 - 59 Points
- Gold 60 - 79 Points
- Platinum 80-110 Points
How Does Concrete Help Achieve LEED Certification?
Using concrete can help increase the number of points awarded to a building in the LEED system. The following table provides suggestions for earning LEED-NC v3 points through the use of cement and concrete products. The credit categories and the credit numbers are those in the LEED rating system. Points must be documented according to LEED procedures in order to be earned. The USGBC website, http://www.usgbc.org/, contains a downloadable “letter template” that greatly simplifies the documentation requirements for LEED v3.0. The potential available points that can be earned with the help of concrete range from 25 to 34.
How Concrete Can Contribute to Points..
PROJECT CHECKLIST - LEED New Construction (NC) v3
| Sustainable Sites | Points | |
| Credit 3 | Brownfield Redevelopment | 1 |
| Credit 5.1 | Site Development, Protect or Restore Habitat | 1 |
| Credit 5.2 | Site Development, Maximize Open Space | 1 |
| Credit 6.1 | Stormwater Design, Quantity Control | 1 |
| Credit 6.2 | Stormwater Design, Quality Control | 1 |
| Credit 7.1 | Heat Island Effect, Non-roof | 1 |
| Credit 7.2 | Heat Island Effect, Roof | 1 |
| Energy and Atmosphere | ||
| Prerequisite 2 | Minimum Energy Performance | Required |
| Credit 1 | Optimize Energy Performance | 1 - 19 |
| Materials and Resources | ||
| Credit 1.1 | Building Reuse, Maintain 55%, 75%, 95% of Existing Walls, Floors, and Roof | up to 3 |
| Credit 2 | Construction Waste Management, Divert 50% or 75% | up to 2 |
| Credit 4 | Recycled Content, 10% or 20% (post-consumer plus ½ pre-consumer) | up to 2 |
| Credit 5 | Regional Materials, 10% or 20% | up to 2 |
| Innovation and Design Process | ||
| Credit 1 | Innovation in Design | 1-5 |
| Credit 2 | LEED Accredited professional | 1 |
| Project Totals | 25 - 34 | |
Why Use LEED?
LEED is a voluntary program; however, obtaining a LEED certification projects a positive environmental image to the community. Additionally, using many green building practices can result in energy and cost savings over the life of the structure. Other advantages include better indoor air quality and plenty of daylight. Studies have shown that workers in these environments have increased labor productivity, job retention, and days worked. These benefits contribute directly to a company’s profits because salaries—which are about ten times higher than rent, utilities, and maintenance combined—are the largest expense for most companies occupying office space. In addition, students in these environments have higher test scores and lower absenteeism. Retail sales are higher in daylit buildings.
Who Uses LEED?
Many cities and states either provide tax credits or grants for green buildings, or requiregreen building certification for public buildings. The U.S. government is adopting LEED or similar green building standards for the General Services Administration (which owns or leases over 8300 buildings), the U.S. Army, the Department of State, the Department of Energy (DOE), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Numerous states including California, New York, Oregon, and Washington have adopted LEED for public buildings. Many agencies are requiring LEED silver certification as a minimum. Thirteen countries have expressed interest in LEED including China and India; these countries have exceptionally high levels of new building construction. Conditions vary and the list is growing, so please contact local jurisdictions or USGBC for details. Support for green buildings has increased rapidly each year over the last five years.
How is LEED certification in India administered?
To strengthen global consistency of the LEED rating system, effective June 5 2014, GBCI began managing the certification process for all LEED rating systems in India, including the LEED India rating system, which was previously managed by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC).
To become a LEED Accredited Professional, you need to fulfill the following requirements,
LEED Green Associate:
Eligibility Based on Education:
· A course explaining the Green Building Principles or LEED. (Green International provides the training)
OR
Eligibility Based on Employment:
· A letter from the company that explains the applicant's Profession relates to the Green building Industry.
OR
Eligibility Based on Project:
· A letter from the company must provide the name of a specific LEED Registered project, and also the letter must affirm that the applicant was involved with the LEED Registered project.
LEED Accredited Professional:
- Complete the LEED Green Associate.
- Must have an experience in Green Building Projects for last 3 years
- If you are joining in our Organization's training Sessions(Green International), you can fulfill the requirements for the LEED Green Associate and Accredited Professional.
Green International will provide you the training on Green Building Principles by Facilitator/Faculty with LEED Professional Credentials.
The Exam Objective & Format:
The LEED AP exam is a 4 hour Computer Based Exam facilitated by the Prometric Centres.
You can take the Exam in 2 ways.
1. Combined (LEED GA&AP) Exam:
The LEED AP Exam is for 4 hours with Two(2) part exam designed to assess your understanding and knowledge of the LEED Rating System and your ability to facilitate the certification process.
The first part of the exam is the LEED Green Associate Section, is designed to measure your ability to understand and support green design, construction, and operation. The LEED Green Associate section is comprised of 100 randomly delivered multiple choice questions and must be completed in the first two hours of the exam appointment.
The second part of the exam is the LEED AP specialty section.
Each LEED AP specialty section is comprised of 100 randomly delivered multiple choice questions and must be completed in the second two hours of the exam appointment.
Candidates must pass both sections of exam for the LEED AP with specialty credential. Total sitting time for the combined exam (both Part 1: LEED Green Associate Exam and Part 2: the AP Specialty Exam) is 4 hours and 20 minutes including an optional tutorial and short satisfaction survey.\
2. Separate Exams:
Candidates who wish to take the LEED AP exam in two separate two hour exam sessions must first apply for the LEED Green Associate Exam. After they pass the LEED Green Associate Exam, they can then apply for the LEED AP with Specialty exam and they will automatically be assigned the specialty section only.
Hence we are providing the both LEED Green Associate & AP Preparatory courses in Chennai for 24 hours. The LEED exams are facilitate by the Prometric Centers in all over the world. So you can take the exam anywhere in the world. We are facilitating to provide the training, assisting the candidates with exam application process and also you can take the exam in Chennai itself. If you are joining the course in our iOrganisation, we will provide the required course materials, which will be helpful and useful for the exams preparation.
The course schedule are as follows,
Course Title: LEED Green Associates & LEED AP(BD&C)
Course Duration: 24 hours (4 Sessions)
The course fee includes the following:
- Complete course materials
- Experience Certificate for the Green Building Project from the Third party.
- Course completion Certificate from Green International
- Complete assistance for the Exam Application Process.
- Mockup Exams for LEED – Green Associates & AP
In addition to the above course fee, You need to pay the Exam Fee through USGBC On-line System :
Combined Exam Fee LEED Green Associate &AP(Specialty)
Exam Application Fee: $100/-
Exam Fee for GA & AP: $450/-
Separate Exams:
LEED Green Associate: Exam Application Fee: 50
Exam Fee for Green Associate: $ 200
LEED Accredited Professional: Exam Application Fee: $50
Exam Fee for AP: $ 250
If you are planning to join this Certification...
INDIA:
Green International Project Management (P) Ltd, Chennai.
SINGAPORE:
KUWAIT
GreenInternational W.L.L,
Phone:+965 25623841
Fax:+965 25623841
GreenInternational W.L.L,
Phone:+965 25623841
Fax:+965 25623841
Prepared & Collection by M.AjmalKhan.
