Posted by lorne, 5th August, 2011 8:10 pm

Subsequent to my last post, I have been receiving a lot of inquires asking WHY for the GA.

Well, for arguments sake, here is GBCI’s reason for taking the GA:

How does the LEED Green Associate help you in your career?

It is increasingly difficult to keep up with changing policies and shifting ideologies. Earning the LEED Green Associate gives you the knowledge you need to address these issues with a company and clients.

Anyway,

You all now understand WHAT THE LEED GREEN ASSOCIATE IS (if not, click here).  So, why should you do it?

In order to sit for any LEED AP exam, you must have passed (170+/200) the LEED GA exam. As previously mentioned the AP requires LEED project experience, while the LEED GA, merely requires some from of sustainable education.

A great reason to take the Green Associate is to make yourself more attractive to companies IN ORDER to hop on board a LEED project and gain that necessary experience. Once you have any documented hours on a LEED project, you are able to apply for any LEED AP exam.

I strongly recommend against just aiming for your LEED GA, and not going the one step further to work on the AP. The GA just shows that you have an idea of what LEED actually is, as well as the fundamentals behind how it works and the impacts it has. To be effective and desired in the Green Industry, a LEEP AP is required (plus you get letters after your name).

The LEED GA is also great for students who intend to jump into the green building/design industry. Students will likely be able to use a course related to the environment (GBCI is very lenient on acceptance of courses), and once the test is passed, they will already be ahead of the herd when entering the REAL WORLD.

If you are in the Toronto area and interested in LEED GA / AP training, please contact LeadingLEED to for information regarding our LEED training and exam prep classes.

Posted by lorne, 2nd August, 2011 10:36 pm

“GREEN IS THE NEW CRIMSON,” Quoted from the Harvard Office for Sustainability Facebook pages.

I have been meaning to share this on the blog for quite some time. They have a plethora of information regarding LEED and every other kind of green industry. Harvard is an academic leader in every field, so it does make sense that they are leading the way in green research too.

An acquaintance of mine, McKellar,  started a LEED blog in 2008, http://www.reallifeleed.com. It was known to be a very relevant and up to date hub for anything related to LEED. All posts were based on exactly what people wanted to know and had in question. Earlier this year he was offered and took a job as a High Performance Building Specialist in the Green Building Services unit at Harvard University. I give Harvard props for scouting Reallifeleed. He has now taken his talents over to Harvard and continues his research in the Green Building Industry.

It is updated daily and was recently featured on the USGBC website. 

Posted by lorne, 19th July, 2011 6:18 pm

The LEED Green Associate!

What is the LEED GA

The LEED GA is the first step for anyone wanting to become involved in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental program. Having this designation demonstrates that you have knowledge of the LEED program, its purpose and a broad idea of the Green building and design industry.

http://leadinggreen.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/LEED-Green-Associate-Candidate-Handbook.pdf

When: September 8, 2012

Where: University of Toronto (Downtown Campus – Bahen Center, BA 2165)

Cost : $200 ($150 for full time students)

What:

Interested in getting involved in the Green Building Industry? Opportunities are plentiful in the field of sustainable design and LEED is at its forefront.

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is simply a green-rating point system, or a scorecard. The more energy efficient and sustainable a building is, the more points it will earn. These points are earned through meeting credit requirements in LEED including integrated design, energy and water efficiency.

Just as Buildings can be LEED certified, people in the sustainable construction industry can become LEED Professionals. LeadingLEED is offering a 1-day crash course for LEED Green Associate Exam Training, the first tier of LEED accreditation. The LEED GA credential is imperative in your pursuit of green and sustainable industry.

The cost of the entire course including 8+ hours of in-class training, 4 realistic mock exams and professional study guide is $200 ($150 for full-time students). The actual fee for writing the exam is governed by the GBCI and is $200 (www.gbci.org for more information). This course meets the eligibility requirements to write the GA exam. It is worthwhile to keep in mind that similar courses offered by other organizations cost $700+ (without exam fees).

The classes are located at the University of Toronto

The Class Itinerary:

1. Study guides and relevant materials will be distributed.
2. Introduction and In-depth overview of all knowledge required to succeed on the LEED GA exam.
3. How to succeed on the actual LEED GA exam, what to expect and how to register

Post Class (through LeadingLEED`s On-Demand website service):

1. Recorded Class files, including a crash course review of all relevant LEED GA material
2. Four Mock Exams (400 Questions) to be completed when the student is ready and can be reviewed online on our Member-only site section.
3. Any-time assistance through our LEEP AP+ staff

For more information please visit: http://leadinggreen.com/2011/07/19/leed-green-associate-ga/ and download the linked LEED Green Associate Handbook.

This is the final LEED GA exam Prep of 2012, as the course will not be offered until the new year. Take advantage of this great and affordable opportunity to dive into sustainability!

If you would like to register for the class please sign up at:
http://leadinggreen.com/products-page/ {Paypal only, request coupon code if student!}
or
E-mail us your statement of intent (including contact info) to enrol at [email protected]

Feel free to contact us at any time if you have any questions
Thank you,
Lorne Mlotek
LEED AP BD+C
[email protected]
416-824-2677

About LeadingLEED: The organisation is a not for profit which aims to provide affordable LEED classes as an incentive to increase the development of the sustainable building and design industry.  LeadingLEED also promotes the awareness of LEED and is affiliated with the University of Toronto.

Posted by lorne, 15th July, 2011 3:32 am

City of Toronto is LEEDING by example, with their new 7 storey building!

For full story visit: http://www.dcnonl.com/article/id45302

Posted by lorne, 6th July, 2011 3:16 pm