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| Posted By: heather bison Posted On: Feb 28, 2009 Views: 591 | Leed exam prep Apparently if you have already passed the test you have an option to upgrade so to speak. I am schedule for next week but my friend has helped me with studying and says with this resource its fairly easy . I will be attending the courses next week which will definitely help me pass. Clean Edison Training Centers is a great resource. I might sign up for private tutoring depending on how the course goes..plus if I dont pass I can retake it free of charge.. does anyone know any good sites that have group stuidies online as well? |
| Posted By: Mary Joe de Beck Posted On: May 21, 2004 Views: 1191 | LEED AP and sustainable building Regardless, of the difficulty or ease of the test, it serves as a measure of the evolution that we as a society are experiencing with respect to the building industry more people are aware of the test, and more are taking the test, and more are talking about the test, and more firms are asking their staff to take the test, and all of that builds the necessary dialog for building sustainable buildings. The whole LEED concept is about understanding and integrating sustainable design and involving an integrated stakeholder design team and protecting our environment with all of our choices in the process. It certainly shouldn't be perceived as a threat or discredited by anyone with a specialized area of expertise. I personally would like to see high school students as well as professional architects both study for and pass the test (at any level of difficulty)...for that matter, I would like all voters and tax payers and anyone who lives on the planet to take the test and pass. The dialog around building sustainably is way more important than the status of the accreditation : ) I think most people understand that. |
| Posted By: Lisa LEED AP Posted On: May 19, 2004 Views: 1219 | LEED LEED is a great tool and a great benchmark for anyone to use. True sustainable designers will be able to meet LEED requirements and produce a building that has high caliber architectural design. I have always pushed for sustainable design in my office and I believe I have proved my knowledge on the subject. However, it wasn't until I passed the exam that others began to listen to what I had to say. |
| Posted By: Dale A. Anderson, AIA, NCARB, LEED Posted On: Feb 23, 2004 Views: 2022 | Sustainable Knowledge AS others have noted, the LEED exam process cannot hope to measure the true sustainability knowledge of an individual - only recognize that an individual has read and comprehended the LEED program and process. According to the USGBC the exam process itself is going to get much more difficult in the second quarter of 2004. Use of the LEED exam depends on the intent of what the program is also intended for. If, as the most recent EDC article noted, the checklist really wants to recognize those individuals who are specialists when it comes to sustainable design, then they will need to revise the available point in the submittal process. If the checklist is only intended to identify those individuals who know how to use the LEED program itself it could remain. Either way, another method needs to be found to truly separate those who are sustainable specialists vs those who have only satisfied the LEED program knowledge (i.e. exam). |
| Posted By: Alex Krause Posted On: Feb 22, 2004 Views: 1683 | LEED A LEED AP knows the LEED process, that is it. This was clearly stated by the USGBC. It does not mean one is an Engineer, Designer, Architect, etc. It is not a degree, it only means that one knows the LEED requirements and processes, let's not make it into something which is not. Most importantly, if it were a 4 year degree, we would not have the movement and momentum existing today. Making a case against the exam being too easy is false. Many P.E.s and Architects with 4 years of training fail the exam one or more times. To say one can read the manual in a day and pass the exam is not realistic and in the very extreme minority. Denouncing the exam as too easy belittles folks who studied faithfully and with good intent feel a sense of achievement in passing. There are a few bad apples in every profession which is why owners pre qualify and bid out for construction, and companies interview potential employees before hiring, why should hiring a LEED AP be any different? If the LEED exam had a 5% pass rate, it would not mean buildings are Greener than they are now and the LEED momentum would not be where it is today. |
| Posted By: Dale Riser LEED AP Posted On: Feb 19, 2004 Views: 1692 | LEED AP The LEED exam is not a true measure of how much one understands sustainability in practice or theory, any more than the passing of any exam alone is an indicator of one's ability to be truly knowledgable or talented. Only a real dedication to the principles and practice of green building will make that happen on an individual basis. What the exploding number of LEED Accredited Professionals does represent is the product of the mainstreaming of sustainability - its methods, materials and ideology. Has anyone been to the USGBC Conference/Expo lately?? Notice how much of a business sustainability has become? And like any "movement" it will have it's uppercrust and bottom-dwellers. But somewhere in the middle are going to fall most practicing architects, engineers, manufacturers, etc. In the end there has to be a place for all segments of those interested in and affected by sustainability. I agree that some common ground needs to be found, and that LEED accreditation should represent a solid working knowledge of sustainability. But surely the green building movement can't expect there to be only a handful of "experts" in the field...how detrimental would that type of system be to continued acceptance of sustainability policies. The true art of sustainability is striking a balance between competing factors and issues while moving forward a valid and valuable effort. How we get there may not be the most significant challenge. |
| Posted By: Joshua Lloyd Assoc. AIA Posted On: Feb 19, 2004 Views: 845 | LEED Exam I also have to agree that the LEED Exam is not at all a measure of sustainability. LEED is more of a standard of Energy Efficiency. Sustainable Design goes much further than that. But for some people it is a stepping-stone into sustainable design practice. Take myself for example. I have been out of school for two years now and want to pursue a more sustainable way of design and thinking. Since my school did not teach that, I am out teaching myself and LEED gives me a starting point. So I am currently studying to become a LEED AP by the end of the first quarter of this year. But I do not plan on going out and selling myself as an expert, because I am not. As stated in an earlier post, I see LEED as a common base of knowledge for everyone who is interested in Green/Sustainable Design. Whether it is an architect, engineer, developer or building owner, it is a common ground for professionals to come together and have an understanding of what can and needs to be done. |
| Posted By: Kelly Luckett LEED AP Posted On: Feb 18, 2004 Views: 852 | LEED AP Testing You cant have it both ways. You say you want a world where everyone builds green and in the same breath say that you want to exclude any one who doesnt measure up to your lofty standards. The purpose of the program is to broaden participation in the LEED program and to advance the green building movement. Taking a holistic approach means to include everyone from the bull dozer driver to the furniture movers. The role of the LEED AP is to facilitate certification by helping the design team prepare the proper documentation for the LEED points the building owner wants to capture. How is the green building cause advanced by you trivializing an accomplishment that many of us devoted hours to learn and study? I am not an architect. I am the owner of an architectural sheet metal company. I do not use my accreditation to pass myself off as anything Im not. I have developed a program that has been approved by the AIA continuing education provider program to educate the architects in my area about the LEED rating system and the need to design buildings using sustainable building practices. I provide 1 ½ learning units to the interested architects and then take a few minutes to talk about green roofs. My program and use of LEED material has been approved by the USGBC. My point is a simple one; its about inclusion and participation, not exclusion and elitism. |
| Posted By: Paul R Bertram, Jr. FCSI, CDT Posted On: Feb 9, 2004 Views: 952 | LEED AP exam The Current LEED AP is for all interested parties to gain a general awareness of the LEED principles - and should be the evolving baseline education program. When it begins to require calculations and specific areas of expertise a lot of people will not be able to or be interested in achieving accredidation. This will reduce the awareness level that the current program has generated. Currently I perceive LEED AP the same in concept as CSI's CDT - Construction Document Technologist - see www.csinet.org CSI then offers specific certification programs for different building team members CCS - specifiers CCCA - Construction administrators CCPR - contruction Product Representatives Perhaps something like this would work for LEED if the industry benefits from greater distinction in specific areas of sustainable expertise One editor feels that awarding a point for a LEED AP on a LEED Certified project is self serving. Of course it is self serving - but the intent is to create greater awareness of the LEED process. |
| Posted By: Dagmar Epsten, AIA, CCS, LEED AP Posted On: Feb 5, 2004 Views: 1010 | LEED Exam To pass the current LEED Accredited Professional exam, one has to memorize the LEED Rating System and read most of the LEED Reference Guide, but that's about it. The exam requires no calculations, no detailed architectural knowledge, no engineering expertise, and no management leadership skills. Moreover, while LEED certification is a marketable and practical measure of sustainable design, truly sustainable design derives from a comprehensive understanding of energy issues and of a life-cycle approach to building. Technical skills required for sustainable design include, for example, specifications writing, energy and daylighting modeling, and being able to deal creatively with stormwater issues. In addition to the current LEED exam, I would welcome a higher level of accreditation. Too many clients are confused by the current exam and think that any LEED Accredited Professional will be able to make the most of their building in regard to sustainability. With many junior employees taking the exam now, that simply is not the case. For example, CSI offers several exams, including the CDT exam (basic level) and the CCS exam (higher level)in regard to construction specifications. I think this would be a good model. While even an advanced test on LEED would not be able to cover all aspects of sustainable design and management expertise, it could be designed to address them better. I would welcome an advanced exam, such as for "LEED Expert". Dagmar Epsten, AIA, CCS, LEED AP, President, The Epsten Group, Architects & Consultants, Atlanta, Georgia |
| Posted By: william anderson Posted On: Feb 2, 2004 Views: 1105 | LEED Test I believe that the article in this issue of EDC and the wording of the opinion poll misses the point of the LEED exam. The structure of the test indicates that the goal is to provide a common base of philosophy and knowledge to allow people from a variety of disciplines to communicate with one another. This includes Design Professionals, Manufacturers, and Industry Leaders. I hope this is not the start of the LEED Journeyman, LEED Master, LEED Guru, and even LEED Supreme Overseer Levels, (each with a rite of passage and a price tag.) A designer's portfolio, work experience and education are the true measure of experience and qualifications. Furthermore, if the test were made any more technical, it would likely shut out the non-architects and engineers whose buy-in is essential for the promotion of sustainable design concepts. The USGBC is correct in keeping the LEED exam relatively simple and broad in scope. |
| Posted By: Scott Winkler Posted On: Feb 2, 2004 Views: 994 | LEED Accreditation I agree that the LEED exam does not fully gauge an individuals knowledge of sustainable desgin. Neither does the Professional Engineering exam fully gauge an individuals knowledge of HVAC design. Some projects do not maxamize their LEED rating potential due to poor leadership in the LEED effort, while others achieve Platinum ratings. Similar to all successful building projects, it's a function of the Owner, Designers, and Builders working together toward a common goal, and the LEED professional educating themselves beyond the exam to support the team. |