#leedap

The NBI & USGBC have signed a Memorandum of Understanding validating the organizations association. USGBC has developed green building guideline called LEED. It also provides professional certificates like LEED Green Associate and LEED AP.

On May 14th, The Memorandum of Understanding was signed in seattle wash. Seattle is a coastal town on the West Coast of the United State of America. This MOU describes strictures on how the two organizations will continue to progress & encourage the mutual interests of their respective stakeholders & members.

The benefits of the partnership between NBI and USGBC gives paramount importance to moving the market towards innovative energy future for the environment that is low emissions & low energy. LEED Green Associate can support in moving the market towards innovative energy future.

NBI is excited to leverage this assistance to better support ASHRAE’s members with training, tools, resources, and education to rapidly scale zero-emissions buildings. LEED AP can support ASHRAE’s members with training and tools for green buildings.

This MoU will focus on NBI efforts & help NBI to plan its successful cooperation into the future and suggestively increase its impact.

This agreement is focused on joint activities by USGBC & NBI planned to:

Improve proficiency of building industry professionals or LEED Green Associate and LEED AP to provide high-performance, zero-emissions & zero energy buildings, as well as buildings that are enhanced for grid interactions.

Increased numbers of zero & net-zero energy, zero-emissions & LEED Zero-certified buildings. LEED Green Associate and LEED AP can help increase numbers of net-zero and zero-emission buildings.    

Spread the adoption of expanse energy codes, and expand enforcement & code compliance. LEED Green Associate and LEED AP helps in expanding energy codes and enforcement.        

Increase public health, social equity and resilience-related with energy & energy systems and communicate these accomplishments through platforms like U.S Green Building Council Living Standard campaign. LEED Green Associate and LEED AP can help in communicating these achievements.

NBI & USGBC missions are closely allied which is redirected in USGBC collective efforts to advance zero energy buildings & provision grid integration over the past five years.

Acquiring LEED certification will introduce the following benefits:

·         Recover higher costs as green building offers a lot of alternatives that can downsize the structural, electrical and mechanical system.

·         Designs are cost-effective since building saves from 20% to 50% energies compared to common construction.

·         Care for the future    

·         Enhance health and well-being of tenants

·         Get introduced to large number of equipment which can help you save more energy and be eco-friendly.

LEED Certification is given to organizations likes Construction, Commercial Interiors, Existing Buildings, New Buildings, Core and Shell, Schools, Homes, Hotels, Retail, Healthcare, and Neighborhood Development. This orients the company on how to contribute to taking care of our environment.

Standards of LEED Certification

you must secure the following to get the LEED Certification:

·         Prevention of pollution within the construction site

·         Reduce water use

·         Minimum energy performance as per ASHRAE 90.1

·         Building energy systems

·         Refrigeration management    

·         Collecting and storing recyclables

·         Smoke-free environment

LEED provides a clear pathway for environmental achievement. The building ie., built, remodeled, or managed according to LEED standards that is a clear expression of a company's commitment to the environment.

LEED AP Accredited Professional:

For professionals participant in the design and construction phases of high-performance, healthful, durable, affordable, and environmentally sound commercial, institutional, and high-rise residential buildings, the LEED AP exam is designed to measure your knowledge and skill in understanding the LEED Rating System and the ability to facilitate the project certification process.  

Exam Objective & Format:

The first part of the exam is the LEED Green Associate section and LEED AP specialty section is the 2nd part of the exam. Each LEED AP specialty section is consists of 100 randomly delivered MCQ and must be completed in the second two hours of the exam appointment. Candidates must pass both LEED GA and LEED AP sections to earn the LEED AP with specialty credential.

LEED AP Specialties:

·         Building Design and Construction –  for New Construction, Schools, Core & Shell

·         Operations and Maintenance – for Existing Buildings: O+M

·         Interior Design and Construction - for Commercial Interiors

·         Homes - for Homes      

·         Neighborhood Development  - for Neighborhood Development  

Are you interested in becoming LEED AP? We are here to guide you in passing the exam. We have USGBC approved faculty of more than 10+ years of experience. If you are interested to join this training please email at [email protected].

In addition to this ECBC, there are voluntary programs to encourage the development of efficient and sustainable buildings, this includes GRIHA rating i.e., Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment, BEE i.e, Bureau of star rating and LEED ie. Leadership and energy and environmental design.  LEED GA & LEED AP qualified professionals are in great demand, Let see about the GRIHA means.

The Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment is the recent national rating system of India. It was developed by the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) jointly with the Ministry of new and renewable energy, India. The latest version of GRIHA is GRIHA V 2015. This rating is used for all kinds of buildings across India. It follows 31 criteria of ratings under 4 categories namely -Site selection and planning, building planning and construction, building operation and maintenance, Innovation.  LEED GA and LEED AP professionals are well aware of these requirements.

GRIHA is a building rating program that is widely implemented in India. it is applicable to new buildings with floor space of over 2500 sq.m. Eligible buildings include offices, retails buildings, institutional buildings, hotels, hospitals, and healthcare facilities, and multi-family high rise buildings. The minimum points required for GRIHA V 2015 certification are 25. LEED GA & LEED AP can help in green building certification.

Building scoring 25 to 40 points will get 1 star, 41 to 55 points will get 2 stars, 56-70 points will get 3 stars, 71-85 points will get 4 stars respectively. A building scoring more than 86 points will get the maximum rating of five stars. GRIHA evaluates a building's performance throughout its life cycle based on nationally accepted energy and environmental principles and aims to minimize the environmental impact of buildings and promote green building development.  LEED GA & LEED AP professional can help you in maximizing the score.

The program is executed by the GRIHA Council, which was founded by the Energy and Resources Institute with the support of the Indian Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. There are currently 700 projects on record that are registered with the GRIHA system.  LEED GA & LEED AP individuals possess understanding of all such requirements.

LEED or Leadership in Environmental design is a third-party green building rating system developed by USGBC and GBCI. USGBC stands for United State Green Building Council and the GBCI stands for Green Building Certification Institute. The GBCI also provides professional credentials like LEED GA and LEED AP. The LEED rating system has 5 types of guidelines the first one is called the LEED BD+C, the next is LEED ID+C followed by LEED Homes, EED BD, and LEED O+M. LEED BD+C is for design and construction. LEED ID+C is for interior design and construction. LEED homes are for small buildings/homes. LEED-ND is for neighborhood development. LEED O+M is for operation and maintenance of buildings. For all these types USGBC issues specialty LEED AP credential. LEED GA  is a prerequisite for obtaining LEED AP credential.

The LEED guideline has seven categories starting with Sustainable sites, that have 1 prerequisite and 8 credits, then comes the water efficiency which has 1 prerequisite and 3 credits, followed by Energy and atmosphere, then material and resources then Indoor environmental quality, next is innovation and the last is regional priorities. Becoming a LEED GA or LLEED AP requires understanding of all these categories and the credits and prerequisites that are covered in these categories. The rating system has four certification levels. You get your building certified with 40 to 49 points, followed by silver rating for 50 to 59, then comes the gold rating for 60 to 79 and the last is platinum rating that is achieved on securing 80 + points under the LEED system. GE3S provides training for LEED GA and LEED AP for students as well as professionals throughout the year.