Green Building was developed because U.S. buildings have a significant negative impact on the environment. Design and construction practices that significantly reduce or eliminate the negative impact of buildings on the environment and occupants focusing on creating buildings that promote the health, well-being and productivity of occupants and the environment.
Green building practices offer an opportunity to create environmentally-sound and resource-efficient buildings by using an integrated approach to design. In general, green buildings:

• Promote resource conservation, energy efficiency, renewable energy, and water conservation
• Consider environmental impacts and waste minimization
• Create a healthy and comfortable environment
• Reduce operation and maintenance costs

During the green building process, the entire life-cycle of the building, including operations and maintenance, and all related components are, as well as the economic, social, and environmental impact and performance.

Some of the key benefits derived from green building include savings in electric, natural gas, and water utility costs. Benefits include environmentally effective use of building materials, Enhanced health and productivity for occupants, Long-term economic returns, Reduced environmental impact during construction and during occupancy, and overall Improved health, well-being, and productivity of all users.

Sustainable Building follows the tenets included in the definition of sustainability: “Meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs,” sustainable building and construction practices can add up to a measurable result, known as the Total Sustainability Value. This value can include:

• Optimizing energy efficiencies
• Reducing costs
• Enhancing brand value
• Planning for future code and regulation changes

Sustainable building respects local, cultural, and geographically specific building design and construction techniques. A sustainable building protects natural resources, adds value to a community, and enhances the infrastructure of a city.

There are many Opportunities in sustainable operations and maintenance providing a proving ground for innovative cost savings. By benchmarking energy consumption and water use, as well as completing a complete audit of the current operations and maintenance practices, cost savings is inevitable. There are many utility incentives available and a conscientious building owner can equate sustainability with smart, lean business practices.

LEED is a green building rating system created by the US Green Building Council. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design – a system for certifying design, construction, and operations of the greenest buildings in the world. Scores are tallied for different aspects of efficiency and design in appropriate categories. LEED measures the sustainability of a building by looking at the use of the site, water, energy, materials and indoor environmental quality.

The point system is a way to measure the sustainability of a building in the categories of site, water, energy, materials, indoor environmental quality, innovation and regional priority. Based on a total of 110 points, a project can achieve the level of basic LEED certification by achieving 40-49 points, LEED silver certification by achieving 50-59 points, LEED gold certification by achieving 60-79 points and LEED platinum certification by achieving 80-110 points.

There are various ways to green your business depending on the type of work. The first general recommendation would be to lower the energy use of your business. That could mean simple measures such as turning off lights in unoccupied areas to more comprehensive approaches such as benchmarking your building’s energy use with Energy Star. You can have your employees become accredited Green Associate professionals so they understand the fundamentals of sustainability or track the carbon footprint of your office. Sustainability can be a very complex topic where the details prevent people from taking action. Contact us and we can help you identify your sustainability goals and perform a sustainability assessment to help determine the most effective steps you can take!

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Sustainable focuses on the triple bottom line of environmental, social, and economic performance. This means that the strategy would address/mitigate environmental degradation, social issues and make a financial profit. Green focuses on only 2 of these criteria: environmental and economic performance. Many green projects do not address social justice (e.g. race, class, sexuality, etc.) issues.

Many of the materials that commonly used to meet LEED requirements are readily available and cost no more than traditional materials and finishes.

The green product market is rapidly expanding and changing, our leading edge experts can guide you in material selection, both in building finishes and building systems and materials.

Call Prometric Testing Centers at 1-888-215-4154 to schedule an exam in your area. The exam is computer-based and administered on an individual basis.

The most effective green projects are created when there is synergy between all members of the project team. Green Ideas serves as the catalyst for this synergy. We augment a project team’s resources with our dedication, knowledge and experience of sustainable building design and construction.

Our passion for green building drives us to meet a project team’s needs through a holistic, integrated design process. While our direct client may be the owner, architect, contractor or facility manager, we invariably serve every team member to ensure the best possible results.

We are dedicated to the end result in each and every project. Our consultation focuses on strategies that produce the best life-cycle cost impact with improved environmental performance.

Green Ideas offers green building consulting services that cover each stage of the sustainable design and construction process.

• Green Building Charrettes and Project Strategy Sessions

• Green Building and LEED Training

• Computer Energy Modeling

• Project Management

• LEED Project Administration

What is LEED?

The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) introduced the 2.0 version of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED^®) building rating system for commercial, institutional, and high-rise residential buildings in June 2000. LEED evaluates environmental performance from a “whole building” perspective over a building’s life cycle. The program has grown tremendously since then by proving itself a viable method of providing a third-party green building certification tool designed to ensure building owners and occupants that their building meets stringent standards of performance.

Currently referred to as LEED version 3.0 or LEED 2009, the LEED Green Building Rating System for New Construction and Major Renovations (LEED-NC) is a points-based program that guides Architects through the design of an environmentally sound building. A LEED-NC building can achieve four different levels of certification based on the number of points obtained. The levels of certification available and corresponding LEED-NC points are:

• LEED^® Certified – 40 to 49 Points

• LEED^® Silver – 50 to 59 Points

• LEED^® Gold – 60 to 69 Points

• LEED^® Platinum – 80 to 110 Points

LEED for Existing Buildings Seminar

This Seminar is designed for owners and facility managers of commercial buildings. The LEED-EB program was developed to optimize the life-cycle performance and management of existing buildings in a sustainable manner, and this seminar demonstrates how utilizing the LEED-EB system can reduce environmental impacts and cost streams associated with building operations, maintenance, and associated construction, renovation and refurbishment projects. Detailed case studies are provided for three LEED-EB certified projects, and include presentations from facility managers who implemented the program when possible. Application and budget strategies are also discussed. This seminar also illustrates how the LEED-EB program can increase shareholder value through improved employee retention and performance while positioning the company as a “socially responsible” entity. This program will also help towards successful completion of the LEED-EB Professional Accreditation Exam.

LEED for Commercial Interiors Seminar

This Seminar is designed for Interior Designers, Architects, and Contractors. It provides them with an overview of the LEED-CI program and how it is utilized when designing and building high-performance, healthy tenant-improvement projects. The seminar includes an introduction to the LEED-CI program, a technical overview of the points available, and detailed case studies illustrating the many benefits of designing to LEED-CI standards. This seminar specifically addresses the opportunities for Interior Design professionals and Product Manufacturers. This program will also help towards successful completion of the LEED-CI Professional Accreditation Exam.

The Construction Manager’s Responsibilities with LEED-NC Seminar

This Seminar is tailored towards General Contractors, Construction Managers, Subcontractors and other field-related professionals. It covers issues related to the Construction Manager’s responsibilities with the LEED Green Building Rating System. Some of the topics covered include development of a green building manual, preparation for project interviews, how to handle preconstruction management issues, development of preconstruction management tools, documentation, subcontractor management and LEED post-construction management. Detailed documentation examples will be illustrated, along with suggestions for developing an integrated materials procurement strategy. The seminar will focus only LEED prerequisites, credits and points that concern the Construction Manager.

The Interior Designer’s Responsibilities for LEED Seminar

This Seminar is tailored to educate Interior Designers regarding their role in the LEED process. Interior Designers have a significant impact on many LEED credits and while some connections are obvious, such as their role in the Materials and Resources credits, some are not as intuitive, such as the subtle connections to the Energy and Atmosphere credits. In any case a general understanding of LEED, as well as a more detailed understanding of the credits relevant to Interior Designers is paramount in a smooth certification process. This course gives a brief overview of Green Building Industry and the benefits of designing in a Sustainable manner. Your instructor will also look at the LEED checklist and highlight the credits where the Interior Designer will have an impact. Finally the course will also give an overview of the Innovative Materials that are on the Marketplace today and discuss the attributes of these Materials that earn LEED Credits.

Mechanical Engineer’s Responsibilities for LEED Seminar

This Seminar will focus on only those prerequisites and credits that affect the MEP engineer and mechanical material, systems and equipment suppliers. A brief discussion of LEED referenced standards will be included for each particular prerequisite or credit, and integrated design guidance will be provided.

The curriculum modules will address related credits in seven areas: Water Efficiency, Building Commissioning, Energy Performance & Renewable Energy, Pollution Reduction & Thermal Comfort, Indoor Air Quality, and Innovation in Design. These areas are modules created from the 5 LEED categories of Sustainable Sites (SS), Water Efficiency (WE), Energy & Atmosphere (EA), Materials & Resources (MR), Indoor Environmental Quality (EQ) and Innovation in Design (ID). Sustainable Sites and Materials & Resources are outside the scope of mechanical engineering responsibility and are therefore not addressed in this proposed curriculum. Actual documentation examples will be reviewed and discussed, and each student will be required to complete a LEED letter template as an exercise.

LEED for Civil Engineers Seminar

This Seminar is designed for Civil and Construction engineers, civil contractors, subcontractors and site material, systems and equipment suppliers. The civil engineer’s responsibilities within the LEED system are the focus of this seminar that will concentrate on the LEED Sustainable Sites category, but also addresses several credits that relate to the Materials & Resources category. Actual documentation examples will be reviewed and discussed, and each participant will be required to complete a LEED letter template as an exercise.

LEED for Product Manufacturers Seminar

This seminar is designed for sustainable product manufacturers and vendors or those that want to become more responsible as a manufacturer.  The instructor will explain how sustainable product design and manufacturing processes play an important role in the construction industry today.  The seminar will show companies how to position their products in the “green” marketplace by determining the unique attributes of each product or product line.  This information will help companies improve the chances that their products will be specified for LEED projects.

LEED Application Workshops

These credit-specific “mini” workshops will engage attendee’s participation in actual design, implementation and documentation examples, and will thoroughly prepare attendees to take charge as a knowledgeable participant in an actual LEED project.   Workshop topics include: construction waste management, IAQ management programs, integrated materials management and procurement.

This is the first LEED BD+C, formally New Construction (NC), Exam Preparation Seminar that has been reviewed and recommended by the U.S. Green Building Council Education Provider Program.  Green Ideas is approved for their LEED for Existing Buildings v2.0 Exam Preparation Seminar as well as their half day Construction Manager’s Responsibilities with LEED for New Construction.

The Green Ideas faculty work with the LEED Rating Systems on a daily basis and our knowledge and experience comes through in our seminars.  We also provide continue education units for American Institute of Architects (AIA) or a certificate of completion for others to report to other associations.

The primary goal of this seminar is to prepare attendees for success when taking the BD+C, formally LEED-NC, Professional Accreditation Exam. The Target Audience for New Construction Accreditation is Architects, Building Owners, Contractors, Engineers, Facility Managers, Property Managers, Real Estate Professionals and Sub-Contractors.

The Seminar covers an Introduction to Sustainable Design Principles and Concepts, an overview of the Green Building Industry and the application of the BD+C, formally LEED-NC, Green Building Rating system. This is accomplished by guiding participants through the use of the LEED project checklist, reviewing case studies of different project types from around the country, discussing the LEED registration and certification process and application of the new LEED programs. The instructor then provides a detailed analysis of the LEED-NC Rating System, including a review of all categories, prerequisites, credits, points and submittals required for each credit. The seminar commences with a BD+C, formally LEED-NC, exam review that includes an open discussion and a practice exam.  Typically a light breakfast and lunch will be included in the cost of the 8 hour seminar.

6.5 AIA Credits

Certificate of Completion

Register for a LEED BD+C Seminar Now

LEED for Existing Buildings Exam Prep Seminar

The primary goal of this seminar is to prepare attendees for success when taking the LEED EBOM, formally EB, Professional Accreditation Exam. The Target Audience for Existing Building Accreditation is Building Owners and Facility Managers of Commercial Buildings.

The Seminar covers how the LEED EBOM, formally EB, program optimizes the Life-Cycle performance and management of Existing Buildings in a Sustainable manner and demonstrates how utilizing the LEED EBOM, formally EB  system can reduce Environmental Impacts and Cost Streams associated with building operations, maintenance, and associated construction, renovation and refurbishment projects. We will also review detailed case studies for three LEED EBOM, formally EB,  certified projects, including presentations from facility managers who have implemented the program. In addition to the benefits of the LEED for Existing Buildings the course will guide participants through the LEED program by discussing the LEED registration and certification process and application of the new LEED programs. Your instructor then provides a detailed analysis of the EBOM, formally EB Rating System, including a review of all categories, prerequisites, credits, points and submittals required for each credit. The Seminar commences with a LEED EBOM, formally EB  exam review that includes an open discussion and a practice exam.  Typically a light breakfast and lunch will be included in the cost of the 8 hour Seminar.

Register for a LEED EBOM Seminar Now

LEED for Commercial Interiors Exam Prep Seminar

The primary goal of this Seminar is to prepare attendees for success when taking the LEED-CI Professional Accreditation Exam. The Target Audience for Commercial Interiors Accreditation is Interior Designers, Architects, Property Managers, Product Manufacturers and Contractors.

The Seminar includes an overview of the LEED-CI program and how it is utilized when designing and completing high-performance, healthy tenant-improvement projects. This is accomplished by guiding participants through the use of the LEED-CI project checklist, reviewing detailed case studies illustrating the many benefits of designing to LEED-CI standards. Your instructor will also discuss the LEED registration and certification process and application of the new LEED programs. The instructor then provides a detailed analysis of the LEED-CI Rating System, including a review of all categories, prerequisites, credits, points and submittals required for each credit. The seminar commences with a LEED-CI exam review that includes an open discussion and a practice exam.  Typically a light breakfast and lunch will be included in the cost of the 8 hour Seminar.

6.5 AIA Credits

Certificate of Completion

Register for a LEED-CI Seminar Now