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Supplementary References

Every LEED Prep lesson includes references in the Assess section to the GBES LEED v4 Green Associate Exam Preparation Study Guide (when relevant), the LEED Green Associate Candidate Handbook (for Task and Knowledge Domains), and LEED Impact Categories. Those resources are included here, along with other references students may find helpful in preparing for the LEED Green Associate Exam.

In this lesson, students learn that in addition to systems thinking and life-cycle analysis, another important aspect of successful green building projects is an integrative process. This strategy prioritizes connections and communication among professionals and stakeholders throughout the entire life cycle of a project. The idea is that the more the people on the team understand the perspectives of the other people on the team, the better the project will be. Then students work as team members, experts, and stakeholders to evaluate a neighborhood plan and propose changes to make the plan more sustainable. This foundational knowledge helps prepare students for the LEED Green Associate Exam, Integrative Strategies Knowledge Domain.

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In this lesson, students learn a traditional architectural design process, the GBCI certification process, and key steps a LEED Green Associate/program manager would take to get from one to the other. Working in their eco-charrette teams from Lessons 7.2 and 7.3, students enter details about their projects into a test version of the LEED Online system to get first-hand experience with the system. In this way, they learn how to navigate through the system, upload documentation, and search for LEED requirements and worksheets so they are prepared for the Green Associate Exam and ready to assist in the management of the LEED documentation and certification process.

In Session 1, students discuss why effective green building relies upon third-party rating systems. Then they use the USGBC’s LEED Project Checklist to check the certification level they were able to achieve for the designs they created in Lesson 7.2. In Session 2, students research an array of Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI^®) programs—such as PEER^®, EDGE, SITES^®, WELL^®, Parksmart℠, and TRUE—as well as other popular rating systems, including BREEAM^® and the Living Building Challenge. Then they learn more about the roles of USGBC and GBCI and important aspects of the LEED rating system. Finally, they review how Arc, a platform developed by GBCI, can help project managers keep track of progress toward their goals.

This module and this course end on an inspiring note as students think about the future of green building, watch a short video about one company that created an innovative corporate headquarters, and give their own campus building designs one final look to see how they might further transform them to be more innovative, more sustainable, and more closely linked to their classmates’ building designs. Students then share their innovative building designs with their classmates, contemplate together the future of green building, and take some time to reflect on the experiences and knowledge they gained throughout the course.

In this lesson, students coordinate a panel discussion with a range of green building professionals who answer their questions and share information about their careers. Then students explore a green career they are interested in, identifying key steps needed to prepare for that career. Next, students spend some time preparing for the LEED Green Associate Exam, first by playing a game of LEED vocabulary bingo, then by reviewing logistics related to the exam, and finally by self-assessing their readiness for the exam and creating a study plan to help them prepare for and pass the exam.

In this lesson, students explore the foundational concepts of integrative, or “whole building,” design. They are each assigned a role to be part of an integrative team that will design a building for a university campus. They begin by conducting independent research to understand the scope and purpose of their designated roles. Then, via a fast-paced card game, they explore how various design strategies can be synergistic and benefit multiple LEED categories and credits. Finally, they participate in an eco-charrette to explore an array of perspectives as they begin designing their building. The charrette spans two sessions in this lesson and picks up again in the next lesson, giving students ample experience simulating an effective real-world building design process.