Archive for the ‘Events and Educational Opportunities’ Category

Greening the Heartland Scholarships

USGBC-Missouri Gateway Chapter is excited to be able to grant two full and one partial scholarships to attend the Greening the Heartland Conference, May 16-18, 2012, in Indianapolis, Indiana. USGBC-MG believes that everyone should have access to green buildings and green communities as well as green building education. Through this scholarship, we hope to increase the participation of those interested in serving communities not typically represented in the areas of sustainability. This year, one of USGBC-MG’s targeted efforts is to accelerate the greening of our existing building stock.

Applications are due by 5 pm Central Standard Time on Thursday, March 15. Scholarship recipients will be notified by March 29.

Download the scholarship application here.

Funds for the Greening the Heartland Scholarships were raised at our annual ECORIDE in October 2011 – a fun, family-friendly and recreation bike ride on the Riverfront Trail. Save the date for ECORIDE 2012 – October 20!




St. Louis Greenprint 2012

With the input and participation of over 80 companies and organizations, the St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association developed the St. Louis Greenprint 2012 during summer and fall of 2011. Many USGBC-Missouri Gateway Chapter members were in attendance on December 14 when RCGA released the Greenprint. Chapter members also participated in the development of the Greenprint, which is an action plan for growing the St. Louis regional green economy.

The Greenprint has seven objectives – many of them apply to our vision and mission of transforming the built environment into a healthier, more environmentally friendly and prosperous place to live, work and learn:

  • Develop the region’s Sustainable Technologies Cluster, with emphasis on advanced energy technologies and sustainable building design and materials
  • Increase the depth and breadth of regional companies and institutions adopting sustainable business practices
  • Increase the regional supply and demand for green products and services and increase green exports
  • Spur entrepreneurial growth and innovation in green products and services within the region
  • Streghten the regional workforce for the emerging green economy
  • Restage the regional “green brand”
  • Enhance livability through regional sustainable attributes

Five initiatives have been identified for 2012 in order to move the above objectives forward.

  • Developing the Region’s Sustainable Technologies Cluster
  • Spreading Sustainable Business Practices
  • Accelerating the Market for Green Products and Services
  • Building a Green Innovation Network
  • Establishing a Higher Education Sustainability Collaborative

Each of these initiatives include several action steps. USGBC-Missouri Gateway is excited to partner with RCGA on a High Performance Building Initiative, which is part of Accelerating the Market for Green Products and Services. Previously, we partnered with RCGA on three-part High Performance Building Series in 2009 & 2010 that was very well-received and well-attended by USGBC and RCGA members alike. We look forward to enhancing this partnership in the coming year.

We are especially excited because the High Performance Building Initiative fits perfectly with a key area of our 2012 – 2014 Strategic Plan – focusing on greening our existing building stock. USGBC-Missouri Gateway Executive Director, Emily Andrews (pictured above) addressed those in attendance at the December 14 Greenprint release. She emphasized the important role of green buildings in advancing our region’s green economy. She also pointed out that USGBC recently announced that the square footage of LEED-certified existing buildings has surpassed LEED-certified new construction by 15 million square feet on a cumulative basis. (See press release.) St. Louis does not currently follow this trend and Emily challenged those in attendance and the High Performance Building Initiative to change that!

Look for more programming and educational opportunities this year from the Chapter focusing on greening existing buildings – at our monthly programs, webinars and in-depth sessions and in partnership with other organizations like RCGA. We’re already engaged in a great LEED EB:O+M Community Project Pilot with the Missouri Botanical Garden (thanks to generous support from a Wells Fargo Green Team Grant). Over 30 Chapter members are volunteering their time and expertise to assist with the certification process. The performance period is scheduled to begin on February 1 and we plan to complete all the documentation by the middle of May. We hope this project will create a model for pursuing similar projects with non-profits in the future.

For more information about or to download the St. Louis Greenprint 2012, visit the RCGA website at www.stlrcga.org/greenprint.xml. Or read the December 20 Special Edition of RCGAdvocate about the Greenprint.

- Submitted by Emily Andrews, USGBC-Missouri Gateway Chapter Executive Director

 




4th Annual Growing Green Awards – with new categories!

Nominations are now open for the 2012 Growing Green Awards. USGBC-Missouri Gateway is pleased to honor individuals, institutions, companies and organizations who work towards making every building a green building!

Nominations are due by 5 PM CST on Friday, January 27, 2012. This year’s categories are:

  • Community Champion
  • Education
  • Emerging Leader
  • Innovation
  • Operational Excellence
  • Restoration

Winners will be announced at the Growing Green Awards Dinner & Celebration on Thursday, March 29, 2012.

For more information or to download a nomination package, please visit www.usgbc-mogateway/green-awards.




State of Construction & Demolition Recycling in St. Louis

A free seminar presented by USGBC-Missouri Gateway and Associated General Contractors – St. Louis and hosted by St. Louis County Department of Health

The St. Louis Region and the Midwest are blessed with much open space, which means that it is easy to overlook where our generated residential and commercial waste ends up. Our landfill tipping fees, i.e. “the cost to dump”, are relatively low compared to other parts of the United States as a result of the abundance of landfill areas. Many consumers, businesses and contractors think nothing of throwing things “away and out of sight.” However, it is not environmentally responsible to dispose of items that could be salvaged, recycled or reused. It is also irresponsible to think of our landfill space as unlimited. One day there will not be an “away” for our waste disposal.

With support from St. Louis Jefferson Solid Waste Management, USGBC-Missouri Gateway, ReSource St. Louis and Missouri Enterprise have partnered to address the need to better understand C&D waste resources in the St. Louis area and build a business case for increasing waste reduction with the ultimate goal of reducing waste in our landfills and preserving the environment for future generations.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

  • Acquire a comprehensive background on the present “lay of the landfill” as it relates to common and existing practices for dealing with C&D end of project materials.
  • Identify current best alternative practices for dealing with C&D materials in the greater St. Louis area, encouraging a shift away from current dead-end strategies.
  • Examine the recycling needs of the building community, as they relate to LEED requirements and personal best choices.
  • Capture and expand upon possible business case options as they relate to LEED requirements and personal best choices.
  • Explore barriers to C& D recycling, dispelling the myths and offering sound metrics to encourage an embracing of recycling as opposed to dumping.
  • Recognize national case studies of technologies and approaches already in place elsewhere which provide significant monetary and environmental savings to communities and states.

Thanks to the Project Team who managed the focus groups and developed the C&D Toolkit and this Education Session!
Gary Steps – Butterfly Energy Works – Instructor
Jay Swoboda – EcoUrban – Instructor
Jen Loui – Butterfly Energy Works – Project Manager

CONTINUING EDUCATION
2 GBCI CE Hours
2 AIA/CES Learning Units


WHEN

Monday, November 7, 2011
3:30 – 5:30 pm

WHERE
St. Louis County South County Health Clinic,
4580 South Lindbergh Blvd, Sunset Hills, MO 63127

Please park in the back of the building and enter the Auditorium from the parking lot.

FEE
Free!

REGISTER
Click here to visit USGBC-Missouri Gateway’s Event Registration Page.  Then scroll down and click on the “Register” button under the State of Construction & Demolition Recycling in St. Louis event listing.

Click here to visit AGC-St. Louis’ Event Registration page.




Chapter Executive Director Renews LEED Credential

Several years ago, I took the leap and registered for the LEED AP Exam. I took the LEED-NC exam. I’m not a building professional. I don’t design and construct buildings for a living, so passing the test required a lot of studying and memorization. I crammed all that information into my brain knowing the LEED reference guide could be my crutch after I passed the exam. And I did pass – by the skin of my teeth.

I took the LEED AP exam before things changed – before there was a LEED Green Associate credential and before you had to have experience on a LEED project to be eligible for a LEED AP exam. You can bet that I opted into to the Credential Maintenance Program two years ago when it kicked off. I may never be eligible for a LEED AP exam since I don’t work on LEED projects! Plus the Credential Maintenance program keeps me up-to-date on the LEED rating system and green building technologies.

If I ever do work on a LEED project, it will likely be an existing building project, so I opted into the LEED AP O+M specialty. In the last two years, I collected more than the 30 required hours – and more than the 6 required LEED specific credits! But I never sat down to submit them through GBCI’s online interface. I was procrastinating. First I planned to submit them before vacation. That quickly became after vacation. A week ago, I finally sat down and submitted the continuing education hours. It took much less time and was much less painful that I imagined. And I’d like to share a few tips from my experience:

  • Take some time to learn how GBCI’s Credential Maintenance Program (CMP) works. GBCI has a lot of great resources on their website, including a CMP Wizard. The USGBC-MO Gateway’s How to Earn CMP Continuing Ed Hours is also very useful. Plus, we won an award for this at the 2010 Greening the Heartland!
  • Organize your hours before you start submitting. Figure out what CE hours will work in which category. Once you upload your hours, you cannot make changes. You can only delete and re-enter. It’s a drag to re-enter!
  • Save everything. Save all your Certificates of Attendance, e-mails about events you attended, conference programs, etc. Having this documentation is invaluable. I went back to Greening the Heartland and Greenbuild programs from 2009 and 2010 to grab educational session descriptions – typed most of them verbatim. And all my CEs were approved. USGBC-MO Gateway sends out program evaluations within a week of our programs. I filed all these in a special Outlook folder because our Membership & Education Coordinator, Hope Breidenbach, provides excellent instructions in each evaluation on exactly how to submit your CE hours and even provides handy suggestions on what category the CE hours best fit. Take advantage of Hope’s hard work and keep these e-mails handy!
  • Attend USGBC-MO Gateway programs! We’ve been USGBC Education Provider since June 2010. This means that nearly all our monthly programs and other educational sessions starting in June 2010 can be submitted as Professional Development / Continuing Education CEs. And you and submit an unlimited number of these types of CEs! I earned over half of the 30 required CEs from attending Chapter programs, including my 6 LEED specific CEs from this summer’s LEED EB O+M Credit By Credit Review Lunch n’ LEED. Chapter members can attend monthly evening programs for FREE and other educational programs at a discount. It’s the deal of a lifetime! Can’t remember what Chapter programs you attended? No problem – we post a list of Program Attendees for all monthly evening programs. See this year’s Programs here. For 2009 and 2010, check our Program Archive.

Have questions about CMP reporting? Visit GBCI’s CMP Toolkit. Or contact USGBC-MO Gateway staff.

And if you’re looking for additional GBCI CE Hours before your reporting deadline (note that the reporting deadline is different depending on when you opted in), check out the following ideas.

  • Volunteer Committee Participation. You can earn up to 4 CE hours per reporting period for participating in a Chapter committee – .5 CE hours per meeting attendance or 2 CE hours for holding a leadership position. Learn more about USGBC-MO Gateway Committees here.
  • Upcoming Chapter Programs and Events. See what we have on our schedule – monthly programs, Lunch n’ LEED webinars, and in-depth program on LED lighting. See our event calendar for more information. And remember, Chapter members can attend for free or at a discounted rate.
  • Self-Study. Earn up to 5 hours per reporting period for independent review of material relevant to green building or LEED. Many building industry and green building publications offer CE hours through self-study. Many for free! Check out the Cascadia Green Building Council’s Trim Tab magazine as one example.It’s a free on-line magazine. Their summer issue includes an interview with Margaret Wheatley on the power of community, stories on child-centered cities, disconnecting from sewers, and the Hawai’i Preparatory Academy’s Living Building.
  • Live Presentations. Do you attend other building-related educational programs or lectures? They may qualify for GBCI CE’s, even if they aren’t produced by a USGBC Education Provider. You can earn up to 5 CE hours per reporting period for attending a one-time events where a presenter delivers green building or LEED content to an in-person audience, or through broadcast technology in real-time.
  • Environmental Building News offers on-line Continuing Education for free to EBN members and subscribers. You or your company may already subscribe to this leading green building publication. Learn more here.

Show colleagues, clients and others that you mean business when it comes to green building education! Get out there and earn your GBCI CEs and maintain your LEED Credential. If I can do it, you can too!

- Submitted by Emily Andrews, LEED AP O+M and USGBC-Missouri Gateway Executive Director




USGBC – Missouri Gateway LEED AP BD+C Specialty Exam Prep Course

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

USGBC-Missouri Gateway’s two full-day (16 hours total) LEED BD+C Specialty Exam Prep course is designed to prepare participants for the LEED BD+C Specialty exam.  Skilled instructors will discuss categories and credits in the LEED BD&C Rating System, explore methods of sustainable project delivery and green building practices, and offer test taking tips. Subject areas covered include:

·        Introduction, Exam Strategy, and BD+C Process
·        Sustainable Sites
·        Water Efficiency
·        Energy and Atmosphere
·        Materials and Resources
·        Indoor Environmental Quality
·        Test Taking Tips
·        Practice Exam

WHEN
Friday and Monday, July 22 & 25, 2011
8:30am – 5:00pm both days
Please arrive and check in between 8:00 – 8:30 am

WHERE
Masonry Institute of St. Louis
1429 S. Big Bend Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63117
map

FEE
$200.00 for USGBC-Missouri Gateway Chapter Members
$250.00 for Non-members
*Textbook costs are NOT included in course fee
*Course fee includes continental breakfast and lunch

REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS
1) USGBC LEED Building Design + Construction Study Guide, USGBC
2) LEED AP Building Design + Construction Candidate Handbook (free download) and references outlined on page 16 of the handbook.
3) LEED Reference Guide for Green Building Design and Construction, USGBC (NOT required for course, but strongly recommended)

The study guide and reference guide may be purchased on the USGBC Publications page of the USGBC website. The study guide price is $70 for employees of national USGBC member companies/$85 for non-members.  Please plan for shipping time.

PREREQUISITES
Students must read and understand the steps needed to enroll for and take the exam, including meeting exam eligibility requirements.  The instructors will only address this as a broad overview.

REGISTER
Click here to visit our Event Registration page, then scroll down and click on the Register button under the LEED Building Design + Construction (BD+C) Specialty Exam Prep Course event listing.

INSTRUCTORS
Paul Todd Merrill, Clayco’s Director of Sustainable Construction, is a Registered Professional Engineer in 12 states and responsible for planning, design and construction of Clayco’s sustainable efforts. Paul has been involved in over 30 LEED certified projects and, for the past eight years, he has developed and led LEED training sessions covering LEED versions 2.1, 2.2 and 3.0 for Clayco’s internal educational efforts and training sessions for owners, building code officials, law firms, manufactures and subcontractors. In addition, Paul is an adjunct professor at Washington University in the Sever School of Engineering.  Paul received his BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1981. Paul currently serves as Chair on the USGBC-Missouri Gateway Board of Directors.

Nick Bristow
, Project Engineer at Clayco, can be generally be called a coordinator for Clayco LEED Projects. From the first checklist to certification, Nick works with the Design and Construction team to pursue LEED certification of buildings. Nick has been involved with 10 LEED certified buildings and another 25 registered projects of various versions including LEED NC v2.2, LEED CS v2.0, and LEED 2009. For the past three years, he helped to develop and lead Clayco’s LEED AP training program.  Nick volunteers for the LEED committee of the St. Louis Habitat for Humanity, builder of 50 LEED Platinum homes locally and counting, and has participated in two different item writing workshops for the Green Building Certificate Institute, maker of the LEED AP and Green Associate exams.

PLEASE NOTE
This course does not guarantee students will pass the LEED AP BD+C Specialty exam.  Additional time outside of class will be required for reading the required textbooks and for further study.  Registering and taking the LEED AP exam, and any associated costs, are not included in this course.

This course prepares participants for the specialty portion of the LEED AP BD+C credentialing exam. LEED AP exams are comprised of two parts: Green Associate & the Specialty. Candidates must pass both portions of the exam in order to receive the LEED AP credential.

QUESTIONS?
Contact USGBC-Missouri Gateway staff by email or phone (314) 577-0225.

Thank You to our Event Sponsor!




Green Schools Happy Hour: LEED for Existing Buildings Operations & Maintenance

Join the USGBC-Missouri Gateway Chapter Green Schools Subcommittee to learn about how to truly ‘go green’ by implementing the LEED for Existing Building Operations and Maintenance (LEED EBOM) rating system.  Many schools have made great strides in ‘going green’ but few have an overall strategy to become more sustainable.  The LEED EBOM system provides an excellent framework for moving forward.  We will hear from Ralph Bicknese and Wanda Evans from the architectural firm Hellmuth+Bicknese about how to successfully implement LEED EBOM as they have for CitiMortgage.

WHEN
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
5:00 – 5:30 pm – Drinks & Networking
5:30 – 6:30 pm – LEED EBOM Discussion
6:30 – 7:00 pm – Drinks / Q&A

WHERE
Eliot Room at the Schlafly Tap Room
2100 Locust St., St. Louis MO 63103 map

FEE
Free for all attendees!

REGISTER
Click here to visit our Event Registration page.  Scroll down and click the “Register” button under the Green Schools Happy Hour: LEED EBOM event listing.

QUESTIONS? Contact USGBC-Missouri Gateway staff by email or phone (314) 577-0225.

Thank You to our Event Sponsor
New System
for providing appetizers and beverages!




Green Workplace

One month course, offered September, $195.

A greener workplace can provide substantial benefits to your organization’s triple bottom line – people, planet and profits.  By reducing the energy intensity of their buildings and materials demand and waste, green workplaces can save money and reduce their impact on the environment.  Come discover the keys to making green workplaces a success for you and your organization.  This online course is suitable for those new to green workplaces or already working in a green space and interested in enhancing their knowledge of what makes it a green space. Includes a green workplace toolkit.

WHEN
September 7 – October 1
During this time frame, you can participate any time of day or evening. The online classroom is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. More details are below.

FEE
$195

REGISTER
Visit the USGBC-Missouri Gateway Chapter Event Registration page, and click “Register” under the Green Workplace listing.

COURSE AGENDA
Unit 1
Introduction to Green Workplaces
EPA estimates we spend 90% of our time indoors
The advantages of green workplace for businesses
The advantages of green workplace for workers
Why the green workspace trend is growing

Unit 2
Planning the Transition to a Green Workplace
Discussing green workplaces within your organization
Facility, equipment, and policy requirements
Identifying low-hanging fruit
Developing a plan for transitioning to a green workplace
Redesigning your workplace for green

Unit 3
Implementing Green Workplaces
Securing and sustaining the commitment of all stakeholders
Measuring success and returns on investment – reinvestment of those returns
Continuous and constant effort strategies
Providing for accountability and reward

Unit 4
Issues in Green Workplaces
Best practices tool kit
Learning curve soft costs
Top 5 low cost/high return strategies
Key advanced strategies

HOW THE COURSE WORKS
It is easy to participate in your online course. After you register, you will be given a web address to go to get into your online classroom.  You will have a password and use your email address and password to gain access.

Once inside the online classroom, here’s what you can expect.

PARTICIPATE WHEN YOU WANT
Participants can participate as little or as much as you want.

You can participate any time of day or evening. The online classroom is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

There are no live real-time requirements or meetings. You decide when you participate.

For the best learning, participants should log into the course on 2-3 different days of the week.

WHAT YOU WILL DO
For each Unit, you will:

  • Read the print readings (about 20 pages a week)
  • Have the option of accessing the online readings
  • Listen to the audio presentation for the Unit and view the slides
  • Have the option of taking a self-quiz to see how much you have learned
  • Engage in written online discussion with your instructor and other participants

For best learning, you should make one or more comments at 2-3 different times each week.

The content (readings, audio lectures, slides) and self quizzes are accessible for the entire course, so you can work ahead, or go back and review again, at your convenience.

DISCUSSION
The Discussion for each Unit lasts one week. All comments are made in writing and can be made at any time of the day or night.

Your instructor will log into the Discussion area at least once a day and answer questions, make comments, and respond to comments by you and the other participants.

We encourage you to make 2-3 comments each week to maximize your learning and enjoyment of the course.

ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTORS
Pepper Smith is the Green Programs Manager for Davis Energy Group, a residential mechanical engineering and green consulting firm located in Davis, CA. Pepper is a USGBC LEED Faculty member and instructor for the University of California. Prior to consulting and teaching about residential green building, Pepper worked for D.R. Horton, Sacramento working on Energy Star, Environments for Living, and LEED for Homes projects.

Kelly Gearhart is a Principal with Triple Green Building Group, a green building consulting firm with locations in San Francisco, CA, Atlanta, GA, Savannah, GA and Sophia, Bulgaria. Gearhart is a USGBC LEED Faculty member, Instructor for the University of California, former Manager of Commercial Green Building Services at Southface Energy Institute, Inc. and has been involved with green building education, technical assistance, and leadership since 2005.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

  • To provide organizations and workers with background information on the growth, costs, benefits, productivity, and profitability of green workplaces, and the reasons why organizations and workers benefit from green workplaces
  • To provide those interested in green workplaces with the knowledge necessary to transition from a conventional workplace situation to a green workplace including understanding typical building functions, measuring performance, and utilizing best-practice green strategies
  • To address the most commonly asked questions about green workplaces, including costs, benefits, challenges, and low-hanging fruit
  • To introduce advanced strategies used in green workplaces
  • To have those currently working in green workplaces share their experiences with those interested in green workplaces

COURSE OUTCOMES
Upon successful completion of the course, you will:

  • Possess the information necessary to discuss the advantages of green workplaces in your organization, including trend data on the costs and benefits, information on productivity and profitability, and the reasons why businesses benefit from green workplaces
  • Get the knowledge necessary to champion the transition to a green workplace
  • Know the most common issues related to green workplaces
  • Possess a high-level understanding of a few key advanced green workplace concepts and strategies.



Green Buildings and Preparing for LEED Green Associate

Two month online course, offered in September-October.

Get the knowledge to excel as a green professional in the new economy. Acquire an introduction to sustainability and how it lays the foundation for a deeper understanding of the green building process.

This two-month online course provides essential knowledge of sustainable building concepts that are fundamental to all LEED Rating Systems. Participants who successfully complete this online course are eligible and prepared to sit for the LEED Green Associate exam.

The course begins with an introduction to the benefits and integrative approach to green building, and a brief background on the U.S. Green Building Council and LEED, including basics of the building certification process. The core of the course presents LEED intents and concepts at the credit category level -across building types and rating systems – touching on strategies, synergies, and specific examples that are reinforced by real project case examples

Key LEED metrics and LEED referenced standards are addressed throughout. Discussion groups and interactive activities throughout the course keep you engaged and reinforce what you have learned. The course will wrap up with a review and preparation to sit for the LEED Green Associate exam.

The course includes:

  • Two USGBC publications: “Green Associate Study Guide” and “Green Building and LEED Core Concepts Guide.”
  • Study activities and practice exam questions to prepare for LEED Green Associates exam
  • Access to the USGBC Core Concepts and Strategies online course and other selected USGBC presentations and webinars
  • Discussions facilitated by USGBC LEED Faculty™ who are LEED Accredited Professionals with years of experience in LEED and green building.

WHEN
September 6 – October 29
During this time frame, you can participate any time of day or evening. The online classroom is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. More details are below.

FEE
$695  (Fee includes texts)

REGISTER
Visit the USGBC-Missouri Gateway Event Registration page, and click “Register” under the Green Buildings and Preparing for LEED Green Associate listing.

ABOUT ONLINE LEARNING
Online learning is a fun, enjoyable and very productive way to learn. Millions of people are learning online each year. You will engage with the instructor and other participants. You will get to know your instructor and other participants. You may make friends.  It’s easy. It’s fun.

HOW THE COURSE WORKS
It is easy to participate in your online course. After you register, you will be given a web address to go to get into your online classroom.  You will have a password and use your email address and password to gain access.

Once inside the online classroom, here’s what you can expect.

PARTICIPATE WHEN YOU CAN
Participants can participate as little or as much as they want.

You can participate any time of day or evening. The online classroom is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

There are no live real-time requirements or meetings. You decide when you participate.

For the best learning, participants should log into the course on 2-3 different days of the week.  It is estimated that this course will require 32 hours of seat time.

WHAT YOU WILL DO
For each Unit, you will:

  • Read the print readings (about 20 pages a week)
  • Access additional online readings
  • Watch Videos and recorded presentations
  • Have the option of taking a self-quiz to see how much you have learned
  • Engage in written online discussion with your instructor and other participants

For best learning, you should make one or more comments at 2-3 different times each week.

The content (readings, videos, activities) and self quizzes are accessible for the entire course, so you can work ahead, or go back and review again, at your convenience.

DISCUSSION
The Discussion for each Unit lasts one week. All comments are made in writing and can be made at any time of the day or night.

Your instructor will log into the Discussion area throughout the week and answer questions, make comments, and respond to comments by you and the other participants.

We encourage you to make 2-3 comments each week to maximize your learning and enjoyment of the course.

ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTORS

Your instructors are LEED Faculty with the U.S. Green Building Council, developer of this course. The Faculty are LEED Accredited Professional with years of experience in LEED and green building.

COURSE OUTCOMES
Upon successful completion of this course, you will:

  • Define sustainable as it relates to green building
  • Describe the structure of the LEED rating system and the LEED certification process
  • Describe key green building concepts and goals associated with LEED
  • Recognize successful LEED strategies and measurements for achieving goals
  • Describe the central role of integrative design
  • Identify and explain synergies among LEED credit categories and strategies
  • Describe case studies that represent LEED best practices
  • Gain knowledge needed to apply for the LEED Green Associate Exam



USGBC-Missouri Gateway LEED BD+C Specialty Exam Prep Course

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

USGBC-Missouri Gateway’s two full-day (16 hours total) LEED BD+C Specialty Exam Prep course is designed to prepare participants for the LEED BD+C Specialty exam.  Skilled instructors will discuss categories and credits in the LEED BD&C Rating System, explore methods of sustainable project delivery and green building practices, and offer test taking tips. Subject areas covered include:

·        Introduction, Exam Strategy, and BD+C Process
·        Sustainable Sites
·        Water Efficiency
·        Energy and Atmosphere
·        Materials and Resources
·        Indoor Environmental Quality
·        Test Taking Tips
·        Practice Exam

WHEN
Friday and Monday, February 4 and 7, 2011
8:30am – 5:00pm both days
Please arrive and check in between 8:00 – 8:30 am

WHERE
Masonry Institute of St. Louis
1429 S. Big Bend Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63117
map

FEE
$200.00 for USGBC-Missouri Gateway Chapter Members
$250.00 for Non-members
*Textbook costs are NOT included in course fee
*Course fee includes continental breakfast and lunch

REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS
1) USGBC LEED Building Design + Construction Study Guide, USGBC
2) LEED AP Building Design + Construction Candidate Handbook (free download) and references outlined on page 16 of the handbook.
3) LEED Reference Guide for Green Building Design and Construction, USGBC (NOT required for course, but strongly recommended)

The study guide and reference guide may be purchased on the USGBC Publications page of the USGBC website. The study guide price is $70 for employees of national USGBC member companies/$85 for non-members.  Please plan for shipping time.

PREREQUISITES
Students must read and understand the steps needed to enroll for and take the exam, including meeting exam eligibility requirements.  The instructors will only address this as a broad overview.

REGISTER
Click here to visit our Event Registration page, then scroll down and click on the Register button under the LEED Building Design + Construction (BD+C) Specialty Exam Prep Course event listing.

INSTRUCTORS
Paul Todd Merrill, Clayco’s Director of Sustainable Construction, is a Registered Professional Engineer in 12 states and responsible for planning, design and construction of Clayco’s sustainable efforts. Paul has been involved in over 30 LEED certified projects and, for the past eight years, he has developed and led LEED training sessions covering LEED versions 2.1, 2.2 and 3.0 for Clayco’s internal educational efforts and training sessions for owners, building code officials, law firms, manufactures and subcontractors. In addition, Paul is an adjunct professor at Washington University in the Sever School of Engineering.  Paul received his BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1981. Paul currently serves as Vice Chair and will serve as 2011 Chair on the USGBC-Missouri Gateway Board of Directors.

Nick Bristow
, Project Engineer at Clayco, can be generally be called a coordinator for Clayco LEED Projects. From the first checklist to certification, Nick works with the Design and Construction team to pursue LEED certification of buildings. Nick has been involved with 10 LEED certified buildings and another 25 registered projects of various versions including LEED NC v2.2, LEED CS v2.0, and LEED 2009. For the past three years, he helped to develop and lead Clayco’s LEED AP training program.  Nick volunteers for the LEED committee of the St. Louis Habitat for Humanity, builder of 50 LEED Platinum homes locally and counting, and has participated in two different item writing workshops for the Green Building Certificate Institute, maker of the LEED AP and Green Associate exams.

PLEASE NOTE
This course does not guarantee students will pass the LEED AP BD+C Specialty exam.  Additional time outside of class will be required for reading the required textbooks and for further study.  Registering and taking the LEED AP exam, and any associated costs, are not included in this course.

This course prepares participants for the specialty portion of the LEED AP BD+C credentialing exam. LEED AP exams are comprised of two parts: Green Associate & the Specialty. Candidates must pass both portions of the exam in order to receive the LEED AP credential.

QUESTIONS?
Contact USGBC-Missouri Gateway staff by email or phone (314) 577-0225.

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