More construction and renovations projects are “going green” in the United States and abroad, and a certification in the LEED program is becoming more of a necessity for building professionals. LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. As of April 2013, the U.S. was the world’s top country for LEED projects, with more than 44,000 projects covering almost 600 million gross square meters. A course offered through UGotClass, called LEED Green Associate Exam Preparation, can help people prepare to pass the two-hour, 20-minute test. The course runs online for two months, and is sponsored by the Wiscasset Adult and Community Education

“The LEED program is one of the strongest national and international green building rating systems,” said instructor Kelly S. Gearhart, who has been teaching the material since 2005. “So if you’re interested in participating in that market, this is a great place to start.”  

The course focuses on a broad range of topics, including site factors, water management, energy impacts, project materials, and the indoor environment.

The Green Associate certification is an entry-level tier. Securing the credential from the Green Building Certification Institute prepares a person to support and be involved with LEED projects. Increasingly, Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for construction and renovation work are requiring LEED credentials, Gearhart said.

“As construction projects pick up and our economy starts to pick up, there’s more opportunity,” she said. “As more municipalities and governments adapt green building practices as part of their code, it becomes more of a requirement and less of a luxury.”

The course is geared to building professionals, property managers, product manufacturers and anyone else interested in environmental and sustainability measures related to the industry.

The online experience makes the course unique, Gearhart said. “It allows people to read through the information, absorb it, interact with the instructor and their fellow students, and actually learn it and work with it.”

For additional information on the LEED Green Associate Exam Preparation course, contact Pat Cloutier at Wiscasset Adult and Community Education at 207-882-9710, www.myadulted.org, or pcloutier@svrsu.org.

Kelly S. Gearhart is principal with Triple Green Building Group, a consulting firm with locations in San Francisco, Calif.; Savannah, Ga.; and Sophia, Bulgaria. She is a U.S. Green Building Council LEED faculty member, instructor for the University of California, and former manager of Commercial Green Building Services at Southface Energy Institute Inc.