Succeed at LEED

Keeping up with the green building, design and construction industry is time consuming. The industry is constantly growing and changing at a rapid rate. Professional resources and association memberships can sometimes cost in the hundreds of dollars. So when I find great resources that are FREE, I’m excited to share…

I recently found a FREE resource that provides the progressive commercial and residential architect, designer, engineer and building developer with essential information on the rapidly growing green building industry — Environmental Design + Construction magazine. This magazine is published monthly on 100 percent de-inked recycled fiber paper. (Or, better still, save trees and sign up for the electronic copy of the magazine.)

On the ED&C magazine website you’ll also find tons of resources, case studies, white papers, videos, podcasts, blogs, career information – and much more!

BNP Media, publisher of the Environmental Design + Construction magazine, publishes multiple industry newsletters and magazines – most of which are free!

Most LEED professionals crave knowledge. With this ever-changing industry, you must keep current on what’s going on with LEED and green building issues. If you’re like me, books are a main source of this information.

Each year, approximately 30 million trees are used to make books sold in the United States. Many of these trees are sourced from endangered forests with devastating impacts on the people and wildlife that rely on them.

The good news is that the book industry is rapidly implementing practices that minimize negative environmental impacts. Over 160 publishers, representing about 40% of the book industry’s market share, have either developed strong environmental policies or signed the industry-generate treatise on responsible paper use. If given the choice, buy books from these publishers vs. the non-green ones.

In addition to supporting earth-friendly publishers, another way to get your book-smarts without harming trees is by getting an e-reader like Amazon’s Kindle, B&N’s Nook, Apple’s iPad or the Sony Reader Digital Book.

The digital book reader industry is taking off and going main stream. You’ve probably seen Amazon’s Kindle commercials on TV – with their clever imagery and catchy little jingle. Commercials like these are just one indication that this tree-friendly technology is being adopted by the masses. Another indicator is the availability of these hot little devices at mainstream stores. I recently saw Kindles for sale at Target and the Nook at BestBuy – I’m sure more brick-and-mortar stores will soon follow.

Publishers are also jumping on the digital reader bandwagon at record speed. More and more books are being published in these electronic formats – many are available at the same time the print book is published (for less money!!)

Re-“Kindle-ing” My Love for Books

I bought a Kindle a few months ago and now I can’t imagine a world without it! Now instead of books literally falling off my bookshelf and having to lug heavy resource books to work in a tote bag, I have all of the books I’m reading in one compact spot. I can switch from book to book quickly and easily, depending on my mood – go from reading my Green Construction Project Management book to the latest John Sanford Prey book with a quick push of a button.

Today, the Kindle Store has more than 390,000 books, newspapers, magazines, and blogs available. All Kindle books are downloaded to your Kindle in less than 60 seconds. Plus, most of the Kindle versions are discounted – substantially in some cases.

Not ready to make the investment on the Kindle reader itself? You don’t have to actually purchase a Kindle device to get the benefit of paper-less books. Amazon makes the Kindle reader format available for your PC, iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Blackberry and the Android.

The best part?? In addition to getting your favorite leisure books, there is a great variety of green building, engineering, architecture, project management and construction books available in the Kindle format. Having all of these valuable resources in one location when you’re on a job site or at work is priceless. (Sorry, I just sounded like a MasterCard commercial…)

There are two versions of the kindle: the standard Kindle for a new lower price of $189 and the NEW Kindle DX for $379.

In my next article I’ll share some of my green building Kindle favorites.

As promised – here are some more LEED and green building myths and realities:

Myth 3: Green building products are hard to find.
Reality: A few years ago, this was probably a true statement. However, with the incredible growth of the green building movement, more and more companies are producing products that are in line with LEED green building requirements. Today there are hundreds – if not thousands – of green building products.

If you’re searching for green products for your LEED building project, check out Building Green, Inc. Building Green publishes two comprehensive directories (GreenSpec and Green Building Products) with performance data and contact information on the many green products on the market.

Myth 4: To build green you have to register and go through a green building program or third-party certification.
Reality: Green Globes and the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED certification programs are great ways to increase and improve your building’s performance, sustainability and marketability, but you don’t necessarily have to get involved with these programs to build green. The reality is that getting a building LEED certified simply isn’t in the budget for many owners.

Remind your clients that you don’t have to go through the entire certification process to build green. You can use Green Globes and the USGBC’s LEED certification guidelines and concepts as a guide for your green building project. Discuss the various options with your clients and together you can pick and choose what green-friendly building elements to include in your green building project.

Any green building concepts that you incorporate into your building project is a great first step toward building green.

When you’re talking with clients about the pros and cons of green building, you may hear some resistance based on some myths that surround “green building.” Some of these arguments are valid, but many are just that – myths.

Before you meet with your client, be sure you have your ducks in a row. Solid, fact-filled statistics on the benefits of building green are best. Here’s some basic myth-busting info that should help.

Myth 1: Green buildings are just too expensive
Reality: This is a common misconception – partly because many of the high-profile green building projects you see in the news incorporate high-end green building practices. If you look at the opulence of some of these high-profile buildings, that alone will scare some clients. (Have you seen pictures of the USGBC headquarters? That’ll scare anybody concerned about price…)

Remind clients that in some cases it may be more expensive to build green, but studies show that most green buildings make up for any additional expenses in lower operating costs as well as increased energy and water savings. Tell clients to look at the long-term, not just the short-term cost implications of building green.

Green products are also becoming increasingly affordable as major manufacturers compete and develop new lines to meet the green building demand. For example, all major paint manufacturers now offer paints that are low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can compromise indoor air quality.

There are also a lot of other low-cost strategies that can be utilized throughout the project that will make any building “greener.”

Additionally, your project may also be eligible for money-saving rebates and incentives – check to see what offers your clients may be eligible for.

Myth 2: Green building products don’t function as well as traditional products.
Reality: A typical example of a product that gets a bad rap is low-flush toilets. Many people don’t realize that these types of toilets were mandated in all new construction more than 10 years ago. Chances are if you go into any relatively modern building, you’ll be using these more environmentally friendly toilets. In fact, when customers were asked, the majority of people said that their “double-flush” rate was the same as when using the water-wasting toilets.

Myth 3: Existing buildings cannot be converted into sustainable buildings.
Reality: Existing conventional buildings can be converted into a green building.
You don’t have to do everything all at once – anything will help. Clients can remodel one section of the building at a time

More myths and realities to come in a future blog…

I’ve been hearing from a lot of Project Managers who are interested in learning more about sustainable design and LEED. To someone not in the architecture, engineering design or construction industry, the whole concept of sustainable buildings can be a little overwhelming.

If you are new to LEED, a great foundational book on integrated building design is Fundamentals of Integrated Design for Sustainable Building by Marian Keeler and Bill Burke.

Whatever your career path – design professional, engineering, land use planning, architectures, construction or LEED project manager, you have to understand the fundamentals of integrated building design — history, theory and technology of green building. This book describes practical and easy-to-understand approaches to planning, designing and building structures that mitigate the impacts of buildings on the environment. Covering everything from Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) issues, basic energy principles, daylighting techniques, life cycle assessment, and water quality, this introductory college textbook contains everything you need to gain a solid understanding of the sustainable building design industry.

At $64, this book is a little pricey (heck, it’s a college textbook after all), but it’s a foundational requirement if you are interested in a career in or learning more about environmentally responsible building design. I particularly liked the case studies that are sprinkled throughout the book. The case studies from Wisconsin, California, China and other locations around the world give you solid descriptions of the techniques these buildings used to achieve sustainability.

Wiley, the publisher of Fundamentals of Integrated Design for Sustainable Building, is exceptional in business and architecture and engineering titles. You should consider subscribing for their FREE Architecture eNewsletter. I give this book an A+.

I was excited — and a little skeptical — when I found out that the USGBC was publishing their own LEED exam study guides. Was this the Holy Grail for preparing for the LEED exams? Information straight from the horse’s mouth, these guides must be filled with solid, must-know information; explanations for the areas that I struggle to understand; sample practice questions that will really get my brain going and give me a feel for what the questions will be like on the actual exam — was I expecting too much?

Well, I decided to give the USGBC even more of my money and ordered the Green Building LEED Core Concepts book, the USGBC LEED Green Associate and LEED AP BD+C Study Guides.

After excitedly opening the package, I quickly surveyed my purchase. What did I think?

Today I’ll give you my thoughts on the LEED BD+C Study Guide – more about the other LEED Study Guides later.

A manageable 240 pages (a big improvement over trying to study with the monstrous LEED 2009 Reference Guide), the USGBC LEED BD+C Study Guide has concise, valuable information. (The key word, though, is concise.)

The LEED AP BD+C Study Guide starts with a standard BD+C overview, green building design and construction info, and then goes into the individual credit categories and credits.

For those of you who are exam-phobic, you’ll find study and exam-day tips helpful. My favorites are:

Don’t let the more difficult questions raise your anxiety and steal your valuable time. Move on and find success with other questions.

The answer that comes to mind first is often correct.

For multiple choice questions, formulate your own answer before reading the options – look away from the question and see whether you can answer it without looking at the choices.

Each credit category is broken out into the following:

Overview of category

Synergies

Category highlights

A list of the available credits

Key terms

For each credit, there is a two-page overview (see what I mean about concise?) of the credit intent, requirements, implementation and documentation/calculations for each credit.

Within these two pages, you also get a list of key terms, related credits, a timeline with responsible team member(s) and standards.

After each category there are a few short category review fill-in-the-blank questions, “learning” activities (which are kind of pointless unless you have access to endless resources), and only FIVE multiple choice practice questions. Only five practice questions for each credit category? I think this was the biggest disappointment about the whole study guide. Study Guides should be chock full of practice questions, shouldn‘t they? (Do you remember me saying that this study guide is concise?)

In the back of the LEED BD+C Study Guide you’ll find a helpful list of acronyms and organizations, and exemplary performance matrix, reference standard table (2003 EPA Construction General Permit, ASTM E1527-05, ANSI/ASHRAE/IENSA, etc.) and sample LEED Online scorecard.

The bulk of the “study guide” contains the same information you can find in the FREE USGBC BD+C “summary” guide So is it really worth the price?

Overall I think the information in the USGBC LEED BD+C Studfy Guide is valuable, but don’t expect to master LEED by using just this study guide. You will want to supplement this LEED study guide with the USGBC 2009 Reference Guide as well as some other study materials, like real-world practice questions.

Next I’ll talk about the USGBC LEED Core Concepts book. Stay tuned…

If you’re new to LEED, the whole “LEED” exam process may seem a little confusing and overwhelming at first.

Basically there are four LEED Accredited Professional (AP) credentials you can go for:
• LEED Green Building Design + Construction (BD+C)
• LEED Green Interior Design + Construction
• LEED Green Building Operations + Maintenance
• LEED Homes

The most popular of these is the LEED Green Building Design + Construction.

Most of the time people who become LEED APs are mechanical and electrical engineers, architects, contractors, landscape architects, civil engineers, etc. The LEED AP exams are pretty technical in nature, but if you study and understand the material, you can pass the exams – even if you’re not from the industry. However, it does help if you have access to people who are professionals in the building industry so you can ask them questions as you’re studying.

If you’re serious about becoming a LEED Project Manager, your goal should be to eventually become a LEED AP. But before you can attempt to take any of the LEED AP exams, you must first take and pass the LEED Green Associate Exam. Becoming a LEED Green Associate is the best place for you to start – especially if you’re new to the building industry. Passing the Green Associate exam demonstrates that you have a solid understanding of LEED and green building concepts, LEED certification processes, individual credits, LEED Online (the online environment where LEED projects are managed), etc. There are some fantastic LEED study materials on the market.
You can find a brief overview of LEED certification requirements here:

LEED Quick Overview

If you’re interested in pursuing LEED, I’d recommend that you first purchase a LEED Green Associate book. My favorite is the GBES LEED Green Associate Study Guide: LEED Green Associate Study Guide. This book gives you a fantastic overview of LEED and what you need to know to take and pass the LEED Green Associate exam.

Hope this helps! If you have any specific questions, please let me know.

Sherry Bonelli, LEED Green Associate
www.SucceedAtLEED.com

Explore LEED Online for Yourself!
LEED Online is the heart and soul of a LEED project. It is where you and your team will spend the majority of your time as you work on and manage your project.

Understanding LEED Online’s interface and capabilities is extremely helpful as you study for the LEED Green Associate exam. If you haven’t actually been a part of a LEED project, it is difficult to try and visualize what LEED Online actually looks like:

• What does the LEED Online scorecard look like?
• How do you fill out LEED credit templates?
• What roles can be assigned in the Team Administration page and how are those roles managed?
• How are templates submitted for review?
• How do you assign template responsibilities?
• Where do you upload supporting documentation?
• And MUCH more!

Don’t despair if you’re not one of the lucky ones who have actually worked on a LEED project, because now anyone can explore LEED Online!

One of the most challenging aspects of qualifying for the LEED AP exam is the LEED Project Experience prerequisite, but from firsthand experience, I know how important that LEED project management experience is…

When I work on LEED projects, there are usually some LEED APs in the office. These professionals knew how to memorize the information needed to pass the LEED AP 2.2 exam, but most of them had no practical experience working on an actual LEED project.

At first, I went to these LEED APs when I had LEED-related questions, but I quickly learned that being a LEED AP does not necessarily mean you know how to work on a LEED project. The LEED APs in the office weren’t able to answer the majority of my questions because they’d never actually worked on a registered LEED project.

As the only Project Manager in my office managing LEED projects, I decided to become the office “expert.” I delved into LEED Online and learned everything I could about the process, procedures, timelines, credit requirements, CIRs, assigning and managing team member roles, completing and submitting credit templates, asking GBCI questions about credits and procedures, leading LEED project team meetings, etc. (This is experience you only gain by working on a real LEED project. You can’t learn this stuff from a book.) Soon the LEED APs were coming to me for answers to their LEED questions.

Nothing can replace the knowledge you receive by actually working on a LEED project. (You can be book-smart, but you also need to be LEED project-smart.)

My LEED project management experience definitely helped me pass the LEED Green Associate Exam.

So what can you do to gain LEED Project Management Experience?

• Check with your local USGBC chapter and ask if any members know of projects that may need your help
• Go online to the various message boards and post an “I’m interested in working on your LEED project – at NO cost to you!” message
• Actively contact local contractors, architect and engineering firms. If you’re a Green Associate, explain to them that you’re a LEED Green Associate and that you’d love to help them out (at no cost to them) managing one of their LEED Projects. (Be sure and tell them that you’re willing to sign a non-disclosure agreement.)
• Get an internship. There is a company that allows you to join a real LEED project for an “internship” fee. With this program you attend team meetings on a working LEED registered project. This intensive one-day program is designed to give you the hands-on experience and the understanding you need to successfully navigate the LEED Certification Process – and gain the LEED project management experience you need to take the LEED AP exams. For more information on this program, visit PTL Exam Prep . When you get there, click on the “Training Link” to find out more about the LEED Project Management Experience training program.

Gaining LEED project management experience is not only important to taking and passing the LEED AP exam, it’s also vital to being a successful (and productive) LEED project team member.

Good luck!

Sherry, LEED Green Associate & LEED Project Manager

Calculating Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) may seem a little daunting at first. If you think through the process and follow the 2009 LEED Reference Guide — it’s really not as hard as you might think. The most difficult part of the process is determining how many people will actually be in the building at which times and for how long. For these numbers, you will probably have to rely on information gathered from the owner.

Before we start calculating FTEs, it’s probably best to get some definitions out of the way:

Full-Time Equivalent (FTEs) – FTEs are the regular building occupants who spend 40 hours per week (8 hours per day) in the project building. Part-time or overtime occupants have FTE values based on the number of hours they work per week. Multiple shifts are included or excluded depending on the intent and requirements of the credit.

Transient users – These are occupants who do not use the building on a consistent, regular or daily bases (visitors, delivery persons, students, etc.)

Ready to figure out your project’s FTEs? First you need to identify the total number of building occupants:

Full-time employees (in the building for 8 hours/day)
Part-Time employees (in the building less than 8 hours/day)
Peak transients (students, customers, visitors, etc.)

(If you have multiple shifts, use only the highest-volume shift in the calculation but consider shift overlap when determining peak building use.)

Next calculate the full-time equivalent (FTE) occupants based on a standard 8-hour day. Each full-time occupant has a FTE value of 1.0. A part-time occupant has a FTE value based on the hours worked per day divided by 8. ( Here’s the formula: Total FTE Occupants = Total Occupant Hours ÷ 8 )

As an example, let’s say you have 126 full-time employees. These occupants would represent a FTE of 126 (126 full-time employees x 8 hours per day = 1008 ÷ 8 = FTE 126)

If you have 80 part-time employees that each work one hour per day, you would have an FTE of 10 (80 part-time employees x 1 hour per day = 80 ÷ 8 = FTE 10)

Your Total FTE Staff = 136

For transient occupants (students, customers, visitors, delivery people, etc.) you would take the number of transients that are occupying your building during your PEAK period. If you have 15 “transients” in your building at your busiest time – say 1:30 p.m. – your transient FTE = 15.

Your Total FTE Transient = 15

For this project you would have a TOTAL FTE of 151.

HERE’S THE KICKER: Not all FTEs are used the same way in the credit calculations. It’s important that you carefully review the 2009 LEED Reference Guide as you’re completing your submittal templates. The Reference Guide offers you very detailed information on how to correctly use your FTE numbers to complete each credit’s calculations.

For instance, multiple shifts and transient FTE are included — or excluded — depending on which credit you’re trying for – or your FTEs may need to be divided differently based on facility usage or on your project’s rating system (New Construction, Homes, Schools, etc.)

Sounds confusing, I know, but it makes more sense once you refer to the Reference Guide. Take a look at the calculation information for SSC 4.2, WEP 1 as examples.

Also, here’s another tip. Make sure that you and your team are consistent with your FTE numbers throughout all of your LEED templates. If there’s any discrepancy in these numbers, the GBCI reviewer will catch this during your review and ask you to clarify. And belileve me, I learned from personal experience that it’s just not worth the confusion. (Read “When it Comes to LEED Submittal Templates, Consistency Counts” below for more information on the importance of consistency in the LEED process.)

Good luck with your project! I would love to have some feedback about how you are calculating FTEs and what issues you encounter.

Sherry, LEED Green Associate