LEED Green Associate Exam Prep


About the Class

This is a fast-paced class for professionals who have little previous knowledge of the LEED rating system, green building operations and green building construction.  Upon completion of the class employees will be eligible to sit for the LEED Green Associate exam at a local testing center.  By passing the exam, employees will earn the LEED Green Associate credential. If interested in attending a LEED Green Associate Exam Prep class, please email celis@usgbcma.org, groups welcome. 

The 8 hour course is devised of the following sessions: 

  1. Introduction
    LEED Green Associate credential process; introduction to LEED, sustainability, the USGBC, the GBCI and the LEED rating system.
     
  2. Location and Transportation / Sustainable Sites
    Site issues such as connectivity, transportation, erosion, landscaping, and heat island effect.
     
  3. Water Efficiency / Energy and Atmosphere
    Water issues (plumbing efficiency, irrigation, process water, etc.) and energy and atmosphere issues (demand, efficiency, renewable energy, ozone depleting substances, etc.)
     
  4. Materials and Resources
    Focuses on procurement and waste diversion.
     
  5. Indoor Environmental Quality
    Indoor environmental quality issues such as indoor air quality, occupant comfort and green cleaning.
     
  6. Innovation / Regional Priority / Certification Process
    LEED certification process and the Innovation and Regional Priority categories.
     
  7. Exam Review
    Exam format and registration and sample exam questions.
     
  8. Exam Review
    ​Sample exam questions.

For more information please check our events calendar.


About the Instructors


Steven Burke is a Sustainability Coordinator at Symmes Maini & McKee Associates (SMMA), an integrated multi-disciplinary design and engineering firm.  In addition to helping his firm work on two LEED v4 projects, he is responsible for acting as a resource for all those in his firm that need LEED assistance; thereby guiding the LEED process for SMMA’s MEP/FP, Commissioning, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Interiors, and Specifications disciplines.    Steven has worked on many different types and sizes of LEED projects, including but not limited to: k-12 schools, higher education facilities, mid-rise and high-rise residential, commercial interiors, retail interiors, and commercial office buildings.  He has also delivered presentations covering the changes from LEED v3 to LEED v4 and conducted LEED v4 feasibility studies for his firm’s clients.


Chris Liston is the Director of Energy & Sustainability for CBRE’s Bank of America Account.  In his previous role with the CBRE Sustainability Programs Group, Chris planned and executed LEED EB projects.  Chris’ LEED EB project work includes One Boston Place (World's First LEED EB O&M Gold Building), Bank of America Plaza (First LEED EB in North Carolina), Collier Center (First LEED EB in Phoenix, Winner of 2010 BOMA International Earth Award), and the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston (Finalist for 2011 BOMA International Earth Award, First LEED EB certified Federal Reserve Bank.) Chris is based in Boston, MA.

 



About the Exam

The LEED Green Associate Exam is a 2-hour closed book exam consisting of 100 multiple-choice questions.  The exam is developed by the Green Building Certification Institute and administered at local Prometric testing centers.  

Tips for Success on the Exam

  • The class presentations will cover most of the material on the LEED Green Associate exam. You should plan to spend an additional 10-20 hours of study time outside of this class. This time will be best spent reviewing the reading materials listed below while paying particular attention to concepts and terminology.
  • The LEED Green Associate Handbook references hundreds of pages of reading materials, while this class will focus primarily on the 106-page LEED Core Concepts Guide.  As part of this fast-tracked course, we will skim some reading materials and skip other reading materials.  
  • Students who have passed the exam have reported that local study partners and/or study groups have been very helpful.