By Celis Brisbin, Programs Manager
I am proud to announce myself as a recently accredited LEED Green Associate!
I started working at the Massachusetts Chapter three months ago and had the goal of being a LEED AP within a year. As any aspiring Accredited Professional knows, the first step to becoming and AP is achieving the Green Associate. The path to becoming a LEED AP can be daunting. Where does one start? How much studying is appropriate? Who should I talk to about the exam? Luckily, I was able to attend one of Chapter's Green Associate Exam Preparation courses, instructed by Chris Liston, and have all of these questions answered. The course changed my nervousness to confidence and knowledge.
I found the course to be effective in highlighting energy efficiency standards, codes and concepts. Presenting ASHRAE codes which are on the exam and teaching the LEED specific content of the exam. I also liked the one-day accelerated program. It was much easier for the group and I, to make the single day session and cut down on commuting time related to a multi day session.
I am delighted to share that the Chapter will be hosting Green Associate Exam Prep sessions in October and December. It is a great course for those in the industry as well as those just starting out. I also found it to be a great opportunity to network and connect with professionals in the industry.
If you are interested in our upcoming courses, please click here. They will be taught by Steven Burke, 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.
I hope you will sign up and let your colleagues know about this opportunity!