LEED certification

Can anyone supply any information on the best ways to study for the LEED Certification exam for New Projects? good study materials? study tactics? any information or suggestions would be of great help. Thanks!

So now there’s a LEED standard for homes. But, do people outside the building industry even know about LEED? That was also a question posed by the speakers at a presentation I just attended. Kevin Wakelin, CEO, Holliday Development http://www.hollidaydevelopment.com/ recently had his latest home project become LEED certified. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a nationally recognized certification system for the commercial and industrial building industry which rates the sustainability of buildings. In November 2005, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) http://www.usgbc.org/ which oversees LEED, decided to beta test the certification system for new home construction. The other speaker was Lynn Simon, President, Simon & Associates, Inc. http://www.greenbuild.com/ and it was her firm that helped the developers achieve its LEED certification. The project is located just over San Francisco’s Bay Bridge in Emeryville. Simon’s firm was one of the twelve “LEED for Homes” providers USGBC selected to provide technical, marketing and verification support to builders during the beta test of low-rise homes in neighborhood developments.

“More of a closer than an opener.” That’s how Wakelin, the developer, described the reaction of the home buyers to the fact that the homes were so sustainable. It helped to seal the sales transaction but it was not the initial draw. As prospective home buyers learned more about what it meant to be sustainable, they became more enthusiastic.

“LEED for Homes” uses a holistic approach to sustainability by focusing on and measuring (third party verified) seven key areas of new home construction: sustainable site development, water savings, materials selection, indoor environmental quality, innovation and design, location and linkages, energy and atmosphere. I think the last two categories are the most unique and caught my attention. “Location and linkages” refers to how the home or project is connected to the community in terms of proximity to existing infrastructure, public transit and green space. Housing density (units per acre) is also measured. The “energy and atmosphere” category includes criteria such as insulation, duct tightness, renewable energy and even the appliances selected. This detailed level of attention to home construction can bring a whole new level of environmental awareness to home owners everywhere.