I'm nearly finished w/ the ARE (only two exams to go) and considering the LEED exam next.
Anybody take it? Where did you find study materials? I checked out the USGBC's website and it suggests studying one of their reference guides that cost about $200 bucks...
It makes the client feel good to say they had a LEED certified designer. I've heard a lot of argument over completing the checklist to get LEED cert vs. making a building that is sustainable, efficient and lasting. As one article said, "Which is more sustainable, an average building that is loved and used for 60 years or a high tech marvel that is torn down after 5 years?"
I'm not sure I see your argument Hasselhoff... I finished a large public building a couple years ago that got a LEED Gold Cert. and uses materials that meet the city's mandate for a 100 year lifespan for the building. It's also managed to win a few design awards and get published. Oh - and the city/users/clients love it.
I'd like to get LEED accredited for a number of reasons. My current firm does a lot of modern residential work and many of our newer and potential clients are inquiring if we do sustainable work. Green building is the rage in commercial/public work and has trickled down to residential. We're a small office and I'd like to be the "expert". Looks good on a resume, adds some credibility, etc.
well having dealt with the leeds process the little amount i have, i still think leed is a positive step. when it comes down to it about half of the leed certificate points are simply quality of life issues. other points can be "bought" if your budget is large enough.
i too am sick to my stomach of the "sustainability" buzz word and green building nonsense. people now throw around the buzz words without knowing what they are really talking about. to me it is not sustainable to locate your building on the site to minimize solar gain in summer and maximize natural light in winter. it is not green to be able to open a window at your desk. that my friend is architecture.
leed is relatively new and some of the wrinkles could still use a little ironing (some of the interpretations we have read have been interesting, others seem to allow large loopholes) but where leed is positive is helping the client understand what they are getting. an achievable goal. and something they can point to when someone else asks them why they spent the extra money on recycled rubber wheel stops instead of just buying the concrete ones. these are things that before would have been tossed out of the project because there is no return for the client. now they get a shiny plaque and they are happy to spend their loot.
The LEED exam makes the NCARB's feel easy for one, it is a good way to start professional exams (in your case don't under estimate the difficulty). A LEED accredited person on the team adds one point, but is not required for LEED certification. My LEED Consultant bills $180/hr.... thats a good reason to do LEED.
I agree with spaceghost - there's waaaaay too much "greenwashing" going on that tries to disguise itself as good architecture.
The LEED certified building I worked on had a miniscule amount of recycled material, but a lot of the "points" we got were from mechanical systems and other things you don't "see"... We had a huge green roof, but that only counted for a couple points. It's definitely a weird scoring system.
Before this turns into a "Is LEED good for architecture" arguement, I'd like to get back to my original question: Where/what study materials for the LEED exam?
I did it and it was a bit more of an effort, but I am in the middle of writing three proposals for instituitional work and they all require it. So it is the new base line and I also thinks it makes sense. I am happy I did it and pay my staff to take it.
Do the right thing and get it done. Not because the client says yoou need it but because its what a professional does to do the job right.
LEED is a reward system for doing less bad. You literalyl get points for not contaminating, polutting, wasting? that is not architecture, that is F*#%ing common sense. but indicates how bad architects are though-not polluting is worthy of merit in our circles. there is nothign in LEED that is not common sense and that should not be the base assumption of practice. anyhting else is mindless and irresponsible. But LEED makes people (architects, clients, etc) feel like we are doing something about 'sustainability.' but agian it is about doing less bad. if the signs are saying the bridge is out ahead, simply slowing down doesn't do much good. LEED is a good thing, it is a start. but is rather pathetic in the bigger picture. again there is nothign in a LEED silver building that you shouldn't simply be doing as a mildly responsible architect.
It's not a reward system, it's a metric designed to measure buildings against minimum standards of energy efficiency and environmental responsibility. I agree that LEED silver is what all responsible architects should be doing at a minimum, but how often do architects control budgets and establish a clients program? Not often. If nothing else, LEED keeps clients honest.
Well said Janosh.
It's too easy to forget that this business runs on money, not design ideals.
While a passionate designer will fight for what they value most (sustainability, in this case), ultimately, the decisions with real weight are in the hands of the client.
Educate the client as well as you can and hope they make responsible decisions.
okay, yeah, but who is going to keep the architects honest, especially the ones who say 'this business runs on money, not design ideals.'?????
leed is not a metric. leed silver costs no more than a regular building so the budget issue is not an issue. and if an archietct is not owrkign to help define a client's program, that is his/her first irresponsibility. yes client makes important decisions but only facile architects would resign responsibility and say the client made me do it or the engineer said i had to do it. this lack of accountability on the part of architects is the reason why we are so marginalized. who needs them if they are are just the draftsmen of the client, engineers, codes, etc? all these are extremely important forces in architectural morphogenesis, but none of them should dominate. the architect should swerve all of them to some, yes, design ideal.
ouch!
You might note that I mentioned the words 'passion', 'fight', and 'educate' in my comments (all contrary to the term 'facile', in my opinion).
Anyway, my point is really not that design ideals are not required (they are essential), but that a client who is not 'educated' to see the benefits of sustainability limits the benefits of the design ideals of the architect.
A sustainable design is just a diagram. I can't afford to build my projects myself, I rely on clients with budgets (or good credit) to pay for this.
You say 'swerve', I say 'educate'. If I were a client I would prefer to be educated rather than swerved.
...and there you will see 'LEED' in the top tool bar. They have all the info on the test and its new format; starting in November, the test will be broken into separate tests according to specific project types. It also addresses which study materials you should use that correspond to the new test. It seems that version 2.2 is what you should track down; be wary of any version older, as it's likely to be out-of-date.
what's optional now (in terms of how green or sustainable a building might be) will only be standard/mandatory down the road. why not put yourself ahead of the rush for qualification...and so that, at a certain point, you can design projects with these principles without even having to consult their little checklist? in so many aspects, i think being a leed-certified architect could only help your practice.
it DOES cost more money to build a LEED silver building than it does to build a "regular" building. those are the kinds of facts you hear on FOX NEWS.
and everyone who says they do not need to be LEED certified to design a sustainable building is simply lazy. a person has to be completely ignorant to think that they know everything about "building green". passing the LEED exam takes an effort. if you are interested in designing environmentally responsible buildings, the imperative is on you to make yourself as knowledgable as possible, especially in a market that is constantly evolving. i was knowledgable about sustainable practices beforehand, but now realize how much information there is out there that i did not know before studying for and taking the exam. the architect's responsibility is not to be a god-like designer with superior morals and taste. it is our responsibility to be as knowledgable as possible, about as much as possible, in order to be educators and take a proactive position in the structuring of how we live in the future.
it is true that "sustainable building practices" is or should be the same thing as good, sound design. if people would like to sit around and debate the names of things, then have at it. it is just another way to avoid making yourself better through a completely unsubstantiated elitism based on the one sustainable design course you took in grad school and the bucky fuller book on your shelf.
Brickster, those are all very good points, except for the generalized cost of LEED Silver. Cost varies widely by project type- a LEED Silver school will be equal in cost to a non-certified school; a LEED silver house, will be $$ more (unless you're already building a mcmansion at $500/sf).
OK, I'll admit that studying for the LEED exam did increase my understanding of the issues (from materials, to energy usage). But, taking the exam didn't increase my brain power or my earning potential.
To all those aspiring LEEDers, go ahead and study, study, study. but don't take the test till you really are ready to coordinate/manage the certification of a project...
Take it from a LEED accretited professional...Don't waste your time or your money. It doesn't take much to realize that it's nothing but green washing BS, for the corporate world. An embelishment of 'coolness'. You might as well just wear a hemp bowtie, and drop key words like 'ashrae', and 'brownfield regeneration'.
Take it from a LEED accretited professional...Don't waste your time or your money. It doesn't take much to realize that it's nothing but green washing BS, for the corporate world. An embelishment of 'coolness'. You might as well just wear a hemp bowtie, and drop key words like 'ashrae', and 'brownfield regeneration'.
Read the LEED NC v2.2 manual to study. Seriously. All the questions come from being able to apply the credit requirements to an actual scenario. Pay specific attention to energy credits. Learn which referenced standard is used with which specific credit. If anything, taking the LEED examine will force you to become familiar with some other, more rigorous engineering-based standards out there.
And, I made way more money working as a LEED/Green Bldg consultant than I ever did at an an architecture firm. And, I had access to the head decision-makers on the project: the developers/owners.
According to the architecture professor with a PhD in Finance that I've spoken with, the average green building has an increased up-front cost of 2-3%, while the life energy savings are in the range of 15%. I've also heard reference to a study that says that a LEED silver building is slightly more expensive than the conventional building, but LEED gold and higher is on average the same cost as the conventional because of the integrated approach to the design.
getting LEED certified???
I'm nearly finished w/ the ARE (only two exams to go) and considering the LEED exam next.
Anybody take it? Where did you find study materials? I checked out the USGBC's website and it suggests studying one of their reference guides that cost about $200 bucks...
what is the advantage of passing the leed exam?
the last two building that have come to our office have been leed buildings, one certified, one silver. nobody in our office has passed the leed exam.
It makes the client feel good to say they had a LEED certified designer. I've heard a lot of argument over completing the checklist to get LEED cert vs. making a building that is sustainable, efficient and lasting. As one article said, "Which is more sustainable, an average building that is loved and used for 60 years or a high tech marvel that is torn down after 5 years?"
I'm not sure I see your argument Hasselhoff... I finished a large public building a couple years ago that got a LEED Gold Cert. and uses materials that meet the city's mandate for a 100 year lifespan for the building. It's also managed to win a few design awards and get published. Oh - and the city/users/clients love it.
I'd like to get LEED accredited for a number of reasons. My current firm does a lot of modern residential work and many of our newer and potential clients are inquiring if we do sustainable work. Green building is the rage in commercial/public work and has trickled down to residential. We're a small office and I'd like to be the "expert". Looks good on a resume, adds some credibility, etc.
well having dealt with the leeds process the little amount i have, i still think leed is a positive step. when it comes down to it about half of the leed certificate points are simply quality of life issues. other points can be "bought" if your budget is large enough.
i too am sick to my stomach of the "sustainability" buzz word and green building nonsense. people now throw around the buzz words without knowing what they are really talking about. to me it is not sustainable to locate your building on the site to minimize solar gain in summer and maximize natural light in winter. it is not green to be able to open a window at your desk. that my friend is architecture.
leed is relatively new and some of the wrinkles could still use a little ironing (some of the interpretations we have read have been interesting, others seem to allow large loopholes) but where leed is positive is helping the client understand what they are getting. an achievable goal. and something they can point to when someone else asks them why they spent the extra money on recycled rubber wheel stops instead of just buying the concrete ones. these are things that before would have been tossed out of the project because there is no return for the client. now they get a shiny plaque and they are happy to spend their loot.
The LEED exam makes the NCARB's feel easy for one, it is a good way to start professional exams (in your case don't under estimate the difficulty). A LEED accredited person on the team adds one point, but is not required for LEED certification. My LEED Consultant bills $180/hr.... thats a good reason to do LEED.
The Queen has achieved "LEED Royal".
I agree with spaceghost - there's waaaaay too much "greenwashing" going on that tries to disguise itself as good architecture.
The LEED certified building I worked on had a miniscule amount of recycled material, but a lot of the "points" we got were from mechanical systems and other things you don't "see"... We had a huge green roof, but that only counted for a couple points. It's definitely a weird scoring system.
Before this turns into a "Is LEED good for architecture" arguement, I'd like to get back to my original question: Where/what study materials for the LEED exam?
I did it and it was a bit more of an effort, but I am in the middle of writing three proposals for instituitional work and they all require it. So it is the new base line and I also thinks it makes sense. I am happy I did it and pay my staff to take it.
Do the right thing and get it done. Not because the client says yoou need it but because its what a professional does to do the job right.
Lots of good study info can be found at www.areforum.org
LEED is a reward system for doing less bad. You literalyl get points for not contaminating, polutting, wasting? that is not architecture, that is F*#%ing common sense. but indicates how bad architects are though-not polluting is worthy of merit in our circles. there is nothign in LEED that is not common sense and that should not be the base assumption of practice. anyhting else is mindless and irresponsible. But LEED makes people (architects, clients, etc) feel like we are doing something about 'sustainability.' but agian it is about doing less bad. if the signs are saying the bridge is out ahead, simply slowing down doesn't do much good. LEED is a good thing, it is a start. but is rather pathetic in the bigger picture. again there is nothign in a LEED silver building that you shouldn't simply be doing as a mildly responsible architect.
It's not a reward system, it's a metric designed to measure buildings against minimum standards of energy efficiency and environmental responsibility. I agree that LEED silver is what all responsible architects should be doing at a minimum, but how often do architects control budgets and establish a clients program? Not often. If nothing else, LEED keeps clients honest.
Well said Janosh.
It's too easy to forget that this business runs on money, not design ideals.
While a passionate designer will fight for what they value most (sustainability, in this case), ultimately, the decisions with real weight are in the hands of the client.
Educate the client as well as you can and hope they make responsible decisions.
okay, yeah, but who is going to keep the architects honest, especially the ones who say 'this business runs on money, not design ideals.'?????
leed is not a metric. leed silver costs no more than a regular building so the budget issue is not an issue. and if an archietct is not owrkign to help define a client's program, that is his/her first irresponsibility. yes client makes important decisions but only facile architects would resign responsibility and say the client made me do it or the engineer said i had to do it. this lack of accountability on the part of architects is the reason why we are so marginalized. who needs them if they are are just the draftsmen of the client, engineers, codes, etc? all these are extremely important forces in architectural morphogenesis, but none of them should dominate. the architect should swerve all of them to some, yes, design ideal.
ouch!
You might note that I mentioned the words 'passion', 'fight', and 'educate' in my comments (all contrary to the term 'facile', in my opinion).
Anyway, my point is really not that design ideals are not required (they are essential), but that a client who is not 'educated' to see the benefits of sustainability limits the benefits of the design ideals of the architect.
A sustainable design is just a diagram. I can't afford to build my projects myself, I rely on clients with budgets (or good credit) to pay for this.
You say 'swerve', I say 'educate'. If I were a client I would prefer to be educated rather than swerved.
Why bother get LEED certified, earthquakes, tornados, and hurricanes are going to take us out in like 10 years anyways.
Do you need a professional degree barch or march to take the LEED certification exam?
Go to the United States Green Building Council website:
www.usgbc.org
...and there you will see 'LEED' in the top tool bar. They have all the info on the test and its new format; starting in November, the test will be broken into separate tests according to specific project types. It also addresses which study materials you should use that correspond to the new test. It seems that version 2.2 is what you should track down; be wary of any version older, as it's likely to be out-of-date.
another Go-Get-Certified thought...
what's optional now (in terms of how green or sustainable a building might be) will only be standard/mandatory down the road. why not put yourself ahead of the rush for qualification...and so that, at a certain point, you can design projects with these principles without even having to consult their little checklist? in so many aspects, i think being a leed-certified architect could only help your practice.
Ku, if you have to ask that question, then you haven't done your homework.
The answer is NO, not yet.
it DOES cost more money to build a LEED silver building than it does to build a "regular" building. those are the kinds of facts you hear on FOX NEWS.
and everyone who says they do not need to be LEED certified to design a sustainable building is simply lazy. a person has to be completely ignorant to think that they know everything about "building green". passing the LEED exam takes an effort. if you are interested in designing environmentally responsible buildings, the imperative is on you to make yourself as knowledgable as possible, especially in a market that is constantly evolving. i was knowledgable about sustainable practices beforehand, but now realize how much information there is out there that i did not know before studying for and taking the exam. the architect's responsibility is not to be a god-like designer with superior morals and taste. it is our responsibility to be as knowledgable as possible, about as much as possible, in order to be educators and take a proactive position in the structuring of how we live in the future.
it is true that "sustainable building practices" is or should be the same thing as good, sound design. if people would like to sit around and debate the names of things, then have at it. it is just another way to avoid making yourself better through a completely unsubstantiated elitism based on the one sustainable design course you took in grad school and the bucky fuller book on your shelf.
but I like bucky!!!!!
Brickster, those are all very good points, except for the generalized cost of LEED Silver. Cost varies widely by project type- a LEED Silver school will be equal in cost to a non-certified school; a LEED silver house, will be $$ more (unless you're already building a mcmansion at $500/sf).
OK, I'll admit that studying for the LEED exam did increase my understanding of the issues (from materials, to energy usage). But, taking the exam didn't increase my brain power or my earning potential.
To all those aspiring LEEDers, go ahead and study, study, study. but don't take the test till you really are ready to coordinate/manage the certification of a project...
(just wondering) Who has read ASHRAE 90.1?
ok, maybe i generalized a little bit, but it was only to make a point
.....and also make a FOX NEWS joke.
i am in the process of co-ordinating a LEED certified project and am taking the test neext week.
f**k 90.1.
that's all i have to say about that.
Brickster- Good luck. experience is the best study plan. Email me if you have any specific questions...
yeah, @$@#!!! 90.1 - oh, there is an new version expected in 2010.
Take it from a LEED accretited professional...Don't waste your time or your money. It doesn't take much to realize that it's nothing but green washing BS, for the corporate world. An embelishment of 'coolness'. You might as well just wear a hemp bowtie, and drop key words like 'ashrae', and 'brownfield regeneration'.
Take it from a LEED accretited professional...Don't waste your time or your money. It doesn't take much to realize that it's nothing but green washing BS, for the corporate world. An embelishment of 'coolness'. You might as well just wear a hemp bowtie, and drop key words like 'ashrae', and 'brownfield regeneration'.
Read the LEED NC v2.2 manual to study. Seriously. All the questions come from being able to apply the credit requirements to an actual scenario. Pay specific attention to energy credits. Learn which referenced standard is used with which specific credit. If anything, taking the LEED examine will force you to become familiar with some other, more rigorous engineering-based standards out there.
And, I made way more money working as a LEED/Green Bldg consultant than I ever did at an an architecture firm. And, I had access to the head decision-makers on the project: the developers/owners.
According to the architecture professor with a PhD in Finance that I've spoken with, the average green building has an increased up-front cost of 2-3%, while the life energy savings are in the range of 15%. I've also heard reference to a study that says that a LEED silver building is slightly more expensive than the conventional building, but LEED gold and higher is on average the same cost as the conventional because of the integrated approach to the design.
I'd be interested to know what the cost of maintenance thrown into the equation as well.
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