As a homeowner, you can be more confident knowing that your remodeling contractor is a LEED Green Associate. It means they’ve passed nationally accepted benchmarks for the design, construction, and operation of high-performance green buildings, demonstrating green building expertise, specifically in a non-technical field of practice.
A LEED Green Associate has passed intro-level tests and may be a good match for a home improvement project that requires basic knowledge in green design, construction, and operations.
A potential LEED Green Associate must have met at least one of these criteria:
- Attended an education program that addresses green building principles.
- Worked in support of a LEED-registered project.
- Worked in a sustainable field of work.
With a LEED Green Associate, you have the assurance of knowing your contractor is making strides towards learning and accelerating sustainable building, even if they don’t have advanced or extraordinary levels of knowledge.
You may ask yourself – why is there yet another green certification out there and how is this one different? This new designation is part of the Green Building Certification Institute’s overall examination overhaul that will distinguish varying levels of knowledge.
Here’s where this designation falls in the hierarchy of LEED credentials:
- LEED Green Associate (basic)
- LEED AP (advanced)
- LEED Fellow (extraordinary)