LEED BD&C Exam Prep, Green Building LEED Certification, and Sustainability

1. LEED AP BD+C EXAM PREPGreen Building LEED Certification, and Sustainability Presented by: Gang Chen, Architect, AIA, LEED AP BD+C . ArchiteG, Inc (ArchiteG.com) GreenExamEducation.com Copyright 2011, Gang Chen

2. ArchiteG.com We’ll cover these materials: 1. Go over the official GBCI LEED AP BD+C Exam candidate handbook and a brief introduction of the 5 remaining PDF files (About 20% to 30% of the Part II test content will come from these materials). You can download them at GBCI.org 2. LEED BD&C Exam Guide covers the remaining 70% to 80% of the content. 3. USGBC LEED Addenda: http://www.usgbc.org/addenda

3. ArchiteG.com LEED Exam Preparation Strategies, Methods, Tips, Suggestions, Mnemonics and Exam Tactics to Improve Your Exam Performance 1. The nature of LEED exams and exam strategies 2. LEED exam preparation requires short-term memory 3. LEED exam preparation strategies and scheduling

4. ArchiteG.com 4. Timing of review: the 3016 rule; memorization methods, tips, suggestions, and mnemonics 5. The importance of good and effective study methods 6. The importance of repetition: read this book at least three times 7. When should you start to do sample questions and mock exams? 8. How much time do you need for LEED exam preparation? 9. The importance of a routine 10. The importance of short, frequent breaks and physical exercise

5. ArchiteG.com Mnemonics for memorizing these 10 key points: Nancy Smith Shows Tom Michaels a Red TREe (Note the underlined word in this sentence and the underlined words in the 10 key points above) 11. A strong vision and a clear goal

6. ArchiteG.com Overview 1. What is LEED? What is the difference between LEED, LEED AP, LEED Green Associate, LEED AP+ and LEED Fellow? 2. Why did the GBCI create the new three-tier LEED credential system? 3. Do I need to have LEED project experience to take the LEED exams? 4. How do I become a LEED AP+? Do I have to take the LEED Green Associate Exam first to become a LEED AP+?

7. ArchiteG.com 5. How many questions do you need to answer correctly to pass the LEED exams? 6. What are the key areas that USGBC uses to measure the performance of a building’s sustainability? 7. How many LEED exams does USGBC have? 8. Are the LEED Exams valid and reliable 9. How many member organizations does the USGBC have? 10.How many regional chapters does the USGBC have?

8. ArchiteG.com 11. What is the main purpose of USGBC? 12. What are the guiding principles of the USGBC? 13. How much energy and resources do buildings consume in the US? 14. What is the most important step to get your building certified? 15. What are the benefits of green buildings and LEED Certification? 16. Who developed the LEED green building rating systems

9. ArchiteG.com 17. What current reference guides and specific green building rating systems does the USGBC have? 18.How does LEED fit into the green building market? 19. What are the benefits of LEED certification for your building? 20. What is the procedure of LEED certification for your building?

10. ArchiteG.com 21. How much is the building registration fee and how much is the building LEED certification fee? 22. How are LEED credits allocated and weighted? 23. Are there LEED certified products?

11. ArchiteG.com Introduction to the LEED Green Associate Exam 1. What is the scope of the LEED Green Associate Exam? 2. What is the latest version of LEED and when was it published? 3. How many possible points does LEED v3.0 have? 4. How many different levels of building certification does USGBC have?

12. ArchiteG.com 5. What is the process for LEED certification? What are the basic steps for LEED certification 6. What does the registration form include? 7. What is precertification? 8. What is CIR? 9. When do you submit a CIR? 10. What are the steps for CIR? 11. Will CIR guarantee a credit?

13. ArchiteG.com 12. What tasks are handled by GBCI and what tasks are handled by USGBC? 13. What are MPRs? 14. What types of projects should use LEED-NC? 15. What types of projects should use LEED-CS? 16. What types of projects should use LEED for Schools?

14. ArchiteG.com LEED Green Associate Exam Technical Review 1. What do green buildings address? 2. Key stake holders and an integrative approach 3. The mission of USGBC 4. The structure of LEED Rating System 5. LEED certification tools

15. ArchiteG.com LEED Green Associate Exam Technical Review 6. Specific Technical Information A. Sustainable Sites (SS) B. Water Efficiency (WE) C. Energy and Atmosphere (EA) D. Materials and Resources (MR) E. Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) F. Innovation and Design Process (ID) G. Regional Priority (RP)

16. ArchiteG.com Note: Each credit category is described in a standard format, including Overall Purpose, Mnemonics, Core Concepts, Recognition, Regulation and Incentives, Overall strategies and technologies, and Specific Technical Information, and Summary and Mnemonics. Specific Technical Information for each credit includes Purpose, Credit Path, Submittals, Synergies, Possible Strategies and Technologies, Extra Credit (Exemplary Performance), Project Phase, LEED Submittal Phase, Related Code or Standard, and Responsible Party.

17. ArchiteG.com Summary & Review Tables 1. Reference Codes, Standards and Related LEED credit 2. Project Phase and related LEED Prerequisites and Credits 3. LEED Submittal Phase and related LEED Prerequisites and Credits

18. ArchiteG.com Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and Other Useful Resources 1. I found the reference guide way too tedious. Can I only read your book and just refer to the USGBC reference guide (if one is available for the exam I am taking) when needed? 2. Is one week really enough for me to pre-pare for the exam while I am working?

19. ArchiteG.com 3. Would you say that if I buy your LEED exam guide series books, I could pass the exam using no other study materials? The books sold on the USGBC website run in the hundreds of dollars, so I would be quite happy if I could buy your book and just use that. 4. I am preparing for the LEED exam. Do I need to read the 2” thick reference guide?

20. ArchiteG.com 5. For LEED V3.0, will the total number of points be more than 110 in total if a project gets all of the extra credits and all of the standard credits? 6. I wanted to know whether, for the exam, you need to know if each prerequisite/ credit is pre-design, schematic design, etc. 7. Are you writing new versions of books for the new LEED exams? What new books are you writing?

21. ArchiteG.com Important documents that you need to download for free, become familiar with and memorize Important documents that you need to download for free, and become familiar with

22. ArchiteG.com In summary, the easiest way to prepare for LEED AP BD+C Exam is: Start by downloading and reading the most current and official LEED AP BD+C candidate handbook from GBCI.org http://www.gbci.org/main-nav/professional-credentials/exam-guide/preparation/leed-ap-bdc.aspx

23. ArchiteG.com 2. Carefully go over the official GBCI LEED AP BD+C Exam candidate handbook. Download the 14 FREE PDF files for Part I of the LEED AP BD+C Exam (It is the exactly same as the LEED GA Exam) per the links listed at the end of the candidate handbook. These 14 PDF files should cover about 20% to 30% of the Part I of the LEED AP BD+C Exam scope.

24. ArchiteG.com Forget about the USGBC LEED GA Study Guide or the USGBC Core Concept Guide, they are pretty much the same and does NOT have enough information. Many people failed because they completely depend on these two books. USGBC and GBCI are two different entities now, so these two books are NOT really the “official” guide books.

25. ArchiteG.com The LEED GA Exam tests you information harder than the USGBC LEED GA Study Guide or USGBC Core Concept Guide, but easier than the almost 700-page USGBC reference guide.

26. ArchiteG.com 3. Download the remaining 5 PDF files for the Part II of the LEED AP BD+C Exam (About 20% to 30% of the test content will come from these materials). Some of the PDF files are duplicated for both the Part I and the Part II of the exam, which means they will be tested in both parts of the exam. Part II is VERY difficult when compared with Part I of the exam.

27. ArchiteG.com 4. Buy the almost 700-page USGBC LEED BD&C Reference Guide and read it from cover to cover if you have time. The USGBC Reference Guide is comprehensive, but it gives too much information. Searching for information related to LEED AP BD+C Exam from the USGBC Reference Guides is like "looking for a needle in a haystack.”

28. ArchiteG.com Many of the calculations in the books are too detailed for the exam. It is also expensive (approximately $200, so most people may not buy it for their personal use, but instead, will seek to share an office copy).

29. ArchiteG.com It is good to read a reference guide from cover to cover if you have the time. The problem is that few people have the time to read the whole reference guide. Even if you do read the whole guide, you may not remember the important issues to pass the LEED exam. You need to reread the material several times before you can remember much of it. Reading the reference guide from cover to cover without a guidebook is a difficult and inefficient way of preparing for the LEED AP BD+C exam, because you do NOT know what USGBC and GBCI are looking for in the exam.

30. ArchiteG.com OR Buy my book, LEED BD&C Exam Guide, and read it from cover to cover SEVERAL times and get the bulk of the information from the book, and just look up information you are not sure from the USGBC LEED BD&C Reference Guide. LEED BD&C Exam Guide covers the remaining 70% to 80% of the LEED AP BD+C Exam scope and focuses on them.

31. ArchiteG.com Do NOT read too many books and go to too many websites, and do NOT spread yourself too thin. LEED BD&C Exam Guide will help you pass the exam on the first try (many of my reader already passed the LEED AP BD+C Exam on the first try), and it’ll be a very useful reference book you’ll refer to again and again long after the exam. It contains MORE information than the official USGBC reference guide, but it costs only 1/3 of the price of the official USGBC reference guide.

32. ArchiteG.com 5. Download the latest USGBC LEED Addenda for the LEED BD&C and become familiar with them. USGBC issues LEED Addenda on a quarterly basis. GBCI does test the info in the USGBC LEED Addenda. See link below for the latest USGBC LEED Addenda: http://www.usgbc.org/addenda

33. ArchiteG.com 6. Do 1 or 2 sets of mock exams to find your weakness. My other book, LEED BD&C Mock Exam is very similar to the real exam. It has 200 mock exam questions. Time your LEED prep effort properly. Save one set of mock exam and do it 3 days before the exam, but do NOT do the mock exam the night before the exam: You’ll go into a panic mode if you do not do well, and you’ll have NO time to recover and review your weakness.

34. ArchiteG.com 7. Last but NOT least, go over the portions you marked up and the questions that you answered incorrectly.

35. ArchiteG.com 8. To register for the LEED AP BD+C Exam, go to: http://prometric.com/GBCI/ “Prometric offers the most extensive, professional and secure testing network (our channel) in the world where tests are delivered in over 160 countries in over 7,500 locations.”

36. ArchiteG.com Questions and answers, go over weak portions OR Do LEED GA Mock Exam #2 AND Review LEED GA Mock Exam #2 Answers and explanations

37. ArchiteG.com LEED AP BD+C Mock Exam 1. LEED AP BD+C Mock Exam 2. Review LEED AP BD+C Mock Exam: Answer and explanation

38. ArchiteG.com LEED AP BD+C Speaker Event Final Quiz See separate Quiz Sheet

39. ArchiteG.com For More Information, See GreenExamEducation.com &