|
This Month: An Breakdown of the New LEED AP Credentialing Maintenance Program
|
|
Feature Article
Credentialing Maintenance
From the Green Building Certification Institute
The Credentialing Maintenance Program (CMP) is designed to expand the knowledge and experience base of LEED Professionals. The program is also designed to facilitate a LEED Professional's continuing professional development. Beginning with the LEED Green Associate and LEED AP Operations + Maintenance (O+M) credentials, followed by LEED AP Homes, Building Design + Construction (BD+C), Interior Design + Construction (ID+C), and Neighbor Development (ND), all credentials awarded for passing any LEED examination given by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) must be maintained on a 2-year cycle through the accumulation of continuing education (CE) hours.
LEED professionals must earn their required CE hours during the 2-year period following the date GBCI awarded their credential. This 2-year period, called the CMP reporting period or, simply, reporting period, begins on the exam date or the CMP enrollment date and ends 2 years minus 1 day from the start date (except for LEED Professionals who passed the LEED Green Associate or a LEED AP with specialty exam before August 3, 2009*). (LEED Professionals will continue on the same cycle unless the credential is not renewed.)
At the end of the 2-year reporting period, LEED Professionals are required to have completed their continuing education requirements. If LEED Professionals do not complete these requirements and/or do not report their hours to GBCI, the credential expires. For more information on expiration, see the Non-compliance section of the CMP Guide.
Continuing education (CE) hours
The term "CE hours" refers to hours earned from credentialing maintenance activities. LEED APs must earn 30 CE hours biennially (6 of which must be LEED-specific hours and at least 3 of those 6 hours must be Rating System-specific hours) and LEED Green Associates must earn 15 CE hours biennially (3 of which must be LEED-specific hours) to maintain their credential. CE hours are calculated differently depending on the activity; see the Activities sections of the CMP Guide for an outline of credentialing maintenance activities and the CE hours possible.
Education Reviewing Bodies (ERBs)
ERBs are organizations that review and approve professional development courses, live presentations, and self-study courses based on predetermined criteria for instructional design and technical content. Once approved, such programs will be accepted by GBCI as approved continuing education for LEED Professionals. Learn more about ERBs.
Reporting credentialing maintenance
LEED Professionals must self-report all of their CE hours online through My Credentials. No additional documentation will be required unless audited.
LEED Professionals will be able to begin self-reporting their CE hours in My Credentials after November 1, 2009, when the reporting module is launched. GBCI recommends that you maintain a record of any CE hours you complete between the launch of the CMP program on August 3, 2009, and the launch of the reporting module.
Renewal
Once LEED Professionals have completed the CMP requirements for their credential, they may renew their credential and pay the $50 CMP renewal fee on My Credentials at any time during their reporting period without altering its start and end dates. However, LEED Professionals must renew their credential within the 30 days following the end of their reporting period. If the credential is not renewed within 30 days of the end date, the credential will expire. For more information on expiration, see the Non-compliance section of the CMP Guide.
Fees
LEED Professionals are responsible for a biennial $50 CMP renewal fee at the time of renewal. If this fee is not paid in the 30 days following the end of the reporting period, the credential will expire. Payments will be accepted only in US dollars. This fee is waived for the first renewal for all LEED APs without specialty (credentialed under the New Construction, Commercial Interiors, and Existing Buildings exam tracks) who enroll in accordance with the Enrollment Guide.
Audits
GBCI credentialing staff will conduct random audits of CE hours submitted for renewal for the most recent reporting period. The goal of the auditing process is to ensure compliance with CMP requirements. When audited:
- The LEED Professional is notified of the audit and may be asked to send documentation of hours that were reported by him/her.
- The reported CE hours and supporting documentation will be reviewed by staff and a determination will be made as to whether the hours are accepted or denied.
- The LEED Professional will receive a confirmation from the GBCI staff regarding findings of the audit and any further action required.
If any CE hours are denied during the audit and a deficiency is determined, a deficiency notice will be sent to the LEED Professional. Additional hours must be reported electronically and submitted with supporting documentation within 90 days. However, all additional hours reported must be earned before the end of the LEED Professional's reporting period. The LEED Professional will remain listed in the LEED Professional Directory and remain authorized to use his/her credential's title and logo during the 90-day period following the notice. If the deficiency remains after the 90-days, the credential will expire; the individual will no longer be listed in the LEED Professional Directory nor be authorized to use the credential's title or logo. For more information on expiration, see the Non-compliance section of the CMP Guide.
Maintenance through retesting
Because the purpose of the program is not to measure or guarantee continuing competence, the LEED Professional of the future, whether LEED Green Associate or LEED AP, will not be required to sit for additional examinations after fulfilling initial credentialing examination. However, LEED Professionals do have the option of maintaining their credential through retesting (without completing continuing education). LEED Professionals maintaining through retesting must take the required exam between 3 and 12 months from the end of their reporting period. (No testing will be allowed more than 12 months or less than 3 months from the end of the reporting period; see the chart below for details.) In order to retest, LEED Professionals must apply (including meeting eligibility requirements) and register for the required exam through My Credentials and are responsible for all applicable fees. LEED Green Associates are required to take the LEED Green Associate exam; LEED APs are required to take only the LEED specialty exam.
If LEED Professionals wait until their credential expires (24 months after their exam date), they must test like all new candidates. They will not maintain the same cycle reporting period; a new reporting period will begin on their exam date if they pass the exam. Also, individuals whose LEED AP credential has expired must retake both parts (LEED Green Associate and specialty exam) of their exam to regain the credential..
For more information regarding the CMP, please refer to the Green Building Certification Institute at GBCI.org.
|
|
From the Chair
Indiana Chapter Continues to Blossom, Despite Economy
When you have an organization where membership often doubles annually, as with USGBC National and USGBC Indiana, it is a challenge to keep everyone engaged while retaining the decision-making speed to respond to a dynamic market.
In 2005, USGBC National scrapped Roberts Rules of Order and instituted a system of Dynamic Governance (DG) developed in the Netherlands. The results were a dramatic improvement in the effectiveness of the organization. DG is inclusive, transparent and action focused. It allows for decision making by consent in lieu of time-consuming consensus or win/lose voting. Modeled after systems thinking and self-organizing phenomena, DG offers a circular structure with two-way communication overlaid on an organization's existing linear structure. DG also uses consent elections to fill open seats and establishes communication circles that work in all directions. The result of this structure is that decision-making spreads out so that committees and branches have more autonomy and the Chapter meetings are more effective. The decisions tend to be made at the point of implementation; proposals are offered by committees and approved by the Chapter Board by consent. This description may sound complicated but the process is not and it is picked up rapidly by new members. Laminated "cheat sheets" are common at meetings to help with the less frequent processes.
USGBC Indiana began using DG at the beginning of 2009 with a full-day retreat to learn from a national instructor. We have employed the techniques at all of our state chapter board meetings with increasing success and it has helped our new branches self-organize. I have attended several meetings of the South Central Branch and they picked up DG from their founding chair, Ted Mendoza, who attended the state DG Training.
For a good capsule description of Dynamic Governance, link to: http://www.asaecenter.org/PublicationsResources/ANowDetail.cfm?ItemNumber=18309
To get John Buck's book, We the People: Consenting to a Deeper Democracy, link to: http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?ie=UTF8&keywords=0979282705&tag=sharonvilline-20&index=books&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325
Also, watch for announcements of the next live full-day workshop and webinars.
At our Indiana Chapter meeting last week, Luke Leising presented a proposal from the Dynamic Governance/Long Range Planning Committee to institute the Dynamic Governance Structure of a General Circle in lieu of the current state structure of Chapter governance. This proposal passed by consent. As part of that proposal, there will be no Chapter board meeting next month. Instead, a Central Branch will form and elect representatives to the General Circle, which will meet next month in lieu of the Chapter Board Meeting. Each Branch will have an elected representative to the General Circle, which will also have representatives of the statewide committees (Communications, Education, Finance, Advocacy, Etc.). The Indiana Chapter Board will continue to meet every other month. This will complete Indiana's transformation into a statewide chapter with multiple branches a few months ahead of schedule. If you are a member in the Indianapolis metropolitan area, look for an announcement of the organizational meeting for the Central Branch. This is a great time to get involved with a more dynamic USGBC and learn a new governance skill you can use in your other organizations.
Bill Brown, AIA, LEED AP
USGBC Indiana Chair
 |
USGBC-IN Chapter News
USGBC-IN Chapter Meeting / Monthly Program
Wednesday, August 19th
 Please join us on Wednesday, August 19th, for the USGBC Indiana Chapter's monthly program. This month's presentation topic is commissioning.
AIA CEU'S will be available for this program.
Registration and networking begins at 5:00pm, program begins at 5:30pm.
Space is limited. Please make reservations early.
Date: August 19, 2009 (third Wednesday)
Time: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (EST)
Location: Business Furniture
6102 Victory Way
Indianapolis, IN
See location in Google Maps
Cost: Free to USGBC members;
$15 for non-USGBC members (pay at the door)
Register: Click here for advance registration.
Advance reservations are strongly suggested.
Registration ends 24 hours prior to the event.
Latest LEED for Homes Certification in Indiana
USGBC is extremely pleased to approve the certification of the LEED
home(s) at 104 Liberty Boulevard, Mooresville, IN, USA built by Castalia
Homes, and supported by the LEED for Homes Provider, Alliance for
Environmental Sustainability. This project received a "LEED Gold"
rating. Congratulations on this accomplishment!
LEED Workshop Coming to West Chester, Ohio
Tuesday, September 1st
The Green Building Design and Construction: The LEED Implementation Process workshop is intended for professionals who are familiar with the LEED for New Construction or LEED for Core & Shell Rating System, but new to implementing it on projects or looking to brush up on implementation best practices. It is also appropriate for those pursuing GBCI's LEED AP Building Design + Construction credential - and complimentary, discounted exam preparation and practice test resources will be available in summer 2009 for workshop participants pursuing the LEED credential.
Click here for more information.
USGBC Indiana Chapter on LinkedIn
 USGBC-IN has established a group on LinkedIn.
Click here to join.
|
|
Join USGBC-IN Today!
Join the Indiana Chapter of USGBC today to enjoy the many benefits of membership that help your organization stay competitive, grow your business, and make the best contacts in the green building industry.
Indiana Chapter members receive the following benefits:
- Member-only discounts and networking events - local event fees are discounted for chapter members. Monthly meetings are free!
- Get a fantastic array of green building tools and educational resources.
- Be noticed - membership sets your organization apart.
- Build relationships in the local construction industry.
- Meet, learn and network with other building professionals who share the same passion for green building.
- Benefit from company and individual names being listed in one of the largest directories of green building practitioners and supporters via the USGBC National website and our local chapter homepage.
- Get involved - help build much-needed awareness for green building in Indiana.
- Be recognized as a leader in supporting a better built environment.
- Shape and proactively promote local green initiatives through chapter and committee involvement.
- Vote in local chapter business/issues.
Sign up today and receive a one-year membership for only $50 (less than 14 cents per day)!
For more information regarding USGBC Indiana, please visit our web site at usgbc-in.org.
|
USGBC-IN Branch News
South Central Branch Program:
ReGreen Program for Existing Homes
Thursday, August 20th At this month's program, local green interior designer David Gulyas will present on the new ReGreen remodeling program for existing homes. Under this program, the American Society of Interior Designers' Foundation and the U.S. Green Building Council have partnered on the development of best practice guidelines and targeted educational resources for sustainable residential improvement projects. This program will increase understanding of sustainable renovation project practices and benefits among homeowners, residents, design professionals, product suppliers and service providers to build both demand and industry capacity.
Program information is as follows: Date: August 20, 2009 Time: Doors open at 6:30 PM; Program begins at 7:00 PM Location: Monroe County Public Library Auditorium 303 E Kirkwood Ave. Bloomington, IN 47408-3592 See location in Google MapsCost: Free Registration: Click here to register Northeast Branch Program: 1st Annual USGBC Indiana Chapter Northeast Branch Golf Outing
Monday, August 24th
The
Northeast Branch of the USGBC (United States Green Building Council)
Indiana Chapter will be holding our 1st Annual Golf Outing on August
24, 2009 at Coyote Creek Golf Club in Fort Wayne. The goal of this
outing is to raise funds for the Northeast Branch and to promote the
benefits of becoming a member of the USGBC. (Rain date is August 31st)
The day's events will include:
- 11:00am open registration, with a shotgun start @ 12:30pm.
- Box lunch w/ drink will be provided. (Beverage carts will be circulating through out the day).
- Buffet dinner featuring BBQ ribs & chicken will follow immediately after golf.
- A brief presentation on the benefits of becoming a member of the USGBC.
- LOTS of give-a-ways and door prizes.
Program information is as follows:
Date: August 24, 2009
Time: Registration begins at 11:00 AM
Location: Coyote Creek Golf Club
4935 Hillegas Rd
Fort Wayne, IN 46818
See location in Google Maps
Cost: Varies; see registration
Register: Click here to access the event flyer and
registration information.
Advance reservations is required for this event.
Registration ends July 24th.
Northeast Branch Program: 2010 Sponsorship Drive
Wednesday, September 2nd
The
USGBC-IN Northeast Branch would like to thank their 2010 sponsors in
advance by inviting you to join the Northeast Branch in the A. Hattersley & Sons, Inc. suite to see the Fort Wayne TinCaps versus the Great Lakes Loons!
Date: September 2, 2009
Time: Game begins at 7:05 PM (EST)
Location: Parkview Field
1301 Ewing Street
Fort Wayne, IN 46802
See location in Google Maps
Register: Click here to access the event flyer.
Snacks, beer, and soft drinks will be provided compliments
of A. Hattersley & Sons, Inc.
Northeast Branch Program: LEED v3 - An Update on the New System
Thursday, October 8th
Topics will include:- LEED v3 - An Update on the New System.
- Works In Progress - Current LEED Registered Projects in NE Indiana.
- Project Highlight: IPFW Sustainable Construction and Renewable Energy Lab.
Program information is as follows:
Date: Thursday, October 8th, 2009
Time: Check in at 5:00 PM; Presentation at 6:00 PM
Location: Grand Wayne Center
120 W Jefferson Blvd
Fort Wayne, IN 46802-3030
See location in Google Maps
Cost: Free to USGBC members; $15 to non-members
Registration: Click here to register
One free drink ticket with RSVP by October 1st
Parking: City Center Garage - $1/hour; $2 flat rate nights and weekends
|
Indiana Green Building Events
Keep Indianapolis Beautiful Announces New Green Building Award as part of the 2009 Monumental Affair Awards
 The Monumental Award, representing the most significant visual and physical enhancement in Marion County, is selected by an impartial jury of community and professional leaders. This is the highest award of distinction and is chosen from the honor award winners in each category.
New this year is the (re)thINk Award! Sanctioned by Indiana Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, the (re)thINk Award highlights significant achievement in sustainable design and construction.
Call for entries: 2009 Entries must be received in the KIB Office no later than 5:00 p.m., Friday, October 2, 2009. Click here for more details.
September 20 - 23, 2009
 If you enjoyed AASHE2008, you'll want to mark your calendar now for Greening of the Campus VIII. The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) will be partnering with Ball State University to bring you this event. The conference has traditionally been held on Ball State's campus, but this year will be in the Indianapolis Convention Center in order to accommodate the growing campus sustainability community.
Greening of the Campus VIII will be held Sept 20 - 23, 2009 at the Indianapolis Convention Center. More information can be found at http://www.bsu.edu/greening/.
Labs21 2009 Annual Conference
September 22 - 24, 2009
 Laboratories for the 21st Century (Labs21)
is designed to meet the needs of laboratory
and high performance facility designers, engineers, owners, and facility managers.
Co-sponsored by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE), Labs21 offers
professionals worldwide an extraordinary
opportunity for information exchange and
education with regard to high-performance
laboratories and related facilities.
As official co-sponsor of the Laboratories for the 21st Century (Labs21) Annual Conference and workshops, the International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL) will facilitate a network of technical capabilities to address global needs while incorporating the Labs21 Approach to sustainable, high performance, and low-energy laboratories.
Please visit I2SL's web site at i2sl.org for the most up-to-date conference and workshop information.
INASLA Annual Meeting and Awards Presentation
October 23, 2009
 The Indiana Chapter of the American Society of
Landscape Architects (INASLA) is putting on their
Annual Meeting and Awards Presentation on
October 23, 2009 at University Place Conference
Center. The theme for this year's event will be
"Strategies in Sustainability: Providing the Tools
to Go Green."
Please visit the INASLA website at inasla.org for
additional information.
|
Emerging Green Builders (EGB) News
 Who We Are
Emerging Green Builders are students and young professionals dedicated to becoming and recruiting the future leaders of the green building movement. EGB Indiana, part of the Heartland Region, offers you the opportunity to get involved in green building locally, access USGBC resources, and particiate in local events.
Upcoming EGB Program
Friday, September 11th, 2009
Program: Panel Discussion by Leaders in the Building Design/Construction Industry
Topics: US Green Building Council and Emerging Green Builders Group; How students and recent graduates fit into the professional world; Benefits and importance of involvement in professional organizations.
Snacks and beverages will be provided.
Program information is as follows:
Date: Friday, September 11th, 2009
Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Location: Lakeside Park Pavilion #2 (North of the pond)
1401 Lake Avenue
Fort Wayne, IN 46805
See location in Google Maps
Cost: FREE!
RSVP: Click here to obtain a free RSVP ticket.
RSVP tickets are strongly encouraged for this event.
All Things EGBPlease visit us at usgbc-in.org/egb for all the latest events, resources, and local branch information. |
Indiana Green Building News
Items are linked back to their sources and are the property of their owners. Click on heading for complete article.
Recovery Act Announcement: Obama Administration Delivers More than $63 Million for Weatherization Programs in Indiana and New Mexico
Source: U.S. Department of Energy
Date Written: 07/21/2009
U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced that the
Department of Energy is providing more than $63 million in funding from
the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to expand weatherization
assistance programs in Indiana and New Mexico. The funding, along with
additional funds to be disbursed after the states meet certain Recovery
Act milestones, will help these states achieve their goal of
weatherizing more than 22,400 homes, lowering energy costs for
low-income families that need it, reducing greenhouse gas emissions,
and creating green jobs across the country.
Indiana will use its Recovery Act funds to weatherize more than
19,700 homes across the state over the next three years. The Indiana
Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA) will administer the
program, and provide funding to local organizations to carry out home
energy audits and weatherization assistance. These agencies will
include community action agencies, non-profit organizations, and local
government entities. The state will also use Recovery Act funds to
increase its weatherization training and technical assistance
capabilities by expanding its partnerships with the Indiana
Vocational/Technical College, the Indiana Community Action Association,
Inc., and the Environmental Management Institute. IHCDA and its
partners will ensure that the state will have a sufficient and capable
workforce to carry out home energy audits and weatherization
procedures.
After demonstrating successful implementation of its plan, the state
will receive almost $66 million in additional funding, for a total of
nearly $132 million.
Read more...
|
Add Your LEED Projects to USGBC-IN.org
Submit Your LEED Certified Projects
USGBC Indiana is in the process of adding in-state LEED certified projects to the website's "Green Projects" showcase. If
you would like to submit your LEED certified
project, please complete the Green Project Profile
form and submit entries to info@usgbc-in.org.
|
Author: Brian Choppa
Source: Examiner.com
Date Written:
08/05/2009
Read more... |
Get Involved with USGBC-IN
Become a Volunteer Today!
USGBC-IN is looking for motivated
volunteers to assist with several upcoming projects. There has never been a better time to get involved with USGBC. For more details
on upcoming opportunities, please contact
USGBC-IN at info@usgbc-in.org.
|
|
From the Editor
What the Clean Energy Act Could Mean for Your Business
Those of you keyed into the national political scene may be aware that several weeks ago, the U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed a comprehensive clean energy act, H.R. 2454. Key provisions of the American Clean Energy and Security Act include the following:
- Electric utilities must meet 20% of their demand through renewable energy and energy efficiency measures by 2020.
- $90 billion in new investments in clean energy technologies and energy efficiency measures; $60 billion in carbon capture/sequestration; $20 billion in electric/advanced technology vehicles; and $20 billion in research funding.
- New energy-efficiency standards for appliances.
- Required reduction in carbon emissions from major U.S. sources by 80% in the next forty years (compared to 2005 levels).
- Required protection of consumers from energy price increases. The legislation cites research suggesting that enactment of the Act should cost the average household less than 50 cents per day.
However, buried deep within the 1428-page bill (page 320 to be exact) is Title II-Section 201, a call for greater energy efficiency in building codes.
If passed, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 would immediately require:
- All new construction to achieve a "30 percent reduction in energy use relative to a comparable building constructed in compliance with the baseline code."
- 50% reduction for all new residential construction as of January 1st, 2014 and commercial construction as of January 1st, 2015.
- A required 5% additional increases in required energy efficiency every three-years thereafter (e.g. 55% for residential by 2017 and commercial by 2018).
By "baseline code," the Act is referring to the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) for residential construction, and ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2004 for commercial construction.
To put this in perspective, if the Senate passes the American Clean Energy and Security Act, all new commercial construction will be required to achieve energy efficiency levels comparable to achieving 7 out of 10 credits under LEED-NC, version 2.2 Energy and Atmosphere (EA) Credit 1: Optimize Energy Performance. If your project teams have had a difficult time achieving this level of energy efficiency, you may find this to be a bit of a gut-check.
According to the environmental advocacy group Architecture 2030, the targets delineated in Section 201 are "simply more effective than any other energy and emissions reduction approach." According to Architecture 2030, enactment of the American Clean Energy would achieve over six times the emissions reductions compared to not passing the Act and building 100 new nuclear power plants to meet the increased national energy demand over the same period of time.
As the acronym suggest, the LEED rating system is devoted to recognizing leaders in the building industry that successfully complete outstanding green buildings and neighborhoods. If the American Clean Energy and Security Act is passed with Section 201 intact, you can expect the next update to LEED to raise the bar well above the Act in terms of energy -efficiency levels. Despite whether or not your project team pursues LEED projects, the time has never been better to make energy-efficiency a major component of your standard practice. It may soon be a matter of survival.
Daniel Overbey, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP
USGBC Indiana Communications Chair
|
|
Calendar at a Glance
August
September
October
Please email your event notices to the Editor. Thank you!
All dates are subject to change. For a complete list of upcoming events, please log-in to usgbc-in.org.
|
|
|
|
|
|
