Green Associate is “for
professionals who want to demonstrate green building
expertise in non-technical fields of practice.” It shows
“basic knowledge of green design, construction, and
operations.” LEED AP signifies “an advanced depth of
knowledge in green building practices.” At NYREI, we say
Green Associate and AP are similar to Real Estate
Salesperson and Broker. They study the same material, but
Salespersons learn the basics, and Brokers goes into more
depth and have practical experience.
Bottom of Form
If LEED Accredited Professional (AP) is better, can I
skip Green Associate?
No.. The LEED AP course builds on Green Associate. In
this school, we will not allow you to take AP until you have
taken Green Associate.
But my friend became a LEED AP this summer, and she never
heard of Green Associate.
That’s because Green Associate is new. Until June 30,
2009, candidates were allowed to take the AP test without
any previous classes or experience. The rules have
changed. Now the Green Associate 2-hour exam comes
first, then the LEED AP 2-hour exam. If you meet the
qualifications, you may take the exams on the same day or
different days.
What does the price include? If I take both classes can I
get a package discount?
Our Green Associate course is $395 for 16 hours and LEED
AP is $195 for 8 hours. These are the lowest prices we have
ever seen for LEED. If you wish to repeat either course,
we will offer it to you for half price.
All our reading and study materials are included in the
price of the course. The LEED 2009 Reference Guide,
costing $185 (almost 700 pages) is NOT included. We felt
students should have the option of buying the Guide if they
want it, rather than adding $185 to the cost of the class.
If enough students are interested, we can bulk order the
Guide and offer it at a discount. The 3rd party exam fee is
not included.
What is the 3rd party exam?
Although U.S. Green Building Council developed LEED, they
do not give tests. Tests are administered by a group called
Green Building Certification Institute, and are held at a
professional testing facility called Prometric, a few blocks
from NYREI. Prometric consists of dozens of computer
cubicles where students take everything from the GREs to the
Firefighter exam. You may take the LEED exams whenever they
have a free appointment for you. Sign up online and pay the
exam fee directly to Prometric. For complete information on
the 3rd party exam, please visit www.GBCI.org.
Who is GBCI and how are they different from USGBC?
Many people are confused, because USGBC and GBCI have the
same address and phone number, and their websites are
linked. To maintain independence in testing and certifying,
GBCI was created in 2008 to take over those responsibilities
from USGBC. When you pass the exams on USGBC’s LEED system,
your certificate will come from GBCI.
How long should I study?
That is a subjective question. It depends on your
background, how well you can memorize, and other factors.
However, do NOT fall into the trap of thinking that if you
are very smart or a fast learner you don’t have to study.
The exams are HARD. Most architecture and engineering firms
encourage their professionals to study at least 2-3 months.
Do I have to study in addition to taking the course?
Yes - absolutely. It would be impossible for any school
to give you all the information you need to pass in 3 days,
considering that most architects study 3 months. We will
teach you the material and give you tips on important things
you must know, but it is up to you to read as much as you
can and study hard.
If I need more study, can I just sit in on the class
again for free?
No. Some students think if they return without signing
the attendance sheet it won’t hurt anyone. That’s not true -
it hurts the other students, the teacher and the school. As
a result, we scrutinize the attendance sheets.
We understand that students enjoy the class enough to
take it two or three times. As one student put it, “I would
rather pay to take the class twice than to take the exam
twice.” Therefore, you may repeat the course for half
price. If for some reason you fail the exam, we will
allow you to repeat the class for free.
Does the class give exam prep?
Yes and no. Under GBCI rules, if you are taking the Green
Associate course to qualify to take the Green Associate
exam, you may NOT take an exam prep course. It has to be a
knowledge-based course. An analogy would be that schools
like Kaplan teach you how to pass the SATs; they don’t teach
you math. Therefore, our Green Associate course does not
include sample questions. However, there is no such rule
about LEED AP, so in that class we cover sample questions,
exam tips and study guides. Even if you only plan to take
the Green Associate exam, it’s a good idea to take the LEED
AP class to get study help.
What are the exams like?
Green Associate and LEED AP exams are both multiple
choice. However, they are often structured as, “Choose 3 out
of 7,” instead of the traditional 1 choice out of 4. Athough
the Green Associate exam is much easier, both exams are
very, very hard.
USGBC and GBCI will not release pass rates, but most
estimates are that only about 35% of AP test-takers pass.
That means 65% FAIL. Our school has a documented pass rate
that ranges between 80-90%. While other schools claim a 90+
pass rate, we have observed that most do not engage in
systematic follow-up with their students as we do. If for
some reason you do not pass the 3rd party exam, you may take
it again in accordance with GBCI rules.
How can I qualify for the LEED Accredited Professional
(AP) exam?
To take the AP exam, you must first take the Green
Associate exam, even if you take it on the same day. You
also must show experience working on a LEED project. Since
there are only about 300 LEED registered buildings out of a
total of about 900,000 buildings in New York City, it is not
easy to get on a LEED project team. The easiest way is with
an unpaid internship. Our LEED teacher has helped dozens of
qualified students become interns. If you are interested in
internship, you may speak with our teacher. Please be aware
of the following terms:
Neither NYREI nor its teachers will hire you
directly as a LEED intern. We may, however, refer
students to LEED Project Teams seeking interns.
Internships are not guaranteed: whether a student
is hired for an internship is decided by the LEED
Project Team and is completely out of the control of
NYREI or its teachers.
NYREI’s teacher may assist some students in
finding opportunities for internships. This requires
a $30 processing fee which, is refundable only if
the teacher does not refer the student to a LEED
Project Team. If the student does not interview,
does not accept, or is not accepted for the
internship, the $30 is not refundable.
Internship referrals are ONLY available to
students enrolled in BOTH our Green Associate and
LEED AP courses. We will not provide referrals for
non-students or past students.
Other rules may apply and will be explained to
students.
I’m an interior designer and my friend is a property
manager. I want to specialize in Commercial Interiors (CI)
and she wants Operations and Maintenance (O&M). Should we
take your LEED AP course?
LEED APs pursue a specialty. We teach the most popular
specialty, Building Design and Construction. You are welcome
to find a school that teaches a different specialty.
However, LEED core principles are used in every specialty
and many students choose to take our course and then study
the nuances at home. Dozens of CI, O&M and Homes specialists
have taken our course and passed their exam with flying
colors. If you feel unsure about the decision, we suggest
you compare the LEED speciality scorecards. Here are the
links:
Commercial Interiors:
These FAQs are based on information provided by USGBC and
GBCI. However, their policies and rules are subject to
change at any time without notice or publication. If you
need clarification on any subjects addressed in this
document, please call USGBC/GBCI at 800 795 1747.
Instructor's Biography:
Biography, Kristen Bacorn
Kristen Bacorn has been called one of the pioneers of the
green architecture movement.
Kristen’s first green consulting projects came when she
wrote an Environmental Impact Statement for a new
construction by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and
performed energy research for a foreign oil-producer. In
architecture school, she created environmentally conscious
designs and received a university-wide award for
architectural theory.
Kristen later worked on the construction site of the
nation’s first green residential hi-rise, The Solaire, and
wrote the first environmental architecture course to be
accepted by the NY Dept. of State. To promote the green
movement, Kristen also trains architects, engineers and
contractors to become LEED Accredited Professionals like
herself. Syracuse University School of Environmental
Sciences as well as Binghamton University School of
Engineering have invited Kristen to offer environmental
science courses.
As a lecturer and educator in great demand, Kristen has been
featured speaker at many venues, including the annual Javits
Center Construction Expo. Her writing has been published in
Newsweek, and she has granted exclusive interviews to
national entities such as Lowe’s Home Improvement and the
Wall Street Journal. In addition, she has served for many
years on the American Institute of Architects’ Committee on
the Environment.
Kristen Bacorn also has extensive experience as a broker and
private real estate investor. For 12 years she was Vice
President of Fox Residential Group, one of New York’s top
ten brokerages. In commercial real estate, Kristen marketed
and sold shopping centers in portfolio packages. She also
dealt with brownfield acquisition and remediation. These
accomplishments brought her to the attention of the Real
Estate Board of New York, who invited her to serve on their
Credentials Committee.
Although Kristen’s background is in architecture, she is
aware of the importance of accessing the many financing
opportunities, which are sometimes complicated. In her
current projects, Kristen guides her clients through the
maze of green funding options.
Because of her considerable experience, many groups have
retained Kristen as a consultant. In recent years she
collaborated with Costas Kondylis on a feasibility study for
residential conversion of 67 Broad Street, a 40+ story tower
in the financial district. She has worked on dozens of green
constructions from single family homes to huge hi-rises, and
also served as an advisor to green manufacturers and
vendors.
Kristen has is currently working on a number of projects,
including a midtown hotel and a 500-unit Manhattan condo.
Kristen brings to her clients a wealth of knowledge, fine
reputation and an accessible personality. As an investor and
member of project development teams, she has first-hand
knowledge of the needs of developers and owners in this
demanding market. Kristen welcomes opportunities to share
her industry expertise with those who may benefit from her
unique insights.
Kristen Bacorn Kristen@GreenEstateConsulting.com 917 209
8585
