The Green Building Certification Institute announced today that over 101,000 people have been certified as LEED Accredited Professionals (LEED APs) which enables them to guide builders and companies through the process of LEED certification. Becoming a LEED AP is a great example of a “green collar job” we’ve been hearing so much about, enabling those who pass the rigorous LEED exam to fulfill a growing need for green building services.
Overall, the US Green Building Council’s green building program LEED has been growing in popularity since its development in 2000. Over 3 billion square feet of construction space is now involved in the LEED certification process, which includes the following categories: New Construction, Commercial Interiors, Core & Shell, Schools, Healthcare, Retail, & Neighborhood Development. Any party wishing to earn LEED certification must earn credits in various areas like Energy & Atmosphere, Water Efficiency, and Materials & Resources. What’s more, LEED APs are needed to guide builders and managers through the certification process, which can last several years.
In other LEED-related news, the USGBC is launching a new version of the reference guides on April 27th, 2009. Known as LEED v3, the new guides have undergone extensive public comment and improvement over older versions. From BeGreen’s perspective, we’re especially excited about the increase in possible Green Power points, which allows buildings to purchase renewable energy credits to offset their electricity emissions. For those interested in taking advantage of the new Green Power points, our unique LEED calculator helps builders and LEED APs discover how many RECs they need to buy and purchase them in an easy online transaction.
Posted on April 21st, 2009
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