The document discusses becoming a LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP) by studying for and passing the LEED exam, which covers sustainable building design and allows professionals to have more credibility with employers. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a green building rating system that awards points in categories like energy efficiency and indoor air quality to achieve certification levels. The author studied for about a month and passed the LEED exam to become a LEED AP and gain a credential valuable to their employer, Adobe Systems.
5. Brief overview
A green-collar worker is a worker who is employed in the environmental
sectors of the economy:
- Technology to improve conservation and sustainability
- Energy efficiency and clean renewable energy
Job examples
Wind Power
Solar Power • Environmental engineers
• Installer • Machinists
• Electricians Transportation
Biofuels • Civil engineers
• Chemists • Bus drivers
• Farm product purchasers Energy Efficiency/Building Retrofitting
Hybrid Cars • Boilermakers
• Factory Staff • Energy Auditor
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11. A Green Job Example
Becoming a LEED Accredited Professional LEED stands for
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and is a performance-based rating
system for green buildings established by the U.S Green Building Council. It has come to
be accepted as the benchmark for green building, and covers all aspects of a building,
from materials, to energy, water and building operation. LEED is on the minds of
many people in the building industry these days, and employers are looking to bolster
their green credentials any way possible, including having employees that are
LEED accredited. Becoming a LEED accredited professional (LEED AP) gets your
name listed on a directory of LEED APs and gives you more credibility to employers or
clients.
How LEED Works
Studied for about a month to pass the exam, which consists of 80 questions covering
all aspects of the rating system. The way LEED works is that the points are broken down
into 5 topic areas: Sustainable Sites; Energy & Atmosphere; Water Efficiency; Materials
and Resources; and Indoor Air Quality. A final category rewards efforts that don't fall
under the other topic areas. Within each category, points are awarded for achieving
environmental performance. For instance, 1-10 points can be earned under Energy &
Atmosphere, depending on the energy-efficiency of the building. Each category has pre-
requisites that must be met, and depending on how many points the project is awarded a
building can be rated anywhere from LEED certified to LEED platinum. (Learn more
about how LEED works here.)
Adobe Systems Incorporated in San Jose, Calif.,
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