The energy efficiency industry offers many opportunities for individuals to add valuable skills to help them on their career path. However, choosing the best program to suit your needs takes careful consideration and planning to ensure it’s the right one for you.
See our guide below for overviews of various accreditations available in the United States and how you can start pursuing the next step of you green building career!
LEED Credentials
Organization: U.S. Green Building Council
Credential programs offered:
- LEED Green Associate Accreditation
- LEED AP
- Green Rater
- Green Classroom Professional
LEED Green Associate Accreditation
This is the perfect way to get dive into learning the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Rating System as each individual interested in pursuing LEED skills must start at Green Associate Accreditation. The foundational credential will give you a solid understanding of green building principles and how LEED determines certifications of various facilities
LEED AP
LEEP AP builds upon Green Associate Accreditation and provides advanced knowledge on green building practices. There are five specialties for LEED AP:
Building Design + Construction
Operations + Maintenance
Interior Design + Construction
Neighborhood Development
Homes
Green Raters/Classroom Professionals
With the green building industry on the rise, there is a higher need than ever for raters to help determine whether facilities meet LEED standards.
Additionally, classroom professionals are needed to help advocate for environmentally-friendly teaching settings through pushing for green schools.
BPI Certification
Organization: Building Performance Institute
BPI Certification
With BPI being a nationally-recognized certification, earning this credential will not only allow you a range of places throughout the country to work but will also establish yourself as a highly-qualified professional. BPI is committed to providing rigorous training that ensure contractors find the root causes of housing problems and are analytically capable of solving new issues.
The range of BPI’s certifications include:
Building Analyst
Envelope Professional
Advanced Home Energy Professional (HEP) certification
Air Leakage Control Installer
Infiltration & Duct Leakage (IDL)
Heating
Air Conditioning & Heat Pump
Multifamily
Manufactured Housing
ASHRAE Certifications
Credential programs offered:
- Energy Assessment
- Energy Modeling
- Commissioning
- Healthcare Facility Design
- High-Performance Building Design
- Building Design
Energy Assessment
The certification will allow you to increase your knowledge of energy assessments as applied to residential, commercial and industrial buildings. You will also learn how to perform these assessments in compliance with local, state and federal ordinances.
Building Energy Modeling
Learn how to model new and existing buildings while also building skills that will allow you to interpret the results of energy modeling software.
Commissioning
This is an ideal program for professionals wanting to learn how to work with a building owner to manage the entire commissioning process.
Health Care Facility Design
The standards, guidelines and regulatory codes taught in this program are unique to health care facility requirements. The training also includes a focus on HVAC design principles.
High-Performance Building Design
The certification is American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-accredited and provides instruction on integrating sustainable HVAC systems in high-performance buildings.
Building Operations
Included in this training that focuses on facility operations and maintenance are goals for indoor environmental quality and safety.
Other Credentials
NGBS Green Verifier
Green Verifiers help provide verification services for Home Innovation’s NGBS Green certification program through working with clients in their building development process. While in the field, verifiers guide developers and remodelers through the certification process and help perform necessary inspections to see if facilities meet standards.
More information, including prerequisites and accreditation process details, are available on the NGBS website.
HERS Rater
The RESNET training process for becoming a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) rater addresses a myriad of topics that ensure preparation for working in the field of building science. Such topics include viewing the home as a system, thermal resistance of insulation, blower door tests, air leakage sources, using software to test energy efficiency and much more.
In addition to training, raters must pass examinations that will allow them to demonstrate their new building science knowledge.
ENERGY STAR Certifications
Did you know that ENERGY STAR doesn’t just refer to those efficient appliances in your kitchen? You can become a professional specialized in building facilities that reach the standards of certain criteria set forth by ENERGY STAR by agreeing to become a partner.
ENERGY STAR focuses on training for the following roles before sending its professionals to the field:
Certified Builder
Multifamily High-Rise Developers
Home Energy Raters
Architect/Home Plan Designers
Utilities and Other Sponsoring Programs
Certified Green Professional (CGP)
The training provided by the National Association of Home Builders allows for builders, remodelers and other professionals to adopt backgrounds in green building methods and consumer outreach without driving up the cost of construction.
The GCP coursework is closely aligned with the ICC 700 National Green Building Standard and includes the following focuses:
Energy, Water and Resource Efficiency
Indoor Environmental Quality
Lot and Site Development
Homeowner Education
EcoBroker Certification
Remodelers and builders aren’t the only ones who can add green credentials, there are certifications for real estate professionals too! The EcoBroker green designation program equips professionals with tools that help them assist clients with finding properties that emphasize green features and comfortable living environments.