Table of Contents
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
Cottrell, Michelle.
Guide to the LEED Green Associate (GA) Exam / Michelle Cottrell. p. cm. - (Wiley series in sustainable design ; 17)
Includes index.
ISBN 978-0-470-60829-6 (pbk.); ISBN 978-0-470-76991-1 (ebk); ISBN 978-0-470-76992-8 (ebk); ISBN 978-0-470-76993-5 (ebk)
1. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System-Examinations- Study guides. 2. Sustainable construction-Examinations-Study guides. 3. Sustainable buildings- Design and construction. I. Title.
TH880.C68 2010
720.47076-dc22
2010018385
Acknowledgments
I WOULD FIRST LIKE TO THANK MY MOM , as I could have never completed this book without her support and for rewarding me with snacks and presents as I completed each milestone. I can never thank her enough for everything she has always done for me, for always being there for me, and being my best friend.
I would like to thank John Czarnecki, Assoc. AIA, senior editor at John Wiley & Sons, for approaching me with this opportunity and for the enormous support along the way. You have continued to have infinite faith in my abilities, for which I am extremely appreciative.
Next, I would like to thank each and every one of the image contributors, as the book would not be the same without your added visual integrity. Each of you helped to maintain my excitement about the book with your amazing images and photos.
Thank you, Zach Rose, of Green Education Services, for always being there to talk me through the organization and concepts and, most of all, for proofing the book for content. Working with you has always proven to be motivating and encouraging, as we have so much to accomplish together with GreenEDU!
I would like to thank all of my friends and colleagues for your understanding, as I disappeared for some months to accomplish this endeavor. Thank you to my family for granting me the time and space (especially during the holidays), allowing me to focus on this book and for even contributing some images along the way!
And, finally, Stefano Khan, how do I begin to thank you? Thank you for listening to me, making me laugh and smile, and for giving me a life outside of writing. You have continued to be an incredible support and a source of encouragement and life from the moment we met.
Introduction
Guide to the LEED Green Associate Exam is the resource to prepare for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Associate exam. This exam prep guide provides a road map to studying for the LEED Green Associate exam as administered by Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). Guide to the LEED Green Associate Exam is aimed at those professionals seeking knowledge about the basic knowledge and understanding that is required in order to pass the exam and earn the LEED Green Associate accreditation.
As a means to introduce myself, I am a LEED consultant and an education provider, focused on sustainable design and building operation concepts. I have traveled the country helping many students to prepare for the LEED Green Associate and LEED Accredited Professional (AP) exams. The LEED Green Associate classes typically are one-day seminars and review all of the information as presented in this book. During these classes, I share my LEED project experiences and study tips in order to help make sense of this challenging information and present it in a logical format to help streamline the studying efforts for my students. This book breaks down the difficult information to be retained into a coherent and straightforward approach, as compared to simply repeating what would be found in the study reference material outlined by GBCI.
Keep an eye out for these STUDY TIPS!, as they will point out the intricacies and nuances to remember.
EXAM PREP GUIDE STRUCTURE
Guide to the LEED Green Associate Exam is organized into three parts as a method to break down the information to comprehend. First, an introduction is needed to review the concepts and processes, in order to then understand the next part, the technologies and strategies to implement. Finally, the appendices include charts and diagrams summarizing the critical information, as well as other resources to narrow down the amount of information to be studied as preparation to sit for the LEED Green Associate exam. The composition of the book is as follows:
Part I: Ramping Up is composed of the following information:
Chapter 1: Understanding the Credentialing Process
Chapter 2: Introduction to the Concepts and Process of Sustainable Design
