This is part of a series of articles on the experience of giving the LEED AP BD+C examination. Our first article looked at why the LEED AP BD+C exam could prove difficult to crack. The following 2 weeks elaborated on 11 Essential ‘Need -to-Knows’ before LEED AP BD+C Prep (Part 1, Part 2). We then looked at LEED AP BD+C: Resources and Materials (Free). This was followed by a list of Paid Resources and Materials (Study Resources) available online, in case you felt the need for them after referring to the free items. Last week, we continued the list of Paid items – Practice Questions. Today is our final article on Paid Resources – LEED Project Experience and Direct Classes/ In-Person training/ Webinars.
As mentioned in earlier posts – If you have prior experience with LEED projects (or some sort of Sustainability background), then things become relatively easier. If not, then you might feel the need to use a guided study course, or other paid materials. Today’s article addresses this scenario.
Note: We have tested and used some of following resources and can tell you what we found useful. There are others that we feel could be good based on the credibility of the source (these have not been tried by us, so the decision to use them would lie with you). Our aim is to create an exhaustive list of materials, so that the Menu is in front of you to make your decision (our articles are not endorsing any online courses/ question banks. However, we would like to give due credit to pages that our team found useful while attempting the exam. Ultimately, it is totally up to your choice and discretion whether to subscribe to them). We have mentioned Sources Reviews, Prices (any offers), Subscription time, Important Links and Material Inclusions. All prices are rounded off to the nearest 5 or 10.
- Study Resources
- Green Building Academy
- GBES
- GreenCE
- USGBC
- GBRI
- Everblue
- American Technical Publishers
- Practice Questions
- GBES
- GreenCE
- Green Building Academy
- GBRI
- Everblue
- American Technical Publishers
- LEED Project Experience
- Direct Classes/ In-Person Training/ Webinars
3) LEED Project Experience
Considering the importance of LEED experience to become a professional, to add CE hours, and of course to help pass the exams, some websites have started offering this option. They use real project examples and tools and provide the service as online modules.
(a) GBRI
Source Review | USGBC Education Partner (List of other Education Partners)
(i) $150 | LEED v4 Project Implementation | 2-Years Access
Inclusions | 4-week course, Utilizing an actual LEED v4 BD+C project – elaborating on Credit Requirements, Reference Standards, Implementation Strategies, and Documentation Guidelines, highlighting Changes from the previous version of LEED. Course is approved for 15 GBCI/ AIA LUs including 6 LEED Specific BD+C Hours.
(b) GBES
Source Review | USGBC Education Partner (List of other Education Partners), Tested their Question Bank – Good quality experience
(i) $850 | LEED v4 BD+C Project Immersion
Inclusions | 6 Live Interactive Work Sessions/office hours with coaches, Short Videos + PDFs Explaining Every Credit, 24/7 Coaching through a Learning Platform, Q&A with LEED Experts, Recorded Videos, Technical Reviews about implementation and documentation of Credits, Access to LEED Tools and Templates, 30 Hours of GBCI Approved CE (worth $249). Here is a preview video.
4) Direct Classes/ In-Person training/ Webinars
We didn’t try out this option. However, if you prefer face to face lessons, these are provided by some organizations in specific locations.
(a) GBES
Source Review | USGBC Education Partner (List of other Education Partners), Tested their Question Bank – Good quality experience
(i) $180 | LEED AP BD+C Exam Prep On Demand Webinar | 120-Day Access (can watch as many times as needed in the 120-Day period)
Inclusions | 11 hours of Video Instruction, 24/7 Access, Works with PCs, Macs, iPads, all major browsers and smart phones
(b) GBRI
Source Review | USGBC Education Partner (List of other Education Partners)
(i) $250 | All-Inclusive LEED v4 BD+C Exam Preparation | Access to classroom sessions for 1 year
Inclusions | Live/ On Demand Classes every month on specific days and times, 500+ Practice Test Questions with explanations, 2 Simulated Mock Exams, Study Guide, Flash Cards and Memory Charts (printable), includes LEED GA Exam Prep
Offers | Money Back Guarantee with some conditions; LEED Green Associate Material Free with the package
(c) Everblue
Source Review | USGBC Education Partner (List of other Education Partners)
(i) $900 | LEED Accredited Professional Building Design + Construction Training | 2-Day course, Access to materials for 6 months
Inclusions | Live, Instructor led training, Printed Guide, Access to instructors for follow-up questions, 300+ Practice Questions, LEED Credit Reference sheets. The course is offered in Washington, Chicago, Manhattan, Los Angeles on dates between October to December 2018. You could check the schedule here.
Offers | In-house, Flexible courses with Discounts and Offers available for Corporate and Group Training.
That’s all for today! This concludes our list of Paid Resources and Materials for LEED AP BD+C Preparation.
Hope this was helpful. If you have suggestions for other topics or questions related to this content, kindly let us know in the comments.
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The Architecture Gazette 