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LEED!Green!Associate!Exam!
8!Week!Online!Study!Session!
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2013!Syllabus !
Marni!Evans!Sustainability!
www.marnievans.com!
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MARNI!EVANS!SUSTAINABILITY!©"2008!L!2013!
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 ! ! ! ! ! LEED!Green!Associate!Exam!8!Week!Study!Course!Syllabus!
2013!EDITION!

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LEED!Green!Associate!Exam!Study!Course!
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Overview!!
LEED!credentials!distinguish!professionals!across!many!disciplines!by!representing!
fundamental!knowledge!of!green!building!and!a!commitment!to!sustainability.!They!
serve!as!a!mark!of!qualification,!education!and!influence,!and!assure!employers,!
industry!peers,!policymakers!and!other!stakeholders!of!an!individual’s!exceptional!
competencies.!
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The!least!technical!of!LEED!credentials,!the!LEED!Green!Associate!distinguishes!
professionals!across!many!disciplines!by!representing!fundamental!knowledge!of!LEED!
and!green!building,!and!a!commitment!to!sustainability.!From!marketers!to!lawyers,!
landscape!architects!to!education!professionals,!the!LEED!Green!Associate!credential!
enhances!the!careers!of!those!who!hold!it!by!adding!a!sound!foundation!in!sustainability.!
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At!the!end!of!the!eightKweek!study!session,!participants!will!be!prepared!to!sit!for!the!
LEED!Green!Associate!exam.!
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Facilitated!by:!!
Marni!Evans,!LEED!AP!BD!+!C!
Sustainable!Building!Advisor,!Sustainable!Facilities!Professional!
bethechange@marnievans.com!
www.marnievans.com!
(512)!917K0987!
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Trained!as!an!architect,!Marni!Evans!(founder!of!Building!Consciousness.com)!is!a!green!
building!and!sustainability!educator!for!professionals!in!the!design!and!construction!
industry!K!inspiring!and!connecting!leaders!to!ignite!their!passion!into!sustainability!
action.!!Marni!leads!the!Sustainable!Building!Advisor!program!and!Sustainable!Facilities!
Professional!program!in!Austin,!and!has!been!teaching!about!LEED,!Living!Building!
Challenge!and!SITES!for!over!a!decade.!!Through!her!signature!course!Green!Mentor,!
Marni!loves!helping!visionary!architects,!engineers,!contractors,!building!owners!and!
managers!transform!themselves!and!the!built!environment!beyond!sustainability.!!Join!
Marni’s!newsletter!for!weekly!inspiration!and!tips!to!improve!the!health!and!vitality!of!
your!green!business!and!life.!!!
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 ! ! ! ! ! LEED!Green!Associate!Exam!8!Week!Study!Course!Syllabus!
2013!EDITION!

Welcome!and!Introduction!!
Welcome!to!the!LEED!Green!Associate!Study!Group.!I’m!your!facilitator,!Marni.!We’ll!be!
together!for!the!next!eight!weeks,!and!we’ll!all!work!together!to!successfully!pass!the!
LEED!Green!Associate!Exam,!the!first!time,!and!enhance!your!learning!experience.!
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The!course!will!be!provided!in!8,!30!minute!teleseminar!classes.!!Classes!will!be!held!
Wednesdays!from!12:00pm!–!12:30pm!Central.!
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Participants!are!encouraged!to!sit!for!their!exam!within!a!couple!of!weeks!of!finishing!
the!program.!
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Course!Goals!!
In!addition!to!helping!participants!contribute!to!the!sustainability!movement,!further!
goals!are!to:!
• Motivate!exam!candidates!to!develop!and!adhere!to!a!study!schedule!
• Provide!opportunities!to!discuss!and!clarify!difficult!concepts!
• Understand!key!LEED!concepts!and!credits!
• Interact!with!a!handful!of!interesting!people!who!bring!broad!perspectives!
• Inspire!and!plant!a!seed!into!the!world!of!green!building!and!sustainable!
development!
• Pass!the!LEED!Green!Associate!exam!the!first!time!!
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Methods!of!Instruction!!
Throughout!the!study!session,!a!variety!of!different!teaching!methods!will!be!used.!!This!
includes!online!trainings,!required!readings,!group!discussions,!study!teams,!sample!
tests,!flash!cards!and!more,!and!will!vary!by!group,!location!and!desires!of!study!group!
participants.!
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Participation!!
You!will!get!out!of!this!course!what!you!put!into!it,!so!give!it!your!best!110%.!!We’re!all!
here!to!learn!from!one!another!so!speak!up!–!no!question!is!too!small!or!silly.!!It’s!okay!
to!not!know!something!and!don’t!be!afraid!to!ask!for!help!if!you!need!it.!!Likewise,!if!you!
have!expertise!in!a!certain!subject!area,!then!by!all!means,!teach!us!what!you!know.!!Do!
all!the!reading!and!stay!on!top!of!your!homework.!!Turn!your!eKmail!and!phone!off!
during!class.!!!
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Don’t!forget!to!have!fun!!
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*!Remember:!This!facilitated!session!is!designed!to!enhance!YOUR!learning!experience.!
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 ! ! ! ! ! LEED!Green!Associate!Exam!8!Week!Study!Course!Syllabus!
2013!EDITION!

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How!to!Reach!Me!!
You!can!call!or!eKmail!me!with!questions!at!the!number!and!address!above.!!I!am!
available!anytime!Monday!K!Friday!and!I!try!to!respond!within!two!hours!of!an!eKmail!or!
phone!call.!!If!you!don’t!hear!from!me!within!that!time!frame,!know!that!stuff!happens,!
and!try!again.!!You!can!also!leave!a!question!on!the!www.marnievans.com/leedKgreenK
associate!website.!
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Required!Study!Materials!!
You!will!need!the!USGBC!LEED!Green!Associate!Study!Guide!and!Core!Concepts!&!
Strategies!Guide!Study!Bundle!(Study!Bundle).!!These!materials!are!also!available!for!
purchase!at!http://new.usgbc.org/.!
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Further,!we!will!also!work!from!the!GBCI!Candidate!Handbook!which!is!available!as!a!
free!download!from!http://new.usgbc.org.!!The!Handbook!lists!supplemental!reading!
materials,!each!of!which!will!be!hosted!online!(and!explained!in!the!session).!
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Also!Required:!Everyone!wants!to!know!which!of!the!14!supplement!reading!materials!
to!focus!on.!!My!experience!suggests!focusing!on!the!LEED!NC!2009!Rating!System!(this!
will!make!more!sense!when!you!download!all!of!the!files).!!Sorry!guys!–!it’s!a!lot!of!
reading!!K!a!3”,!3!ring!binder!full!(double!sided,!on!FSC!paper!of!course)!are!all!eligible!for!
testing!and!WILL!be!on!the!test.!
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How!Much!Will!You!Need!to!Study?!!
The!answer!is!–!ALOT.!!Most!students!can!expect!to!spend!4K6!hours!each!week!reading!
and!studying.!!Your!professional!background,!familiarity!with!the!topics,!whether!you!
have!been!involved!on!a!LEED!project!in!the!past,!will!all!shape!the!amount!of!time!you!
will!need!to!learn!the!material.!
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Schedule!and!Homework!!
All!teleclasses!begin!at!12pm!sharp!and!end!at!12:30pm!every!Wednesday!for!eight!
weeks.!!The!schedule!and!homework!is!as!follows:!
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Week!1!!
Topic:!Overview!of!the!LEED!Green!Associate!Process;!What!and!How!to!Study!to!Pass!!
Homework:!
• Set!up!a!free!account!with!USGBC!(www.usgbc.org)!and!GBCI!(www.gbci.org)!
websites,!explore!around!until!you!feel!familiar!with!both!sites.!
• Order!the!required!reading,!as!outlined!above.!
• Go!to!the!Dropbox!folder!and!download!an!electronic!copy!of!all!files!

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 ! ! ! ! ! LEED!Green!Associate!Exam!8!Week!Study!Course!Syllabus!
2013!EDITION!

• If!you!already!own!the!‘Study!Bundle’,!read:!
o Green!Building!&!LEED!Core!Concepts!(pages!1K48)!!
o LEED!Green!Associate!Study!Guide!(pages!1K48)!
o LEED!Green!Associate!Candidate!Handbook!(all)!
• If!you!do!not!have!the!‘Study!Bundle’,!order!it!NOW,!then!read:!
o Dropbox!file!‘2!LEED!2009!NC!Rating!System’!
o LEED!Green!Associate!Candidate!Handbook!(all)!
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Week!2!!
Topic:!What!is!LEED,!USGBC,!GBCI!and!Green!Building!
Homework:!
• If!you!already!own!the!‘Study!Bundle’,!read:!
o Dropbox!file!‘2!LEED!2009!NC!Rating!System’!
• If!you!do!not!have!the!‘Study!Bundle’,!order!it!NOW,!then!read:!
o Green!Building!&!LEED!Core!Concepts!(pages!1K48)!!
o LEED!Green!Associate!Study!Guide!(pages!1K48)!
• Everyone!read:!
o GBCI!Candidate!Terms!and!Conditions!
o GBCI!Disciplinary!and!Exam!Appeals!Policy!
o GBCI!Credentialing!Maintenance!Program!Guide!
o Register!to!sit!for!exam!via!www.gbci.org!(approximately!2!weeks!after!
this!8!week!series!ends)!
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Week!3!!
Topic:!Categories:!Sustainable!Sites!+!Water!Efficiency!
Homework:!
• Green!Building!&!LEED!Core!Concepts!(pages!49K63)!!
• LEED!Green!Associate!Study!Guide!(pages!49K78)!
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Week!4!!
Topic:!Categories:!Energy!+!Atmosphere,!Materials!+!Resources!
Homework:!
• Green!Building!&!LEED!Core!Concepts!(pages!64K76)!!
• LEED!Green!Associate!Study!Guide!(pages!79K109)!
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Week!5!!
Topic:!Categories:!Indoor!Environmental!Quality,!Innovation!in!Design,!Regional!Priority!
Homework:!
• Green!Building!&!LEED!Core!Concepts!(pages!77K86)!!
• LEED!Green!Associate!Study!Guide!(pages!111Kend)!
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Week!6!!
Topic:!LEED!NC!2009,!How!to!Use!LEED!EBOM!and!LEED!for!Homes!

Page!4!of!5! ! !Marni!Evans!Sustainability!©!2008!K!2013! !
 ! ! ! ! ! LEED!Green!Associate!Exam!8!Week!Study!Course!Syllabus!
2013!EDITION!

Homework:!
• LEED!2009!for!New!Construction!and!Major!Renovations!Rating!System!!
• LEED!for!Existing!Buildings:!Operations!&!Maintenance!Reference!Guide,!
Introduction!!!
• LEED!for!Existing!Buildings:!Operations!&!Maintenance!Reference!Guide,!
Glossary!!
• LEED!2009!for!Operations!&!Maintenance!Rating!System!
• LEED!for!Homes!Rating!System!!
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Week!7!!
Topic:!Additional!Resources:!Review!of!14!Additional!Study!Materials!
Homework:!
• Green!Office!Guide:!Integrating!LEED!Into!Your!Leasing!Process,!Section!2.4!!
• Cost!of!Green!Revisited,!by!Davis!Langdon!!
• Sustainable!Building!Technical!Manual:!Part!II!by!Anthony!Bernheim!and!William!
Reed!!
• The!Treatment!by!LEED!of!the!Environmental!Impact!of!HVAC!Refrigerants!!
• Guidance!on!Innovation!&!Design!(ID)!Credits!!
• Credit!Interpretation!Rulings!(gbci.org)!
• Guide!to!Purchasing!Green!Power!!
• LEED!2009!Minimum!Program!Requirements!!
• Construction!Carbon!Calculator!(buildcarbonneutral.org)!
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Week!8!!
Topic:!Overview,!Test!Tips!and!Tricks;!Exactly!What!to!Study;!Mock!Exam!
Questions;!Exercises!!
Homework:!
• Green!Building!&!LEED!Core!Concepts!(pages!77K86)!!
• Keep!studying!
• Review!all!materials!to!date!
• Conduct!mock!exams!
• Practice!memorizing!key!terms!using!flash!cards!
• Complete!a!survey!to!give!feedback!on!this!class.!
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Week!9K10!!
Sit!for!the!Exam.!!Ace!it!with!flying!colors!!
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Thanks!and!Good!Luck!!!!!Keep!me!in!the!loop!on!your!progress.!
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www.marnievans.com!
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