Sources: GreenCE Inc., Ridgefield, Wash.; CP staff
Continuing education services provider GreenCE, Inc. cites the industry’s first comprehensive LEED v4 specification program for building product and material interests. The new U.S. Green Building Council rating system compels manufacturers and suppliers to submit product and material documentation as part of significant changes surrounding project credits.
The LEED v4 certification program utilizes Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Environmental Product Declarations (EPD), and Health Product Declarations (HPD) to design healthier and more efficient buildings. The latter provide information about product or material contents and related health issues. GreenCE is helping stakeholders meet new requirements by utilizing a multi-disciplinary team of biologists, architects, and LEED experts.
“Design professionals now have the ability to make intelligent specification choices based on full disclosure of material content and potential hazards. The HPD is the most significant game changer for project specifications in decades. Building product manufacturers that embrace HPD early on will benefit greatly in the years to come,” contends Tara Blank, Ph.D., founder of Elixir Environmental.
“With the overhaul of the LEED programs, especially as they relate to the contribution of building products, it is important for manufacturers to review, and where necessary, update literature to make sure that references to LEED contributions are clear and align to the significant changes in LEED v4,” says GreenCE Director of Sustainable Education Glen Phillips.
Among challenges for building product or material sources in 2015 will be educating their sales force and marketing team about LEED v4, he adds. GreenCE launched the industry’s first no-cost LEED Exam Prep program to inform stakeholders of the new green building rating system. The program features 10 three- to 70-minute modules encompassing videos, animation, and case studies.
“We anticipate a significant interest from building product manufacturers who are in dire need of training their sales force. If representative[s] can’t intelligently discuss [a] product in the context of LEED, they may lose out to their competitors. Our programs are designed to bridge the gap between building product manufacturers and design professionals,” notes GreenCE Media Director Brad Blank.
With 100,000-plus subscribers, GreenCE is a leading provider of sustainable continuing education for design professionals. A U.S. Green Building Council Education Partner and American Institute of Architects Education Provider, it helps building product and material clients develop education courses and HPDs. — www.greence.com