Climate change is the ultimate effect of huge carbon footprint individuals companies and countries. Greenhouse gases, whether natural or anthropogenic, contribute to the warming of our earth. From 1990 to 2005, carbon dioxide emissions increased by almost 30 percent. By 2008, the emissions had almost attributed to nearly 35 % increase in warming, as compared with 1990 levels. The last decade was the warmest decade on record worldwide, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Climate Change Indicators Report. A carbon neutral world is the need of the hour.

Carbon emissions and other greenhouse gases are caused by the burning of fossil fuels in the environment. In fact, any activity to fulfill a human need requires energy that emits carbon dioxide. The electricity we use is mostly made from fossil fuels (such as coal, natural gas, and oil). The more electricity we use, there is more fossil fuel consumption leading to further increase in carbon dioxide and other GHG emissions. All emissions when putting together for a specific period of time is called carbon footprint. when the entire carbon footprint is made zero through emission reduction we call it carbon neutrality.

Most of the things we use are made in factories by the use of non-renewable resources. These are sent to far-flung areas from the freight trains that again involve burning of fossil fuels. This increases the carbon footprint of the products, in order to make them carbon neutral, efficiency measures and offsets shall be required. The process of becoming carbon neutral is called neutrality.

Whatever carbon dioxide was produced by humans before the industrial revolution was absorbed by surrounding forests and trees as the sources wherein balance with the sinks, so the carbon footprint of the world was in balance. Jungle, plants-trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen back into the air thereby assisting in becoming carbon neutral and maintain carbon neutrality. With the beginning of the industrial era, fuel began to be used on a large-scale, leading to production of carbon dioxide in large quantities enhancing the carbon footprint and disbalancing carbon neutral state of the environment.

At the same time, forests, which used to absorb carbon, were harvested in a big way for farming to feed the growing population. We have destroyed forests and trees to get wood, minerals, land, and build buildings. Today deforestation has taken tall on the amount of trees to absorb the amount of carbon dioxide produced in the environment. Therefore estimating carbon footprint and becoming carbon neutral has become even more important today

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, also commonly known as LEED, is a popular form of green building certification, which helps in making sure that a building is energy, water and resource efficient without compromising the comfort of the occupants. It is internationally known and accepted form of certification for green buildings. LEED Green Associate is a professional credential provided by USGBC, and also referred as LEED GA. We provide regular training on LEED Green Associate Exam training.

It is developed in such a way that it is well suited for all types and sizes of buildings. A client, architect, builder or any other stakeholder, who wants to take a step towards sustainability by helping develop green building can use LEED certification for their building.

This rating system works by providing credits or scores to certain aspects of sustainability for green building. These aspects or criteria include parameters like sustainable sites, location and transport, energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality, waste, water and resource management, etc. Each of this criteria is given a certain amount of weightage of scores. A LEED Green Associate or LEED GA is considered to be equipped with all necessary skills and understanding of LEED Credits.

The project stakeholders, who are willing to go for the certification may select and apply for a certain number of credits. Some of the points are pre-requisites, which must be done in order to achieve the certification. A score of at least 40 points must be secured in order to achieve the minimum level of LEED certification. There are also different levels of certification, namely- LEED Certified, Gold, Silver and Platinum. With a higher score, the project gets a higher certification level. A LEED Green Associate is a must for the teams seeking to achieve higher certification levels. And in order to become a LEED GA one must pass the LEED Green Associate Exam training.

This certification system is among the stringent green rating certification systems in the World. This is why, when a project receives a LEED certification, it also gets recognition at national and international level. This rating system also relies on some of the commonly known standards developed by organizations like ASHRAE, which help make this certification much more reliable and highly effective in providing sustainability through green buildings. LEED Green Associate or LEED GA is also expected to be aware about ASHRAE requirements.

GE3S, a well-known LEED consultant in India and Middle East, has plenty of experience in providing this certification. We have worked on different sizes and types of LEED projects, including LEED for existing building, for new construction, and for commercial interiors to name a few. Our team consists of LEED professionals – LEED Green Associates and LEED Accredited Professionals, who have enough experience to take a project from start to completion without any trouble.  GE3S is dedicated to provide green building services and help contribute to the environment through our knowledge and service to the clients. We also conduct LEED Green Associate exam training in UAE and India. 

 Building tenants can bring in real change by utilizing the existing spaces more efficiently.  Energy efficient operations can be achieved by simple actions such as scheduling your ACs so that they are off during the weekend, maintaining the temperature at 25 degree Celsius, replacing bulbs with LEEDs etc.

Sustainable buildings have several benefits for a tenant than just green branding/image. People now understand that to look for better commercial spaces they need to look at properties that have been developed on guidelines that are sustainable as well as something that has been reviewed by a third party without any vested interest. One such certification is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design or LEED. LEED is also providing certification for professionals called LEED GA or LEED AP. GE3S conducts regular LEED Green Associate Exam training in UAE and India.

It has been often seen that employees who work in buildings certified as per LEED standard fall less sick than others, absenteeism is reduced and productivity is increased. Several survey results have indicated this in the past few years. Therefore the business owners prefer to have offices in green, efficient and sustainable buildings than other as it increases productivity, employee happiness and the employee stays for such company for a longer period.

Buildings that have been designed with support from LEED GA and LEED AP tend to achieve a better LEED rating. This is so because LEED green associate are better equipped with knowledge of green strategies in buildings. LEED Green associate training is being conducted in two major cities of India as well as in UAE.  Some of the studies have indicated that property owners will shell out in excess of 900 million US dollars to retrofit their existing buildings so that they meet the LEED standards. A lot of these projects are assessed by LEED AP and LEED Green Associate.

Globally at least 200,000 buildings or more are now LEED certified. It may now look like a huge figure compared with the number of buildings that there would be across the globe. However, this is the single largest building certification scheme. No other green building guideline is close to the number of certified buildings as LEED has. Building users can definitely help there building go green, below are some ways on how they can achieve it: Use cycle over cars or short distance travel in good weather. You may also consider carpooling or using public transportation. Segregation of waste in the office. Keep the recyclable wastes separately, for example, have bins specifically for paper, plastic and metal. Replace faucets with low flow fixtures or add reducers to the faucets.

LEED AP and LEED Green Associate or LEED GA professionals can bring in and implement several such strategies to, make your building green. you are preparing for LEED Green Associate Exam. Please get in touch with GE3S immediately.

Climate change is recognized as a major challenge today.  The Green House Gas Emission have negative impact on the climate and the environment. Carbon dioxide is the main Green House Gas Emitted by human’s activity.  Clearly, the industrial sector has a huge role to play in this increase of GHG emissions since industrialization. That is the reason that we see that industries are under pressure from the government as well as the public to green their activity and reduce emissions.

Because of increasing pressure and concerns about the global warming, climate change and carbon emissions issue private sector is now pursuing estimate of their GHG emissions also called as carbon footprint. They are also investing in projects that reduce GHG emissions. 

Due to the increasing awareness about global warming climate change and melting ice caps, governments, industries as well as individuals are gradually trying to reduce the GHG emissions and estimate the carbon footprint and try to become carbon neutral. Stakeholders now understand the need to reduce GHG emissions so that the threat of global warming and climate change can be thwarted. If carbon neutrality is practised by the private sector then the Paris agreement targets can easily be achieved.

Companies are now conscious of their actions, and many industries are working on to minimize their environmental impact. ‘Carbon footprint’ has become a well-known concept and is at the centre of public debate on climate change mitigation action and also on adaptation.

Carbon Footprint is the process of calculating certain amounts of gaseous emissions associated with climate change, human production or consumption activities. There are different types of carbon footprint, such as corporate carbon footprint,  carbon footprint of a product or an event, carbon footprint of a service or a community/city etc.

Carbon footprint from the organization and products are the most frequent types of carbon footprint. The total carbon footprint from the organization is n the direct and indirect emission from all the activities across its organization. Once the carbon footprint is assessed, efforts to reduce the emissions are required and the emissions that can not be reduced should be offset in order to become carbon neutral. Carbon neutrality is the balance of GHG emissions, the emissions that happen must also be reduced directly or indirectly.

Direct emissions are those that arise from the burning of fossil fuels in vehicles or equipment owned by the organization as well as escaped greenhouse gases from the organization’s facilities.

Indirect emissions are those which are derived from the energy used by the organization’s activities, such as electricity consumption. A product’s carbon footprint calculates all the emissions associated with the production of that product. This includes the sourcing and processing of the raw materials transporting it to the manufacturing facility and then delivering to customers, its end use and disposal etc. After calculating their carbon footprint, organizations and individuals can understand what their impact on the environment is and how they can find ways to reduce that impact.

GE3S has been assessing carbon footprint of companies for decades now, we have also helped companies become carbon neutral Carbon neutrality is the future for all.

There was a new survey undertaken by the USGBC and results were published in last quarter of 2018. It was found that people who are working in buildings that are certified as LEED tend to be happy in better health and have higher productivity as compared to the people who are working in conventional buildings that are not certified under LEED or other green building guidelines. USGBC provides professional credentials including LEED Green Associate and LEED AP.

It has also been seen that large number of employees wish to work with organizations who have values and are sustainable. The survey reflected that approximately 855 of people want tpo work with companies that have sustainable mission and are ethically operating.

Awareness level of employees was also seen quite high amongst the respondents as they were found to be aware about LEED guidelines and believed that companies who go ahead with LEED certification are focusing towards sustainable development. People are also becoming are that in order to build a career in real estate and construction industry they must get professional certification and LEED Green Associate and the LEED AP credential provides them with exactly the same requirement.

 It was also seen that people want to work in a space that’s LEED certified as it instills confidence that the indoor air wuality as well as the environmental footprint of their operations will be better. Significant percentage of respondents mentioned that they would choose to work in a LEED certified building over another.

Retaining talent is a key concern for companies and providing them a LEED certified space to work in is definitely a positive motivation to the employees.

The survey was conducted for over one thousand employees in the United States.

Although the LEED guidelines have its roots in United States however it has spread its wings across all corners.  LEED at present is the most widely used green building code across the globe, with projects in all continents. More than 100,000 buildings are following LEED guidelines and are spread across almost 170 countries. There are job opportunities for LEED professionals across these countries and therefore a LEED green associate or a lee dap credential is quite valuable. GE3S provides LEED Green Associate training as well as LEED AP training. More and more buildings are increasingly being developed using LEED guidelines and the demand for LEED professionals is ever increasing. Therefore we have recently seen a surge in number of individuals seeking LEED professionals credential of LEED Green Associate as well as LEED AP. If you are looking to get LEED credential please get in touch with GE3S today. Our experts will enroll you in an upcoming training sessions wherein we shall cover the entire exam requirements and set you ready for a successful outcome. We provide weekend as well as weekday evening classes for LEED training; please get in touch with Mr. Vishal Kumar at vishal.kumar@ge3s.org for further information.