In a fast-changing world, companies should account for their impact on society and the environment where they operate. it is now understood that organisations can sustain their continued growth only if their stakeholders are satisfied with not just their services and product but also with their contribution to the social and environmental well being. The companies often seek services if sustainability reporting consultants to prepare their reports.

The Global megatrends like climate change, plastic pollution, Rapid extinction of species, community development are some of the most pressing issues of today's world for the Corporates and sustainability reporting consultant help them respond to these challenges. This calls for improved and transparent accounting and disclosure of the performance on these megatrends for the organisations. In today's world, the corporates cannot afford to have a sustainable business in the long run unless they are acting in environmentally and socially responsible manner, sustainability reporting consultant help them in developing a sustainability strategy.

It has been seen that several governments across several countries have started scrutinizing the operations of the companies that are considered to have a larger impact on society as well as the environment. Sustainability reporting has emerged as a tool to measure and report the performance on environmental and social indicators. Sustainability reporting has become the process of communicating the social and environmental effects of any business to the stakeholder.

Globally the sustainability reporting has gained momentum, hundreds of companies have started publishing their annual sustainability reports with support from sustainability reporting consultant. It is assumed that about 20000 companies are publishing their sustainability reports. Nowadays companies in India and also in the Middle East have caught up to this Momentum and have started issuing sustainability reports. Several sustainability reporting consultants is also present in this region. In the Middle East, UAE, Qatar, Oman, Saudi and Kuwait are the countries where companies have published several sustainability reports. There are several reasons why sustainability reporting has gained momentum, some of which are that the different stakeholders are exerting pressure for sustainability reporting because they want to understand how their organisation is impacting environment and Society. Reporting is also being looked as that is something that increases brand reputation. The role of government and regulation regulator's cannot be unseen as the regulator's are now a days are mandating sustainability reporting and asking corporates to publish the reports. This has increased the role sustainability reporting consultants have to play. Many companies are also publishing reports in peer pressure as their competitors are doing the same. The benefits of sustainability reporting are immense, it leads to improving financial performance, it also improves the stakeholder relationships, it identifies the risk that where overlooked, so it improves risk management, it also improves investor relationship and identifies a new market for business opportunities, it even brings into light cost-saving opportunities for the companies. Sustainability reporting consultant has a big role to play in pushing the sustainability reporting across regions.

The LEED Green Associate professional certificate is the gateway to a sustainable career. This certificate demonstrates that you have complete and up to date understanding of the sustainable building principles and the practices that need to be implemented. USGBC had created the LEED Green Associate professional credential for anyone who needs to understand more about green building and sustainable building design. To obtain LEED Green Associate credential there is no need to have previous LEED Project experience or any work experience. For LEED Green Associate one must prepare itself using the LEED Version for content. All the details of what should be done to obtain LEED Green Associate credential is provided in USGBC candidate handbook. The USGBC also provided several online study materials which are available for purchase.

The LEED Green Associate exam is a computer-based exam. Which means that it can be taken from anywhere in the world through the computer. However, this exam is undertaken in several countries through pro-metric centers. The entire exam happens on the computer on your screen. You can easily select your answers in the multiples choice questions. You can also change them later on if you want. You also have the option to quit the questions. You can also flag the questions later on and review answers. The total no. of points to be earned is 200 however to pass the exam. You need only 170 or higher. Once you have secured these points you have obtained the LEED Green Associate credential. Congratulations! You have passed.

Once you have the pass the LEED Green Associate exam, you need to earn continuous educating hours. For LEED Green Associate you need to earn hours of education every 2 years. This is required to maintain your LEED Green Associate credential. You can also show education hours by involving yourself in any LEED project. Which means by obtaining LEED project experience or by undertaking education courses or authorship or even by volunteering one can earn these education hours. USGBC.ORG credential section online provides you material to start study or LEED Green Associate Exam. GE3S has started its GE3S Academy which provides training for LEED Green Associate exam.  If you are planning to appear for LEED Green Associate Exam. Then we would highly recommend to undertake our training course. Our course is conducted on the weekend so that even the working professional students can benefit from these courses. In our course, we go through the entire syllabus as provided by USGBC and undertake mock test exam. We provide more than 1000 questions to our students so that they can successfully pass the exam. We wish you the best in your green building journey.

The NBI & USGBC have signed a Memorandum of Understanding validating the organizations association. USGBC has developed green building guideline called LEED. It also provides professional certificates like LEED Green Associate and LEED AP. 

On May 14th, The Memorandum of Understanding was signed in seattle wash. Seattle is a coastal town on the West Coast of the United State of America. This MOU describes strictures on how the two organizations will continue to progress & encourage the mutual interests of their respective stakeholders & members.

The benefits of the partnership between NBI and USGBC gives paramount importance to moving the market towards innovative energy future for the environment that is low emissions & low energy. LEED Green Associate can support in moving the market towards innovative energy future.

NBI is excited to leverage this assistance to better support ASHRAE’s members with training, tools, resources, and education to rapidly scale zero-emissions buildings. LEED AP can support ASHRAE’s members with training and tools for green buildings.

This MoU will focus on NBI efforts & help NBI to plan its successful cooperation into the future and suggestively increase its impact.

This agreement is focused on joint activities by USGBC & NBI planned to:

Improve proficiency of building industry professionals or LEED Green Associate and LEED AP to provide high-performance, zero-emissions & zero energy buildings, as well as buildings that are enhanced for grid interactions.

Increased numbers of zero & net-zero energy, zero-emissions & LEED Zero-certified buildings. LEED Green Associate and LEED AP can help increase numbers of net-zero and zero-emission buildings.    

 Spread the adoption of expanse energy codes, and expand enforcement & code compliance. LEED Green Associate and LEED AP helps in expanding energy codes and enforcement.        

Increase public health, social equity and resilience-related with energy & energy systems and communicate these accomplishments through platforms like U.S Green Building Council Living Standard campaign. LEED Green Associate and LEED AP can help in communicating these achievements.

NBI & USGBC missions are closely allied which is redirected in USGBC collective efforts to advance zero energy buildings & provision grid integration over the past five years.

USGBC believes that net-zero is a prevailing target that will move the entire industry forward & USGBC is excited to continue to quicken USGBC partnership to cooperatively build a more sustainable, reformative future & increase the health & wellbeing for not only building tenants, but all of humankind. LEED Green Associate and LEED AP helps in making the built environment sustainable.

LEED Green Associates have an up-to-date understanding of the most current green building practices and principles and are dedicated to their professional future. All LEED exams, including LEED Green Associate Exam is developed by a worldwide network of Subject Matter Experts and meet the specifications of a job analysis. The exam details are subject to rigorous validation by these experts. This ensures that the exam is valid to date and it is measuring what it is intended to measure. Once the exams are launched the exam questions are regularly monitored to ensure continued reliability. The exams evaluate candidates’ abilities at three different hierarchical cognitive levels: Recall, Application, and Analysis.

• Recall Questions: These questions assess a candidate’s ability to recall factual material that is given in a similar context to the exam references.

• Application Questions: These questions provide the candidate with a problem that the applicant has to solve using familiar principles or procedures described in the exam references.

• Analysis Questions: These questions evaluate a candidate’s ability to break the problem down into its components to come up with a solution. The candidate must not only identify the different elements of the problem but must also assess the relationship or interactions of these elements.

Exam Format

The LEED Green Associate exam contains 100 randomly delivered multiple-choice questions and the exam must be completed in 2 hours. The exam has both scored and unscored questions. All questions are delivered randomly throughout the exam and candidates are not informed of a question’s status (scored or unscored question), so candidates should respond to all the questions on the exam. Unscored questions are used to collect performance data to inform whether the question should be scored in future exams. The exam is computer-based online exam. Exam questions and answer options are displayed on the screen. The computer times your exam and records your responses. You can change your answers, skip questions and flag questions for later review. During the exam, candidates may submit comments on any question(s) they think contain technical errors in content by using the comment button located in the navigation bar. In order to challenge an exam question, the candidate must have commented on the question and provided an explanation of their concerns. After the exam, inform GBCI that you have left comments on your exam; in your correspondence, be sure to note the email address used to sign up for the exam, as well as the date on which you took it. You must notify GBCI within 10 days of your exam date that you have left comments within your exam.

Be prepared to spend 2 hours 20 minutes for the exam. Total exam time is broken out as follows:

• A 10-minute tutorial, the 2-hour exam and a 10-minute exit survey.

• Be aware that if a candidate exits the exam room before completing the exam, the exam cannot be restarted and the exam session and fee are forfeited.

This exam is for the product manufacturers, students, the finance people, the marketers, people in customer service for a construction firm, etc. It’s also for people who want to be eligible to take a LEED AP specialty exam.

The LEED Green Associate exam will test your knowledge in:

·         The LEED Application Process

·         Project Site Factors

·         Water Management

·         Project Systems and Energy Impacts

·         Acquisition, Installation and Management of Project Materials

·         Stakeholder Involvement in Innovation

·         Project Surroundings and Public Outreach

·         Synergistic Opportunities between various LEED strategies

The information is less detailed than the LEED AP specialty exams, but it covers information that can span across all of the various LEED Rating Systems.

GE3S Academy is one of the foremost LEED Green Associate Exam training providers in UAE. For any LEED inquiry please reach out Mr. Vishal Kumar at vishal.kumar@ge3s.org.

Acquiring LEED certification will introduce the following benefits:

·         Recover higher costs as green building offers a lot of alternatives that can downsize the structural, electrical and mechanical system.

·         Designs are cost-effective since building saves from 20% to 50% energies compared to common construction.

·         Care for the future    

·         Enhance health and well-being of tenants

·         Get introduced to large number of equipment which can help you save more energy and be eco-friendly.

LEED Certification is given to organizations likes Construction, Commercial Interiors, Existing Buildings, New Buildings, Core and Shell, Schools, Homes, Hotels, Retail, Healthcare, and Neighborhood Development. This orients the company on how to contribute to taking care of our environment.

Standards of LEED Certification                                                        

you must secure the following to get the LEED Certification:

·         Prevention of pollution within the construction site

·         Reduce water use

·         Minimum energy performance as per ASHRAE 90.1

·         Building energy systems

·         Refrigeration management   

·         Collecting and storing recyclables

·         Smoke-free environment

LEED provides a clear pathway for environmental achievement. The building ie., built, remodeled, or managed according to LEED standards that is a clear expression of a company's commitment to the environment. 

LEED AP Accredited Professional:

For professionals participant in the design and construction phases of high-performance, healthful, durable, affordable, and environmentally sound commercial, institutional, and high-rise residential buildings, the LEED AP exam is designed to measure your knowledge and skill in understanding the LEED Rating System and the ability to facilitate the project certification process. 

Exam Objective & Format:

The first part of the exam is the LEED Green Associate section and LEED AP specialty section is the 2nd part of the exam. Each LEED AP specialty section is consists of 100 randomly delivered MCQ and must be completed in the second two hours of the exam appointment. Candidates must pass both LEED GA and LEED AP sections to earn the LEED AP with specialty credential. 

LEED AP Specialties:

·         Building Design and Construction –  for New Construction, Schools, Core & Shell

·         Operations and Maintenance – for Existing Buildings: O+M

·         Interior Design and Construction - for Commercial Interiors

·         Homes - for Homes      

·         Neighborhood Development  - for Neighborhood Development 

We are one of the foremost LEED AP training providers in UAE. We have USGBC approved faculty who have years of experience in this field. Please reach out to Mr. Vishal Kumar at vishal.kumar@ge3s.org for any LEED training inquiry.