Growing Resumés to Meet the Needs of a Growing Industry with Green Building Professional Accreditations.
Regardless of field or career path, a professional credential in green buildings can provide a much-needed edge in today’s competitive job market. Green building professionals understand synergies among professions, building systems, the environment, opportunities for economic development, and occupant wellbeing.
While anyone can benefit from these credentials, professionals in the following fields should seriously consider pursuing them:
- Architecture & Design
- Construction
- Facilities Management
- Engineering
- Government or Community Planning
- Real Estate Sales or Development
- Education
- Sustainability Consultants
There are many accreditations available. Below are just a few examples.
|
Credential |
Rating System |
Organization |
|
LEED Green Associate LEED Accredited Professional LEED Fellow |
Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) | Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) |
| WELL Accredited Professional | WELL Building Standard | Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) |
| BPI Certified Professional | BPI Approved Standards | Building Performance Institute |
|
Green Advantage Certified Associate Green Advantage Certified Practitioner |
Green Advantage | Green Advantage |
| Green Professional Building Skills Training (Construction Management, Operations & Maintenance Essentials, Electrical Systems, Plumbing, or Mechanical) | GPRO | Urban Green Council, USGBC New York |
|
Certified Green Professional Master Certified Green Professional |
N/A | National Association of Home Builders |
| Certified HERS Rater | Home Energy Rating System (HERS) | RESNET |
|
Certified Passive House Designer or Consultant Certified Passive House Tradespeople Passive House Building Certifiers |
Passive House | Passive House Institute |
|
PHIUS Certified Passive House Consultant PHIUS Certified Builder PHIUS + Rater PHIUS + Verifier |
Passive House | Passive House Institute US |
LEED Professional Credentials
Building Performance Institute: BPI Certified Professional
Building Performance Institute: BPI Certified Professional
This nationally recognized credentialing program trains professionals to prioritize repairs of residential structures and provide forecasts for homeowners of their return on investment through energy savings. BPI certified professionals are specialists in their chosen field(s). By earning certification, these professionals demonstrate that their knowledge and skills are among the best in the country – capable of diagnosing critical performance factors in a home that impact comfort, health, safety, durability, and energy efficiency.
Current available BPI certifications include:
- Energy Auditor
- Retrofit Installer
- Crew Leader
- Quality Control Inspector
- Building Analyst
- Envelope
- Residential Building Envelope Whole House Air Leakage Control Installer
- Manufactured Housing
- Heating
- Air Conditioning and Heat Pump
- Multifamily
Most BPI credentials focus on residential building performance.
Who is Eligible for BPI Credentials?
While no formal experience is necessary to sit for most BPI exams, it is recommended that interested parties seek training and have some experience in the building performance industry before attempting certification. To achieve certification, candidates must pass both an online and field exam.
Visit the BPI website to learn more about:
- Details and exam costs
- How to register for a BPI exam
- How to maintain credentials
Green Advantage Environmental Certification
Green Advantage Environmental Certification
The Green Advantage Environmental Certification designation demonstrates that a professional has general knowledge, comprehension, and the ability to analyze green construction concepts, materials, and practices. It enhances project collaboration, provides the ability to exceed environmental goals, and offers professionals a distinguishing feature within their career.
Candidates can choose one of two options: Green Advantage Certified Associate or Green Advantage Certified Practitioner. Either designation will help construction teams to better meet environmental, productivity, collaboration, efficiency, safety, and cost-cutting goals on all of their green building projects.
Green Advantage certification allows professionals to focus on either residential or commercial building practices.
Who is Eligible for the Green Advantage Credential?
This credential is best suited for construction professionals. While the Certified Associate exam is ideal for apprentices, construction students, and entry-level construction workers, the Certified Practitioner exam is best for supervisory personnel, architects, engineers, code officials, and advanced students.
Visit the Green Advantage website to learn more about:
- Details and exam costs
- How to register for the exam
- Dates for upcoming trainings
NAHB: Certified Green Professional
NAHB: Certified Green Professional
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has created the Certified Green Professional (CGP) designation that recognizes builders, remodelers, and other industry professionals who incorporate green building principles into the homes they construct and design – without driving up the cost of construction.
A Master Certified Green Professional (MCGP) is also available for those who wish to express a more in-depth knowledge of green building science and strategies, such as green building management.
Who is Eligible for the Certified Green Professional Credentials?
Anyone pursuing the CGP designation must take prerequisite courses and have two years of industry experience, while those wanting to achieve the MCGP designation must be in the industry for five years and fulfill some additional stipulations.
Visit the NAHB website to learn more about:
- Distinctions between the two certification options
- Details and exam costs
- How to register for the prerequisites and exams
Certified HERS Rater
Certified HERS Rater
A Certified HERS Rater – a Home Energy Rating System Rater – is certified by an accredited HERS Provider to inspect and test a home in order to evaluate each of the minimum rater features established by the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) and prepare a comprehensive HERS rating.
Using an energy efficiency software package, this home energy rating involves an analysis of a home’s construction plans and on-site inspections. Raters work with builders to identify the energy efficiency improvements needed to ensure a house will meet ENERGY STAR performance guidelines.
The HERS Rater credential focuses mainly on residential building practices.
Who is Eligible for the HERS Rater Credential?
Anyone interested in becoming a HERS Rater must complete an intensive training by a RESNET Accredited Rater Training Provider.
Visit the RESNET website to learn more about:
- The HERS Rater training process
- Details and exam costs
- How to register for trainings and exams
- New Rater business opportunities
Passive House Professional Credentials
Passive House Professional Credentials
The Passive House Institute and the Passive House Institute US (PHIUS) offers professional training for those interested in becoming a:
- Certified Passive House Consultant or Designer
- PHIUS Certified Builder
- Certified Passive House Tradespeople
- Certified PHIUS + Rater
- Passive House Building Certifiers
The PHI Certified Passive House Designer/Consultant training includes live training that can be done in-person or online, and prepares professionals to pass the exam through the Passive House Institute. The PHI Certified Passive House Tradesperson credential gives builders a general understanding of the building science behind the standard as well as hands-on practice with different building components. Some professionals, depending on their roles in the project, choose to take both courses so they can gain an in-depth understanding of both design and application.
The PHIUS Certified Passive House Consultant training includes both virtual and in-class components, and prepares professionals to distinguish themselves in the marketplace. Training includes the basics of Passive House design, minimized mechanical systems design, construction examples, quality assurance, and more.
A PHIUS Certified Builder and Certified Passive House Tradespeople are familiar with issues of necessary insulation and air-tight building envelopes and is well prepared to meet the goals of the Passive House challenge. The related course offers information on craftsmanship and also focuses on the risks and liability to the passive house contractor and guidance in both problem-solving and problem-avoidance.
A PHIUS+ Rater and Passive House Building Certifiers has training in conducting on-site quality assurance for the Passive House program. Training combines extensive design review with a rigorous on-site quality assurance program.
Who is Eligible for the Passive House Professional Credentials?
Professionals seeking expertise in Passive House should review credential offerings and certification standards of both PHI and PHIUS before deciding which credential they wish to pursue, as they are two different systems. Some professionals choose both paths so they can be familiar with both standards. Professionals interested in the CPHC/D training should already be able to read architectural plans and have a general knowledge of conventional construction practice, building science, and energy flow and use in buildings. Training for the Certified Builder/Tradespreson credential requires construction knowledge and experience. The Rater and Certifier credential is open to experienced professionals with significant experience in building to the Passive House standard.
Anyone who achieves the Passive House credentials will still have additional learning to do, as there is advanced software to use for energy modeling, and different components of design and construction to master through practice.
Visit the Passive House Institute or PHIUS website to learn more about:
- Requirements for all three professional credentials
- Registration and pricing information
- Training calendars
- Course highlights