Masterclass in Green Building Leadership: LEED v4.1 Certification and Sustainable Design Excellence

Module 1: Introduction to Green Building and the LEED Framework

ü  The evolution of the green building movement.

ü  Overview of USGBC and GBCI organizational roles.

ü  Comparison of LEED v4 vs. v4.1 updates.

ü  Triple Bottom Line: Social, Environmental, and Economic impacts.

ü  Minimum Program Requirements (MPRs).

ü  Practical Session: Identifying the appropriate LEED Rating System for a diverse project portfolio.

 

Module 2: The Integrative Process and LEED Certification Lifecycle

ü  Moving from siloed design to collaborative systems.

ü  Pre-design phases and the "Simple Box" energy analysis.

ü  Registration, documentation, and certification steps.

ü  Split review vs. Combined review processes.

ü  Managing project team roles and responsibilities.

ü  Practical Session: Conducting a mock pre-design "Green Charrette" for a commercial building.

 

Module 3: Location and Transportation (LT) Optimization

ü  Site selection: Brownfield redevelopment vs. Greenfield protection.

ü  Surrounding density and diverse uses.

ü  Access to quality transit and bicycle facilities.

ü  Reducing the parking footprint and green vehicle incentives.

ü  Sensitive land protection and habitat preservation.

ü  Practical Session: Using GIS mapping tools to calculate "walking distance" to diverse uses for LT credits.

 

Module 4: Sustainable Sites (SS) and Ecological Restoration

ü  Site assessment: Topography, hydrology, and climate.

ü  Protecting and restoring natural habitats.

ü  Open space requirements and connectivity.

ü  Rainwater management: Low Impact Development (LID) strategies.

ü  Heat island reduction: SR and SRI values for roofs and non-roofs.

ü  Practical Session: Designing a rainwater management plan using bioswales and permeable paving.

 

Module 5: Water Efficiency (WE) and Closed-Loop Systems

ü  Outdoor water use reduction: Xeriscaping and smart irrigation.

ü  Indoor water use: High-efficiency fixtures and baseline calculations.

ü  Cooling tower water use and process water efficiency.

ü  Water metering: Submetering for performance tracking.

ü  Non-potable water sources: Rainwater and greywater recycling.

ü  Practical Session: Performing indoor water use reduction calculations for a high-occupancy office building.

 

Module 6: Energy and Atmosphere (EA): Baseline and Modeling

ü  Fundamental commissioning and verification.

ü  Minimum energy performance: ASHRAE 90.1 standards.

ü  Advanced energy modeling and simulation techniques.

ü  Building envelope optimization and thermal bridging.

ü  Refrigerant management and ozone depletion.

ü  Practical Session: Analyzing energy model outputs to identify "low-hanging fruit" for efficiency gains.

 

Module 7: Advanced EA: Renewable Energy and Carbon Offsets

ü  On-site vs. Off-site renewable energy systems.

ü  Solar PV, Wind, and Geothermal integration strategies.

ü  Grid harmonization and demand response programs.

ü  Purchasing RECs (Renewable Energy Certificates) and Carbon Offsets.

ü  Enhanced commissioning (Cx) processes.

ü  Practical Session: Calculating the sizing requirements for on-site solar PV to achieve maximum EA points.

 

Module 8: Materials and Resources (MR): Life-Cycle Analysis

ü  Building life-cycle impact reduction: Reuse vs. New construction.

ü  Whole-building life-cycle assessment (WBLCA) methodology.

ü  Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs): Sourcing and verification.

ü  Material ingredient transparency: HPDs and Cradle to Cradle.

ü  Sustainable sourcing of raw materials (FSC wood, recycled content).

ü  Practical Session: Reviewing EPDs to select materials with the lowest Global Warming Potential (GWP).

 

Module 9: MR: Transparency and Circular Economy in Construction

ü  Construction and demolition waste management planning.

ü  Diversion rates and waste stream audits.

ü  Design for flexibility and deconstruction.

ü  Bio-based materials and rapidly renewable resources.

ü  Managing hazardous materials and healthy supply chains.

ü  Practical Session: Drafting a Waste Management Plan for a 50,000 sq. ft. renovation project.

 

Module 10: Indoor Environmental Quality (EQ): Air and Light

ü  Minimum IAQ performance: ASHRAE 62.1 standards.

ü  Enhanced ventilation and filtration (MERV ratings).

ü  Low-emitting materials: VOC limits for paints, adhesives, and flooring.

ü  Construction IAQ management: During and after construction.

ü  Daylighting strategies and glare control.

ü  Practical Session: Calculating daylight autonomy for a floor plate using architectural software outputs.

 

Module 11: EQ: Thermal Comfort, Acoustic Performance, and View

ü  Thermal comfort design: ASHRAE 55 compliance.

ü  Interior lighting: High-quality lighting and occupant control.

ü  Quality views: Connecting occupants to the outdoors.

ü  Acoustic performance: STC ratings and background noise control.

ü  Occupant comfort surveys and post-occupancy evaluation.

ü  Practical Session: Mapping "Direct Line of Sight" to perimeter windows for EQ View credit compliance.

 

Module 12: Innovation (IN) and Regional Priority (RP) Credits

ü  Achieving Innovation points through "Exemplary Performance."

ü  Pilot Credits: Testing new sustainability frontiers.

ü  The role of the LEED Accredited Professional (AP) on the team.

ü  Regional Priority credits: Addressing local environmental concerns.

ü  Global consistency vs. Local relevance.

ü  Practical Session: Researching Regional Priority credits based on the project's specific ZIP code.

 

Module 13: LEED for Neighborhood Development and Cities

ü  Smart growth and New Urbanism principles.

ü  Walkable streets and compact development.

ü  Green infrastructure and neighborhood assets.

ü  LEED for Cities and Communities: Scaling sustainability.

ü  Social equity and community health metrics.

ü  Practical Session: Evaluating a neighborhood site using the LEED-ND "Smart Location" criteria.

 

Module 14: Documentation Management and LEED Online

ü  Setting up the project in LEED Online.

ü  Managing the credit submittal folder.

ü  Drafting clear narratives for "Alternative Compliance Paths" (ACPs).

ü  Uploading supporting documentation: Drawings, specs, and photos.

ü  Handling "Clarification Requests" from GBCI reviewers.

ü  Practical Session: Navigating the LEED Online interface to upload a completed Water Efficiency credit.

 

Module 15: Auditing and Performance Verification

ü  The importance of post-occupancy data.

ü  Continuous commissioning and monitoring-based commissioning.

ü  Building performance benchmarking (Energy Star Portfolio Manager).

ü  Recertification for existing buildings (LEED O+M).

ü  Real-time performance tracking with ARC Skoru.

ü  Practical Session: Using a sample data set to benchmark a building's performance against regional averages.

 

Module 16: Financial Modeling and Green Building ROI

ü  "Hard Costs" vs. "Soft Costs" of green building.

ü  Analyzing the "Green Premium": Myth vs. Reality.

ü  Life-cycle costing (LCC) for sustainable systems.

ü  Utility cost savings and payback period analysis.

ü  Incentives, tax credits, and green financing (PACE).

ü  Practical Session: Creating a business case for a high-efficiency HVAC system using Net Present Value (NPV).

 

Module 17: Synergies between LEED, WELL, and Passive House

ü  Complementary standards: LEED (Planet) and WELL (People).

ü  Passive House (PHIUS) integration for extreme energy efficiency.

ü  Net Zero Energy (NZE) and Carbon Neutrality.

ü  The Living Building Challenge: Beyond "Doing Less Harm."

ü  Standardizing multi-certification workflows.

ü  Practical Session: Identifying "Cross-walk" credits that satisfy both LEED and WELL requirements.

 

Module 18: Final Project: Comprehensive LEED Design Charrette

ü  Developing a sustainability roadmap for a flagship project.

ü  Assigning credits based on feasibility and budget.

ü  Drafting the Integrative Process narrative.

ü  Projecting the final certification level (Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum).

ü  Final presentation and peer critique.

ü  Practical Session: Presenting a completed LEED Scorecard and implementation strategy for a high-rise development.

About Our Trainers

 

Our facilitators are LEED Fellow status professionals and active Sustainability Consultants with over 20 years of experience in high-performance building design. They have successfully led teams through the certification of over 200 projects globally, ranging from corporate headquarters to sustainable urban districts. Each trainer is a certified LEED AP with multiple specialties (BD+C, ID+C, O+M) and brings real-world experience in resolving complex GBCI review challenges.

 

Quality Statement

 

Phoenix Training Center is committed to educational excellence. Our green building programs are NITA-approved and meticulously updated to reflect the latest versions of the LEED rating systems. We ensure that our training provides not only the knowledge to pass exams but the practical wisdom to deliver truly sustainable, high-performing built environments.

 

Tailor-Made Courses

We understand that every organization has unique challenges and opportunities as well as unique training needs. Phoenix Training Center offers tailor-made courses designed to address specific requirements and challenges faced by your team or organization. Whether you need a customized curriculum, a specific duration, or on-site delivery, we can adapt our expertise to provide a training solution that perfectly aligns with your objectives. We can customize this Course to focus on your industry, specific risk profile, or internal stakeholder dynamics. Contact us to discuss how we can create a bespoke training program that maximizes value and impact for your team. For further inquiries, please contact us on Tel: +254720272325 / +254737296202 or Email training@phoenixtrainingcenter.com

Admission Criteria

ü  Participants should be reasonably proficient in English. 

ü  Applicants must live up to Phoenix Center for Policy, Research and Training admission criteria.

Terms and Conditions

ü  Discounts: Organizations sponsoring Four Participants will have the 5th attend Free

ü  What is catered for by the Course Fees: Fees cater for all requirements for the training – Learning materials, Lunches, Teas, Snacks and Certification. All participants will additionally cater for their travel and accommodation expenses, visa application, insurance, and other personal expenses.

ü  Certificate Awarded: Participants are awarded Certificates of Participation at the end of the training.

ü  The program content shown here is for guidance purposes only. Our continuous course improvement process may lead to changes in topics and course structure.

ü  Approval of Course: Our Programs are NITA Approved. Participating organizations can therefore claim reimbursement on fees paid in accordance with NITA Rules.

Booking for Training

Simply send an email to the Training Officer on training@phoenixtrainingcenter.com and we will send you a registration form. We advise you to book early to avoid missing a seat to this training. Or call us on +254720272325 / +254737296202

Payment Options

We provide 3 payment options, choose one for your convenience, and kindly make payments at least 5 days before the Training start date to reserve your seat:

ü  Groups of 5 People and Above – Cheque Payments to: Phoenix Center for Policy, Research and Training Limited should be paid in advance, 5 days to the training.

ü  Invoice: We can send a bill directly to you or your company.

ü  Deposit directly into Bank Account (Account details provided upon request)

Cancellation Policy

ü  Payment for all courses includes a registration fee, which is non-refundable, and equals 15% of the total sum of the course fee.

ü  Participants may cancel attendance 14 days or more prior to the training commencement date.

ü  No refunds will be made 14 days or less before the training commencement date. However, participants who are unable to attend may opt to attend a similar training course at a later date or send a substitute participant provided the participation criteria have been met.

Accommodation and Airport Transfer

For physical training attendees, we can assist with recommendations for accommodation near the training venue. Airport pick-up services can also be arranged upon request to ensure a smooth arrival. Please inform us of your travel details in advance if you require these services. For reservations contact the Training Officer on Email: training@phoenixtrainingcenter.com or on Tel: +254720272325 / +254737296202