In order to become a Green Advantage® Certified Practitioner, individuals must demonstrate foundational knowledge, comprehension, application and ability to analyze green construction concepts, materials, and practices by passing a Green Advantage® exam with a score of 75% or higher. Particular emphasis is given to understanding the role of construction personnel in improving the environmental and health attributes of the built environment.
Green Advantage® offers three types of certification exams – Commercial, Residential, and Commercial/Residential. Although many of the exam questions for the Commercial and Residential versions of the exam are identical, some are unique to the respective field requirements presented by green commercial or residential projects.
Rationale for and Basic Understanding of Sustainability and Green Building
This topic includes the foundational concepts of sustainability and the role that the built environment plays in either perpetuating unsustainable practices or contributing to more sustainable living patterns. It details how buildings affect the environment throughout their life cycles – from construction and operation to deconstruction or demolition. Major building certification rating systems or standards, such as LEED, Green Globes, NAHB National Green Building Certification and Living Building Challenge, as well as green building operations and maintenance, options for green personnel credentialing and certification are important to this topic.
Site and Land Use
This topic focuses on the concepts and best practices associated with site and land use in the building process. It addresses a) choosing a building site, b) locating the proposed building on the site, and c) developing the property so as to cause the least amount of environmental damage or provide the greatest amount of ecological benefit to human and natural environments. The topic also includes some of the problems associated with conventional site and land use design and practice and how they can be addressed through green building.
Water
This topic explores the importance of water quality and conservation both inside and outside the building. It addresses opportunities for environmentally friendly use of incoming and outgoing indoor water quality and quantity. Additionally, it focuses on some of the best practices used to reduce the demand for water, capture and handle rainwater, recycle water, and ensure good water quality outdoors.
Energy and Atmosphere
This topic focuses on the energy and atmospheric impacts of buildings and building products and how field personnel can contribute to energy performance in the planning and construction process. It examines the green building techniques and products that are often used and it addresses the connection between buildings and greenhouse gas emissions. Passive and active solar as well as other renewable energy alternatives and their applications are important to this area. The role of commissioning and energy-related testing techniques and methods are emphasized.
Materials
This topic focuses on the environmental and human health impacts of materials that are used throughout the building life cycle. It explores the role that materials selection and use plays in green building and examines how to identify, select and procure green materials.
Indoor Environmental Quality
This topic explores how green building construction, maintenance, and renovation can result in improved indoor environmental quality (IEQ). It includes air quality-related problems (e.g., sick building syndrome, multiple chemical sensitivity, building-related illness), which can result from chemical or biological contaminants and poorly designed or poorly functioning ventilation in conventionally designed and constructed buildings. In addition to air quality, IEQ includes the quality of water, lighting, color, texture, thermal comfort, odor, and sound.
