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LEED Pilot Credits
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Process-Related Pilot Credits
Green training for contractors, trades, operators and service workers

LEED CREDIT

Pilot-Credits IPpc81: Green training for contractors, trades, operators and service workers 1 point

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LEEDuser expert

Russell Unger

Urban Green Council
Executive Director

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© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.

Requirements

To meet the requirements of this pilot credit, project teams must use a qualifying training program. To qualify a training program, complete the application here. Qualifying programs and program requirements are listed below:
Qualifying programs

Program Organization Website
GPRO Urban Green Council www.gpro.org
Green Janitor Health Education Program Building Skills Partnership www.buildingskills.org/programs/greenjanitor
Curso LEED® para contratistas Revitaliza Consultores http://www.revitalizaconsultores.com/cursos/curso-leed-para-contratistas
Building in Nature's Image, Inc. Contractor & Trades Training for the Doers https://www.ngbc.us/
Green Building Training for Cleaners 32BJ Training Fund training.32bjfunds.org
Check back soon for updates to the list of qualifying programs. Have a program you think might qualify? Click here to apply.
Green Building Training Program
Green Building Training Program must meet the following requirements:
  1. The program is developed and maintained by a not-for-profit organization with significant expertise and at least 5 years of experience in green building education, with input from a range of building professionals, including trades, contractors, operators, and designers.
  2. The program complies with the following criteria:
    1. Subject matter meets the purpose and scope of this credit and includes at least four hours of instruction on the basics of sustainability, green building, LEED, green job sites, and the role of the relevant building systems and building professional within the “whole building” framework of sustainability
      • For contractors, subcontractors and trades, the curricula includes a minimum of six additional hours of instruction including: differences between green and conventional materials, installation, and work practices, documentation issues that are unique to LEED; opportunities for improved building performance through the retrofitting of existing buildings; new green technologies; and the role that commissioning plays in green building.
      • For building operators, the curricula includes a minimum of 8 additional hours of instruction in introductory sustainable operations including: measuring building performance, increasing efficiency in the building envelope, plumbing, heating & cooling and lighting systems, improving indoor air quality, reducing building waste, implementing green cleaning and understanding, commissioning & energy audits.
      • For building maintenance service personnel, the curricula includes a minimum of 3 additional hours of instruction including: how to improve building efficiency through improved work practices & reporting; improving indoor air quality, reducing building waste & green cleaning practices.
    2. The targeted audience is a contractor, subcontractor, trade, or building operations and service professional that is listed in this document.
    3. The courses are taught by instructors who are qualified as subject matter experts.
    4. Materials must be objective in nature and cannot contain any content that could be interpreted as a promotion or endorsement of a certain product, service, certification/accreditation or organization. As an exception to this rule, products or organizations can be presented in the context of illustrative examples of the current concerns, issues and regulations of the topic(s) being addressed. Qualified training programs may include their company name or logo only on the first and/or last slide of any presentations.
    5. The program provides the following:
    6. Complete the application here.
    • Letter of support from a local USGBC chapter attesting to the quality of the green building content.
    • Letter of support from at least two USGBC member organizations, gold level or above, who have used the training program and can attest to its quality relative to other trainings the organization has used
    • Evaluation report showing feedback from at least 250 students taught within the last 12 months
    • List of contributors to the curriculum, including their profession, industry and affiliations
  • The program provides an assessment showing the student has achieved the course’s learning objectives OR the program is accredited or seeking accreditation under ANSI/ASTM E2659-09.
  • The program must provide course evaluations to attendees for ongoing feedback on the quality of the course.
  • To qualify, a green building training program must submit documentation for the above requirements along with: a) learning objectives for each training or course, b) at least 6 sample exam questions, c) a description of what is being tested, and d) the pass/fail rate for the past 12 months.

  • Employ contractors, subcontractors, & building trades who are certificate holders under a qualified green building training program prior to the commencement of the work of the individual’s trade on the project. The minimum percentage of certificate holders is as follows:
    • Option 1: 30% Contractor. At least 30% of contractor and subcontractor management personnel working on the project are certificate holders.
    • Option 2: 15% Contractors & 15% Trades. At least 15% of contractor and subcontractor management personnel and 15% of tradespeople working on the project are certificate holders.
    Qualifying Contractors, Subcontractors, and Building Trades
    Only personnel working the following minimum number of workdays on the project are qualifying contractor, subcontractor, or building trades who may count towards achievement of this credit:
    • For projects under 50,000 square feet, worked a minimum of 1 work day on the project per week
    • For projects 50,000 square feet or over, worked a minimum of 5 work days per week
    Contractor Personnel:
    • Contractor
    • Construction Manager, including Project Executive
    • Project Manager
    • Project Engineer
    • Quality Control Manager
    • Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing (MEP) Coordinator
    • Superintendent
    • Assistant Superintendent
    • General Foreperson
    • Estimator
    Subcontractor Personnel:
    • Project Manager
    • Superintendent
    • Project Engineer
    • Quality Control Manager
    • Trade Foreperson
    • Estimator
    Building Trades Personnel:
    • Bricklayers (includes tile marble and terrazzo)
    • Boilermakers
    • Carpenters
    • Electrical Workers
    • Elevator Constructors
    • Heat and Frost Insulators
    • Iron Workers (includes structural, ornamental, derrick and riggers, metal lathers)
    • Laborers (includes helpers, mason tenders, building and excavation, asbestos and lead abatement, concrete)
    • Operating Engineers
    • Plasterers and Cement Masons
    • Plumbers and Steamfitters
    • Painters and Allied Trades (includes glaziers, drywall tapers, paper hangers and decorators, bridge and steel painters)
    • Roofers and Waterproofers
    • Sheet Metal Workers
    • Teamsters
    • General Pilot Documentation Requirements

      Register for the pilot credit Credits 1-14 Credits 15-27 Credits 28-42 Credits 43-56 Credits 57-67 Credits 68-82 Credits 83--96
      Credit specific
      • Identify the Green Building Training Program(s) OR apply to qualify Green Building Training Program(s) here (please review qualifying training program requirements above before applying).
      • Identify whether the project is under 50,000 square feet or 50,000 feet and larger, demonstrated by construction drawings, tax records, deed or government-issued documentation.
      • Provide verification of any claimed training through copies of certificates or wallet cards or a report from the training body. *Note: Training for mechanical trades, electricians and plumbers must include a trade-specific certificate.
      To apply for 30% Contractor (Option 1):
      1. Complete the template below. Identify all qualifying contractor and subcontractor personnel. Indicate which of those personnel are also certificate holders and identify their certificate(s). The titles of the contractor and subcontractor personnel listed in the template should correspond with those identified in the list of qualifying contractor and subcontractor personnel in the credit.
      2. Provide notarized payroll reports as follows, demonstrating the names and total number of qualifying contractor and subcontractor personnel:
        1. A report that identifies all qualifying contractor personnel provided by the general contractor or an accountant representing the general contractor.
        2. A report that identifies all qualifying subcontractor personnel provided by each subcontractor or an accountant representing the subcontractor.
      To apply for 15% Contractors & 15% Trades (Option 2):
      1. Complete the template below. Identify all qualifying building trades. Indicate which of those trade personnel are also certificate holders and identify their certificate(s). The titles of “Building Trades” listed in the template (for example, “Plumber” or “Electrician”) should correspond with those identified in the list of Building Trades Personnel in the credit.
      2. Provide a notarized payroll report from each subcontractor or an accountant representing the subcontractor that identifies the number and names of all qualifying Building Trades.
      Additional questions
      1. What other quality programs are not on the list that you would recommend adding?
      2. Which option did you choose and why?
      3. About how many different contractor organization did you work with on the project?
      Changes
      • 4/18/23 - Moved Qualifying Program information from Resources to credit language and updated Documentation Requirements
    See all forum discussions about this credit »

    What does it cost?

    Cost estimates for this credit

    On each BD+C v4 credit, LEEDuser offers the wisdom of a team of architects, engineers, cost estimators, and LEED experts with hundreds of LEED projects between then. They analyzed the sustainable design strategies associated with each LEED credit, but also to assign actual costs to those strategies.

    Our tab contains overall cost guidance, notes on what “soft costs” to expect, and a strategy-by-strategy breakdown of what to consider and what it might cost, in percentage premiums, actual costs, or both.

    This information is also available in a full PDF download in The Cost of LEED v4 report.

    Learn more about The Cost of LEED v4 »

    Documentation toolkit

    The motherlode of cheat sheets

    LEEDuser’s Documentation Toolkit is loaded with calculators to help assess credit compliance, tracking spreadsheets for materials, sample templates to help guide your narratives and LEED Online submissions, and examples of actual submissions from certified LEED projects for you to check your work against. To get your plaque, start with the right toolkit.

    LEEDuser expert

    Russell Unger

    Urban Green Council
    Executive Director

    Get the inside scoop

    Our editors have written a detailed analysis of nearly every LEED credit, and LEEDuser premium members get full access. We’ll tell you whether the credit is easy to accomplish or better left alone, and we provide insider tips on how to document it successfully.

    USGBC logo

    © Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.

    Requirements

    To meet the requirements of this pilot credit, project teams must use a qualifying training program. To qualify a training program, complete the application here. Qualifying programs and program requirements are listed below:
    Qualifying programs

    Program Organization Website
    GPRO Urban Green Council www.gpro.org
    Green Janitor Health Education Program Building Skills Partnership www.buildingskills.org/programs/greenjanitor
    Curso LEED® para contratistas Revitaliza Consultores http://www.revitalizaconsultores.com/cursos/curso-leed-para-contratistas
    Building in Nature's Image, Inc. Contractor & Trades Training for the Doers https://www.ngbc.us/
    Green Building Training for Cleaners 32BJ Training Fund training.32bjfunds.org
    Check back soon for updates to the list of qualifying programs. Have a program you think might qualify? Click here to apply.
    Green Building Training Program
    Green Building Training Program must meet the following requirements:
    1. The program is developed and maintained by a not-for-profit organization with significant expertise and at least 5 years of experience in green building education, with input from a range of building professionals, including trades, contractors, operators, and designers.
    2. The program complies with the following criteria:
      1. Subject matter meets the purpose and scope of this credit and includes at least four hours of instruction on the basics of sustainability, green building, LEED, green job sites, and the role of the relevant building systems and building professional within the “whole building” framework of sustainability
        • For contractors, subcontractors and trades, the curricula includes a minimum of six additional hours of instruction including: differences between green and conventional materials, installation, and work practices, documentation issues that are unique to LEED; opportunities for improved building performance through the retrofitting of existing buildings; new green technologies; and the role that commissioning plays in green building.
        • For building operators, the curricula includes a minimum of 8 additional hours of instruction in introductory sustainable operations including: measuring building performance, increasing efficiency in the building envelope, plumbing, heating & cooling and lighting systems, improving indoor air quality, reducing building waste, implementing green cleaning and understanding, commissioning & energy audits.
        • For building maintenance service personnel, the curricula includes a minimum of 3 additional hours of instruction including: how to improve building efficiency through improved work practices & reporting; improving indoor air quality, reducing building waste & green cleaning practices.
      2. The targeted audience is a contractor, subcontractor, trade, or building operations and service professional that is listed in this document.
      3. The courses are taught by instructors who are qualified as subject matter experts.
      4. Materials must be objective in nature and cannot contain any content that could be interpreted as a promotion or endorsement of a certain product, service, certification/accreditation or organization. As an exception to this rule, products or organizations can be presented in the context of illustrative examples of the current concerns, issues and regulations of the topic(s) being addressed. Qualified training programs may include their company name or logo only on the first and/or last slide of any presentations.
      5. The program provides the following:
      6. Complete the application here.
      • Letter of support from a local USGBC chapter attesting to the quality of the green building content.
      • Letter of support from at least two USGBC member organizations, gold level or above, who have used the training program and can attest to its quality relative to other trainings the organization has used
      • Evaluation report showing feedback from at least 250 students taught within the last 12 months
      • List of contributors to the curriculum, including their profession, industry and affiliations
  • The program provides an assessment showing the student has achieved the course’s learning objectives OR the program is accredited or seeking accreditation under ANSI/ASTM E2659-09.
  • The program must provide course evaluations to attendees for ongoing feedback on the quality of the course.
  • To qualify, a green building training program must submit documentation for the above requirements along with: a) learning objectives for each training or course, b) at least 6 sample exam questions, c) a description of what is being tested, and d) the pass/fail rate for the past 12 months.

  • Employ contractors, subcontractors, & building trades who are certificate holders under a qualified green building training program prior to the commencement of the work of the individual’s trade on the project. The minimum percentage of certificate holders is as follows:
    • Option 1: 30% Contractor. At least 30% of contractor and subcontractor management personnel working on the project are certificate holders.
    • Option 2: 15% Contractors & 15% Trades. At least 15% of contractor and subcontractor management personnel and 15% of tradespeople working on the project are certificate holders.
    Qualifying Contractors, Subcontractors, and Building Trades
    Only personnel working the following minimum number of workdays on the project are qualifying contractor, subcontractor, or building trades who may count towards achievement of this credit:
    • For projects under 50,000 square feet, worked a minimum of 1 work day on the project per week
    • For projects 50,000 square feet or over, worked a minimum of 5 work days per week
    Contractor Personnel:
    • Contractor
    • Construction Manager, including Project Executive
    • Project Manager
    • Project Engineer
    • Quality Control Manager
    • Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing (MEP) Coordinator
    • Superintendent
    • Assistant Superintendent
    • General Foreperson
    • Estimator
    Subcontractor Personnel:
    • Project Manager
    • Superintendent
    • Project Engineer
    • Quality Control Manager
    • Trade Foreperson
    • Estimator
    Building Trades Personnel:
    • Bricklayers (includes tile marble and terrazzo)
    • Boilermakers
    • Carpenters
    • Electrical Workers
    • Elevator Constructors
    • Heat and Frost Insulators
    • Iron Workers (includes structural, ornamental, derrick and riggers, metal lathers)
    • Laborers (includes helpers, mason tenders, building and excavation, asbestos and lead abatement, concrete)
    • Operating Engineers
    • Plasterers and Cement Masons
    • Plumbers and Steamfitters
    • Painters and Allied Trades (includes glaziers, drywall tapers, paper hangers and decorators, bridge and steel painters)
    • Roofers and Waterproofers
    • Sheet Metal Workers
    • Teamsters
    • General Pilot Documentation Requirements

      Register for the pilot credit Credits 1-14 Credits 15-27 Credits 28-42 Credits 43-56 Credits 57-67 Credits 68-82 Credits 83--96
      Credit specific
      • Identify the Green Building Training Program(s) OR apply to qualify Green Building Training Program(s) here (please review qualifying training program requirements above before applying).
      • Identify whether the project is under 50,000 square feet or 50,000 feet and larger, demonstrated by construction drawings, tax records, deed or government-issued documentation.
      • Provide verification of any claimed training through copies of certificates or wallet cards or a report from the training body. *Note: Training for mechanical trades, electricians and plumbers must include a trade-specific certificate.
      To apply for 30% Contractor (Option 1):
      1. Complete the template below. Identify all qualifying contractor and subcontractor personnel. Indicate which of those personnel are also certificate holders and identify their certificate(s). The titles of the contractor and subcontractor personnel listed in the template should correspond with those identified in the list of qualifying contractor and subcontractor personnel in the credit.
      2. Provide notarized payroll reports as follows, demonstrating the names and total number of qualifying contractor and subcontractor personnel:
        1. A report that identifies all qualifying contractor personnel provided by the general contractor or an accountant representing the general contractor.
        2. A report that identifies all qualifying subcontractor personnel provided by each subcontractor or an accountant representing the subcontractor.
      To apply for 15% Contractors & 15% Trades (Option 2):
      1. Complete the template below. Identify all qualifying building trades. Indicate which of those trade personnel are also certificate holders and identify their certificate(s). The titles of “Building Trades” listed in the template (for example, “Plumber” or “Electrician”) should correspond with those identified in the list of Building Trades Personnel in the credit.
      2. Provide a notarized payroll report from each subcontractor or an accountant representing the subcontractor that identifies the number and names of all qualifying Building Trades.
      Additional questions
      1. What other quality programs are not on the list that you would recommend adding?
      2. Which option did you choose and why?
      3. About how many different contractor organization did you work with on the project?
      Changes
      • 4/18/23 - Moved Qualifying Program information from Resources to credit language and updated Documentation Requirements

    LEEDuser expert

    Russell Unger

    Urban Green Council
    Executive Director

    See all LEEDuser forum discussions about this credit » Subscribe to new discussions about Pilot-Credits IPpc81