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Host a LEED Lab on your campus

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What is LEED Lab?

LEED Lab is a multidisciplinary immersion course that utilizes the built environment to educate and prepare students to become green building leaders and sustainability-focused citizens. In the course, students assess the performance of existing facilities on campus and choose a building where they will facilitate the LEED for Building Operations and Maintenance (LEED O+M) process with the goal of certifying the facility. At the close of the semester, the students are prepared to sit for the LEED AP O+M professional credential exam. For more information and to get started with LEED Lab at your institution, contact us at leedlab@usgbc.org.

What are the requirements to participate in LEED Lab?

There are two components that must be included in a participating LEED Lab program:

  1. A formal education or training component. At higher education institutions, the LEED Lab course must offer academic credit.
  2. A registered LEED project that students are participating as part of the project team.

Does a school have to pay in order to participate in LEED Lab?

Institutions do not have to pay program fees in order to participate in LEED Lab, but there are fees associated with projects, education or exams that school may need to pay for as part of their program. These can include project registration, project certification, education, and credential exams. More information about LEED project fees is available on the USGBC website.

What are the benefits of the LEED Lab program?

There are many benefits of LEED Lab, for both students and the campus.

Students gain theoretical knowledge of green buildings, as well as technical project experience. By participating in LEED Lab, students will graduate with real project experience that can be applied in their careers and help them stand out amongst other candidates when seeking jobs, and they will be prepared to take a LEED credential exam through their project engagement.

By hosting LEED Lab on campus, schools strengthen their culture of sustainability and commitment to student learning and leadership. LEED Lab helps schools to advance green building on their campus and realize economic benefits of green building and sustainability. The availability of LEED Lab on campus also helps schools to distinguish themselves against peer institutions by offering this unique opportunity to students and prospective students.

Is there any mandatory curriculum or programming for LEED Lab?

No, USGBC provides curricular resources and suggestions for how LEED Lab can be administered at your institution, but the program has been designed to be flexible and adaptable to fit a variety of campus needs and learning objectives. There are many options for how this program can fit into academic programming and campus building operations.

Are there requirements for who can be a LEED Lab instructor?

There are no credential or certification requirements for LEED Lab instructors, but it recommended that the instructor(s) have an academic or professional background in architecture, sustainable construction and design, building operations and performance, or similar fields. There may be one or more instructors for the program, and schools may also utilize consultants or guest lecturers to help develop and/or deliver curriculum. Some schools have also included campus sustainability staff as program instructors.

Is this program available to high schools or schools outside the United States?

Yes, LEED Lab is available to higher education institutions, community colleges, workforce development training programs, and high schools across the globe.

How long does it take to establish a LEED Lab program on campus?

We typically recommend 1-2 semesters of planning before opening the program to student enrollment. This allows time for campus coordination and academic planning to develop and align all program components and stakeholders. During this planning period, campuses can begin developing and delivering green building curriculum, evaluate of campus buildings for project selection, use the Arc platform for performance monitoring, and examine campus policies which are relevant to LEED.

Which LEED rating systems are available to utilize for LEED Lab projects?

LEED Lab programs are typically administered through the LEED Operations & Maintenance (O+M) rating system, rather than one of the Design & Construction (BD+C, ID+C) rating systems. O+M is more suitable for LEED Lab because the project timeline is shorter and easier to align with academic schedules, and there are less safety concerns without an active construction site.

It is possible to host LEED Lab using the BD+C or ID+C rating systems, but it will take substantially more planning, coordination, and time to establish the program and get certified projects. The use of BD+C or ID+C with LEED Lab typically compatible if the program is being used as a full degree or minor degree program with more stringent course development and requirements to engage students throughout the whole project lifecycle.

Is there an option to participate in this program without a LEED project on campus?

Yes, there are options for schools to still participate in this program even if an on-campus project is not available or feasible. Participating institutions can partner with other local schools or companies to support off-campus projects elsewhere in the community. This will take a greater level of coordination with external stakeholders but also removes the cost consideration of LEED project fees.

There is also the option for a school to participate in the Fundamentals by LEED Lab program. Under this version of the program, students learn about green building science through on-campus building performance. Rather than participating on a registered LEED project, schools will register their building(s) in the Arc platform to monitor, track, and improve performance.

What is the Fundamentals by LEED Lab program?

Under this version of the program, the “building as a teaching tool” model engages students in green building education utilizing campus and building performance. Students will learn about green building operations and utilize the Arc performance platform to register buildings and monitor performance. After registering one or more campus buildings in Arc, students will be able to track performance, understand how performance is impacted by operational policies and occupant behavior, and demonstrate student leadership by working with campus stakeholders to improve performance.

How is Fundamentals by LEED Lab different from the LEED Lab program?

While both versions of the program offer students a unique hands-on learning experience, and include both academic and building components, there are some key differences.

  • LEED Lab requires a registered LEED project for student participation, whereas Fundamentals by LEED Lab only requires the use of Arc for performance monitoring.
  • Participants in both programs receive curricular and administrative support from USGBC Education, but LEED Lab programs will also receive technical guidance and support from USGBC’s Client Solutions team and the GBCI certification reviewer, which is standard for LEED projects. Fundamentals by LEED Lab participants who are using Arc can receive standard Arc project support, but do not get additional support that is available to LEED projects.
  • LEED projects have required registration & certification fees, while it is free to register and monitor projects in Arc (additional Arc services are available for a fee).
  • Both versions of the program offer engagement and learning opportunities for students, but the nature of student participation will vary between LEED and Arc projects.

Can a school transition from the Fundamentals by LEED Lab program to the full LEED Lab program?

Yes! Fundamentals by LEED Lab was developed not just as an alternative to the full LEED Lab program, but also as a way to scale up your programming and make LEED Lab more feasible. Below is an outline of the pathway that schools can use to transition from Fundamentals by LEED Lab to the full program:

  1. Get started with the Fundamentals by LEED Lab program, registering one or more campus buildings to monitor performance.
  2. Utilize Arc to track and monitor building performance, collecting relevant data and benchmarking information and teaching student about green building operations.
  3. If multiple buildings are registered in Arc, engage students in evaluating portfolio performance and comparing buildings to determine the strongest options for a LEED project.
  4. Select your building for LEED certification based on performance and register the project to upgrade your participation to the full LEED Lab program.
  5. Use the performance data collected in Arc as part of your data and documentation required for LEED O+M certification.

Although using Fundamentals by LEED Lab as your starting point for program participation can take longer to reach LEED certification, it offers a more feasible program pathway and can make it easier for both schools and students to benefit from green building and achieve certification in the long run.

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