PORTLAND, ORE., May 28, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Green Building Initiative™ (GBI) announced today that through July 28th it will provide free access to its online course enabling qualified building designers and sustainability professionals to become certified Guiding Principles Compliance Professionals (GPCPs). GPCPs help guide Federal building projects in achieving Guiding Principles Compliance awarded for environmentally-focused design, construction and operations.
The Guiding Principles are a set of established criteria federal agencies must meet in order to demonstrate "federal leadership in the design, construction, and operation of High-Performance and Sustainable Buildings." President Obama's 2009 Executive Order 13514 requires that at least 15 percent of each agency's buildings (above 5,000 gross square feet) meet the Guiding Principles by fiscal year 2015.
"We think it's so important that agencies step up to meet President Obama's renewed focus on climate change mitigation via sustainable building," said GBI's president, Jerry Yudelson, "that we decided to offer this valuable training for free to federal agencies and those who work with them to achieve compliance."
By taking and passing an exam at the end of the online training course, building professionals can earn five learning units from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in the Health, Safety and Welfare designation. This is especially important for architects who need to meet their annual professional development requirements under state licensing laws.
Federal facility managers and designers use GBI's Guiding Principles Compliance program to guide and assess building projects in five major categories: energy, water, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and project management. Certified projects earn between two and five GPCs, with five representing 100% compliance. In addition, participating agencies receive a written report containing specific guidance on how to increase their compliance through future improvements.
GBI created the Guiding Principles Compliance Professional (GPCP) program to train qualified individuals to become expert users of GBI's Guiding Principles Compliance environmental assessment, rating, and certification system for both New Construction/Major Renovation and Existing Buildings. Certified GPCPs possess a demonstrated knowledge of sustainable building design and management practices, expertise with the Guiding Principles Compliance assessment protocols, and familiarity with the GPC Survey and third-party assessment process. Only individuals with five or more years of industry experience are eligible to be certified as GPCPs, but anyone may take the course on an audit basis.
Usually costing $875, the GPCP course takes about five hours to complete. You can register by going to the GBI website .
The deadline to register for the free offer is July 28, 2014. The training is self-paced with no specific deadline for completion.
Course Information
- Course Title: Guiding Principles Compliance Professional Training
- Length: Approximately 5 hours (self-paced)
- Dates: Online On-Demand
- # of Learning Units: 5 LU/HSW
- Provider: Green Building Initiative
- Description: This course is intended for experienced building industry professionals who work for/with the federal government and wish to become expert users of the GBI's Guiding Principles Compliance (GPC) sustainable building rating system. Upon completion of the training, qualified candidates may be certified as GPCPs by achieving a passing score on the certification exam.
Learning Objectives
- Describe GBI's mission
- Explain the background of the Guiding Principles and the development of the GPC programs
- Identify the GPC modules
- List and explain the benefits of a GPC assessment
- Recall the Guiding Principles environmental assessment areas
- Describe the scoring system
- Describe the roles and responsibilities of the individuals involved in the Guiding Principles assessment process, including GBI staff, and GPCPs
- Describe the eligibility requirements, components and estimated time to complete GPC NC and GPC EB assessments
- Recall the major steps of the GPC NC and GPC EB assessment and certification processes
- Explain the difference between the GPC Preliminary Review and On-Site assessments
- Identify the differences between the GPC EB and GPC NC assessment processes
- Describe the resources available to certified GPCPs
About the Green Building Initiative™
The GBI is a nonprofit organization and ANSI Standards Developer dedicated to accelerating the adoption of building practices that result in energy-efficient, healthier and environmentally sustainable buildings by promoting credible and practical green building approaches. Founded in 2004, the organization is the U.S. provider of the Green Globes ® and federal Guiding Principles Compliance building certification programs. For more information, visit www.thegbi.org .
About American Institute of Architects (AIA)
The American Institute of Architects Continuing Education System (CES) Provider Network provides the best available professional development opportunities to its membership and related industry professionals. The CES is equally committed to facilitating rewarding associations between the CES Registered Provider and our members through quality education. Please visit http://www.aia.org/education/index.htm for more information.
Shaina Sullivan, 503-274-0448 x104,
