To become a green architect, you can earn a bachelor’s degree in environmental architecture, get a degree in environmental architecture, or become a Certified Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) professional. Some universities offer joint programs in architecture and environmental management. LEED certification requires passing an exam and meeting different requirements for each level of certification.
The 21st century focus on environmental design, sustainability and green living has fostered interest in the emerging field of green architecture and sustainable design. There are several paths you can take to become a green architect, depending on the time and resources you can dedicate to this goal. You can earn a bachelor’s degree in environmental architecture; you can get a degree in environmental architecture; or, if you’re already an established architect, you can become a Certified Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) professional. All three of these methods alone, or a combination of them, will help you become a green architect.
If you’re looking for a degree in architecture, you might want to look into programs that offer a special focus on environmental architecture. For example, Yale University offers a joint Master of Architecture and Master of Environmental Management program specifically designed to help you become a green architect. Some baccalaureate programs combine these specialties: The Massachusetts College of Art and Design offers a bachelor’s degree in environmental design and architecture, and North Carolina State University, St. John in Italy, and many others offer bachelor’s degrees in environmental architecture or design. Contact your local college or university’s architecture program and ask if they offer a combination degree for architecture and environmental studies. If they don’t offer a degree that specifically meets your needs, you can work with them to design your own curriculum through a combination of your architecture degree and a minor degree, certifications, and election courses in environmental management and design.
Be aware that some colleges and universities offer four-year environmental architecture pre-professional degrees that will help you become a green architect, but to qualify for the Architectural Registration Examination, you must have completed a bachelor’s degree program or five-year master’s degree. If your degree is a pre-professional program, you may need to take an additional year of architecture courses to ensure you qualify for the exam. Instead of taking that extra year of coursework, you could also get your Masters degree after your pre-professional as this will also help you qualify for the exam.
An established professional who wants to become a green architect should consider becoming certified with the LEED program. The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) took over management of the US Green Building Council’s LEED accreditation program in 2009, and many professionals strive to add LEED certification to their credentials. GBCI uses LEED as a measurement tool and rating system to evaluate green buildings in the US and Canada.
LEED certification requires you to take an exam that tests your knowledge of the LEED rating system and building environmental issues. There are three levels of certification – LEED Green Associate, LEED AP, and LEED Fellow – and to qualify for each stage of certification, you must meet different requirements. See the GBCI website for details on these requirements.
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