Certified
Green
BrokerŠ
The Certified Green BrokerŠ designation.
"Green Building" and "Green Development" has evolved from a politically correct trend to an economic reality. Many investment analysts believe that the price of office buildings in the future will be significantly impacted by sustainable features. Some local and state agencies currently encourage sustainable practices in construction reviews, but soon these practices will become required. What does this mean for the commercial broker? What will the standard of practice become, and what knowledge and information must a commercial broker obtain to adequately represent their customers and clients?
The Commercial Brokers Association, in partnership with the Cascadia Green Building Council has developed the Certified Green BrokerŠ Designation for the commercial real estate industry. The Certification program enables commercial brokers to identify and discuss the essential issues related to green features of projects and provide appropriate advice and counsel on the benefits of buying and building Green. The program offers 30 hours of real estate continuing education credit, and gives brokers the right to display the certification on their business cards and other marketing materials.
A Certified Green BrokerŠ must successfully complete required courses that cover core competencies related to building green, and receive an 75% passing grade on a comprehensive examination. Completion of the coursework may prepare participants to successfully sit for the LEEDŽ AP exam, although this is not a guaranteed outcome of the program. (The LEEDŽ exam is separately administered by the USGBC) To obtain the Certificate, applicants must be licensed real estate brokers.
Course Content
- Principles of Sustainable Building
- Defining Green: Rating Systems
- Ecology, Culture and Commerce (the Big Picture)
- Cost of Ownership
- Leasing Opportunities
- What is the Cost of Going Green?
- Why does location matter?
- Impacts Associated with Development
- Examples of Green Developments & Related Cost/Benefits
- What is a Green Tenant Improvement?
- Negotiating a Green Lease for Your Client
- What is a Green Shell and core?
- The Green Approach to Property/Portfolio Management
- How does a building's form and shape impact its functional use of resources?
- Integrating structure and function
- Integrating equipment with structure
- Trends in new commercial construction
- Typical occupant uses
- Energy Sources
- Trends in new commercial construction and tenant improvements
- Cost benefit summary
- Linkages between health, well-being and productivity
- Physical, psychological and financial benefits of daylight and views
- Why/how is controllability/operability rewarded in LEED and other rating systems?
- What is comfort?
- Indoor Air Quality
- Trends in new commercial construction, tenant improvements
- Cost benefit summary
- What makes a material green?
- Toxicity and controversial materials
- Material certifications and other ways to determine if a material is green
- How to find a "green supplier?"
- There is no such thing as waste
- Trends in new commercial construction, tenant improvements
- Cost benefit summary
- Site Offerings
- Water as a resource
- Stormwater: keeping it on site
- Beyond the Site: light pollution, light trespass and heat island effect
- Cost benefits summary
- Experience successful green buildings in person
- Compare different strategies employed at various green sites
How to take the course:
After purchasing the course you will receive a subscriber log-in which can be entered at the top of this page. The course consists of two parts: the course instruction and a timed final exam. All course instruction and quizzes must be completed before taking the final exam.
The Certified Green BrokerŽ program can also be taken for real estate continuing education credit without obtaining the certification. To obtain the certification, a student must complete a 250 question final exam. For continuing education credit without obtaining the certification, the student must take a 90 question final exam. Students must pass either exam with at least an 75% passing grade.
You must complete the course within 90 days. If a passing grade is not achieved on the final exam, a student can re-test. If a passing grade is not achieved on the re-test final exam, the full course must be repeated before taking the final exam again. There is no fee for re-testing; repeating the course is subject to the full course purchase fee. Refunds are not available.
Testimonials
"I found the Green Broker course extremely informative and applicable to my practice. Understanding the details of green operations, regulations and benefits is not only the responsible thing to do, but a integral component of the real estate industry, both today and in the future. The certification I've earned legitimizes my qualifications as a Green Broker."
- Tom Hoban, CEO, Coast Group of Companies
Commercial real estate plays a vital role in the pursuit of a sustainable environment. This GreenBroker course explains how in accessible, although sometimes highly dense, terms. This is not light reading, but it is important reading. And fascinating, too. Significantly, much of this information can assist brokers in improving a client's efficiency and/or bottom line while also helping to "green-up" the environment!
Sandra Hill
Associate
Grubb & Ellis