LEED, WELL … NOT an alphabet soup

LEED, WELL…

NOT an alphabet soup

Being competitive in the marketplace is fundamental, particularly for young architects. You may have considered getting yourself some credentials to make up for the limited experience. However, please look beyond the “alphabet soup” of credentials you could add after your name. Choose a program that truly suits your personal interests!

Sustainability Credentials (Wattick) There are multiple scales to sustainability — at the personal level, at the building or project level, and at an organization or company level. Most sustainability credentials focus on the building or project scale. In terms of building performance, sustainability encompasses many facets — site, energy, carbon, water, indoor environmental quality, materials, etc. In the next section, we’ll address the “wellness” factor to sustainability (i.e. human physical, mental, and social well-being).

A sustainability credential can set you apart from your peers, but which one should you choose? To help answer that question, consider how a sustainability credential can influence your professional projects, your role as a designer, and your impact on the community and the environment.

Sustainability certifications challenge project design teams, contractors and owners to go beyond any code minimum requirements. A credential can help you stand out as a subjectmatter expert on your project pursuit or project team. Even when a project is not chasing a certification, professionals often refer to credits within various certification programs as a benchmark or guide.

On my professional journey, I first chose to pursue a LEED Green Associate credential (cost: $200 for USGBC members, $250 for non-USGBC members). After becoming a registered architect, I was looking for a position in the sustainability field. Since LEED is often considered the “standard” for green building certifications, obtaining a LEED Green Associate is a common starting point, covering many of the areas of building performance mentioned earlier. There are many LEED AP specialties you can choose from, such as Building Design + Construction, Operations + Maintenance, or Neighborhood Development. Recently, I’ve earned my LEED AP ND (cost: $400), which aligns with both my personal interests and passions (community development, alternative transportation, smart growth, etc.) as well as supports my current projects. The intent is for the LEED AP ND credential to serve my professional growth alongside my company’s project pursuits.

While LEED still acts as the common standard, there are many other green building certification programs. One

Above S’Park Railyards Neighborhood Redevelopment, Colorado. LEED ND Silver certified. BranchPattern served as MEPT Engineering consultant on this project. Rendering by SopherSparn Architects

Above Pikes Peak Summit Complex, Colorado. LEED Silver certified, pursuing Living Building Challenge certification. BranchPattern served as Net Zero, Sustainability, and Green Building Certifications consultant on this project. Rendering by RTA Architects

such program is the ILFI Living Building Challenge and Living Community Challenge. To show your expertise in the areas of development, energy, carbon, materials, water, and biophilic design, you may consider obtaining a Living Futures Accreditation (cost: $615 for foundational, $50-$100 per general course). LFA requires 20 foundational and 16 general credits within the first year of enrollment. As a fast-track alternative, you can apply your current credential (such as LEED, WELL, PHIUS) to fulfill the 16 hours of general credits. An LFA credential shows your commitment to some of the highest certification programs and to creating an equitable, sustainable future.

Many credentials require continuing education in the form of coursework and/or project experience. (Every two years, LEED Green Associate requires 15 hours, LEED AP requires 30 hours, and LFA requires 16 hours). This requirement can be seen as an opportunity to build upon your chosen credential and customize it to suit your interests and needs,

plus stay relevant in the sustainability field.

Wellness Credentials (Spolidoro) If your approach to design is more “humanistic,” you may look into accreditations that focus on the wellness and wellbeing of building occupants. The major project certifications in this sense are the WELL Building Standard1 and the Fitwel Certification2. The LEED certification touches only on limited aspects — such as indoor air quality, daylight, materials, and acoustic performance — and in general terms.

The WELL Building standard is part of the GBCI3, which administers the LEED program. It was launched in 2014. This standard is rigorous and can be expensive, with the project owner having to hire accredited professionals to certify WELL concepts.

The Fitwel certification was developed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the General Services Administration. It was launched in 2017, and it is promoted as a more relaxed certification, easier to achieve than WELL.4 A Fitwel project certification is usually cheaper to the owners too.

You could become a WELL Accredited Professional (AP) or a Fitwel Ambassador. Both certifications require studying. It will cost you about $300 to become a Fitwel Ambassador, against the $660 ($299 when discounted) for the WELL AP. For the WELL, you will also need to maintain your credentials by paying $125 and collecting 36 hours of continuing education every two years.

To become a Fitwell Ambassador, you have to take a course that includes a 60-minute pre-recorded training video, access to the Fitwel reference guides, and a follow-up 50-question multiple-choice online exam. Study materials are available by building typology, for about $100 each.

To become a WELL AP, you will have to study the WELL Building Standard and then take a 150-question exam. The official WELL AP preparation guide costs a little more than $100. The standard can be studied for free, concept by concept5 .

When it comes to enriching your résumé, comparing costs and exam intensity is important. However, deepening your understanding of how the built environment truly affects the human body, at a physical and mental level, should be the ultimate goal. You want to feel confident about your knowledge as you design a space — even if you will not pursue a WELL or Fitwel certification.

The WELL Building Standard is like “medicine for architects.” I became a WELL AP under v1, which was heavy with public health data. The current version (v2) is also deeply rooted in scientific research but a little more relaxed.

If you have the time and inclination to study for the WELL Standard, you will get a rigorous, evidence-based understanding of what happens to the human body in unhealthy environmental conditions. I am using that knowledge every day, regardless of the project typology. I

Above Fisher ARCHitecture home and office, featuring plenty of light, plants, views to the outside, and other features that would make this space a good candidate for a WELL project

feel that I have the authority to talk, or write, about wellness. The Fitwell could be a good way to ease into the subject before taking a big dive into the WELL.

Conclusion Pursuing a sustainability credential should ultimately be a reflection of your interests and desired professional path. When considering your options, make sure that you understand the focus areas of each credential (i.e. energy, materials, wellness, etc.) as well as the applicability to your current and future work. A credential can help you become better at your current position, or it may help you find your next position, perhaps even your dream job. In any case, only you know which credential is the most purpose-fit for your own professional development. Best of luck!

1 https://www.wellcertified.com/ 2 https://www.fitwel.org/ 3 https://www.gbci.org/#credentialing 4 https://interiorarchitects.com/what-is-fitwel-and-whyshould-we-care/ 5 https://v2.wellcertified.com/en/wellv2/overview

Julia Wattick AIA, LEED AP ND Wattick is a registered architect in Pennsylvania, with a LEED Green Associate credential. She is a Sustainable Design Consultant at BranchPattern in the Building Science Department.

Bea Spolidoro AIA, WELL AP Spolidoro is a principal at Fisher ARCHitecture passionate about designing sustainable, healthy environments. Spolidoro is an active AIA member from leading YAF Pittsburgh and being a judge for the AIA National Honor Awards. She is the 2022 president of AIA Pittsburgh.