Fire Fighting Training- A Great Profession and an Even Better Career

Fire fight has been a very popular and enduring profession. It is one of those jobs that that have an air of nobility and pride that remains in society's high regard. Fire fighters have a certain quality that makes them seem like super heroes, in more reasons than one: they are modern day heroes risking life and limb to keep citizens safe from unforgiving fires. A lot of people aspire to be firemen but not all prove to have the required amount of skill and dedication to handle the job properly.

Fire fighters go through a rigorous amount of Fire fighting training in Chennai before they can qualify for the job. They are subjected to many difficult tasks to make sure that they do not risk their lives and the lives of others when they are on the field. They are educated on the use of various fire fighting tools and techniques that prove invaluable in emergency situations. Fire fighters are also trained to be very efficient emergency response units always ready to handle any situation at any given time.

Fire fighters are trained to handle certain tools important for the completion of their jobs. They are adept in medical techniques and the use of medical equipment especially those used to administer first aid. They are taught how to user fire arms in case they need to help in peace keeping. Of course they are fully trained in using fire safety and firefighting equipment such as fire trucks, fire hoses, fire axes, ladders, etc. They are also trained to use fire proof and fire retardant equipment like asbestos lined clothes.

Contrary to popular belief, the fire fighters of today do not only respond to fires, they are emergency response units deployed anytime an emergency happens. Their skill set is no longer limited to fire fight; they are also skilled medics who can administer refined first aid techniques that have been proven to save lives. Fire fighters are called to action in a variety of emergencies aside from fires; they are deployed to help out in motoring accidents, natural disasters, even in peace keeping situations.

Becoming a fire fighter has a lot of requirements. The physical demands of the job are heavy so aspiring fire fighters should be well built with excellent health records. Fire fighters should also be very analytical and have good problem solving skills. Most of all aspiring fire fighters should have an almost infinite amount of patience, discipline, and resiliency to stress. Fire fighters are constantly exposed to sensitive and dangerous situations so it is important that people who aspire to have a career in fire fighting be strong willed and courageous.

Getting a job as a fire fighter is a great way to earn a living and also give back to the community. There are so many reasons why fire fighters have earned the right to be considered modern day heroes.

For more details visit us @ Fire Fighting Training in Trichy

Source: essentialfiresafety.co.uk

LEED Green Associate - An Exciting New Green Career

In today's economy, people consider themselves pretty lucky if they have a job that will pay them enough so they can make ends meet. When it comes to finding a job that they like that can make them feel good about themselves, they normally don't even consider this an option. This is a shame since there are many new opportunities that are part of the green economy. You have probably heard about the green economy and have ignored it because you figured it was just more political speak. You should know that the green economy is a real thing. There are new occupations dedicated to energy efficiency and environmental friendliness. These new jobs also offer much opportunity for high pay and big promotions. This is nowhere more true than in the building and design profession. If you want to get involved, you should consider becoming a LEED Green Associate Study Guide.

The LEED Green Associate is the first level of LEED certification. LEED is a rating system that is used to determine how energy efficient a building is. This system is more than just a simple checklist. It is a whole new way of looking at buildings. LEED professionals will analyze heating and cooling systems, hot water distribution, insulation, storm water mitigation, and even access to public transportation. This is serious work that allows raters to change buildings for the best.

One of the great things about becoming a LEED Green Associate Training is that you will find a whole new world of opportunity. Clients and employers in the design field want LEED professionals on their team. Think about it this way. Energy is money. Therefore, if you help clients save energy, you are helping them cut down on cost. This is a valuable skill to have. You will also want to be aware of how good certification looks on your resume. It shows that you are part of the future solution and that you can take your career into your own hands. These are great qualities in the eyes of any employer, regardless of profession.

In order to take the LEED Green Associate, you first have to go through the training. The training will teach you everything you need to know to pass the certification exam.

For more details visit us @ Green Building Academy

Source: http://www.everblueenergy.com

LEED Exam Preparation to Become LEED Professionals to Build Green

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System is a professional program that supports and provides builders with the knowledge necessary to build successful green building designs and construction projects. The rating system was first introduced in 2001 with an LEED exam that examine individuals on their knowledge of green building practices, as well as LEED requirements and processes. Individuals who are seeking to get certification and become an LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP) take this particular exam.

The best thing to do is not to worry about the passing rate, or failing - but to get a hold of the reference guide for the exam you're taking, as well as a supplemental study guide to make your life a whole lot easier. It can be valuable to get LEED exam preparation resources.

Before individuals come to a decision that they want to become LEED certified and take the LEED exam, they can take part in LEED training course in order to become familiar with LEED and all of the particulars and requirements. There is a lot of information associated with certification, therefore it is significant that individuals read up on the subject matter and take LEED training course before they try to take the exam. Many LEED training courses offer practice tests and questions to prepare professionals for the real thing. During the training course, individuals will become familiarized with the many standards associated with LEED. Individuals will also become familiar with the format of the test. Course instructors will go over strategies that are beneficial to individuals taking the exam.

Benefits of Becoming LEED AP

When it comes to building, there are many benefits that come along with taking the LEED exam. Whether you are an individual, an employer or industry professional, there are lots of benefits to going through training and becoming certified. One benefit for individuals is the fact that they will be more profit-making asset to potential employers or clients. Often times if it comes down to two individuals with comparable skill sets for a particular job.

In addition to marketability, individuals who become LEED accredited professionals will also be listed on the United State's Green Building Certification Institute's directory. This will allow individuals who are looking for an LEED Accredited Professional for a particular job to search for you on the database.

The biggest benefit for employers to become certified is the fact that they are qualified for projects that require the participation of an LEED Accredited Professional. When it comes to new construction or making renovations to an existing project there are usually certain requirements that need to be followed and often times one of those requirements is that an LEED AP work on the project. Often, this is the case if the project is receiving any sort of government funding or is for a company that wants to follow LEED standards.

LEED also benefits the construction industry in its entirety. Those individuals and employers that take the LEED exam, and follow the LEED specifications, are promoting and encouraging higher standards in the industry. If more individuals become certified and contribute in this particular program it also encourages other individuals and employers to understand LEED and possibly become certified themselves.

For more details visit us @ LEED v4 Exam Preparation

Source: http://www.planetprinciples.com

Why Need LEED AP BD+C Exam Preparation Course

Read LEED AP BD+C Exam Preparation course, available at Green Building Academy in Doha. 

LEED Green Associate V4 Exam Complete Study Guide

Pass The LEED Green Associate Exam Preparation With Flying Colors!

Having been widely adopted as the primary course material for bachelor's and master's degree classes in architecture and civil engineering in universities throughout the United States, the LEED Green Associate V4 Exam Complete Study Guide provides deep insight into the principles of green building, and it helps the reader learn, rather than just memorize, the essential information for the exam. Thus, this approach equips candidates to successfully pass the LEED Green Associate exam with flying colors in order to actively apply green building and LEED principles in real life.

This book is the only resource a candidate needs, in order to successfully pass the exam. As LEED v4 exam preparation is quite different in comparison to the former versions, the book was entirely re-written; thus, it was not updated from a previous edition. All of the chapters contain guidance on the aspects that require extensive attention, while the book points out the finer details to focus on for the exam purposes. It does not matter how much time passes after taking the exam, as learning the real reasons behind the green building and LEED principles through observation will help to consolidate this information concisely.

Even though the LEED Green Associate study guide exams are sometimes referred to as conceptual exams, in reality the exam goes well beyond that. Without diving into the LEED prerequisites and credits, a candidate cannot ever guarantee passing the test; as a result, the book covers the core concepts of each LEED credit category, and then evaluates the LEED prerequisites and credits to demonstrate how those green building concepts turn into real projects with LEED requirements.

Pass the LEED Green Associate exam with flying colors!

• Thoroughly understand and apply the green building principles for life, and retain all the information you have learned
• Apply the green building and LEED principles in real life
• Know all the important things to consider during the exam beforehand

The book is also recommended for students, professionals, and anyone who has not chosen to take an LEED professional exam, but nonetheless retains a strong interest in LEED and green buildings.


For more details visit us @ LEED Exam Preparation

Source: thearchitectsguide.com/

Basic Introduction to LEED Green Associate Study Guide

This entry will focus on how the LEED rating systems are set up and the basic categories of credits. For a basic introduction to LEED green associate study guide.

The LEED Rating Systems are the sets of credits and categories that a LEED project team is aiming for. They are specific for the type of construction, like a new building would go for LEED for new construction, a school would go for LEED for Schools, a home would go for LEED for Homes.

Every rating system has the same set of categories, though the credits within them may be different.

The categories are:

• Sustainable Sites
• Water Efficiency
• Energy & Atmosphere
• Materials & Resources
• Indoor Environmental Quality
• Locations and Linkages
• Awareness & Education
• Innovation in Design
• Regional Priority

The different credits in each category may be weighted to be worth more points than other credits. Some credits allow for incremental points to be earned by how much is accomplished by the building. For example, a certain percentage decrease in water usage could result in 1 point, but by decreasing water usage by then next threshold percentage could result in 2 points.

The Energy & Atmosphere category’s credits have the most potential points to be earned.

For more details visit us @ Conserve Academy

Source: http://chewbear.beforebreakfast.net

Taking the LEED AP BD+C Exam Preparation

Last weekend I took the LEED AP Building Design + Construction (BD+C) exam, and, mercifully, passed.  (Something to be thankful for this Thanksgiving!)  I have two purposes in this post: first, to describe my study process for anyone else who's interested, and second, to reflect on the exam at a higher level, to consider whether it's a worthwhile use of one's time.

Exam Prep

I passed the LEED Green Associate exam training back in 2013, at the end of graduate school, and have been maintaining my credential since then through continuing ed and actual project experience.  I recently completed the LEED certification process for two projects at my office and am working on a third.  Overall, I felt that I had a solid foundation of understanding coming in to the LEED AP BD+C exam preparation.  I gave myself two months to prepare and used two different study guides: Gang Chen's "LEED v4 BD+C Exam Guide," plus his sample test book, and Fulya Kocak Gin's "LEED AP BD+C Exam Preparation Guide."  I also read all of the reference materials listed in the Candidate Handbook from GBCI, but skimmed the actual LEED BD+C Reference Guide rather than reading it thoroughly.

It took me forever to get through Gin's book - but I think without it, I would not have gotten much from Chen's book.  The Chen book is sparse, likely because he intends it to be used as a reference manual after the exam and not simply as a study guide; it doesn't contain any exercises or quizzes to help you retain the information.  However, it does helpfully condense the amount of material you're trying to memorize.  Ultimately, I created my own study sheets that condensed the information even further, to help me memorize just the essentials.  I can't say that I recommend either book over the other; it's probably useful to have both, as I did.  The Gin book is full of "fluff" (photos, useless charts, etc) but does have quizzes and other information that can help with memorization.

I thought both books had terrible sample exams.  They both have significant numbers of choose-all-that-apply questions (where you have to choose multiple answers in order to answer the question correctly), but my experience with the actual exam was that it did not have a lot of those type of questions.  The calculation questions in Gin's book were much too complex.  I scored quite low on both the sample exams, but scored relatively high on the actual exam.  So I wouldn't put too much stock in their sample exams, but unfortunately, I don't have any other questions to recommend.

The actual exam did involve a lot of rote memorization questions based on the LEED application process, as expected, and the rest were analytical or problem-solving questions related to the same.  I thought about 10% of questions were very unclear or difficult.  I received a score of 193 out of 200 (170 is the minimum to pass, 125 is the exam minimum), with scores of 75% or higher in each category - so I think my study strategy was effective.  Basically I read through both books, took all the sample exams, and then the week before the exam, I created my study guide and read all the reference materials.

Reflections on the Exam

I had a difficult time motivating myself to study for this exam.  The exam tests only your memorization and understanding of the LEED certification process -- nothing more.  This process is, of course, described in excruciating detail in the LEED Reference Guides, so there is absolutely no reason to memorize it.  At all.  Ever.  So why is there this whole exam and credential system around it?  As far as I can tell, it's purely about money, about a system that supports the continued existence of USGBC / GBCI and that, occasionally, results in better pay for the individuals who have gone through the system and earned the credential.  You will gain nothing more concrete from the exam preparation process than that.

Earning the credential is also, however, a signal that you think LEED, and by extension, sustainable design / green building, is important.  It indicates that you have dedicated your time and money to learning about and pursuing design strategies that fight climate change.  Even if the primary force behind the credential is money for USGBC / GBCI, the mission of those organizations is to safeguard the planet by changing the way we build and operate buildings.  So what kept me going through the snore-inducing pages of point calculations and percent-savings on energy was the thought that getting my LEED credential was an act, however small, of resistance.  Since the status quo in our country is apparently climate change denial and business-as-usual, this is one way of joining the opposition movement.  While living in California, where we have better-than-average laws and codes to combat global warming, I've sometimes forgotten that the rest of the country isn't following our lead.  The whole purpose of LEED is to provide a national, even international, standard for building design and construction that minimizes the impacts of our work on the environment.  Having spent a lot of time memorizing what the requirements are, I can attest that the principles at play in LEED are actually good ones -- a lot of emphasis is placed on choosing appropriate sites and other factors that have a much bigger impact on a building's energy use than what kind of air handling equipment it has.

I can't say that I learned anything useful from the LEED AP BD+C exam training.  I also can't say that it was easy, or that studying for it was entertaining, or that now I feel more empowered to work for green buildings, or that I am now more capable of persuading clients on why to build better buildings.  I will probably forget everything that I memorized in short order, because I won't be using the information regularly, and because the numbers change every few months when new LEED Addenda get released.  But I have made a public commitment of my time, energy, and money toward fighting climate change, and I will keep it up until being a LEED AP is no longer a signifier of something unique, and something better comes along to signify my commitment.

For more details visit us @ Conserve Academy

Source: http://notbuiltinaday.blogspot.com

Are You Ready for the New LEED v4 AP Exam?

Whether or not you’re a green building professional, you’ve probably heard of Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED), which recognizes best-in-class building strategies and practices in more than 147 countries and territories around the world. But did you know that LEED doesn’t just certify buildings; it also accredits professionals?

Tiers of LEED Accreditation

There are two levels of LEED accreditation: the LEED Green Associate (GA) and the LEED Accredited Professional (AP). Whether you’re a student, a recent graduate or a professional, the internationally-recognized LEED GA credential is the first step in establishing yourself as a serious green building professional. The LEED GA exam requires general knowledge of LEED prerequisites and credits.

After passing the LEED Green Associate exam, you may choose to take the LEED AP BD+C exam preparation , which requires specific knowledge of the prerequisites and credits for a particular rating system. LEED APs can specialize in:

• LEED Building Design and Construction ( BD+C) • LEED Interior Design and Construction (ID+C) • LEED Existing Building Operations and Maintenance (O+M) • LEED Neighborhood Development (ND) • LEED Homes (Homes)

If you are a LEED AP with a Specialty, you have in-depth knowledge of a particular LEED rating system and its building codes and standards.

Note: You may take both exams during the same testing period, but you must still pass the LEED GA exam in order to pass the LEED AP.

Eligibility and Steps for Taking the LEED v4 Exam

While you are not required to submit proof of LEED project experience when applying to take the LEED v4 exam, LEED project experience competency will be assessed on the exam, since practical experience is critical to the LEED AP designation. Therefore GBCI strongly urges candidates to gain meaningful project experience prior to taking the test.

There’s a lot to know for this exam and finding the right information can be confusing. So we at GBRI have outlined a plan for you to successfully take the exam and ways to self-evaluate your progress. The first thing to do is to register for the exam at usgbc.org and pay the registration fees. You have up to a year to take the exam from when you first registered. You can later request a specific exam date when you feel confident that you are ready. Take your time to study and really learn versus just cramming the information and forgetting it right after the exam. Also, download the Candidate Handbook and read through all of it. Links to important resources are posted in the bottom of this article.

LEED v4 Exam Format

The LEED v4 exam is comprised of two parts: the LEED Green Associate exam and the LEED AP w/ Specialty exam. Each part contains 100 randomly delivered multiple choice questions and must be completed in 2 hours. Total seat time for the LEED v4 exam will be 4 hours and 20 minutes including a tutorial and short satisfaction survey.

Exams have both scored and unscored items. All items are delivered randomly throughout the exam and candidates are not informed of an item’s status, so candidates should respond to all the items on the exam. Unscored items are used to gather performance data to inform whether the item should be scored on future exams.

For more details visit us @ LEED v4 Exam Preparation

Source: gbrionline.org

Green Cleaning and LEED AP BD+C Exam Preparation

What is Green Cleaning?
Why to go for Green Cleaning?
Green Cleaning in LEED
What is Green Cleaning?
Green cleaning refers to using cleaning methods and products with environmentally friendly ingredients and procedures which are designed to preserve human health and environmental quality.

Why Green Cleaning?
Conventional cleaning products may contain bleach, ammonia and other chemical agents that leave your home or office looking clean, but pollute the air quality. Many ingredients found in household cleaners can cause eye irritation, skin irritation, lung irritation and have been implicated as possible contributes to asthma and cancer. Children are especially vulnerable to the effects of these chemicals simply due to the fact that they are smaller and still growing

Green Cleaning products are

Non-toxic
Made with natural ingredients
Biodegradable
Hypoallergenic i.e. less allergenic
No harmful fumes
Septic tank safe
Free of petrochemicals, chlorine bleach, phosphates, nitrates, borates, kerosene, phenol, lye, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, ammonia, formaldehyde, etc.
No animal testing
Recyclable packaging
LEED and Green Cleaning
LEED O+M addresses green cleaning widely in the prerequisites and credits. In LEED AP BD+C exam preparation and ID+C projects can score Innovation credit by incorporating Green Cleaning policy. Following are the prerequisite and credits associated with Green Cleaning in LEED O+M

1. EQ Prerequisite – Green Cleaning Policy
In order to comply with the prerequisite projects much establish a green cleaning policy.

What is expected in a Green Cleaning Policy?

The green cleaning policy defines the actions necessary to reduce the level of chemical use, protect the life of the building, increase indoor air quality, and reduce the environmental harms caused by traditional cleaning programs. A good policy identifies responsible parties and outlines how to measure progress toward the goals. The requirements of the green cleaning prerequisite align with already-established third-party certifications. These certification programs outline the practices, procedures, products, and equipment of a viable green cleaning program.

Projects can use USGBC template for Green Cleaning Policy available in http://www.usgbc.org/resources/eqp-green-cleaning-policy-template

2. EQ Credit – Green Cleaning – Custodial Effectiveness
To achieve this credit project has to audit the implementation and effectiveness of Green Cleaning Policy.  The Association of Physical Plant Administrators (APPA) has developed a standard auditing procedure that managers can follow to monitor cleaning performance over time. Trends can thus be identified and best practices shared with custodial staff, creating a continuous improvement process.

3. EQ Credit – Green Cleaning – Products and Materials
This credit requires that projects should purchase green cleaning products such as floor finishes and strippers, disposable janitorial paper products, and trash bags. Green Cleaning products should contribute to 75% by choice.  Green Cleaning products should meet the requirement of the following or equivalent international standard

Green Seal
EPA Safer Choice Standard (Previously Environmental choice)
UL Eco logo
4. EQ Credit – Green Cleaning –Equipment
This credit requires projects to use of high performance cleaning equipment. High-performance green cleaning equipment typically uses less energy and water and often requires less abrasive cleaning compounds or less toxic cleaning chemicals, thereby protecting the indoor air quality of a building and limiting occupants’ exposure to chemicals. In addition, it may require fewer repairs, be more effective, and cause less damage to building surfaces.

This credit requires the purchase and use of green cleaning equipment that is certified for efficiency and ergonomic design to minimize vibration, noise, and user fatigue and thus reduce the incidence of musculoskeletal or repetitive stress injuries. At least 40% of the powered cleaning equipment should comply with the requirements of Green Cleaning Equipment

For more details visit us@ LEED AP BD+ C exam preparation

Eligibility Requirements For the LEED Green Associate (GA) And LEED AP With Specialty Exam

As you may already know, there are now two different levels of LEED exams a person can take to enroll into LEED Version 3: the LEED Green Associate (LEED GA) exam, and a LEED AP Specialty exam.

New in LEED v3, there are now eligibility requirements that a person must fulfill in order to be qualified to take either the LEED GA exam and the LEED Specialty exam. The eligibility requirements are different for both and are detailed in this article.

To be eligible for the LEED Green Associate exam, a person must fulfill at least one of the following eligibility options. The first option is to have previous experience supporting a LEED registered project. Secondly, a person can have experience working in a sustainable field of work. The architecture and engineering fields are obviously in a sustainable field of work, but the eligibility requirements becomes a little obscure with other, "less obvious"places of work. Simply put, if a place of work can somehow related to sustainability and green design, then it will most likely qualify for the eligibility requirement.

Thirdly, a person can attend an education program that addresses green building principles.

For the LEED AP with Specialty exam, which includes Building Design and Construction (BD&C), Interior Design and Construction (ID&C), Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance (O&M), LEED for Homes and LEED for Neighborhood Development, there is simply just one eligibility requirement. However, the requirement is one that is sure to be a hurdle for many new candidates who want to become a LEED AP under LEED Version 3. A person applying for a LEED AP specialty exam must have previous experience with a LEED registered project within three years of the application submittal date.

Many people will not be able to meet this requirement. If this is the case, those people can always become eligible for a LEED Green Associate exam and pass that first, and hopefully gain experience working on a LEED registered project, thus enabling them to take a LEED AP Specialty exam.

The requirements for both the LEED GA and LEED Specialty exam must be documented in the form of a letter, written by a supervisor, project manager, client, etc. of the candidate. The letter should also explain how the candidate participated as well.

If you are already a LEED AP from a previous version of the LEED exam, then you have a different path to enter LEED Version 3


For more details visit us @ LEED Green Associate Study Guide

Source: http://www.intheleed.com