The focus on environmental design, sustainability, and green living in the twenty-first century has sparked interest in green architecture and sustainable design. You can become a green architect in a variety of ways, depending on how much time and money you have to devote to the endeavor. You can get a bachelor’s degree in environmental architecture, a master’s degree in environmental architecture, or become a certified Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) professional if you’re already an established architect. All three of these methods, individually or in combination, will assist you in becoming a green architect.
If you’re thinking about getting a degree in architecture, look into programs that specialize in environmental architecture. Yale University, for example, offers a joint Master of Architecture and Master of Environmental Management program that is specifically designed to prepare you to work as a green architect. Some bachelor’s degree programs combine those specialties: the Massachusetts College of Art and Design offers a Bachelor of Science degree in environmental design and architecture, as do North Carolina State University, St. John’s International University in Italy, and others. Inquire about a combined architecture and environmental studies degree from your local college or university’s architecture program. If they don’t have a degree that meets your requirements, you might be able to design your own curriculum using a combination of your architecture major and a minor, certifications, and elective coursework in environmental management and design.
Although some colleges and universities offer four-year pre-professional environmental architecture degrees that can help you become a green architect, you must have completed a five-year bachelor’s or master’s program to qualify for the Architecture Registration Examination. If you have a pre-professional degree, you may need to take an extra year of architectural courses to be eligible for the exam. You can earn your master’s degree after your pre-professional degree instead of taking that extra year of coursework, which will also help you qualify for the exam.
A seasoned professional interested in becoming a green architect should consider earning LEED certification. Many professionals strive to add LEED certification to their credentials after the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) took over management of the LEED credentialing program from the US Green Building Council in 2009. The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) uses LEED as a measurement tool and rating system to evaluate green buildings in the United States and Canada.
To become LEED certified, you must pass an exam that assesses your understanding of the LEED rating system as well as environmental building issues. LEED Green Associate, LEED AP, and LEED Fellow are the three levels of certification, and you must meet different requirements to qualify for each stage. Details on those requirements can be found on the GBCI’s website.