West Michigan Chapter

FAQ

Membership

Sponsoring

Mailing Address

Newsletters

USGBC Logo

Events/Workshops

LEED/LEED AP

EGB

How can I join your chapter?
Complete instructions on how to join have been posted at

Anyone who joins the chapter will need to first make sure that they have established a USGBC website account. This above link will allow you to join the West Michigan Chapter with the option of creating a new account. Also, please be aware that Adobe Reader 7.0 must be used when using this online form.

Also, if your firm decides to procure National membership, our local Chapter will receive a portion of the membership fees if that firm denotes the West Michigan Chapter as the referring chapter.

What different types of memberships do you offer?
Various types of memberships and costs of joining are listed at

What are the differences in National and Chapter membership? An article addressing these membership differences has been posted in our November 2006 newsletter at

I am a new member. Now what?
Welcome, and congratulations! We are so glad that you have decided to take this important step. Membership in the West Michigan Chapter of the USGBC entitles you to discounts on USGBC and LEED programs and publications, including Greenbuild International Conference & Expo registration, LEED Training Workshops, LEED Reference Guides, the LEED AP Exam, LEED Project Registration, and LEED Certification Fees. Members also gain access to a vast network of green building expertise, and connections with other sustainably-minded individuals both locally and nationally.

New members often find it helpful to attend a Member Circle - a member-driven exchanges of ideas, resources and information. For more information, please check out our Events page at

If you are a young professional or student, you may want to consider exploring the Emerging Green Builders program.
Finally, if you have any further questions, feel free to contact your chapter at

Do you have a membership list?
We do not currently maintain a public membership list. This list is maintained by USGBC National. If you have a question concerning this topic, please contact

How can I sponsor one of your events?
One way to support the sustainability movement in West Michigan is by helping to sponsor a Chapter event during the year. If you have an interest in sponsoring a West Michigan Chapter event, please contact us via direct mail or email Linda Frey at

What is your mailing address?
Our chapter mailing address is:

USGBC West Michigan
PO Box 6332
Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6332

How can I receive your newsletters?
In order to be added to our members and partners email list, please send an email to Brad Newman at
We will in turn add your email address to the West Michigan Chapter Newsletter recipient list. This means that around the first of each month (September through May) you will receive a newsletter that informs our readers about what is happening in the West Michigan Chapter of USGBC. During the course of a month, you may also receive emails that inform our members of various events taking place.

You can also find an entire archive of West Michigan Chapter Newsletters at

What are your newsletter guidelines?
Please refer to

What are the rules for using USGBC logos?
As stated in the Communications Guidelines for Members, please note that a member of the West Michigan Chapter, who is not a member of the national USGBC, does not have legal use of the USGBC organization or Chapter logo. Only Chapter Officers can use the Chapter logo. A member logo is available for members. For more information about proper use of the USGBC Member logo and West Michigan Chapter logo, please see:

Where can I find a list of events in the local chapter area?
Currently, we are trying to post all events with contact information in our newsletters. Please see our latest newsletter at

How can I locate USGBC endorsed LEED® workshops?
To find the most recently posted LEED workshops in your area, visit
> EDUCATION > USGBC Courses > Register
On workshop type, select search for Any. This should give you a complete list of what is currently available.

Our monthly newsletters may also verify these events.

You can also directly email to ask for specific workshops in your area.

How can I find a list of LEED-registered or certified buildings?
You can find a complete list of LEED-registered projects at
Select the Registered tab, and then select the state you wish to search and then click on Search - this should list several pages of LEED registered projects for that state. Projects where owners have requested confidentiality will not be displayed. LEED-registered buildings may or may not have procured certification yet – for this list select the Certified tab.

Where can I locate a list of sustainable materials for my green building project?
The USGBC does not maintain a list of sustainable materials. As the building market moves toward green building (as opposed to the way we always used to do it), product manufacturers are taking a keen interest in how their products can bring LEED points to a green building project. One way to determine if a specific product may procure a LEED point in a green building project is to examine the criteria for achieving that point in the current LEED rating system being considered. Some information may be available at > Resources

What is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)?
LEED is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED gives building owners and operators the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings’ performance. LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. For more information on the various LEED rating systems, see > LEED > LEED Rating Systems

What is the LEED AP (Accredited Professional) designation?
The LEED AP Professional Accreditation distinguishes building professionals with the knowledge and skills to successfully steward the LEED certification process. LEED APs have demonstrated a thorough understanding of green building practices and principles and the LEED Rating System. More than 43,000 people have earned the credential since the Professional Accreditation program was launched in 2001. Michigan has over 1000 LEED APs, many of whom are in West Michigan. For more information, visit the national USGBC website at

How do I become a LEED Accredited Professional?
Some good information to help you prepare for the LEED AP exam can be found at
> LEED > Professional Accreditation

If you can't find what you are looking for, you can contact USGBC directly at

Peruse these topics to find out what and how to study for the exam. At this location, there is a link where you can download the Candidate Handbook.

Currently, USGBC offers three different LEED AP exams; LEED for New Construction (NC), LEED for Commercial Interiors (CI), and LEED for Existing Buildings (EB).

Regarding specific training you can take to help you pass the exam, USGBC offers online basic LEED courses at
> Education > Online Courses

Before taking the LEED AP exam for LEED-NC (which is currently based on LEED-NC 2.2), it is highly recommended that you purchase and become familiar with the LEED-NC 2.2 Reference Guide. This guide will contain the LEED-NC 2.2 Rating System, which can be located at
> LEED > LEED Rating Systems > New Construction, Version 2.2.

Note that USGBC also offers access to Credit Interpretation Rulings for many LEED credits via a firm account (National member of USGBC), although a thorough study of the Rating System and Reference Guide should enable you to pass the exam.

The above mentioned documents will help you understand the intent behind each LEED credit. The LEED NC 2.2 exam will require a thorough knowledge of the LEED NC 2.2 Rating System and some knowledge of the other rating systems in order to pass the first time.

Does the West Michigan Chapter currently offer a LEED-AP Exam Prep Course?
Currently, our chapter is in partnership with JHStivers Project Services, LLC in offering a LEED-AP Exam Prep Course which is based on LEED-NC 2.2. If you are interested in this course, please contact John Stivers directly at:

What is the Emerging Green Builders program?
Emerging Green Builders are students and young professionals dedicated to becoming and recruiting the future leaders of the green building movement. EGB groups offer opportunities to get involved in green building at a local level, and also include an annual Natural Talent Design Competition, a job/internship posting list resources for green building, and coordination with education and university programs. For more information on local chapter involvement, please visit

More information is also available at