Certify Multiple Times with LEED EBOM. With LEED EBOM, the first time the building goes through certification is called the Initial Certification. Every one to five years, a building can apply for Recertification to maintain their LEED EBOM Status. There is no fee to do the recertification, and it's a cinch after the Initial Certification, because all of the policies and procedures are already in place.
Cost of Registration. The cost to register the project is $900 for USGBC members and $1,200 for non-members for initial certification, and is free for recertification.
Save Money by Becoming a USGBC Member. Do note that becoming a USGBC member will bring significant cost savings throughout the LEED education, documentation and certifications process, plus help the advocacy and research of the 501c3. Membership costs vary by size and type of organization, from $300 to $5,000.
No Matter How You Slice It: LEED EBOM Is Complicated and You'll NEED a Knowledgeable Team. All of the LEED rating systems have their own nuances and LEED EBOM is no exception. What's unique about the process is that it brings together a variety of stakeholders around a common purpose. For EBOM, you'll have at the table:
- Property Managers
- Facility Managers
- Building Owners
- Business Owners
- Building Users (Staff)
- Groundskeepers
- Building Engineers
- Food Service Managers
- and possibly, multiple Tenants.
This team will be working together to ensure that the LEED EBOM policies, procedures, targets and documentation are met. Multi-tenant buildings are particularly challenging because they require the commitment and participation of tenants, sometimes with wildly diverging interests and abilities to meet the requirements.
- Consider the skill set of the group as demonstrated by past experience and number of LEED projects already certified.
- Acquire necessary education and check out real world case studies.
- Hire a LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP) or become one.
The USGBC recognizes a distinguished professional who has knowledge of the LEED rating system through the LEED AP credential. Having a LEED AP with EBOM Specialty on the team will help to streamline the process and minimize the cost of the LEED documentation, as well as add additional points to the overall LEED point tally.
Above All, Have Fun! Once your team gets the hang of how the process works and achieves the initial EBOM Certification, you'll have plenty of reason to celebrate. Having the policies, procedures and tools to measure and evaluate building performance will bring everyone together in the spirit of a common goal, and for that it's time to celebrate!