The Certified Green Broker TM designation.
Sustainability in the commercial real estate industry has evolved from a trend to an economic reality. Investment analysts confirm that the value of commercial buildings is significantly impacted by sustainable features. Government agencies have requirements in place for sustainability in construction, property management and energy use. Tenants and investors are demanding green practices.
What does this mean for the commercial broker and what knowledge must a commercial broker obtain to adequately represent their customers and clients?
The Commercial Brokers Association (CBA) has developed the Certified Green BrokerTM designation for the commercial real estate industry and related professions. The Certification program enables industry professionals to identify the essential issues related to green features of projects and provide relevant counsel on the benefits of buying, leasing, managing and building green. The program offers 30 hours of real estate continuing education credit, 30 hours GBCI LEED hours and gives brokers the right to display the certification on their marketing materials.
A Certified Green BrokerTM must successfully complete required courses that cover core competencies related to building green, and receive a 75% passing grade on a comprehensive examination. To obtain the Certificate, applicants must be licensed real estate brokers.
Course Content
- Principles of Sustainable Building
- Defining Green: Rating Systems
- Ecology, Culture and Commerce (the Big Picture)
- Cost of Ownership
- Leasing Opportunities
- What is the Cost of Going Green?
- Why does location matter?
- Impacts Associated with Development
- Examples of Green Developments & Related Cost/Benefits
- What is a Green Tenant Improvement?
- Negotiating a Green Lease for Your Client
- What is a Green Shell and core?
- The Green Approach to Property/Portfolio Management
- Typical occupant uses
- Energy Sources
- Trends in new commercial construction and tenant improvements
- Cost benefit summary
- Linkages between health, well-being and productivity
- Physical, psychological and financial benefits of daylight and views
- Why/how is controllability/operability rewarded in LEED and other rating systems?
- What is comfort?
- Indoor Air Quality
- Trends in new commercial construction, tenant improvements
- Cost benefit summary
- What makes a material green?
- Toxicity and controversial materials
- Material certifications and other ways to determine if a material is green
- How to find a "green supplier?"
- There is no such thing as waste
- Trends in new commercial construction, tenant improvements
- Cost benefit summary
- Site Offerings
- Water as a resource
- Stormwater: keeping it on site
- Beyond the Site: light pollution, light trespass and heat island effect
- Cost benefits summary
- Experience successful green buildings in person
- Compare different strategies employed at various green sites
How to take the course:
After purchasing the course you will receive a subscriber login, which can be entered at the top of this page. The course consists of two parts: the course instruction and a timed final exam. All course instruction and quizzes must be completed before taking the final exam.
The Certified Green BrokerTM program can also be taken for real estate continuing education credit without obtaining the certification. To obtain the certification, a student must complete a 250 question final exam. For continuing education credit without obtaining the certification, the student must take a 90 question final exam. Students must pass either exam with at least a 75% passing grade.
You must complete the course within 90 days. If a passing grade is not achieved on the final exam, a student can re-test. If a passing grade is not achieved on the re-test final exam, the full course must be repeated before taking the final exam again. There is no fee for re-testing; repeating the course is subject to the full course purchase fee. Refunds are not available.
Testimonials
"The class was easy to take over the internet and the materials were very well presented. There were tons of links to other sources, which exposed me to the whole green world. I recently spoke about this with a developer who does a lot of GSA work and I told him I had taken the Green Broker class through CBA. He checked it out while we were talking. His feedback was “This Is Great, this level of education is ideal for the brokerage community. Very much in demand."
- Constance Wilde, vice-president, CB Richard Ellis, Seattle, WA
"It's about the value equation in sustainable high performance buildings. As tenants and users continue to move toward meeting these objectives, knowledgeable real estate professionals will be be sought-out"
- Douglas Howe - president, Touchstone Corporation, Seattle, WA