Close
GBCSA / Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

The GBCSA has implemented a system where Accredited Professionals are arranged in three distinct tiers dependent on qualification, experience and level of activity and engagement in the industry.

Answers to any questions related to the professionalisation route, experience and skill required and how to achieve and maintain accreditation can be found on this page.

1. What are the various Accredited Professional types?

Accredited Professionals are arranged in three distinct tiers dependent on qualification, experience and level of activity and engagement in industry.

These three tiers are as follows:

Accredited Professional Candidate (APc)

These are students or recent graduates in building industry related field with less than 6 months industry experience who have completed the GBCSA’s Green Building Certification Program through their university. Upon graduating and gaining 6 months of industry experience, an APc can go on to become an AP by attending the Accredited Professional Workshop in the tool that they have opted to specialize in and signing the Accredited Professional Agreement.

Accredited Professional (AP)

An AP is an individual has met qualifying requirements, completed an Accredited Professional Program in their chosen specialization and signed an Accredited Professional Agreement with the GBCSA. More detail regarding qualifying requirements can be found in the AP Protocol document.

Accredited Professional Practitioner (AP+)

An AP+ is an AP that has demonstrated higher levels of activity through practicing as an AP and engagement with the GBCSA through attending training, events, tours and other knowledge sharing events in a 12 month period. Various different AP specializations are available that cover Green Star and Net Zero Certification Systems. An individual can be recognized can have status in one or many specializations.

2. How can I become an Accredited Professional?

To become an AP, you will need the following:

Meet the qualifying requirements by having relevant qualifications and/or experience

Successfully completed the Accredited Professional Program/s of your choice

Signed the Accredited Professional Agreement

To become an AP+, you will need to:

Be an active AP

Be actively involved in certification and/or attend events to minimum standard in a rolling 12 month period

3. How do I maintain my status as an Accredited Professional?

An APc retains status until they meet requirement to be recognized as AP.

To maintain your status as an active AP, you will need to earn between 5 and 9 points in a rolling 12 month period through involvement in certification as AP, supporting AP or in a professional role, through acting as assessor, moderator or faculty member or through attending events, courses, tours or knowledge sharing sessions. Should you not meet this requirement, you will lose your active status until such time as your are able to accumulate sufficient points to warrant reinstatement. You will not be required to take refresher training or rewrite an exam. If you have AP status in more than one tool type, you do not need to maintain them separately, 5 to 9 points requirement apply whether you are AP in one or many specializations.

An AP+ will retain status for as long as they maintain 10 points and above in a rolling 12 months. Should they not do so they will drop down to AP until they meet the AP+ requirements once more.

Points are allocated automatically via GBCSA systems requiring no further inputs from you. Your score is updated monthly and can be viewed on your Personal GBCSA Dashboard.

The Accredited Professional Directory will display your current AP status to assist potential clients in selecting their professional teams.

Any AP or AP+, is able to apply for a sabbatical from these requirements for maternity or paternity leave or any other reasonable break in professional life if communicated and agreed with GBCSA.

4. How do I become an Accredited Professional Practitioner?

To become an AP+, you will need to:

Be an active AP

Be actively involved in certification and/or attend events to minimum standard in a rolling 12 month period

5. What is an Accredited Professional Candidate?

Accredited Professional Candidate (APc)

These are students or recent graduates in building industry related field with less than 6 months industry experience who have completed the GBCSA’s Green Building Certification Program through their university. Upon graduating and gaining 6 months of industry experience, an APc can go on to become an AP by attending the Accredited Professional Workshop in the tool that they have opted to specialize in and signing the Accredited Professional Agreement.

6. What skills will I acquire during Accredited Professional training?

During the AP training for chosen specialization you will learn:

The environmental and socio-economic case for green building

Benefits of certification

Certification requirements and processes

Tool structure and content

How to develop a certification strategy for your tool of choice

How tool of choice is applied in practice

7. What does an Accredited Professional do?

An Accredited Professional guides the project team in the application of the chosen rating tool to a project and will often also advise of technical aspects of the project related to green building strategies. They are responsible for the submission of the project to the GBCSA for certification and will need to manage the preparation of this submission of behalf of the project team.

8. If I have previously attended an Accredited Professional workshop can I still become and Accredited Professional?

Yes, after attending the workshop you are entitled to complete the online course and write the online exam at any time that suits you. You will only be recognized as an AP if you meet the qualifying requirements though anyone who is interested may do the training.

9. What is the difference between an Accredited Professional and Accredited Professional Practitioner?

An Accredited Professional Practitioner or AP+ is an AP who has demonstrated high levels of activity and engagement in the green building industry in the last 2 months.

10. When I become an Accredited Professional, can  include my status as part of my title to promote my services?

5. What is an Accredited Professional Candidate?Yes, you are encouraged to note your accreditation when promoting your services. You can include your credential as part of your title on your business card, email signature, throughout your LinkedIn profile and in any other appropriate location. You may also include content on your website to promote your new services.

11. Is it mandatory for a client to hire an Accredited Professional for a project to be certified?

In most cases but not all, it is mandatory to have an active AP or AP+ on a project team if the project wishes to pursue certification. Please check the detail of the relevant technical manual of the tool to be applied for further detail.

Added to Cart

Checkout