New course open to ALL majors.
Practical experience in green building certification.
Mondays and Wednesdays at 1:00-2:00 PM via Zoom
*The course has reached capacity.
LEED Lab is a hands-on building sustainability program where students assess the performance of existing facilities on campus and certify these buildings under LEED for Operations and Maintenance (LEED O+M).
LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the most widely used green building rating system in the world. Any building has the potential to achieve silver, gold, or platinum certification based on a variety of sustainability measures such as energy efficiency, water use, and waste reduction. This system is organized and supported by the US Green Building Council.
UCLA has direct initiatives toward achieving green building certifications through the UC Policy on Sustainable Practices. By joining LEED Lab, you would be gaining real-world experience in sustainability work, as well as helping UCLA move closer to fulfilling these ambitious goals.
Check out the class syllabus for more details on the course description for fall 2020.
Why Should I Join LEED Lab?
1. LEED Lab gives you the opportunity to gain practical experience in green building assessment and looks great on a resume. These are skills that employers look for and make you more successful in your career after graduation.
2. You can enroll in LEED Lab as a 199 contract course for 2 units per quarter (596 course for graduate students). Please find instructions on how to enroll here. Enrollment will not occur until the beginning of fall quarter. Or, if you are maxed out on units, you can also just take the course as an extracurricular activity. All are welcome!
3. By the end of this year-long course, you will have enough hands-on experience and training to be able to complete the online test and become an accredited LEED professional. Funding may be available for testing fees.
Due to COVID-19 and remote classes, we anticipate that some students will not be on campus to participate in the hands-on portion of the course. Sessions where the students collect data from the facilities will be recorded so that they are accessible to everyone. Additional videos and content will also be provided to supplement learning.
Meet The Instructor: Todd Lynch
Todd Lynch is the Principal Project Planner for UCLA Capital Programs. He is a LEED and green buildings expert who has helped many campus facilities achieve LEED certification. Todd is also a lecturer in the Department of Architecture and Urban Design and has served as the stakeholder on several Sustainability Action Research (SAR) teams.
Todd has been working with the Office of Sustainability to bring LEED Labs to UCLA for almost a decade. Thanks to the work of students from Bruin Home Solutions and various staff and faculty, we were awarded funding from The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF) to facilitate this inaugural year of LEED Lab. Todd is very passionate about this program and optimistic about the potential for widespread student involvement in building sustainability at UCLA.