A Green Building Careers Program That Gets Students Credentialed

 

Green building is one of the fastest growing sectors in the American economy. Demand for credentialed professionals in construction, architecture, engineering, and facilities management is real and it is growing. But most high school students — including students in CTE construction and sustainability pathways — have no route to an industry credential before they graduate.

The LEED Green Associate certification is one of the most recognized entry-level credentials in the green building industry. It signals technical knowledge, professional readiness, and a commitment to sustainable practice. And it is achievable by high school students with the right preparation.

We built this program to provide that preparation.

What the Program Is

The ILE Strategies LEED GA Exam Prep Program is a project-based course designed for CTE schools. Students design a mock LEED-certified school building — the Brooklyn Eco-Academy — working through every credit domain of the LEED for Schools rating system as a project team.

They are not memorizing definitions. They are making real decisions: sizing a solar array, mapping transit access, auditing materials, designing for water efficiency. Every concept on the exam becomes a problem they have to solve.

By the end of the program students have completed a full LEED scorecard, produced professional-quality design work, presented their decisions to peers and reviewers, and sat for a simulated practice exam.

Two Formats 

The program runs as a 15-week intensive or a full 30-week track. Both follow the same curriculum sequence and lead to the same student outcomes. Format is chosen based on your school’s scheduling needs.

The 15-week version moves through each credit domain together as a class. Collaborative, guided, and designed to fit within a single semester block.

The 30-week version gives students time to work in design teams, use industry software, complete peer review cycles, and produce a capstone presentation at the end of the year.

Programs are delivered in person in the NYC metro area and online in other regions across the US. Online courses are live (we meet weekly). 

To ensure high engagement and interaction with students we do NOT offer asynchronous courses as this time.

Who Delivers It

The program is delivered by ILE Strategies co-founders Anasa Laude and Franky Laude with a host of educational partners. Anasa is a LEED AP credentialed practitioner, graduate-level educator, and published peer reviewed work on teaching environmental entrepreneurship. Franky holds a LEED for Cities certification, an MFA in Multimedia Design, and brings nearly 15 years of university teaching experience. He leads the design and software instruction component, teaching students to produce professional-quality project deliverables using industry tools.

Standards Alignment

The program aligns with Next Generation Science Standards, Common Core State Standards in Mathematics and ELA, and state CTE technical standards for construction and sustainability pathways.

Download the Full Program Framework

The framework document includes the complete curriculum overview, standards alignment, program format details, and logistics. Download it below or reach out to schedule a conversation about bringing the program to your students.

 Download our Green Building Careers Program Framework PDF.

Interested in bringing our program to your school? 

Contact Us!