This summer 2014, an interdisciplinary mix of LSU students completed the Sustainable Design Strategies course took and then passed the professional accreditation exam qualifying them as LEED, or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, Green Associates. The student who participated in the course included undergraduates in interior design, one undergraduate and one graduate student in the School of Architecture, and a graduate student studying finance—working toward a profession in real estate—at the LSU E. J. Ourso College of Business.

The course was taught by Matthew Edmonds, professional in residence at the LSU School of Interior Design. Edmonds, owner and designer of Commercial Design Interiors, is an NCIDQ certified designer, a registered interior designer in Louisiana and Texas, and a LEED AP BD+C.

Sustainable Design Strategies (ID 4772) is an intensive lecture course devoted to preparing students for the knowledge and skills that a LEED Green Associate and Accredited Professional will need in order to be affective in the field. The course focuses on LEED ID+C (Interior Design + Construction) guidelines and credits. Students in the course develop a clearer understanding of various features of the LEED Green Building rating system; review and discuss the intent, requirements, and potential technologies and strategies for each credit within the rating system; are introduced to case study examples to reinforce the implementation of LEED strategies; and prepare for the US Green Building Council’s (USGBC) revised LEED Professional Accreditation Exam.

Those enrolled in the course are encouraged but not required to take the exam. While the exam is an additional cost, many jobs in the design professions require green building expertise. Designation as a LEED Green Associates certifies that an individual has an up-to-date understanding of the most current green building principles and practices and is committed to his or her professional future.

“Since this class has been offered, more than 80 students have taken and passed the LEED Green Associate exam,” said Edmonds.

“Edmonds’s summer course is an excellent example of the School of Interior Design’s commitment to offering students coursework that is relevant to contemporary practice and facilitating their future leadership in the profession,” added Jim Sullivan, associate professor and chair of the School of Interior Design.

Many design professionals continue to earn credentials and take examinations leading to the LEED AP designation, which distinguishes the individual as one with advanced knowledge in green building as well as expertise in a particular LEED rating system, such as ID+C (Interior Design+ Construction) or BD+C (Building Design + Construction).

Visit usgbc.org for more information about the US Green Building Council and LEED credentials.

About LSU School of Interior Design
The LSU School of Interior Design is a CIDA accredited program emphasizing design that brings meaning and identity, function and purpose, health and safety to interior spaces. The program teaches specialized knowledge in creative problem solving, research and analysis, and professional preparedness. Interior designers give life to interior spaces. They shape, organize, furnish, and adorn the insides of buildings to reflect our personal and cultural aspirations. For more information, visit interiordesign.lsu.edu.