Opened the email with the "news" and instead of adding the very much needed individual memership structure for all those folks out there whose organization will not join USGBC or connect them to their corporate ID or even those between jobs - low and behold the memership structure has just taken away my value to my dozens of clients as an independent LEED Manager. I have a couple employees - use experienced contract professionals as needed and now will no longer be valued by the USGBC/GBCI in the certificaiton process any more than a non-member. COngratulations to all the architecture firms who must have lobbied for this to put us consultants right out of business. Guess you just couldn't handle the competition eh?
Going to take a break, gather my wits, and proceed with my next client Design Review response with or without support from USGBC!
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Hernando Miranda
OwnerSoltierra LLC
344 thumbs up
September 17, 2012 - 1:35 pm
This is a 5x membership fee increase. My firm is just me but I do hire outside consultants. I paid the annual membership dues one month ago. I now have to pass on another $1,200 to the USGBC to keep my contractual obligations for my few projects.
To larger firms the added cost is nothing to worry about. They can spread the increase out over a larger number of projects.
Bill Swanson
Sr. Electrical EngineerIntegrated Design Solutions
LEEDuser Expert
734 thumbs up
September 17, 2012 - 4:17 pm
This is most likely an attempt to make up for the dropping membership numbers. When the economy took a nose dive so did their membership. They stopped posting numbers a couple years ago but it's probably still going down. So this is their solution to fill the revenue hole.
Hernando Miranda
OwnerSoltierra LLC
344 thumbs up
September 17, 2012 - 4:45 pm
Falling revenue is an issue. Not just for the USGBC but for consultants. This year I am expecting a 30% drop in gross income. Next year I hope it doesn't drop to 50% of 2011. That's the point at which expenses exceed income.
The way a business manages reduced income is by cutting expenses. You can also, as I have, reduce the costs of LEED consulting proposal to improve the chances of getting more work.
The USGBC needs to cut costs. I don't believe the USGBC realizes how much the LEED market has shrunk in the least few years. I see it continuing to shrink.
It is going to get very ugly in the LEED consulting business in the next few years. A lot of small firms will go out of business. It is already happening.
Eric Johnson
271 thumbs up
October 3, 2012 - 9:04 pm
18,000 Members - 4/29/2010
13,000 Members - 10/3/2012
Peggy White
White + GreenSpec88 thumbs up
October 3, 2012 - 11:49 pm
Meanwhile, I'm guessing that the staff has grown in these past two years - does anyone know by how much?
Hernando Miranda
OwnerSoltierra LLC
344 thumbs up
October 4, 2012 - 12:10 am
Someone who knows the USGBC people well told me the staff turnover rate is very high.
That someone also told me the following: Staff gets hired. Learns the special ins and outs of LEED, things that outsiders don't get to learn. Staff gets hired away with a very good offer to leave the USGBC and go to work getting LEED projects through the system for private clients.
Jill Perry, PE
ConsultantJill Perry, LLC
LEEDuser Expert
440 thumbs up
October 10, 2012 - 1:40 pm
Back to one of Karen's original points, does anyone know why you have to be employed at a USGBC Membership firm before you can be a member? There are a lot of organizations that allow individual membership. It seems counter to the organization's objective of market transformation if only those who are already in the market are allowed to join.