Green Building Education Services

What Green Building Education Services does

Green Building Education Services (GBES) is an Atlanta-based training institute, founded in 2007 and operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of TÜV SÜD, that delivers exam preparation, continuing education, and specialty training for green building and sustainability professionals. Its core offering is a learning management system hosted at university.gbes.com that delivers practice test questions (400-600 per exam), flashcards, study guides, video training, live trainings, and GBCI-approved continuing education courses. Products cover LEED credentials (Green Associate, AP BD+C, O+M, ID+C, ND, Homes), WELL AP, and SITES AP, sold as individual exam prep bundles, subscription tiers (GBES CORE, GBES PRO, and the legacy GBES UNLIMITED at $295/yr), and premium masterclasses.

GBES monetizes through a mix of one-time exam prep purchases, annual subscriptions bundling exam prep with CE hours, individual CE course bundles, and corporate training (Corporate Discount Program, Corporate Learning Hub, Customized Training). Distribution is product-led via self-serve e-commerce on gbes.com, supplemented by SEO/content marketing, the Green Building Matters podcast, partner discounts with 10+ green building vendors, and Official Education Partner relationships with USGBC, IWBI, AIA, and CMAA. The company has served over 170,000 professionals since 2007 and reports 46,315 CE courses, 17,916 exam prep products, and 485 certificate courses completed in 2025, with a claimed 95% first-time pass rate for students using its materials. Operating with 11-50 employees and headquartered at 5607 Glenridge Dr., Suite 250, Atlanta, GBES functions as a profitable, niche-focused education platform within TÜV SÜD's broader global testing, inspection, and certification portfolio.

Name

Green Building Education Services

Legal name

Green Building Education Services

Website

https://gbes.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Green Building Education Services (GBES), a wholly-owned subsidiary of TÜV SÜD, provides LEED, WELL, and SITES exam preparation plus continuing education courses to green building professionals through a self-serve learning platform and subscription model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Certification Training

NAICS

Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Credentialing, Digital Badges & Micro-Credential Platforms (EDAFADAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Online Learning Content & Course Publishing Platforms (BPAMAJAL), Corporate Learning & Training Content Development (EDAGAKAC)

Keywords

• LEED exam preparation
• Green building certification
• Continuing education credits
• Sustainability training
• Professional credentialing

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Subscription Revenue (GBES CORE, PRO): Annual subscription model providing tiered access to exam prep courses, CE hours, live trainings, and specialty classes. CORE includes 15 CE hours/year; PRO includes unlimited CE hours.
2. Individual Exam Prep Products: One-time purchase of specific credential exam prep bundles (LEED Green Associate v5, LEED AP BD+C v4/v5, etc.) including practice tests, flashcards, and study guides.
3. Continuing Education Courses: Individual CE course purchases and credit bundles for credential maintenance. Multiple credential-specific bundles available (LEED GA, LEED AP BD+C, O+M, ID+C, Homes, ND; WELL AP; AIA).
4. Corporate Training: Enterprise B2B training solutions including Corporate Discount Program, Corporate Learning Hub, and Customized Training for organizations.
5. Masterclasses: Premium specialty courses such as LEED Project Manager, Regenerative Design, and Product Carbon Lead Auditor programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

GBES develops and sells online exam preparation and continuing education courses for green building and sustainability credentials, including LEED, WELL, and SITES. The catalog covers every active LEED credential (Green Associate, AP BD+C, AP O+M, AP ID+C, AP ND, AP HOMES), single-topic CE courses, masterclasses, and live training series delivered through a proprietary online learning platform. The business also runs a Corporate Learning Hub that lets organizations assign, track, and manage staff training at scale.

Product overview

Green Building Education Services (GBES) — a company of TÜV SÜD — operates a multi-format education platform offering credential exam prep, continuing education (CE) courses, specialty masterclasses, and corporate training for green building and sustainability professionals. The core offering is organized around three subscription tiers (GBES CORE and GBES PRO) and individual exam prep products. Exam prep products cover LEED credentials (LEED Green Associate v5, LEED AP BD+C v4/v5, LEED AP O+M v4/v5, LEED AP ID+C v4/v5, LEED AP ND v4, LEED AP HOMES v4), WELL AP v2, and SITES AP, sold as standalone products and bundled packs (Platinum and Silver). Continuing education credit bundles support GBCI credential maintenance for LEED, WELL, and AIA holders with auto-reporting to USGBC/GBCI. Specialty courses cover LEED v5 fundamentals, resiliency, waste auditing, ESG data, Zero Net Carbon design, GRESB benchmarking, and ethics. Masterclasses include LEED Project Manager and Regenerative Design. Corporate offerings include group discounts, a dedicated learning hub, and customized training. Free resources include practice test questions, candidate handbooks, scorecards, and glossary documents in multiple languages. The platform is delivered via a learning management system (LMS) at university.gbes.com, supplemented by live training sessions, webinars, and mp3 audio study materials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• GBES CORE Subscription Self-paced online subscription delivering foundational LEED study content and exam prep for individual sustainability professionals.
• GBES PRO Subscription Premium individual subscription combining the full CORE catalog with comprehensive continuing education credits, advanced LEED AP specialty exam prep, and priority study materials.
• LEED Green Associate v5 Exam Prep Course Self-paced online exam preparation course covering all knowledge areas for the USGBC LEED Green Associate v5 credential, designed for entry-level sustainability professionals.
• LEED AP Building Design and Construction v5 Exam Prep Course Self-paced online exam preparation for the LEED AP BD+C credential focused on new construction and major renovation projects.
• LEED AP Operations and Maintenance v5 Exam Prep Course Self-paced online exam preparation for the LEED AP O+M credential targeted at existing-building operations professionals.
• LEED AP Interior Design and Construction v5 Exam Prep Course Self-paced online exam preparation for the LEED AP ID+C credential focused on tenant fit-out and interior projects.
• LEED AP Neighborhood Development v4 Exam Prep Course Self-paced online exam preparation for the LEED AP ND credential covering master-planning and community-scale development.
• LEED AP Homes v4 Exam Prep Course Self-paced online exam preparation for the LEED AP Homes credential focused on residential design and construction.
• WELL AP v2 Exam Prep Course Self-paced online exam preparation for the IWBI WELL Accredited Professional v2 credential focused on health and wellbeing in buildings.
• SITES AP Exam Prep Course Self-paced online exam preparation for the Sustainable SITES Initiative SITES Accredited Professional credential focused on sustainable landscape design.
• LEED AP BD+C Platinum Pack Premium bundle combining the LEED AP BD+C exam prep course with bonus content, practice tests, and study tools.
• LEED AP O+M Platinum Pack Premium bundle combining the LEED AP O+M exam prep course with bonus content, practice tests, and study tools.
• LEED AP ID+C Platinum Pack Premium bundle combining the LEED AP ID+C exam prep course with bonus content, practice tests, and study tools.
• LEED AP ND Silver Pack Mid-tier bundle pairing the LEED AP ND exam prep course with curated bonus study materials.
• LEED AP HOMES Silver Pack Mid-tier bundle pairing the LEED AP Homes exam prep course with curated bonus study materials.
• Continuing Education Credit Bundle Curated bundle of pre-approved continuing education courses designed to help credential holders meet annual CE hour requirements.
• LEED v5 Fundamentals Live Training Series Instructor-led live online training covering the updated LEED v5 rating system fundamentals for practitioners preparing for the new credential structure.
• LEED v5 Resiliency Requirements Course Continuing education course covering the new LEED v5 resiliency requirements for credential maintenance and project compliance.
• Waste Audit Course Continuing education course on conducting waste audits for green building projects and credential maintenance.
• ESG Data Specialist Course Continuing education course focused on collecting, validating, and reporting ESG data for sustainability professionals.
• Zero Net Carbon Design Course Continuing education course on zero net carbon design principles and strategies for building projects.
• Ethics, Sustainability and Public Welfare Course Continuing education course addressing ethics in sustainability practice and the public-welfare obligations of building professionals.
• GRESB Benchmarking Course Continuing education course on preparing for and responding to GRESB real estate sustainability benchmarking assessments.
• Green Building 101 Course Introductory continuing education course covering foundational green building concepts for early-career professionals.
• LEED Project Manager Masterclass Advanced masterclass for project managers running LEED certification projects from intake through submission.
• Regenerative Design Masterclass Advanced masterclass on regenerative design principles that go beyond net zero for sustainability leaders.
• Product Carbon Lead Auditor – TÜV SÜD Lead auditor certification program on product carbon footprinting, delivered in partnership with parent company TÜV SÜD.
• Corporate Learning Hub Multi-seat enterprise training portal offering centralized enrollment, progress tracking, reporting, and access to the GBES catalog for corporate customers.
• Corporate Training Program Structured corporate training engagement that delivers a defined curriculum of green building courses to an organization's staff.
• Customized Corporate Training Bespoke corporate training program tailored to an organization's specific green building, sustainability, and credentialing needs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% first-time pass rate for students using GBES study materials
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• TÜV SÜDflagshipOthersGBES is a company of TÜV SÜD, a global testing, inspection, and certification company. TÜV SÜD acquired GBES, providing the company with enterprise backing and global reach while maintaining GBES's specialized focus on green building education.
• USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial Education Partner of USGBC. GBES offers the largest USGBC-approved catalog of LEED training and continuing education.
• IWBI (International WELL Building Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial Education Partner of IWBI. GBES provides WELL AP exam prep and continuing education for WELL credential holders.
• AIA (American Institute of Architects)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial Education Partner of AIA. GBES offers AIA-approved continuing education courses for architects.
• CMAA (Construction Management Association of America)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial Education Partner of CMAA. GBES provides education resources for construction management professionals.
• StruCalcminorGTM or Marketing Partner$100 discount on a new StruCalc subscription for GBES members.
• Fita (webuildclt.com)minorGTM or Marketing Partner5% savings on high SRI systems for roof restoration for GBES members.
• FitwelminorGTM or Marketing Partner30% discount on becoming a Fitwel Ambassador for GBES members.
• Green Canary SoftwareminorGTM or Marketing Partner20% discount on LEED documentation software for GBES members.
• Building PlaquesminorGTM or Marketing Partner10% discount on building plaques for GBES members.
• Green Home InstituteminorGTM or Marketing Partner30% discount on Green Home Institute classes on demand for GBES members.
• ActiveScoreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner discounts on ActiveScore services for GBES members.
• Black SpectaclesminorGTM or Marketing Partner15% discount on any subscription for GBES members.
• SIG (Sustainable Investment Group)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner discounts on SIG services for GBES members.
• AETOSminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner discounts on AETOS imaging services for GBES members.
• Best BeesminorGTM or Marketing Partner10% off beekeeping services for GBES members.
• PrometriccoreTechnology or IntegrationGBES exam prep integrates with Prometric testing centers for LEED, WELL, and SITES AP exam delivery. Customers receive codes from USGBC/IWBI to schedule exams at Prometric centers or via remote proctoring.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Everblue Training: Everblue is a long-standing LEED and sustainability credentialing training provider offering exam prep, continuing education, and corporate training — directly comparable to GBES in target customers (green building professionals), product format (LEED AP specialty prep), and B2B delivery.
• Black Spectacles: Black Spectacles offers architecture-focused exam prep including ARE (architectural licensure) and LEED AP content, with a subscription/online learning model. It is comparable to GBES as a digital-first, subscription-based exam prep platform serving the architecture and green building professional segment, and is a GBES partner discount recipient.
• Green Home Institute: Green Home Institute provides sustainability and green building credentialing courses for residential and light commercial professionals. It is comparable to GBES in audience (green building professionals) and product (CE/elearning), and is an existing GBES partner.
• BOMI International: BOMI International delivers commercial real estate and property management credentialing programs (RPA, FMA, SMA, BOMI-HS) via self-paced and instructor-led formats. It is comparable to GBES as a credentialing-focused training provider serving building professionals and offering recurring education/CE.
• BuildingGreen: BuildingGreen provides green building education, publications, and LEED-related training content to architects and sustainability professionals. It is comparable to GBES in audience and content category, offering CE courses and reference materials in the green building and sustainable design vertical.

Emerging players

• LEEDuser: LEEDuser is a community-driven forum and resource site for LEED professionals, offering study guides, credit discussions, and exam prep materials. It overlaps with GBES's exam preparation audience but operates primarily as a free/community resource rather than a paid subscription product.
• Fitwel: Fitwel is a built-environment health and wellness certification (administered by the CDC Center for Active Design) with a Fitwel Ambassador credential that overlaps with WELL/sustainability credentialing. It is comparable to GBES as an adjacent credentialing program with educational partner overlap (GBES members receive a 30% Fitwel Ambassador discount).

Others

• U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC): USGBC is the administrator of the LEED rating system and operator of GBCI, which issues LEED credentials. It is comparable to GBES as the ecosystem gatekeeper and also offers its own education content, making it a partial competitor and a partner (GBES is an official USGBC Education Partner).
• International WELL Building Institute (IWBI): IWBI administers the WELL Building Standard and the WELL AP credential that GBES offers prep for. Comparable as the credentialing body and as an indirect content competitor through its own education channels; GBES is an official IWBI Education Partner.

Regional players

• Cascadia Green Building Council: Cascadia GBC is the Pacific Northwest USGBC chapter that offers regional LEED education, courses, and credentialing support. It is comparable to GBES as a LEED education provider but operates regionally and with a chapter/membership model rather than a national subscription product.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/gbes
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/green-building-education-services

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Green Building Education Services