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Apply to Become a Sustainable Contractor
Step 1: Requirements
To apply for Sustainable Contractor Designation, you must:
- Have an electronic copy of your certificate(s) ready to upload to the Department; and
- Have a Department eFiling account. If you do not have an eFiling account, please register to create an account.
Step 2: Qualifications
To obtain Sustainable Contractor Designation, you must:
- Have one of the following active license(s)/registration(s):
- General Contractor Registration (1-, 2-, or 3-family home);
- Master/ Special Electrician; or
- Master Plumber; and
- Have current insurance information
Step 3: Certification/Credentials
To obtain Sustainable Contractor Designation, you must have at least one of the below certifications/credentials corresponding to your license type.
| License Type | Organization/Website | Certification/Partnership |
|---|---|---|
| General Contractor - 1, 2, 3 Family Home | American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) | High-Performance Building Design Professional |
| Building Performance Institute (BPI) | Certified Professional | |
| Energy Star | Multi-Family Home Builder Single-Family Home Builder |
|
| Green Advantage | Green Advantage Certified - Commercial/Residential Green Advantage Certified - Residential |
|
| National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) | Certified Green Professional Designation (CGP) Master Certified Green Professional Designation (Master CGP) |
|
| Passive House Institute US | Certified Passive House Consultants | |
| RESNET | Energy Smart Contractors | |
| U.S. Green Building Council | LEED AP Homes LEED AP Interior Design & Construction |
|
| Urban Green Council, USGBC NY | GPRO – Construction Management | |
| Master Plumber | American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) | High-Performance Building Design Professional Operations & Performance Management Professional |
| Green Advantage | Green Advantage Certified - Commercial Green Advantage Certified - Commercial/Residential Green Advantage Certified - Residential |
|
| North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) | Solar Thermal Installer Certification | |
| Passive House Institute US | Certified Passive House Consultants | |
| U.S. Green Building Council | LEED AP Building Design & Construction LEED AP Homes LEED AP Interior Design & Construction LEED AP Interior Design & Construction |
|
| Urban Green Council, USGBC NY | GPRO – Construction Management GPRO – Plumbing |
|
| Master/Special Electrician | American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) | Building Energy Assessment Professional High-Performance Building Design Professional Operations & Performance Management Professional |
| Association of Energy Engineers | Certified Building Commissioning Professional Certified Lighting Efficiency Professional Existing Building Commissioning Professional |
|
| Green Advantage | Green Advantage Certified - Commercial Green Advantage Certified - Commercial/Residential Green Advantage Certified - Residential |
|
| North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) | PV Installer Certification Small Wind Installer Certification |
|
| Passive House Institute US | Certified Passive House Consultants | |
| U.S. Green Building Council | LEED AP Homes LEED AP Interior Design & Construction LEED AP Operations & Maintenance |
|
| Urban Green Council, USGBC NY | GPRO – Construction Management GPRO – Electrical |
Step 4: How to Apply
To apply for a Sustainable Contractor Designation, you must:
- Login to your eFiling account to access the online application.
- Complete and submit the online application
- Upload all necessary forms – after submitting your online application, you will be redirected to the certificate upload form. Fill out the form, including all the required information and upload your certification/credential(s).
*Note: If you are an Energy Star Builder, you will be required to upload a copy of the list from the Energy Star website where it indicates your business name as an active partner.*
Once you have submitted the certificate upload form, you will receive an email from the Department's Licensing Unit confirming your submission. The Licensing Unit will then review your forms and certification/credential(s). This process takes approximately 2-3 weeks. After your review is complete, you will receive an email with your status:
- If you are denied, you may contact the Licensing Unit for more information
- If you are approved, your designation and certificate information will appear on your BISWeb online profile. The designation will appear on your new license card at your next renewal
For more information, contact the Licensing Unit at (212) 393-2259.