Green Building Services

Changes and information abound! 

The new LEED Professional program increases the rigor, specificity and credibility of LEED Professional accreditation. But, yes, it can be clear as mud unless it’s your job to stay on top of the latest and greatest information. GBS’ working relationship with the USGBC and unequaled breadth and depth of applied consulting and technical experience distinguish us as your primary resource for information, training and services…including the new LEED Professional Program. We are also an approved continuing education provider for the USGBC, AIA and BOMI and can support your relevant credentialing needs. 

“GBCI, LEED Professional without Specialty, LEED Green Associate, LEED AP+ and

LEED Fellow…oh my!”

First, let’s clarify the terms:

GBCI: Stands for Green Building Certification Institute. The GBCI was created to independently manage LEED project certification and professional accreditation for the USGBC. The primary intent is twofold: 1) to allow the USGBC to focus on rating system development, education and other related initiatives; and, 2) to enable LEED professional credentialing to be ANSI-accredited.

LEED Professional without Specialty: Current LEED professionals (under the former exam) that decide not maintain their credential through re-testing or continuing education.

LEED Green Associate (Tier 1 LEED Professional): New LEED Professional accreditation that reflects foundational awareness, understanding and knowledge in green building and LEED. This credential is appropriate for professionals that support LEED and green building projects but do not directly apply green building or LEED in their professional practice. Examples include lawyers, manufactures, suppliers, administrative staff and government staff.

LEED AP+ (Tier 2 LEED Professional): Otherwise known as “LEED Professional with Specialty” (“LEED AP+” is not correct), this new accreditation reflects knowledge and expertise in the implementation of green building and LEED, with particular emphasis on one of the five LEED products (BD&C, ID&C, O&M, Homes or Neighborhood Development) . The credential is appropriate for professionals that directly apply green building or LEED in their professional practices. Examples include architects, engineers, contractors, building operators and consultants.

LEED Fellow (Tier 3 LEED Professional): For you Star Wars fans, I like to think of this as the LEED “Jedi” – the omniscient, master, what-have-you. The GBCI plans to further develop this accreditation in 2010.

“I’m (not) a current LEED-AP and I’m interested. What are my options?”

You’re a current LEED Professional

Do nothing:

If you are currently a LEED Professional you have the option to do nothing. If you do, you will be listed in the LEED Professional directory as a “LEED Professional without specialty”. You can still serve as the LEED project administrator and earn the corresponding LEED Innovation Point for projects.

Take the test:

You now must demonstrate eligibility in order to take any of the LEED Professional exams. Current LEED Professionals do not have to take the LEED Green Associates Exam but do have to demonstrate experience on a LEED registered project within the last 3 years. You’ll need a letter from a supervisor that attests to your qualifying experience. To register, create a login on the GBCI website. You’ll see a “My Credentials” page where registration for the new exam that corresponds to the former exam under which you previously credentialed is available. If your professional experience relates more directly to another credential (i.e. you work primarily on commercial interiors, but your current credential is for new construction), you may submit a request to GBCI to take the corresponding exam.

The best prep material for the LEED Professional with Specialty exam is the corresponding Reference Guide: BD+C for New Construction and Major Renovations, EB:O&M for existing buildings, ID+C for Commercial Interiors, H for Homes and ND for Neighborhood Development . GBS also offers live, LEED Specialty-specific exam prep study training. See our website for more information: http://www.greenbuildingservices.com/Services/training_facilitation.asp

The test is run similarly to how it was under the old version- locate a Prometric testing center nearest you on the GBCI website and sign up at a preferred time. The test is comprised of 100, multiple choice questions and you have 2-hours to complete the exam.

Credential:

This is the big new requirement. You may “opt-in” to the new credential maintenance program, which means you complete thirty qualifying credentialing activity hours over the next two years.  Six of those hours have to be LEED-specific and three of those hours have to be reference-guide specific. There are 8 different types of qualifying activities that range from volunteer work to training. Chances are, you are already fulfilling some of these hours in your daily practice and the hours you earn for other accreditations, such as AIA or BOMI, may count for your LEED Professional credential maintenance as well. You may opt in to this option on your “My Credentials” page once you’ve logged into the GBCI website. Once you’ve opted in, you can start self-reporting you activities and hours from the “My Credentials” page starting in November 2009. You may count any qualifying activities dating back to July 8^th, 2009. There is a $50 fee for every 2-year renewal period but this fee is being waived for the first round.

There is strategy involved with planning out your credential maintenance plan if you pursue this route and we’re happy to talk with you about the array of options. The Credentialing Maintenance Program Guide can be accessed here: http://www.gbci.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=202 

“I didn’t squeeze in with the 130,000+ LEED APs under the former version, now what?”

If you want to earn the LEED Professional with Specialty Accreditation you must also pass the LEED Green Associate exam. You may take both exams in one sitting (2, back-to-back, 2-hour exams) or separately. If you take both in one sitting and only pass one, you only need to re-take the other. You have three chances to pass per application period, which is one year. 

You now must demonstrate eligibility in order to take any of the LEED Professional exams. To take the LEED Green Associate, you must practice in a ‘sustainable field’, have involvement in a LEED-registered project or have completed/be enrolled in a green building educational program. You’ll need an official letter from a supervisor for the project or practice options that attests to your relevant experience. For the education option, you’ll need a certificate of completion. Create a login on the GBCI website and upload these documents in your eligibility application on the “My Credentials” page. The eligibility application also includes a $50 fee. The GBCI Green Associate Candidate Handbook is update monthly and can be accessed here: http://www.gbci.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=83

The best test preparation materials for the LEED Green Associate are the USGBC’s Exam Prep Study Guides (developed by GBS, in fact) and the Core Concepts Guide. The USGBC plans to offer the Core Concepts Guide as a supplement to the Exam Prep Study Guide sometime in October/November, 2009. It will be released digitally and then in hard-copy. GBS also offers live, interactive training sessions led by our consultants who bring years of field experience and use these documents as the primary basis for the training.

Once you’ve passed the LEED Green Associates exam, you still must demonstrate experience on a LEED project within the last three years to be eligible for the LEED Professional with Specialty Exam.

 The changes to the LEED Professional program have increased the credibility and complexity of the program. GBS is positioned to help your organization craft the most efficient and effective credentialing strategy that is tailored directly to your needs. GBS authors the LEED 2009 Reference Guides and Exam Prep Study Guides and has worked extensively with the USGBC for years- as a certification reviewer, pilot program manager and education provider among other capacities.  This experience plus our unequaled breadth and depth of applied project experience providing consulting and technical services distinguish our ability to help you meet and exceed your green building professional objectives. For more information on training and education, please call GBS Training Manger Terry Miller at 503-467-4745.