LEED Certification FAQ

What is LEED?

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.  It is a  rating system is used to distinguish the sustainability of one building when compared to another. In other words, it provides for buildings the same measuring stick that gas mileage standards gives to cars. It was developed by the non-profit US Green Building Council (USGBC).

How does LEED certification work?

Each LEED rating system is like a big menu with different options.  Someone building or renovating a building can pick different items that are on that menu and earn points toward certification.  Each of the items is catalogued as a credit, and each credit is worth a certain number of points.  Credits are grouped into six larger categories called Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy & Atmosphere, Materials & Resources, and Indoor Environmental Quality.

LEED 2009 rating systems have a total of 110 points available.  Projects that achieve 40 points are LEED Certified, 50 points earns LEED Silver, 60 points earns LEED Gold, and 80 points earns LEED Platinum certification. Therefore, a building that doesn’t earn 70 of 110 points can still become LEED Certified.

What are LEED rating systems?

There are several different LEED rating systems available for different types of buildings.  For instance, there are different requirements if you want to build a home versus an office building.  Likewise, there are LEED rating systems for commercial, institutional, residential, educational, and just about every other type of building that you can think of.

What is the difference between LEED Certification and LEED Accreditation?

Buildings earn LEED certification.  Individuals who pass one of the LEED credentialing exams become LEED accredited.  One of the most common mistakes made by newcomers to LEED is when they say “I want to become LEED certified.”  They really should say “I want to become LEED accredited.”

What are the benefits of earning a LEED Professional Credential?

According to McGraw Hill Construction, The green market was 2% of non-residential construction starts in 2005, 10-12% in 2008, and will grow to 20-25% by 2013.  Earning one of the LEED credentials signifies your commitment to green building and expertise with regard to LEED.

How do I earn my LEED professional credential?

Currently, there are two tiers of LEED credential available.  Tier I is LEED Green Associate and Tier II is LEED Accredited Professional.

How do I become a LEED Green Associate?

To become a LEED Green Associate, you must pass the 2-hour, 100 question LEED Green Associate exam.

How do I become a LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP)?

To become a LEED Accredited Professional, you must pass any one of the 5 available LEED AP specialty exams.  The LEED AP exam is 2 hours long and contains 100 questions. To qualify for this exam, you need prior work experience on a LEED project.

What are the qualifications to sit for the Green Associate exam?

According to the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), a person applying to take the Green Associate exam must meet any one of the following requirements:

Involvement in support of a LEED-registered project

Employment in a sustainable field of work

Engagement in an education program that addresses green building principles.  Everblue’s classes meet this requirement.

What are the qualifications to sit for the LEED AP exam?

Document professional experience on a LEED-registered project, within the last 3 years, with verification through LEED Online or employer attestation.

Where can I take the exam?  When is the exam scheduled?

There are two steps to scheduling your exam appointment.  The first step is that you must submit an application to GBCI demonstrating that you meet the requirements to sit for either a LEED GA or LEED AP exam.  Once GBCI has approved your application, you must visit www.prometric.com/gbci and schedule an exam appointment.

LEED exams are scheduled by appointment at Prometric Testing centers and are computer-based tests.  That means that you can schedule an exam at a local testing center (there are over 400 nationwide and at least one in every major city) for a time that is convenient to you.  Testing centers are typically open six days per week.

Since all LEED exams are computer based, you will find out your results before you leave the testing center.

What do I have to do in order to earn my LEED AP credential?

A person who wishes to take the LEED AP exam has two choices to make. Everyone that becomes a LEED AP must pass the Green Associate exam in addition to one of the five LEED AP specialty exams. The first path (and most common) is to take LEED Green Associate exam and then separately take the LEED AP exam. The second path is to schedule both exams simultaneously. The downside of the second path is that if you fail one portion of the exam but pass the other you do not earn any LEED credential until you go back and re-test. For this reason, most people opt to take their exams at separate times.

Ultimately, anyone who wants to become a LEED AP must sit through a total of 4 hours of testing and 200 questions.

What are the costs associated with earning the LEED Green Associate credential?

There are three fees for Green Associates:

$50 Application fee

$200 Exam fee ($150 for USGBC National Members and full time students)

$50 Credentialing maintenance fee every 2 years

What are the costs associated with earning the LEED AP credential?

There are three fees for LEED APs:

$100 Application fee

$450 Exam fee ($300 for USGBC National Members and full time students)*

$50 Credentialing maintenance fee every 2 years

*If you have already passed the Green Associate exam, the LEED AP exam fee is $250 ($150 for USGBC National Members and full time students).

What are the five LEED AP specialty exams that are available?

LEED Building Design & Construction (formerly LEED NC)

LEED Existing Buildings Operations & Maintenance (formerly LEED EB)

LEED Interior Design & Construction (formerly LEED CI)

LEED Homes

LEED Neighborhood Development (LEED ND)

What do I need to pass the LEED GA or LEED AP exam?

Each LEED exam has a total of 100 questions and is scored on a scale of 125 to 200 points.  So, if you got zero questions correct, you would still score 125 on the exam.  Likewise, if you got all 100 questions correct you would score a 200.  A score of 170 is required to pass any of the exams.  The score of 170 is a scaled score and the number of questions necessary to earn that passing score is going to be different from one test to the next.

Once I pass the exam, what are my requirements?

There are three ongoing requirements for all LEED Green Associates and LEED APs:

1. Abide by the GBCI disciplinary policy

2. Pay a $50 biennial maintenance fee

3. Attend continuing education classes. Green Associates must attend 15 hours of continuing education every 2 years and LEED APs must attend 30 hours of continuing education every 2 years.

 

 

 

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