Achieving LEED accreditation opens the door to pursue a variety of career opportunities. To be accredited, you must first pass the appropriate exam. Several different credentials exist, but all go towards certifying an individual for becoming a LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, professional. These different LEED credentials have emerged as new green building technologies have been developed. LEED accreditation starts even before taking an exam with preparatory courses designed to help test takers understand the concepts covered in the tests. The first step in the process is to become certified as a LEED Green Associate. This is the first test in a series of exams, with courses offered that teach the basics of LEED, GBCI, and the USGBC. The various categories of LEED credits are covered, such as Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy & Atmosphere, Materials & Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Innovation in Design. Anyone who wants to understand green building principles can take such exams, but they are geared toward facility owners, contractors, construction managers, architects, and engineers involved in the building process. They are also useful for lawyers, real estate brokers, and students, since green building knowledge is becoming useful in many different areas.
Beyond the first step in LEED certification, LEED Green Associates can then pursue a specialty area. Specialties include LEED Homes, which focuses on both the design and construction of homes that use less energy, water, and natural resources and which produce less waste while featuring an internal environment promoting healthier and more comfortable living.
For work on the operation and maintenance of existing buildings, LEED Green Buildings Operations & Maintenance qualifies an individual for helping implement sustainable practices on existing buildings that were built before LEED standards were developed. In contrast, LEED Building Design & Construction is suited for those interested in working on new commercial, institutional, and high-rise residential buildings that are environmentally friendly.
To pursue a specialty LEED accreditation in the commercial sector, it is necessary to pass an exam to be certified in LEED Interior Design & Construction. Such spaces will cost less to operate, maintain and implement various environmentally friendly practices related to energy performance; HVAC system efficiency; power usage; safe paints, flooring products, etc.; and air quality. On the other hand, LEED Neighborhood Development focuses on the design and development of neighborhoods that adhere to high standards of environmentally responsible and sustainable development practices.
Various resources are provided, by different institutions, to help people pass LEED accreditation exams. Practice exams familiarize prospective test takers with the structure and ideas on the tests, and study sheets and flashcards are also available. These all are purchased separately on websites dedicated to providing LEED exam study materials. There are also live webinars to participate in as well. It is an investment in education for professionals to be knowledgeable in LEED concepts and eventually be experts in their specialized area of interest.
LEED accreditation courses can be registered for in a variety of places across the United States. They are offered in many major cities in most states as well as in various international locations such as Beijing, London, Puerto Rico, Rome, Dubai, and in different places in Canada. After passing the exam, the test taker is then certified as a LEED Accredited Professional. The test taker then goes from being a Green Associate, to a LEED AP+, and finally to a LEED AP Fellow, a level of which the qualification criteria has yet to be defined by the GBCI. Although LEED accreditation is a constantly evolving process, the concepts behind it are becoming increasingly important and the current requirements go far in qualifying professionals for green building jobs.
