LEED Certification

Buildings are certified - People are accredited

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria.

LEED is a third-party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED gives building owners and operators the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings’ performance. LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

Architects, real estate professionals, facility managers, engineers, interior designers, landscape architects, construction managers, lenders, and government officials all use LEED to help transform the built environment to sustainability. State and local governments across the country are adopting LEED for public-owned and public-funded buildings. There are LEED initiatives in federal agencies, including the Department of Defense, Agriculture,. Energy, and State; and LEED projects are in progress in 41 different countries.

As of June 2010, there are approximately 5,115 LEED certified projects with another 27, 587 LEED registered projects pursuing certification. The number of LEED projects continues to increase as new projects register or achieve certification each day.

 

LEED Accreditation

Buildings are certified - People are accredited

LEED Professional Accreditation distinguishes professionals with the knowledge and skills to successfully steward the LEED certification process. LEED Accredited Professionals (LEED APs) have demonstrated a thorough understanding of green building practices and principles and the LEED rating system. More than 140,000 have earned the credential since the program was launched in 2001.

In 2008, administration of the LEED AP program transitioned to the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). The Green Building Certification Institute, established with the support of the USGBC, handles the exam development and delivery to allow for objective, balanced management of the credentialing program.

As of June 2010, there are more than 140,000 LEED APs and that total is growing every day. Additional tiers of accreditation were introduced in Spring 2009. They are LEED Green Associate, LEED AP Plus and LEED Fellow. For information regarding each tier and its requirements, please review the material contained on www.gbci.org.