| LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental | | | | sustainable construction practices. |
| Design, is a green building rating system that is | | | | A good study course provider should not only offer |
| evolving into a worldwide industry standard. | | | | study materials, but they should have LEED AP+ |
| Developed by of the U.S. Green Building Council | | | | staff that can instruct and prepare a student for the |
| (USGBC) and managed by Green Building Certification | | | | exam. Also bear in mind that the LEED accreditation |
| Institute (GBCI) an offshoot of USGBC, the LEED | | | | process covers a large amount of material, so |
| AP+ designation singles out its holder as an expert in | | | | choose a study program that suits your way of |
| the field of sustainable building construction, design | | | | learning. |
| and operation. | | | | If you have been working in the field of sustainability |
| As you look into training for your LEED certification, | | | | for a while, and you are a trained construction |
| there are a couple of things to know that will make | | | | professional like an architect or engineer, you may be |
| your path easier. There is a lot of discussion about | | | | able to fast track your study efforts. However, if |
| LEED v2.2 vs. LEED v3.0. While you do not need to | | | | you are not well versed in either construction or |
| worry about all of the details of this discussion, it is | | | | sustainability you may want to consider a training |
| important to understand what this upgrade means | | | | program that spans several days instead of a one |
| before you attempt to register for any LEED exam. | | | | day crash course. |
| In the old LEED v2.2 system the LEED Accredited | | | | When comparing training courses, you also want to |
| Professional (AP) designation was earned with a | | | | consider how you learn best. For some students live |
| single exam and was one of three specialties. In the | | | | instruction offers an opportunity for one on one |
| new LEED v3.0 system the LEED AP+ designation is | | | | questions and answers and help with anything you do |
| earned by taking a foundational exam, LEED Green | | | | not understand. For other students, an online course |
| Associate, and then you branch into one of five | | | | works well, because they can tailor it to their |
| specialty designations to earn your LEED AP+ | | | | individual needs and progress at their pace. Still for |
| designation. | | | | others a self-study approach works best, and this |
| When you are considering which education program | | | | student needs little more than the LEED Reference |
| to choose for your LEED training you should look for | | | | Guide to prepare for the exams. |
| a comprehensive program. Some of the LEED | | | | Regardless of which style of LEED training that you |
| material though necessary is very dry, and depending | | | | choose make sure you allow yourself plenty of time |
| on your study skills you may want to consider a live | | | | to cover the material, and the opportunity to take |
| classroom setting instead of trying to train on your | | | | multiple practice tests. Choose a training provider who |
| own or online. This option may be particularly | | | | is a USGBC Educational Provider and who has |
| appealing if you are new to the field of green and | | | | experience training LEED candidates. |