The document provides information about the LEED Green Associate credentialing program. It describes the LEED Green Associate credential as the entry-level credential (Tier 1) in a three-tier LEED professional credentialing system. It outlines the eligibility requirements, exam content, fees, and process for obtaining and maintaining the LEED Green Associate credential, including requirements to earn continuing education credits every two years.

1. Become a LEED Green Associate

2. Who are we?
Continuously improving
the build environment

3. What
is
the
LEED
Green
Associate
creden3al?

4. Changes to AP Credentialing
In June 2009, a new three-level
LEED-AP tier system was
introduced:
• Tier I—LEED Green Associate
• Tier II—LEED AP
• Tier III—LEED AP Fellow
There are now eligibility
requirements for all levels of the
exam in addition to credentialing
maintenance requirements.

5. Why
go
for
the
LEED
Green
Associate
creden3al?
Recognition

6. Why
go
for
the
LEED
Green
Associate
creden3al?
Trust

7. Why
go
for
the
LEED
Green
Associate
creden3al?
Knowledge

8. U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
The U.S. Green Building Council is the
building industry’s only balanced non-profit
consensus coalition promoting the
understanding, development and
accelerated implementation of green
building policies, programs, technologies,
standards, and design, operations and
maintenance practices.
www.usgbc.org

9. USGBC and GBCI Structure

10. Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI)
GBCI was created to administer
certification and credentialing programs
related to green building practice and to
ensure that the LEED Accredited
Professional (LEED AP) program continues
to be developed in accordance with best
practices.
As of April 27, 2009, GBCI administers the
LEED project registration and certification
process.

11. LEED Green Associate
Tier I—LEED Green Associate:
• Demonstrates knowledge and skill in understanding
and supporting green design, construction and
operations.
• Primarily for employees at companies and
organizations supporting LEED (non-technical fields of
practice).
• Must pass 2-hour Green Associate exam (100 multiple
choice questions).
• Biannual educational maintenance requirement of 15
hours.

12. LEED AP with Specialty
Tier II—LEED AP:
• Extraordinary depth of knowledge in green building
practices and specialization in a particular field:
– Commercial building design and construction
– Commercial operations and maintenance
– Commercial interior design and construction
– Residential design and construction
– Neighborhood development
• Must pass 2-hour exam (100 multiple choice questions)
• Biannual educational maintenance requirement of 30
hours.

13. Benefits of Becoming a LEED Green Associate
• Provides a marketable credential to a client,
employer or prospective employer
• Listing on GBCI website directory of LEED
Professionals
• Receive recognition for involvement in the LEED
Certification process
• LEED Green Associate certificate

14. LEED Green Associate Fees
Costs involved with the LEED Green Associate
credential:
• $50 application fee
• Exam fee:
o $150 for USGBC National Members and full-time
students
o $200 for all others
• Credentialing maintenance fee: $50 every 2 years

15. LEED Green Associate Eligibility
Requirements
• Candidates must have experience in the form of
either:
 Documented involvement on a LEED-registered
project
 Employment (or previous employment) in
sustainable field of work
 Engagement in or completion of an education
program that addresses green building
principles

16. LEED Green Associate Eligibility
• For candidates who meet the work experience
requirement-
o experience must be documented in the form of a letter
of attestation from a supervisor, client or project
manager and must describe their involvement on the
job.
• For candidates who have attended or are
attending an education program-
o GBCI will accept a certificate of completion or an
official transcript in lieu of a letter of attestation.

17. LEED Green Associate Eligibility
• LEED Project experience could involve-
o providing support on a LEED registered
project such as providing administrative or
research tasks, managing templates,
coordinating meetings, tracking consultants
and/or contractors, or helping in compiling
documentation for review.

18. LEED Green Associate Eligibility
The letter of attestation must meet a number of
requirements, including:
– Must be on letterhead, dated, 750 words or less
– Must be authored and signed by a supervisor, client,
project manager, teacher, or someone else qualified to
evaluate the applicant’s performance and relationship to
candidate must be demonstrated (business card)

19. LEED Green Associate Eligibility
• For eligibility based on project involvement:
 Must name specific LEED-registered project
 Must affirm that the applicant was involved
with the project
 Must provide the date(s) of the applicants
involvement with the project

20. LEED Green Associate Eligibility
• For eligibility based on employment:
 Must explain how the applicant’s profession or
company relates to environmentalism or the
green building industry
 Must affirm the applicant’s employment and
provide the applicant’s job title or company
 Must provide the applicant’s date(s) of
employment

21. LEED Green Associate Eligibility
• For eligibility based on education, the certificate
of completion or transcript:
 Must provide the course’s title and provider
 Must explain how the course relates to green
building principles or LEED
 Must affirm that the candidate was enrolled in
the course
 Must provide the applicant’s date(s) of
enrollment

22. LEED Green Associate Exam Requirements
Candidates are also required to:
• Agree to the Disciplinary Policy
• Agree to the Credentialing
Maintenance Program
o Biennial educational
maintenance requirement of 15
hours (3 of these hours must be
LEED specific)
• Submit to an application audit
(5-7% of candidates)

23. Applying for the Green Associates Exam
1. Go to “My Credentials” page on the GBCI
website: www.gbci.org
2. where you’ll be prompted to log in to your GBCI
account. If you don’t have an account, click
“First Time Here?” to create one.
3. Select “Apply for an Exam” from the “Current
Options.”
4. Review and, if applicable, update your profile.

24. Applying for the Green Associates Exam
4. Verify that your name matches the ID you will
present at the test center
5. Select your LEED Professional Directory
preferences.
6. Select your credentialing route.
7. Upload your documentation of eligibility.
8. If you’re a student, request student pricing
($150).
9. Select whether you would like special testing
accommodations.

25. Applying for the Green Associates Exam
10. Review your exam application. Once you have
confirmed that all information is correct and all
documentation is uploaded, press “Submit.”
11. Agree to GBCI’s Terms and Conditions,
Disciplinary Policy, and CMP Guidelines.

26. Applying for the Green Associate Exam
12. Enter credit card information to pay the non-
refundable application fee ($50). Press
“Process Payment.”
13. You’ll receive an on-screen notification that
your application is complete and you’ll be
provided with your application reference
number.

27. Applying for the Green Associate Exam
14. You will receive notice within seven days that
your application is approved or incomplete.
– If your application is approved, you can proceed to
registration.
– If your application is denied or expires, you must
wait 90 days before reapplying.

28. Registering for the Green Associate Exam
1. Go to “My Credentials” page on the GBCI
website: www.gbci.org
2. where you’ll be prompted to log in to your
“My Credentials” account.
3. Select “Register for an Exam” from the
“Current Options.”
4. Confirm that you understand which exam you
are registering for and how to schedule an
appointment. Confirm that your member
status is correct.

29. Registering for the Green Associate Exam
4. When your exam registration is complete, your
eligibility ID will be displayed on-screen. You
can use this number in 24-48 hours to
schedule an exam through Prometric, available
at www.prometric.com/gbci.
5. When you schedule your exam with Prometric,
you will receive a confirmation number
onscreen and through an email. You will need
this confirmation number to confirm, cancel, or
reschedule your appointment.

30. Scheduling Your Exam
• Candidates may schedule at any point
during their one year application period
through “My Credentials.”
• You have three chances to pass the exam
during the one-year application period. After
an application expires, you are required to
wait 90 days before submitting a new
application

31. LEED Green Associate Exam Content
• The Green Associate exam tests general
knowledge of green building practices for both
commercial and residential properties and
both new construction and existing
buildings

32. LEED Green Associate Exam Content
• The Green Associate exam tests:
o Knowledge of what LEED is
o Knowledge of the process through which
buildings become certified
o Knowledge of administrative processes,
including registration and certification
o Familiarity with terminology
o Potential strategies for achieving
sustainability goals
o How to be involved with and support other
LEED project team members

33. LEED Green Associate Exam Content
• Questions may be drawn from any of the
LEED rating systems, from the USGBC
website and from the LEED reference guides.
• You DO NOT need to memorize each
prerequisite and credit’s number, name,
intent, requirements, strategies, exemplary
performance thresholds, point value, submittal
requirements.
• You DO NOT need in-depth knowledge of
referenced standards or green technologies.

34. LEED Green Associate Exam
• Green Associate exam scores range
from 125 to 200.
• You must achieve a minimum score
of 170 to pass the exam and earn
the LEED Green Associate
credential.
• Weighting of answers is not
disclosed, but a score of 170 is
about 85%.

35. Green Associate Exam- Sample Question
As a project’s schematic design phase is being
completed, the owner officially confirms that this will be
a LEED project. A member of the design team will
register the project with GBCI. LEED projects are
registered with GBCI by:
(Choose one)
A. Setting up a meeting with a GBCI representative
B. Completing the registration online at www.gbci.org
C. Completing GBCI’s automated telephone registration
D. Printing and completing the online registration form
and mailing it to GBCI

36. Green Associate Exam- Sample Question
As a project’s schematic design phase is being
completed, the owner officially confirms that this will be
a LEED project. A member of the design team will
register the project with GBCI. LEED projects are
registered with GBCI by:
(Choose one)
A. Setting up a meeting with a GBCI representative
B. Completing the registration online at www.gbci.org
C. Completing GBCI’s automated telephone registration
D. Printing and completing the online registration form
and mailing it to GBCI

37. Green Associate Exam- Sample Question
A project is planned in the northwestern United States
near Puget Sound, where the effect of runoff on the
local salmon habitat is a major concern. The building
owners would like to promote biorention on-site and are
considering a number of different low impact
development strategies, including bioswales, porous
pavement, and other approaches that mimic natural
hydrologic conditions. Bioswales are used for: (Choose
one)
A. Water efficiency in the landscape
B. Stormwater management
C. Reducing the heat island
D. Erosion and sedimentation control

38. Green Associate Exam- Sample Question
A project is planned in the northwestern United States
near Puget Sound, where the effect of runoff on the
local salmon habitat is a major concern. The building
owners would like to promote biorention on-site and are
considering a number of different low impact
development strategies, including bioswales, porous
pavement, and other approaches that mimic natural
hydrologic conditions. Bioswales are used for: (Choose
one)
A. Water efficiency in the landscape
B. Stormwater management
C. Reducing the heat island
D. Erosion and sedimentation control

39. Maintaining Your Green Associate Credential
• Green Associates must earn their required
continuing education (CE) hours during the 2-
year period following the date they awarded their
credential.
• This 2-year CMP reporting period begins on the
exam date or the CMP enrollment date and ends
2 years minus 1 day from the start date.
• At the end of the 2-year reporting period, if the
CE hours are not complete and/or the hours
aren’t reported to GBCI, the credential expires.

40. Credential Maintenance Program
Requirements
LEED Green Associate-
• Biennial (every 2 years) educational
maintenance requirement of 15 hours
• 3 of these hours must be LEED specific
LEED AP with Specialty-
• Biennial (every 2 years) educational
maintenance requirement of 30 hours
• 6 of these hours must be LEED specific

41. Credential Maintenance Program Requirements
• CE hours are calculated differently depending on the
activity delivery method:
1. Professional development/continuing education courses
2. Live presentations
3. Self-study programs, including reading
4. College and university courses
5. Certificates, professional licenses and credentials
6. Committee and volunteer work
7. Authorship
8. LEED project participation

42. Resources for the Green Associate Exam
• GBCI website (Eligibility and Application info)
http://www.gbci.org/
• LEED Green Associate Handbook
http://www.gbci.org/ShowFile.aspx?
DocumentID=3571
• LEED Administration Information
http://www.gbci.org/DisplayPage.aspx?
CMSPageID=78
• LEED Prep GA and LEED GA Practice Exams
www.ppi2pass.com ($79.95/$49.95)

43. Resources for the Green Associate Exam
• Green Building and LEED Core Concepts
Guide ($35)
http://www.usgbc.org/Store/
PublicationsList_New.aspx?
CMSPageID=1518
• USGBC LEED Practice Exams
https://www.usgbc.org/Store/
PublicationsList_New.aspx?
CMSPageID=1518
• NEXUS LEED Resources
http://www.nexusboston.org/learn/leed-
resources

44. Resources for the Green Associate Exam
• List of USGBC courses that satisfy green
building education program requirements
http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?
CMSPageID=2011
• Green Associate Credentialing Maintenance
Program
http://www.gbci.org/ShowFile.aspx?
DocumentID=3665

45. Courses
• LEED Green Associate Exam Prep- Qualifies you
for LEED Green Associate exam
• LEED & Green Project Management-
8 AIA Sustainable Design CE, GBCI LEED-Specific
CEU for BD+C, ID+C and O+M
• Rhode Island Center for Biotechnology & Life
Sciences
• Energy Modeling for LEED Certification-
16• Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay Sanctuary
AIA Sustainable Design CE, GBCI LEED-
Specific CEU for BD+C
• Green Building Case Study- 1.5 AIA Sustainable
Design CE, GBCI CE
• Online Webinars- 1.0 GBCI CE

46. LEED Green Associate Exam Prep Course
• June 16, 8:00am-7:00pm
• Boston Convention & Exhibition Centers, 415
Summer Street
Boston, MA
• 700 free practice questions through GreenExamPrep
• a FREE Show pass to the
Northeast Building & Facilities Show onsite. A break
will be provided from 11am-2pm for lunch and for
walking the Show floor.
• Register online at
http://www.greenroundtable.org/civicrm/event/info?
reset=1&id=227

47. Summary
1. Evaluate to see if it’s for you: For more information,
visit http://slidesha.re/LEEDGreenAssociate.
2. Apply to take the exam: www.gbci.org, $50 fee, need
some experience in green building
3. Sign up for a date: Depends on how you learn and how
much time you have.
4. Set a realistic study schedule: Most people need at
least a month of committed studying.
5. Study, study, study:
2 hrs, 100 questions, principles & processes

48. Thank You!
The Green Roundtable
(617) 374-3740
www.greenroundtable.org
Michelle Lambert, LEED AP BD+C
michelle@greenroundtable.org