Credentials and Certificates Announcements

Become a LEED Fellow: Nominations open until Feb. 13

nknox — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 16:33:36 GMT

Are you interested in becoming a LEED Fellow? Your time is now.

The U.S. Green Building Council call for nominations of qualified applicants is now open for the 2013 class of LEED Fellows.

What does it take to be a LEED Fellow? Nominees must have:

Held a LEED Professional credential for eight or more years
A LEED AP with Specialty credential in good standing
Ten years of professional green building experience

Nominators must have:

A LEED AP with Specialty credential in good standing
Ten years of professional green building experience

The call for nominations will stay open until Wednesday, February 13 at 11:59 pm EST.

To submit a nomination, please visit your “My Credentials” account. Meet the LEED Fellows .

Information for those affected by Hurricane Sandy

iwillson — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 16:19:19 GMT

If you have been affected by Hurricane Sandy, you may check your test center status on Prometric's website. If your test center is closed, Promtric will contact you to reschedule. If your test center is open, but weather conditions are preventing you from attending your appointment, contact Prometric at 1 800 853 6769.

LEED Credential Holders to receive EDC, the new Official Magazine for the LEED Professional

Erin Emery — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 17:30:01 GMT

EDC named the Official Magazine for the LEED Professional

EnvironmentalDesign + Construction (EDC) is pleased to announce that the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has named EDC “The Official Magazine for the LEED^®Professional.” This exciting news has developed from a 15-year partnership between EDC and USGBC. EDC will now be available for free to all 96,000+ LEED APs with specialty and LEED Green Associates.

“The U.S. Green Building Council’s partnership with EDC will help us provide quality content and education to our network of LEED APs and LEED Green Associates,” said Taryn Holowka, VP, Marketing & Communications, USGBC. “We look forward to working closely with EDC on this new endeavor andthe promising opportunities it will bring to the LEED Professional community.”

The goal of the new partnership is to provide superior information and education to help advance USGBC’s mission and to help LEED Professionals to succeed in the design, construction, remodeling, operations and maintenance of the sustainable built environment. With this development, EDC will be providing even more content to assist the LEED professional, including columns from LEED Fellows, international LEED project features, rating system updates and credential maintenance opportunities, including monthly continuing education articles.

“EDC has been aproud and active member of USGBC since the magazine launched in 1997,” says EDC publisher Diana Brown. “As the only monthly green building magazine, we’re excited about this partnership — to be able to reach the entire LEED professional audience with LEED news, information, projects and most importantly, education. The LEED professional is the cornerstone of a sustainable built environment. LEED Professionals with specialty, as well as LEED Green Associates and the LEED Fellows, are involved in all aspects of the project, from the charettes, design, specifications andconstruction, to continued building operations and maintenance.”

Part of BNP Media and headquartered in Troy, Mich., EDC engages a readership spanning a range of green building disciplines including architects, designers, specifying engineers, facility managers and building owners/developers every month. EDC’s high-quality, award-winning editorial is produced by a dedicated staff including editor Derrick Teal, associate editor Laura Zielinski and associate publisher and former member of the USGBC board of directors Michelle Hucal, a LEED AP (since 2004). The editorial staff is guided by a highly knowledgeable group of industry experts representing a cross section of EDC’s target audience.

A redesign of the publication to reflect this new agreement will be unveiled in May 2012.

To learn more or subscribe to EDC, visit www.EDCmag.com/LEED

25,000 LEED Green Associates

iwillson — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:04:55 GMT

There are now over 25,000 LEED Green Associates. Among green building professionals worldwide, the LEED Green Associate continues to be the fastest growing LEED Professional Credential!

CMP Improvement: Subcategory now optional

iwillson — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 11:00:36 GMT

As part of the continuous improvement of our Credential Maintenance Program (CMP), LEED Professionals are no longer required to enter a subcategory when reporting their CE hours. We recognize that we can understand what you’ve learned with subcategory being optional. However, you may still choose to enter the subcategory for your records.

LEED Professional Credentials Achieve ANSI Accreditation

Erin Emery, eemery@gbci.org — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 11:40:09 GMT

Accreditation of LEED AP BD+C, LEED AP ID+C, and LEED AP ND round list

Washington, DC (September 19, 2011) – The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) announced today that three of its LEED Professional Credentials have earned accreditation under the American National Standards Institute’s (ANSI) Accreditation Program for Personnel Certification Bodies.

“More than 170,000 professionals have proven their commitment to green building through LEED accreditation,” said Beth Holst, Vice President of Credentialing at GBCI. “ANSI accreditation validates the integrity of our processes under an international standard. It reinforces the superior standard of LEED Credentials and the professionals who hold them.”

With the announcement, the LEED AP Building Design + Construction, LEED AP Interior Design + Construction and LEED AP Neighborhood Development credentials join LEED AP Operations + Maintenance, LEED AP Homes and LEED Green Associate in this prestigious category. The latter LEED Professional Credentials earned ANSI accreditation in March 2011.

LEED Professional Credentials provide employers, clients, policymakers and other stakeholders with assurances of an individual’s competencies, and are the mark of the most qualified, educated and influential green building professionals in the marketplace.

GBCI stands among an elite group of 34 personnel certification bodies in a range of industry sectors that have achieved ANSI accreditation since the program’s inception in 2003. ANSI accreditation is designed to increase the integrity, confidence and mobility of certified professionals and is based on the American National Standard and international standard ANSI/ISO/IEC 17024, Conformity assessment - General requirements for bodies operating certification of persons. ANSI is the only personnel certification accreditation body in the U.S. to fulfill the requirements of ISO/IEC 17011:2004, Conformity assessment - General requirements for accreditation bodies accrediting conformity assessment bodies, which represents the highest internationally accepted practices for accreditation bodies.

“ANSI commends GBCI for demonstrating their commitment to the continual improvement of their credentialing programs,” said Dr. Roy Swift, ANSI senior director of personnel credentialing accreditation programs. “This achievement marks the culmination of a multi-month effort to demonstrate compliance to a rigorous internationally recognized accreditation process. Accreditation by ANSI creates a valuable distinction for GBCI’s credentialing programs that extends through the service network – from certification body, to certification holder, to employer, to the public they serve.”

# # #

About GBCI

The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) provides third-party confirmation that specific criteria related to LEED building certification and LEED professional credentialing have been met. To underscore this commitment, GBCI has undergone the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accreditation process for personnel certification agencies complying with International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Standard 17024. Early in 2009, GBCI assumed responsibility for administering the LEED building certification program for the more than 37,000 commercial projects seeking third-party verification of compliance with the industry's leading green building rating system. For more information, please visit www.gbci.org.

About ANSI

The Institute is the official U.S. representative to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and, via the U.S. National Committee, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and is a U.S. representative to the International Accreditation Forum (IAF).

GBCI Announces LEED Fellow Class of 2011

Erin Emery, eemery@gbci.org — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 15:07:35 GMT

LEED Fellows represent green building industry’s most accomplished professionals

Washington, D.C. (September 6, 2011) – The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) today revealed the inaugural class of LEED Fellows. The LEED Fellow Program is GBCI’s new and most prestigious professional designation. The LEED Fellow designation recognizes exceptional contributions to green building and significant professional achievement within the rapidly growing community of LEED Professionals.

Thirty-four of the world’s most distinguished green building professionals were selected to be LEED Fellows through a peer nomination and portfolio review process. Among other requirements, LEED Fellows must have at least 10 years of green building experience and hold a LEED AP with specialty credential.

“We are thrilled to bestow the LEED Fellow designation upon these highly accomplished individuals,” said Peter Templeton, president, GBCI. “The Fellows are some of the leading innovators and vanguards of the green building movement, and their bodies of work strongly underscore their commitment to LEED and a sustainable built environment.”

The 2011 LEED Fellows are:

Alan Scott, Green Building Services

Alicia Ravetto, Alicia Ravetto Architect

Anthony Bernheim, AECOM

Chris Schaffner, The Green Engineer, LLP

Christopher J. Webb, Chris Webb & Associates, Inc.

Dagmar B. Epsten, The Epsten Group, Inc.

Dan Nall, WSP Flack + Kurtz

Dan Young Dixon, Opus AE Group, Inc.

Gail Vittori, Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems

Helen J. Kessler, HJKessler Associates

Jerry Yudelson, Yudelson Associates

Jim Ogden, 3QC Inc.

Jim Weiner, Collaborative Project Consulting

John Boecker, 7group

Kath Williams, Kath Williams + Associates

Kathleen Smith, Davis Langdon

Ken Wilson, Envision

Kim Shinn, TLC Engineering for Architecture

Kris Callori, Environmental Dynamics, Inc.

Lidia Berger, HDR Architecture, Inc.

Lois Vitt Sale, Wight & Co.

Malcolm Lewis, CTG Energetics, Inc.

Marcus B. Sheffer, 7group

Mario Seneviratne, Green Technologies

Michaella Wittmann, HDR Architecture, Inc.

Michelle Halle Stern, Perkins+Will

Nellie Reid, Gensler

Paul Marmion, Stantec

Prasad Vaidya, The Weidt Group

Rick Carter, LHB, Inc.

Rob Bolin, Syska Hennessy Group

Sandra Leibowitz, Sustainable Design Consulting, LLC

Stephen Carpenter, Enermodal Engineering

Tom Liebel, Marks, Thomas Architects

Learn more about the LEED Fellow class of 2011.

The LEED Fellows will be recognized in Toronto at the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo from October 4-7, 2011. The nomination period for the 2012 LEED Fellow class will open January 4, 2012. For more information on the LEED Fellow program, please visit www.gbci.org/fellow.

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About GBCI

The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) provides third-party confirmation that specific criteria related to LEED building certification and LEED professional credentialing have been met. Early in 2009, GBCI assumed responsibility for administering the LEED building certification program for the more than 36,000 commercial projects seeking third-party verification of compliance with the industry's leading green building rating system. For more information, please visit www.gbci.org.

New Advertising Campaign Celebrates LEED APs and LEED Green Associates

Erin Emery, eemery@gbci.org — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 16:06:30 GMT

GBCI seeking user-generated videos on their experience with the LEED credential

Washington, DC (August 27, 2011) – The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) has launched a new campaign to recognize meaningful achievements by green building professionals with LEED Professional Credentials. The print and online advertisements and online videos for the campaign feature professionals who describe how holding a LEED Credential has benefited their career. The videos can be viewed at gbci.org/stories.

“The big-picture perspective on sustainability that I get from the LEED AP Neighborhood Development credential helps me create parts that function as a whole,” said Avneet Gujral, a project manager at SustainableDesign Consulting, LLC. “This ad campaign has given me a platform tocommunicate that perspective.”

All of the professionals featured are employed bycompanies who are members of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The videos have given them an opportunity to speak about the meaningful green work they have accomplished for clients and in their communities. The LEED Professionals showcased have their professional specialization in the following areas: Operations andMaintanence (O+M), Building Design and Construction (BD+C), Interior Design andConstruction (ID+C), Neighborhood Development (ND) and Homes, as well as the LEED Green Associate.

To build upon this campaign, GBCI is seeking one to two-minute video testimonials from LEED Green Associates and LEED APs with specialty around the world on how holding the credential has benefited them in the field. The videos will be featured on www.gbci.org/stories. If interested, please submit your video here.

“LEED Professional Credentials give green building practitioners a way to stand out and enhance their careers,” said Beth Holst, vice president of credentialing for GBCI.“There are over 100,000 registered and certified LEED projects around the world, each of which can benefit from having a LEED Professional as part of the process.”

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About GBCI

The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) provides third-party confirmation that specific criteria related to LEED building certification and LEED professional credentialing have been met. To underscore this commitment, GBCI is undergoing the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accreditation process for personnel certification agencies complying with International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Standard 17024. Early in 2009, GBCI assumed responsibility for administering the LEED building certification program for the more than 36,000 commercial projects seeking third-party verification of compliance with the industry's leading greenbuilding rating system. For more information, please visit www.gbci.org.

How to find your enrollment window or reporting period

iwillson — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 12:14:02 GMT

LEED Professionals: Remember that GBCI and My Credentials are the sources for all of your CMP and enrollment information. If you are contacted by anyone else about your enrollment window or reporting period, log in to check your details. To find ERB-approved activites, check the course catalog.

Renewal now available

iwillson — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 16:17:30 GMT

You can now renew your LEED Professional Credential! The button is ready when you are, so log in, report your CE hours, and hit renew!

Continuing Education at Greenbuild 2011

iwillson — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 16:08:14 GMT

Greenbuild is the place to fulfill your GBCI Credential Maintenance Program requirements. All Greenbuild full-conference education sessions have been approved for GBCI CE hours.

Full conference attendees can earn 12.5 GBCI CE hours from attending Greenbuild. Additional hours can be earned through LEED workshops, summits and green building tours.
There are 23 LEED-specific courses in the full-conference program. See the education grid on page 11 for details.
Greenbuild full-conference education sessions have also been approved for AIA LU-HSW-SD hours, and are pending credit from other credentialing organizations.

For more information on GBCI CE hours, including LEED-specific courses, and prescriptive path categories, see greenbuildexpo.org.

LEED APs facing deadline to add a specialty to their green building credential

Erin Emery, media@gbci.org — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 11:24:32 GMT

Washington, D.C. (June 23, 2011)– Time is running out for LEED APs to take advantage of a limited opportunity to add a specialty to their green building credential for free. The staggered enrollment windows close beginning in August. Specialties identify a LEED AP’s expertise within a specific segment of green building practice, and each directly aligns with a LEED rating system. The LEED AP with specialty is available for Building Design + Construction, Interior Design + Construction, and Operations + Maintenance, Neighborhood Development and Homes.

Following the introduction of specialty designations to the LEED AP credential, all LEED APs who tested between 2001 and June 2009 were offered a two-year window of opportunity during which they may earn the new specialty credential without having to take the full exam — and at no cost. LEED APs must enroll by this deadline, but they will have two years upon enrollment to complete the required education hours to earn the specialty.

The LEED AP with specialty credentials allow green building professionals to demonstrate their proficiency in a specialized field within green building. Maintained through 30 hours of flexible continuing education every two years, the specialty credentials ensure that credential holders are keeping pace with the rapidly evolving body of knowledge around green building design, construction and operations. They allow professionals to grow their skills and show clients and employers that their expertise and sustainability knowledge is current and meaningful in today’s dynamic green building marketplace. Industry professionals who hold LEED AP with specialty credentials are frequently sought out in hiring announcements and requests for proposals. Additionally, all candidates for the LEED Fellow distinction, which honors the most accomplished green building practitioners in the field, must hold a LEED AP with specialty credential to be eligible for nomination.

Alexa Stone, LEED AP O+M and Principal with Florida-based ecoPreserve, enrolled to add the Operations + Maintenance specialty to her credential last year. “My specialty credential confirms my experience in implementing upgrades and process innovations to improve the operations of existing buildings,” said Stone. “It also qualifies me to work with organizations that are not yet ready to move directly to LEED certification but do want to take strategic steps toward increased sustainability.”

There are two enrollment pathways by which LEED APs may add a specialty. To add the LEED AP Operations + Maintenance, Building Design + Construction, or Interior Design + Construction specialties, LEED APs can enroll into prescriptive credential maintenance, which allows them to begin using the LEED AP with specialty title immediately. They will then complete 30 hours of prescriptive continuing education within their first two-year reporting period.

The second path to adding the specialty credential is through retesting. During their enrollment window, LEED APs can add the specialty by taking just the specialty portion of any one of the new LEED AP exams.LEED APs who do not add a specialty to their credential during this enrollment period will retain their listing as a LEED AP without specialty in the LEED Professional Directory. However, should they decide to become a LEED AP with specialty after the enrollment period closes, they will need to meet all eligibility requirements, pay applicable fees, and pass the full exam.

The Green Building Certification Institute’s (GBCI) credential maintenance program (CMP) is unique among other continuing education programs in that it offers eight flexible options for earning hours, ranging from working on LEED projects to reading case studies to taking professional development courses. LEED Professionals can often earn hours while performing activities they are already doing for their jobs.

“I qualify for most of my continuing education hours from my involvement with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Chapter Committees, training and instruction I provide, the classes I took at Greenbuild and managing LEED certification on one of my projects, the Orange County Convention Center,” said Stone. LEED APs with specialty can earn up to a third of their CMP hours for their work on LEED projects alone.

Current LEED APs looking to take advantage of the limited-time opportunity to enroll into the specialty credential will find relevant information on prescriptive CMP requirements and testing options in the new CMP Wizard.

Maintaining LEED Professional Credentials is especially relevant in today’s economic climate. The practice of green building is in high demand, with more than one million square feet of construction space certifying to the LEED rating system every day. Earlier this month, President Obama introduced the Better Buildings Initiative, which provides incentives for green building. Green building demand is expected to rise greatly as building owners take advantage of the momentum afforded by the President’s new policy, which catalyzes private-sector investment through a series of incentives to upgrade offices, stores, schools and universities, hospitals and other commercial and municipal buildings.

“Green building is a critical element to a jobs creation program,” said Peter Templeton, President, GBCI. “Professionals who are knowledgeable about green building and the LEED process are today, more than ever, being sought after by employers, clients and project teams.”

LEED Professional Exams now available in French / Les Examens Professionnels LEED maintenant offerts en Français

Erin Emery, media@gbci.org — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 10:43:20 GMT

LES EXAMENS PROFESSIONNELS LEED MAINTENANT OFFERTS EN FRANÇAIS

Les examens LEED Green Associate et LEED AP BD+C (conception + construction de bâtiments) sont maintenant disponibles pour les candidats francophones

Personnes-ressources:

Erin Emery, GBCI, media@gbci.org

Sue Lewis, CaGBC, slewis@cagbc.org

Washington, DC (15 mars 2011) – Le Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) a annoncé aujourd’hui que deux de ses examens professionnels LEED les plus populaires ont été traduits en français international : LEED Green Associate (Associé écologique LEED) et LEED AP Building Design + Construction (PA LEED conception + construction de bâtiments). Pour soutenir les professionnels francophones du bâtiment durable partout dans le monde, ces examens sont maintenant disponibles dans tous les centres d’examens qui offrent les examens professionnels LEED.

Les questions de ces examens ont été traduites par des traducteurs professionnels en français universel et les traductions ont été validées par des professionnels LEED francophones. Les candidats qui se présentent à un examen verront les questions apparaître simultanément en français à la gauche de l’écran et en anglais à la droite de l’écran.« Les systèmes d’évaluation LEED jouent un rôle important au sein de la communauté canadienne-française du bâtiment durable », a déclaré Thomas Mueller, président du Conseil du bâtiment durable du Canada.

« Le CBDCa se réjouit de l’annonce du GBCI d’offrir ces examens en français. Cette mesure répondra aux besoins des francophones au Canada tout en appuyant nos efforts pour renforcer la capacité en matière de bâtiment durable au pays. »

Pour de plus amples renseignements, veuillez consulter le www.gbci.org/francais.

L’agrément LEED

Les titres professionnels LEED permettent aux professionnels œuvrant dans le secteur du bâtiment durable de démontrer qu’ils ont des connaissances à jour des technologies et des pratiques exemplaires en matière de bâtiment durable et qu’ils comprennent le programme d’évaluation des bâtiments durables LEED qui évolue si rapidement. Les professionnels agréés LEED sont très recherchés par les employeurs et sont des membres essentiels des équipes de projets qui visent la certification LEED des bâtiments durables.

Le GBCI

Le Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) confirme, à titre de tierce partie, que les critères particuliers liés à la certification LEED pour les bâtiments et à l’agrément professionnel LEED ont été satisfaits. Pour souligner cet engagement, le GBCI a obtenu l’agrément de l’American National Standards Institute (ANSI) pour les organismes d’agrément de personnes qui respectent la norme 17024 de l’Organisation internationale de normalisation (ISO). Au début de 2009, le GBCI a assumé la responsabilité de l’administration du programme de certification LEED pour les bâtiments visant plus de 37 000 projets commerciaux qui cherchent à obtenir une vérification par une tierce partie de leur conformité au principal système d’évaluation des bâtiments durables dans l’industrie. Pour de plus amples renseignements, visitez le www.gbci.org.

Le CBDCa

Le CBDCa est le principal organisme national voué à la promotion de pratiques de construction durables visant à créer des communautés viables. Le CBDCa représente plus de 2 300 organismes membres œuvrant dans les domaines de la conception, de la construction et de l’exploitation des bâtiments. Il détient la licence d’utilisation des produits LEED® au Canada et est responsable de la mise en œuvre des Systèmes d’évaluation des bâtiments durables LEED au Canada. Pour de plus amples renseignements sur le CBDCa, visitez le www.cagbc.org.

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LEED PROFESSIONAL EXAMS NOW AVAILABLE IN FRENCH

LEED Green Associate, LEED AP Building Design + Construction exams available for French speakers

Contact:

Erin Emery, GBCI, media@gbci.org

Sue Lewis, CaGBC, slewis@cagbc.org

Washington, DC (March 15, 2011) – Today, the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) announced the French translation of two of its most popular LEED Professional Exams into Standard French: the LEED Green Associate and the LEED AP Building Design + Construction (BD+C). To support French-speaking green building professionals around the world, these exams are now available at every testing center where LEED professional exams are offered.

Exam questions on the LEED Green Associate and LEED AP BD+C exams have been professionally translated into Standard French and validated by French-speaking LEEDProfessionals. Test-takers will see each exam question concurrently in French on the left side of their screen and in English on the right.

“The LEED rating systems play a significant role within the French Canadian building community,” said Thomas Mueller, President, Canada Green Building Council. “The CaGBC is pleased by GBCI’s announcement to offer these exams in French. This will continue to support French language needs in Canada and support our work to expand green building capacity within our market.”

For more information, please visit www.gbci.org/francais.

The LEED Professional Credentials

LEED Professional Credentials allow professionals in the green building industry to demonstrate current knowledge of green building technologies and best practices and show an understanding of the rapidly evolving LEED green building program. LEED Professionals are highly sought after by employers and are critical components to the LEED green building certification process.

GBCI

The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) provides third-party confirmation that specific criteria related to LEED building certification and LEED professional credentialing have been met. To underscore this commitment, GBCI has achieved American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accreditation for personnel certification agencies complying with International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Standard 17024. Early in 2009, GBCI assumed responsibility for administering the LEED building certification program for the more than 37,000 commercial projects seeking third-party verification of compliance with the industry's leading green building rating system. For more information, please visit www.gbci.org.

CaGBC

The CaGBC is the leading national industry organization advancing green building practices for livable communities. It represents more than 2,300 member organizations involved in the design, construction and operation of buildings. The Council owns the Canadian license for LEED and implements the LEED® Green Building Rating System in Canada. For more information on the CaGBC visit www.cagbc.org.

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LEED Professional Credentials Achieve Prestigious ANSI Accreditation

Erin Emery, media@gbci.org — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 17:02:05 GMT

LEED Green Associate, LEED AP Operations + Maintenance and LEED AP Homes are first to be accredited

Contact: Erin Emery, media@gbci.org

Washington, DC (March 14, 2011) – Today, the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) announced that three of its LEED Professional Credentials have received ANSI (American National Standards Institute) accreditation under international standard ANSI/ISO/IEC 17024 for personnel certification bodies.

GBCI joins an elite group of only 30 other personnel certification bodies in a range of industry sectors to achieve ANSI accreditation since the program’s inception in 2003. ANSI accreditation is designed to increase the integrity, confidence and mobility of certified professionals.

“We owe it to our 162,000-plus credential holders to demand a level of rigor that ensures their LEED Professional Credentials stand for quality,” said Beth Holst, Vice President of Credentialing at GBCI. “This accreditation from ANSI validates the integrity of our processes under a global standard. That provides a mark of differentiation for our credential holders, and the respect of the market that employs them.”

Accreditation has been granted to the LEED Green Associate, LEED AP Operations + Maintenance and LEED AP Homes credentials, the first of the LEED credentials to be introduced following the release of the LEED 2009 rating system. GBCI expects to submit the remainder of the LEED Professional Credential suite for accreditaton later this year. The credentials provide employers, clients, policymakers and other stakeholders with assurances of an individual’s competencies, and are the mark of the most qualified, educated and influential green building professionals in the marketplace.

“ANSI commends GBCI for achieving accreditation and demonstrating their commitment to the continual improvement of their credentialing programs,” said Dr. Roy Swift, ANSI senior director of personnel credentialing accreditation programs. “This achievement marks the culmination of a multi-month effort to demonstrate compliance to a rigorous internationally recognized accreditation process. Accreditation by ANSI creates a valuable distinction for GBCI’s credentialing programs. This value extends through the service network – from certification body, to certification holder, to employer, to the public they serve.”

# # #

About GBCI

The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) provides third-party confirmation that specific criteria related to LEED building certification and LEED professional credentialing have been met. To underscore this commitment, GBCI has earned American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accreditation for personnel certification agencies complying with International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Standard 17024. Early in 2009, GBCI assumed responsibility for administering the LEED building certification program for the more than 37,000 commercial projects seeking third-party verification of compliance with the industry's leading green building rating system. For more information, please visit www.gbci.org.

About ANSI

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is a private non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance U.S. global competitiveness and the American quality of life by promoting, facilitating, and safeguarding the integrity of the voluntary standardization and conformity assessment system. Its membership is comprised of businesses, professional societies and trade associations, standards developers, government agencies, and consumer and labor organizations. The Institute represents the diverse interests of more than 125,000 companies and organizations and 3.5 million professionals worldwide.The Institute is the official U.S. representative to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and, via the U.S. National Committee, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and is a U.S. representative to the International Accreditation Forum (IAF).

New Online Tool Launched for LEED Professional Credential Holders

Erin Emery, media@gbci.org — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 15:32:59 GMT

“CMP Wizard” offers easy instructional information on maintaining LEED Professional Credentials

Washington, DC (February 17, 2011) – The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) has launched the CMP Wizard, an interactive online tool to help LEED Professionals understand their Credential Maintenance Program (CMP) requirements and explore continuing education options.

The maintenance requirements for the LEED AP and LEED Green Associate credentials ensure that credential holders stay current with the quickly evolving body of knowledge around green building. Credential maintenance also enables professionals to grow their skills and show clients and employers that their expertise is meaningful in a rapidly transforming marketplace. The CMP Wizard helps LEED credential holders select from among the wide variety of options they have for earning credential maintenance credit.

“We created the CMP Wizard to answer questions from current LEED APs with the goal of making the GBCI credential maintenance process clear and easier to understand,” said Peter Templeton, President, Green Building Certification Institute. “The CMP Wizard navigates directly to the key requirements each credential holder needs to know.”

GBCI’s credential maintenance program is unique among other continuing education programs in that it offers eight flexible options for earning hours that range from working on LEED projects to reading case studies to taking professional development courses. LEED Professionals can often earn hours while performing activities they are already doing for their jobs.

LEED APs looking to take advantage of the limited-time opportunity to enroll into the specialty credential will find relevant information on prescriptive CMP requirements and testing options in the CMP Wizard. The enrollment windows for LEED APs without specialty close this year beginning in August.

Maintaining LEED Professional Credentials is especially relevant in today’s economic climate. The practice of green building is currently in high demand, with more than one million square feet of construction space certifying to the LEED rating system every day. Earlier this month, President Obama introduced the Better Buildings Initiative, which provides incentives for green building. Green building demand is expected to rise greatly as building owners take advantage of the momentum afforded by the President’s new policy, which catalyzes private-sector investment through a series of incentives to upgrade offices, stores, schools and universities, hospitals and other commercial and municipal buildings.

“Green building is a critical element to a jobs creation program,” added Templeton. “Professionals who are knowledgeable about green building and the LEED process are today, more than ever, being sought after by employers, clients and project teams.”

For more information about the CMP Wizard visit: www.gbci.org/cmp-wizard.

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About GBCI

The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) provides third-party confirmation that specific criteria related to LEED building certification and LEED professional credentialing have been met. To underscore this commitment, GBCI is undergoing the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accreditation process for personnel certification agencies complying with International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Standard 17024. Early in 2009, GBCI assumed responsibility for administering the LEED building certification program for the more than 37,000 commercial projects seeking third-party verification of compliance with the industry's leading green building rating system. For more information, please visit www.gbci.org.

About LEED

The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. Over 37,000 projects are currently participating in the commercial and institutional LEED rating systems, comprising over 9.7 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 120 countries. In addition, nearly 10,000 homes have been certified under the LEED for Homes rating system, with nearly 30,000 more homes registered.By using less energy, LEED-certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community.For more information, visit www.usgbc.org.