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Sounds like I am a chump for not just staying as a legacy and getting a specialization....
It looks like LEED 2012 is going to require an AP w/ specialty to get the LEED AP credit. I have a feeling this will eventually become a prereq.

In related news, LEED 2012 is up for public comment: http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=2360
For "legacy" LEED APs, it is currently free to enroll, and then you have two years to get your CEUs. If during that time you decide the specialty is not worth the effort and expense, simply don't do anything, you will revert back to AP without specialty at the end of the period and not be out anything. Makes sense to me given the LEED 2012 may well make legacy APs obsolete, in fact a LEED Green Associate has more pull in the new system (as it is written in its draft form anyhow). At least to sit and watch the drama unfold it makes some sense to enroll at least to keep your options open for now.

For those "specialized" LEED AP's, ie those who tested under LEED 2009, too bad, you're stuck with the CEUs, and if you don't do them, you're left with nada at the end of the 2 year reporting period.

 
you don't lose your legacy LEED AP when you opt into a specialty; I have three specialties and also am a legacy LEED AP and it shows up as so when you look in the LEED AP directory.

The CEUs aren't that bad - a big chunk of them can be "general hours" which probably the work at your job will count for (mine does)...

Also - it might be cheaper just to retake the exams, they're really not that bad

 
Congrats on passing the Green Associate! Just a note - USGBC does not want people referring to it as the LEED GA, as there is another building-related certification that has "GA" in its title. They want you just to use "LEED Green Associate" :)

Are you looking for experience to qualify for the LEED AP with specialty examination? If so, note that no matter how small your experience is, as long as it's on a LEED registered project, that's what's important. You might see if you can offer services for free to your local county or city even for just a few hours, it would be enough :)

 
you don't lose your legacy LEED AP when you opt into a specialty; I have three specialties and also am a legacy LEED AP and it shows up as so when you look in the LEED AP directory.
The CEUs aren't that bad - a big chunk of them can be "general hours" which probably the work at your job will count for (mine does)...

Also - it might be cheaper just to retake the exams, they're really not that bad

I would definitely argue with your "cheaper" claim since there are 93 (and counting) free USGBC certified CEU courses here: http://continuingeducation.construction.co...ycat1.php?cat=M

I'm at 27 hours and haven't paid a dime yet.

 
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you don't lose your legacy LEED AP when you opt into a specialty; I have three specialties and also am a legacy LEED AP and it shows up as so when you look in the LEED AP directory.
The CEUs aren't that bad - a big chunk of them can be "general hours" which probably the work at your job will count for (mine does)...

Also - it might be cheaper just to retake the exams, they're really not that bad

I would definitely argue with your "cheaper" claim since there are 93 (and counting) free USGBC certified CEU courses here: http://continuingeducation.construction.co...ycat1.php?cat=M

I'm at 27 hours and haven't paid a dime yet.
Only problem is with the specialty hours. Only six approved LEED specific hours in free webinar format exist as of today (Ingersoll Rand/Trane webinars). Works for the first cycle. I hope more come along in two years.

 
Right exactly - I have three specialties, so getting the LEED-specific hours is where the problem comes in... my company has calculated that it's cheaper just to reimburse the exam. Between the price of the LEED-specific courses as well as the hours that we would then be billing, it's cheaper to pay the $150 to retake the exam

 
Hi everyone,
I recently passed the LEED GA exam and I'm interested in working on a green building. Is there a place where I can apply for this particular project ?

will appreciate any help , thanks.

Goto the LEED Online Website.

https://leedonline.usgbc.org/Login.aspx

You can register the project there, or if it is already registered, call the project manager, and get the project code, and add it to your projects.

 
Hey all, civil structural here. I hear lots of people bashing the LEED program so it makes me gunshy to take the test, but I see it as the next necessary step after the PE.

I am looking for some books that I will need for studies. I have nothing so far.

FYI I am looking to take the BD+C section of the test.

Please respond to this or PM me to let me know what you have and what it will cost.

 
I think it's largely a joke, but it's a hot item right now and looks good on a resume.

I took the exam a few years ago when there was no heirarchy to it and you became a LEED AP after you passed that silly exam.

I don't know how the system is structured all that well at this point.

 
I think it's largely a joke, but it's a hot item right now and looks good on a resume.
I took the exam a few years ago when there was no heirarchy to it and you became a LEED AP after you passed that silly exam.

I don't know how the system is structured all that well at this point.
You can either take the GA & AP exams in one 4 hour sitting, or take them separately. I'd recommend taking separately, that way you avoid the 4 hour sitting, and you hold the GA credential while working on the AP. This will cost $50 more, but if you're new to the LEED system, the GA exam is MUCH easier than the AP. That said, if you've worked a ton of LEED projects already then you might consider bashing both out at once.

Keep in mind the requirements to even sit the exam, the GA is simple, you just need to be involved in buildings, get a letter signed by your manager that meets the requirements of the candidate handbook... AP on the other hand, you need experience with a LEED project. Do you have this?

The other consideration is the CMP program. In earning the credential, you'll be signing up for 15 hours with the GA, or 30 hours with the AP, to be done every 2 years.

As for the value of the credential, I believe it looks good on a resume, that's about all I want from it. I'll be sitting the O+M AP exam in a week.

 
I am qualified to take the LEED Green Associate and I plan to take the exam in a month. Can you recommend good books/study materials for this exam?

I bought the two books from USGBC 1) LEED Green Associate Study Guide and 2) Green Building and LEED Core Concepts and just didn't feel confident with just these two. They seem to be somewhat identical and only touch the surface of the topics.

I am considering the package offered by greenexamprep (without the online 8hr course) on here http://www.greenexamprep.com/store/product...LVERLEEDGA.html

But I want to ask for your opinion on good and relevant study materials before I waste more money on this whole #@$#%$$#$ LEED thing!!!

I've already spent roughtly $200 for an educational class to get qualified for the exam, money for the GBCI to verify my qualification ($50 wtf?) and the two not so great books from the source...

...and yes, I feel like being :poop: on big time.

 
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I am qualified to take the LEED Green Associate and I plan to take the exam in a month. Can you recommend good books/study materials for this exam? I bought the two books from USGBC 1) LEED Green Associate Study Guide and 2) Green Building and LEED Core Concepts and just didn't feel confident with just these two. They seem to be somewhat identical and only touch the surface of the topics.

I am considering the package offered by greenexamprep (without the online 8hr course) on here http://www.greenexamprep.com/store/product...LVERLEEDGA.html

But I want to ask for your opinion on good and relevant study materials before I waste more money on this whole #@$#%$$#$ LEED thing!!!

I've already spent roughtly $200 for an educational class to get qualified for the exam, money for the GBCI to verify my qualification and the two books from the source that don't seem to be very helpful...and yes, I feel like being :poop: on big time.
These exams can take your shirt if you're not careful.

Not to make you feel too bad, but people have been getting approval to take the GA using certificates generated by the free CMP web based courses offered at https://www.usgbc.org/CourseCatalog/CourseC...;CMSPageID=2115 ..not sure if they would stand up to an audit, but there's plenty of word of mouth getting around that these are a-okay

Depending on your profession & school background, a signed letter from a boss or professor would also have done the trick....

I also bought the core concepts & study guide. waste of $$ big time

I would recommend the GBES GA package for $50 regardless of what other material you have purchased. This includes a study guide in pdf & MP3 format as well as 7 practice tests. EVERYONE who takes the test should get this IMO... But if you want free stuff, there is some available:

http://www.greenlearner.com/

http://studio4llc.com/category/e-store/study-materials/

http://www.green.ca.gov/leedtraining.htm (careful as these were recorded prior to the massive changes in the appendices coming out)

http://www.buildingmygreenlife.com/leed-gr...-practice-test/

Also make sure you are familiar with all the free OFFICIAL reference download documents here: http://www.gbci.org/main-nav/professional-...-associate.aspx ESPECIALLY the refrigerants.

Hope this helps.

 
I am qualified to take the LEED Green Associate and I plan to take the exam in a month. Can you recommend good books/study materials for this exam? I bought the two books from USGBC 1) LEED Green Associate Study Guide and 2) Green Building and LEED Core Concepts and just didn't feel confident with just these two. They seem to be somewhat identical and only touch the surface of the topics.

I am considering the package offered by greenexamprep (without the online 8hr course) on here http://www.greenexamprep.com/store/product...LVERLEEDGA.html

But I want to ask for your opinion on good and relevant study materials before I waste more money on this whole #@$#%$$#$ LEED thing!!!

I've already spent roughtly $200 for an educational class to get qualified for the exam, money for the GBCI to verify my qualification and the two books from the source that don't seem to be very helpful...and yes, I feel like being :poop: on big time.
These exams can take your shirt if you're not careful.

Not to make you feel too bad, but people have been getting approval to take the GA using certificates generated by the free CMP web based courses offered at https://www.usgbc.org/CourseCatalog/CourseC...;CMSPageID=2115 ..not sure if they would stand up to an audit, but there's plenty of word of mouth getting around that these are a-okay

Depending on your profession & school background, a signed letter from a boss or professor would also have done the trick....

I also bought the core concepts & study guide. waste of $$ big time

I would recommend the GBES GA package for $50 regardless of what other material you have purchased. This includes a study guide in pdf & MP3 format as well as 7 practice tests. EVERYONE who takes the test should get this IMO... But if you want free stuff, there is some available:

http://www.greenlearner.com/

http://studio4llc.com/category/e-store/study-materials/

http://www.green.ca.gov/leedtraining.htm (careful as these were recorded prior to the massive changes in the appendices coming out)

http://www.buildingmygreenlife.com/leed-gr...-practice-test/

Also make sure you are familiar with all the free OFFICIAL reference download documents here: http://www.gbci.org/main-nav/professional-...-associate.aspx ESPECIALLY the refrigerants.

Hope this helps.
thank you for the tips and the links.

It's ok. I "had" to attend the CALGreen seminar for other reasons anyway so it wasn't so much of a waste.

I have heard good things about the GBES package. I wish I asked for advices on EB before buying the books from GBCI...

Btw, how long did you study for these exams?

 
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thank you for the tips and the links.
It's ok. I "had" to attend the CALGreen seminar for other reasons anyway so it wasn't so much of a waste.

I have heard good things about the GBES package. I wish I asked for advices on EB before buying the books from GBCI...

Btw, how long did you study for these exams?
I think I spent about a month like VTEnviro, but I spent maybe 5 hours a week in the first few weeks and only ramped it up for the last week or two. Not a hard test at all, just understand the concepts and use the GBES tests to show you what funny items need to be memorized such as standards, refrigerants, the types of facilities included in community connectivity, etc etc. You'll get the picture when you take some tests. FYI some questions from the Greenlearner tests go far beyond the scope of the GA by asking for specific points earned in BD+C etc.

 
I passed LEED AP exam in May 2009. Do I need any CE Hours to maintain my LEED AP title? Thanks

 
I passed LEED AP exam in May 2009. Do I need any CE Hours to maintain my LEED AP title? Thanks
Nope. You are a LEED AP now and forever more as you tested under LEED v 2.2. You may want to keep in mind that it looks like LEED 2012 will make LEED APs without specialty less relevant. There is a credit in Innovation in Design/Operations that under LEED 2009 requires any LEED AP to be working in a principal role in the project. Under 2012 it will now require a LEED AP specialized in the specialty of the project as principal & two LEED APs of any specialty OR two Green Associates. Long story short, unless you enroll to the new system and do the CE Hours, you will not be able to earn that point... Does that matter to you?

 
I have my LEED AP under the old system (2.2) and my window of opportunity to take the test get my "BD +C" certification expires in October. I work for a company that does construction only, but figured I could possibly donate some time to an architect on a LEED project around here. Trouble is, there is only one within project within 2 hours of me and I don't know anyone in that area. I figure I might ask a local architect around here anyway, but I have to imagine other people have had to be in the same boat as me. There really arent that many CEU credit opportunities around here either, although I'm not entirely sure about this. Anyone have any advice for me or have the same dilemma?

 
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