The U.S. Green Building Council has announced two important updates regarding the LEED professional credentials:
1. Content Updates for Green Associate and LEED AP+ Exams
In June 2014, the LEED Green Associate and LEED AP Specialty credentialing exams will be updated to align with the new LEED Version 4 green building rating system updates. LEED v4 passed in Summer 2013, and was officially launched at Greenbuild in November 2013. The new version includes several changes from the previous LEED 2009 (v3) version, and these updates will now be integrated into the LEED credentialing exam material.
The last date to take the LEED v3 version of the exams is June 15, 2014. There will then be a 15 day "black-out" period while the exams are transferred to the LEED v4 versions. Testing for the v4 exams will begin on June 30, 2014.
2. LEED Project Experience No Longer A Pre-requisite For Taking LEED AP+ Exam
In addition to the exam content changing, USGBC also announced a major update in the LEED exam eligibility requirements. Currently, candidates are required to have experience working on a LEED registered project within the last three years to be eligible to take the LEED AP+ exam. Starting June 30, however, this eligibility requirement will be removed. Instead, candidates will be tested on applicable LEED project skills, such as using LEED Online, USGBC's online resource for managing and submitting LEED project documentation.
USGBC has stated that updated candidate handbooks and further details on the new exam content will be available by mid-April.
For those who wish to take the LEED v3 versions of the exam before the deadline, our in-person and live webinar courses will be covering LEED v3 content until Mid-may, and our LEED v3 online anytime program will be available through the June 15th deadline.
GreenEDU will also be holding weekly 2-hour study sessions via live webinar, designed for individuals who want to pass the Green Associate exam prior to the new version. Paired with our full-length exam prep courses, these 2-hour sessions are the final review you need to ace the exam before the June deadline! View our upcoming schedule and register at http://www.greenedu.com/leed-v3-green-associate-study-session-courses.