Understanding LEED CMP

Point A to Point Green:
Understanding LEED CMP

The arrival of LEED 3.0 in April 2009 brought with it a number of enhancements designed to increase the flexibility of the LEED rating system and promote the value of sustainable design and construction. What it also brought was a new credentialing system that left many industry professionals scratching their heads in confusion. The following is a brief overview of the new LEED Credential Maintenance Program (CMP) to help you navigate successfully the road to becoming a LEED-accredited professional.

Three Tiers for Credential Maintenance
LEED v3 introduced a three-tiered credentialing system created to help industry professionals achieve and maintain the appropriate LEED accreditation. The first tier is LEED Green Associate; the second tier is LEED AP with Specialty; and the third tier is LEED AP Fellow.

According the U.S. Green Building Council, the LEED Green Associate credential “denotes basic knowledge of green design, construction and operations” and “is intended for professionals who want to demonstrate green building expertise in non-technical fields of practice”. Whether your goal is simply to become a Green Associate or you hope to become a LEED AP with Specialty, you must pass the LEED Green Associate Exam — prior to which you must either successfully complete a LEED Green Associate course or have verified LEED project experience.

Specialization under Tier II
Under the second tier—LEED AP with Specialty—there are five credentials available: LEED Building Design & Construction (LEED BD&C); LEED Interior Design & Construction (LEED ID&C); LEED Operations & Maintenance (LEED O&M); LEED Homes (LEED H); and LEED Neighborhood Development (LEED ND). To meet your professional goals under Tier II, you now have two options: You may become a LEED AP with Specialty by passing one of the required specialty exams or you may choose to complete the prescriptive CMP requirements for the initial 2-year reporting period (see CE and Maintenance Fees).

A Word about LEED AP Fellow
The third and final tier under the LEED v3 credentialing system is LEED AP Fellow, which signifies those professionals with an elite level of green building expertise and experience. Currently, the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) is in the process of fully defining the LEED AP Fellow credential.

CE and Maintenance Fees
It is important to note that in order for professionals to maintain their LEED Green Associate or LEED AP with Specialty credentials under LEED v3, certain steps are now required. LEED Green Associates will be required to pay a maintenance fee every two years, as well as complete 15 hours of continuing education (three of which must be LEED-specific). Similarly, LEED APs with Specialty must pay a maintenance fee and complete 30 hours of continuing education (six of which must be LEED-specific) every two years from the initial date the credential was received.