Are you interested in sustainability? Have you stumbled upon the USGBC acronym and thought, “What is the USGBC?” Let us help you navigate this industry! There are two common paths for those interested in sustainability:

• Earning a LEED professional credential (called LEED Accreditation)
• Working on a LEED green building project (called LEED Certification)

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is a rating system for high-performance “green” buildings. Professionals in the industry earn a LEED credential to demonstrate their understanding of the LEED rating system and to reap the benefits of having acquired the marketable designation. Some use their accreditation to supplement their existing job responsibilities, while others go on to work on building projects (both new construction and existing buildings) to emulate the goals of the LEED rating system.

Numerous studies have shown the impact of acquiring LEED – both from a professional credentialing standpoint and a building certification standpoint. The results range from increased employment opportunities and salary expectations (for professional LEED accreditation) to lowered operating costs and increased employee retention (among LEED-certified building projects).

What is the USGBC?

At the center of the LEED green building industry is yet another acronym: USGBC. USGBC stands for United States Green Building Council. Three key members of the green building community established the USGBC in April 1993 simply to help promote sustainability in the building and construction industry.

What is a Green Building Council?

It started when representatives from approximately 60 firms and a few nonprofit organizations met in the boardroom of the American Institute of Architects for a founding meeting. The participants in that meeting shared the same vision of a sustainable built environment for all persons within the next generation. From there, the conversation expanded to evaluate just how the USGBC could transform the building landscape. They came up with several focus areas:

• Advocacy – providing policymakers with the tools, strategies, and resources to inspire action toward a sustainable built environment
• Green Building Programs – a wide variety of seminars for professionals from all sectors of the building industry to understand how sustainability affects them
• The LEED Rating System – a set of guidelines that recommend and reward buildings that implement sustainable, energy-saving features
• LEED Accreditation – promoting wide scale support of sustainability by arming its proponents with knowledge of the LEED rating system
• USGBC Chapters and Branches – further sharing the knowledge and resources across the country and making these tools available to everyone

The USGBC now boasts 76 chapters, over 13,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 181,000 professionals who hold LEED credentials.

Green Building Councils Around the World

The concept of LEED spread like wildfire around the world. Countries soon developed their own green building councils. These national Council representatives occasionally met to review global activities and to offer support for each other’s efforts.

This led to the founding meeting of the WorldGBC in November 1999 in California. There were eight countries in attendance: Australia, Canada, Japan, Spain, Russia, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and United States. Formal incorporation of the WorldGBC followed in 2002 with its primary role being to formalize international communications, help industry leaders access emerging markets, and provide an international voice for green building initiatives. The WorldGBC now works with nearly 100 different countries all around the world.

How You Can Expect to Interact With Your Green Building Council

So you know that each of these green building councils has a multitude of goals to help facilitate the growth of the green building industry, but how will you get involved?

A basic first step is to become a member of your local USGBC chapter or branch. You do not necessarily have to be working on a LEED project or boast LEED credentials to become a member. Simply locate your nearest chapter and find out what you have to do to become a member. Becoming a member of your local USGBC chapter means that you support the USGBC’s mission for a sustainable built environment and grants you access to a variety of green building programs and opportunities.

When you want to expand upon your green building knowledge, you can work toward a LEED credential. Some USGBC chapters offer their own LEED exam prep courses, while others partner with professional LEED training companies like Everblue to deliver this service. Everblue provides LEED training to individuals all over the world via live classroom training, live webinars, and on-demand webinars. We invite professionals from all backgrounds to participate, as LEED exam preparation is not limited to USGBC chapter members. There are no prerequisites, so everyone has the opportunity to earn a LEED credential.

Regardless of how you prepare for your LEED exam, you will need to pay an exam fee directly to the U.S. Green Building Council. How does this work if you do not live in the United States? Great question.

Introducing…the Green Business Certification Institute

Formerly known as the Green Building Certification Institute, GBCI is a sister organization to the USGBC. From 1993 to 2008, there was only the USGBC. In 2009, the USGBC made a series of changes to the LEED rating system and LEED credentialing process. When this happened, the USGBC more or less split into two organizations, each with different responsibilities. It was understood that USGBC would continue to support overall growth of green building, while GBCI was formed to support LEED accreditation for professionals and LEED certification for buildings.

People commonly confuse the USGBC and GBCI. The two organizations are still very closely related. In 2015, the GBCI rebranded itself to Green Business Certification Institute to allow for expansion into new sectors of sustainability.

One key distinguishing feature of the GBCI remains: It is the only body within the green building and sustainability industry to exclusively administer project certifications and professional credentials for LEED.

Because GBCI is the offspring of USGBC, all LEED candidates around the world will interact with USGBC/GBCI regardless of which green building council they regularly affiliate with. When a candidate is ready to take the LEED exam, he/she will visit www.usgbc.org/credentials to pay their exam fee. They will then visit the Prometric website to schedule their exam appointment.

This process is the same for all individuals because, as the Canada Green Building Council states, the councils themselves “do not administer the exams, collect any exam fees, or have influence over the credentialing process.” All candidates must go back to where it all started, with the USGBC, to complete their LEED accreditation. There are translation aids available in Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, and French.

Despite going through the U.S. Green Building Council, all candidates who earn a LEED credential will have that designation recognized internationally for up to two years. LEED accredited professionals must earn continuing education every two years to maintain their credential.

Questions? Give us a call at (800) 460-2575.

We first wrote about the local ordinances requiring LEED in 2009. Given the ever-changing landscape of the green building industry, it seemed appropriate to provide an update. We’ve scoured the Internet trying to find all the LEED legislation for U.S. geographies that require and/or support LEED Certification – if you know of any additional locations that fit this criteria, please let us know!! Drop us a note on Twitter at @everblue_edu. Also, please see our list of sources at the very bottom of this post. Now, let’s begin…

1. AZ – Phoenix: The Phoenix City Building Standards Revision (2005) requires all new municipal buildings built with 2006 Bond Funds to be LEED Certified, and in 2006, the City Building Standards were revised to include additional efficiency measures.¹
2. CA – Sacramento: Resolution 2004-751 (2004) requires the highest level of LEED Certification possible for all city projects, but LEED Silver should be the goal for projects over 5,000 sq ft.¹
3. CA – San Diego: CMR 02-060 and Council Policy 900-14 require all new city facilities and major building renovation projects over 5,000 sq ft achieve LEED Silver certification.²
4. CA – San Francisco: The San Francisco Green Building Ordinance (2008) requires commercial buildings between 5,000-25,000 sq ft to complete a LEED Checklist. Newly constructed and renovated commercial buildings over 25,000 sq ft must be LEED Certified, increasing to LEED Silver in 2009, and LEED Gold in 2012. Ordinance N 88-04 (2004) already required all municipal new construction, additions, and major renovation projects over 5,000 sq ft to achieve LEED Silver Certification. The Director’s Bulletin 2006-02 (2006) gives priority permit review to all new and renovated buildings that achieve LEED Gold certification.¹
5. CA – San Jose: The San Jose Green Building Ordinance (2009) requires new commercial and industrial buildings under 25,000 sq ft to submit a LEED Checklist. New commercial or industrial buildings of 25,000 sq ft or larger must achieve LEED Silver. Projects requiring LEED Certification must pay a deposit to ensure that the building will achieve the requirements.¹
6. CO – Denver: EO 123 in 2007 requires new municipal building construction over 5,000 sq ft and major renovations to earn LEED for New Construction Silver Certification. Denver also requires all existing and future municipal facilities to be maintained and operated using all appropriate LEED for Existing Buildings principles.¹
7. CT – Stamford: Stamford Ordinance 1071 (2007) requires all city-owned buildings over 5,000 sq ft and buildings where the city leases at least 50% of total space to earn LEED Silver or higher.¹
8. DC – Washington: The Green Building Act, revised in 2012, updates and amends the Green Building Act of 2006 by providing that public schools shall aspire to meet LEED for Schools at the Gold level or higher and by imposing fines on private commercial buildings that do not provide proof that the project is LEED certifiable within 2 years of receipt of occupancy. Resolution 71-07 (2007) recommends that all new local government facilities constructed in the metropolitan area earn LEED Silver certification and all new private commercial development earn LEED Certified.¹
9. FL – Coral Gables: City of Coral Gables, Florida requires all newly constructed buildings 20,000 square feet and larger to be LEED certified.
10. FL – Jacksonville: Regulatory applications by landowners with green certification shall be given priority over other applications. All new city buildings or major renovations of existing city buildings must obtain some kind of green certification – either from USGBC or from another certifying agency.³
11. FL – Miami: Municipal Code Ordinance Article III (2009) requires all new private development over 50,000 sq ft to achieve LEED Silver and requires the owner to post a performance bond to guarantee LEED Silver Certification, but also provides density bonuses for projects that achieve LEED Gold or Platinum.¹
12. FL – St. Petersburg: On April 26, 2019, the City adopted Ordinance No. 359-H, which requires City-owned buildings over 5,000 square feet, which are either existing or being substantially modified or are being newly constructed, to achieve a rating of LEED Gold from the U.S. Green Building Council.
13. FL – Tampa: Ordinance 2008-111 requires all new municipal buildings over 5,000 sq ft of air-conditioned space to earn a minimum of LEED Silver certification and that the renovation of all municipal buildings follow LEED guidelines, while also offering developers of commercial and multi-family residential buildings a 20-80% rebate on building permit fees, depending on the level of LEED Certification. The City of Tampa Strategic Action Plan (2006) offers a density bonus (1.5 FAR maximum) to developers in the Channel District who achieve LEED certification due to the development’s elements of “community enhancement.”¹
14. GA – Atlanta: All major renovations and new construction of city-owned facilities over 5,000 sq ft are required to earn a LEED New Construction Silver Certification or greater. All existing city-owned facilities larger than 25,000 sq ft are required to earn the LEED Buildings: Operations & Maintenance Certification.
15. ID – Ketchum: Local building code requires LEED Silver Certification on new residential construction and additions.
16. IL – Chicago: Commercial projects striving for LEED Certification will receive their permits within 30 days, while those striving for higher levels of LEED certification will receive an expedited permit and are eligible to receive a partial payment waiver up to $25,000.¹
17. IN – Indianapolis: Reduced or rebated permitted fees for certified green building projects.³
18. KY – Louisville: Developers receive a “sustainable permit” designation if half their square footage meets the standards of LEED or other green building organizations.³
19. MA – Boston: Boston Zoning Article 37 requires that all projects achieve at least the “certifiable” level utilizing the most appropriate LEED Rating System(s).⁴
20. MD – Baltimore: All city and city-funded projects greater than 10,000 sq ft and commercial buildings or multi-family residential buildings greater than 10,000 sq ft budgeted or permitted after July 1, 2009 must achieve LEED Silver.¹
21. MO – Kansas City: City passed Ordinance 110235 in 2011 as an update to the city’s existing requirement for all new municipal buildings over 5,000 sq ft to earn LEED Silver Certification – LEED Gold is the new requirement.¹
22. MO – St. Louis: Ordinance 67414 (2007) requires all newly constructed and renovated municipal facilities greater than 5,000 sq ft to earn LEED Silver certification and directs the city to apply the principles included in LEED for New Construction, LEED for Commercial Interiors, and LEED for Existing Buildings during retrofit and renovation of existing municipal facilities.¹
23. NM – Albuquerque: All city building construction projects and major remodels over 5,000 sq ft, with a 341,300 BTU per hour connected energy load or with a 50 kilowatt or greater service capacity shall receive LEED Silver Certification.³
24. NV – Las Vegas: Reduced or rebated permitted fees for certified green building projects.³
25. NY – Manhattan: Local Law 86 requires all municipal construction over $2 M to earn LEED Silver Certification and non-residential capital projects costing over $2 M and partially funded by the city must earn LEED Silver Certification, while schools and hospitals earn LEED Certified.¹
26. OH – Columbus: Reimburses the costs of LEED Certification³
27. OR – Portland: Resolution 243213 (2009) requires all new city construction to meet LEED Gold standards and all interior improvements to city buildings to use a city guide and/or achieve Silver for LEED for Commercial Interiors, while all existing city buildings are to pursue Silver certification under LEED for Existing Buildings and all bureaus must use LEED for Existing Buildings as a guide. Resolution 6262 (2005) requires all private development over 10,000 sq ft and receiving financial assistance from the PDC and other public agencies, including fee or tax waivers, equal or greater to 10% of the total project cost, to earn LEED Silver certification.¹
28. PA – Philadelphia: Philadelphia Zoning Commission Final Report (2011) provides a floor area density bonus to construction projects that attain LEED Platinum or Gold certification. Bill 080025, passed in 2009, requires all new municipal buildings over 10,000 sq ft to achieve LEED Silver certification and to use 20% less energy than basic, code-compliant structures.¹
29. PA – Pittsburgh: Ordinance 2008-0027, passed in 2009, requires all projects receiving Tax Increment Financing and all new construction on municipal property of 10,000 sq ft or costing in excess of $2 M, to achieve LEED Silver certification. The Pittsburgh Sustainable Development Bonus, passed in 2007, grants a density bonus of an additional 20% FAR and an additional variance of 20% of the permitted height for projects that earn LEED NC or LEED CS certification in all nonresidential zoning districts.¹
30. TN – Memphis: In Memphis’s “sustainable subdivision” zone, 10% of the square footage must be LEED certified.³
31. TN – Nashville: Metro Government of Nashville and Davidson County, TN mandates LEED Silver Certification for projects that exceed 5,000 sq ft of occupied space or for which the total project cost exceeds $2 M.³
32. TX – Dallas: The City of Dallas Green Building Ordinance, passed in 2008, requires that new commercial construction greater than 50,000 sq ft must attempt to achieve a number of priority LEED credits. Expedited permitting is available for all covered projects, and after 2011, all new residential and commercial construction must submit a completed scorecard for one of the approved rating systems.¹
33. TX – El Paso: New construction and major renovations of City-owned, occupied, or funded buildings over 5,000 sq ft must earn LEED Silver certification.⁴
34. TX – Houston: Resolution 2004-15 in 2004 requires that all city-owned buildings and facilities over 10,000 sq ft shall use LEED to the greatest extent practical and reasonable, with a target of LEED Silver Certification.¹
35. WA – Seattle: Ordinance 122054 (2006) provides a height or density bonus to commercial or residential projects that achieve at least LEED Silver certification and contribute to affordable housing. The Seattle Green Building Incentive Policy (2002) requires LEED Silver certification of all city-owned projects and renovations over 5,000 sq ft and encourages private construction to use LEED standards in new and existing buildings by providing economic incentives.¹

¹ National Green Building Adoption Index 2014 – CBRE

² City of San Diego, California Council Policy

³ How Often Do Cities Mandate Smart Growth or Green Building? by Michael Lewyn and Kristoffer Jackson, October 2014

³ Article 37 Green Building and Climate Resiliency Guidelines

⁴ City of El Paso, Texas Agenda

And finally…

If you’re looking for more of a broad overview of LEED legislation for your state, see this map created by the Construction Data Company.

Sustainability is fast becoming the norm. Once a quality coveted solely by tree-hugging environmentalists, sustainability has now transcended this cliché and illustrated its impact across all industries and professionals. One of the most widespread representations of sustainability is LEED. And it’s accessible to anyone, so if you want to get LEED accredited, keep reading! 

LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design is a system that evaluates how “green” a building is and applies a designation, or LEED certification, to a building to easily represent that analysis.

When it comes to certifying a new construction or existing building project, many project teams prefer to have an accredited LEED professional on staff to assist with the process. Although LEED is a certification for buildings, a related designation can also be applied to the construction professionals knowledgeable about the system – this is called LEED accreditation.

At Everblue, we help architects, engineers, general contractors, and other professionals in the building industry prepare for their LEED exam so that they can earn a LEED accreditation. With this in mind, we wanted to take a moment to share the need-to-know facts about getting started.

Frequently Asked Questions About LEED Accreditation

• What is the first step? All LEED candidates must pass the LEED Green Associate Exam before proceeding to the LEED AP with Specialty level.
• What is a LEED AP? LEED AP stands for LEED Accredited Professional, however this is the second tier of accreditation. The individuals seeking this specialty credential tend to work on LEED projects on a regular basis.
• What is the process for becoming a LEED Green Associate? We recommend that you participate in LEED exam prep training to learn about the LEED Rating Systems. As with many exam preparation scenarios, we recommend 20-30 hours of self-study time to make sure you fully understand the material. To take your exam, you will need to pay an exam fee to the U.S. Green Building Council. After you have paid for your exam, you will be able to choose the exact date and time of your exam appointment with your local Prometric Testing Center.
• Are there any continuing education requirements? Yes. LEED Green Associates must obtain 15 hours of continuing education every 2 years. At the LEED AP level, professionals will need to obtain 30 hours of continuing education within the same time frame.
• What is the fastest way to jump to the LEED AP level? The USGBC offers a combined exam option. Although this option comes with a bit of a discount, we don’t generally recommend this format. When you choose this option, you commit to a 4-hour exam, which can be pretty overwhelming if you are less familiar with the idiosyncrasies of LEED, and if you fail any portion of the exam, you will not be allowed to proceed. Thus, you walk away with no credential at all and wasted time and money. We recommend that LEED candidates pace themselves appropriately and prepare for one credential at a time.
• How can I get started right now? Everblue offers live and online LEED training. Our exam prep training consolidates all of the important information that will be covered on the LEED exam. We provide you with everything you need to feel confident and prepared to successfully pass your exam and earn a LEED credential.

Your LEED Training Options

At Everblue, we’ve found success offering our LEED training services in two delivery methods:

• Live Webinar – live instructor-led sessions for $499, follow along from home or work, includes all study materials (course guide, 8 LEED credit practice quizzes, 200 practice questions, 3 practice exams, and LEED credit reference sheets)
• On-Demand Webinar – 16 hours, self-guided e-learning presentation for $399, immediate access after registration, access to course content for 6 months, includes all study materials (course guide, 8 LEED credit practice quizzes, 200 practice questions, 3 practice exams, and LEED credit reference sheets)

We are very proud to say that our students are reporting a 99% success rate on the LEED Green Associate v4 exam, so you can rest assured that you’re in good hands when you choose Everblue as your LEED training provider!

Where to Get LEED Accredited – Live Classroom Locations

We’re constantly adding new locations for LEED training. Visit our LEED Courses page to see all the options.

We hope you’ll join us for a live or online LEED training course to get ready for your LEED exam! Call us at (800) 460-2575 or start a live chat if you have any questions.

Consulting-Specifying Engineer announced its list of 40 Under 40 award winners last week, and we discovered that many of them were LEED AP Professionals!

Consulting-Specifying Engineer is a trade publication and website for professional engineers who design mechanical, electrical, electronic, and related systems for commercial, industrial, and institutional projects. Now in its eighth year, the 40 Under 40 program honors building industry professionals, each of whom nominated by a mentor, who have demonstrated superior dedication to their profession, as well as leadership skills and volunteerism in their community and industry.

Although their professional titles are diverse – vice president, director, general manager, president, CEO, principal, and many others – one common theme among the 40 Under 40 winners were their ties to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. As I was reviewing the list, I noticed that many of the winners held a LEED professional credential after their name. After research, I discovered that 62.5% of the honorees held a LEED AP BD+C or a LEED AP credential. Why do you think that is?

The Rise of LEED AP Professionals Among Engineers

Building projects around the world either give serious consideration to incorporating sustainability or actually make the commitment to pursue a LEED Certification. Therefore, building industry professionals, such as architects and engineers, must be conversant in the topics related to sustainability and green building.

Engineers, in particular, are already responsible for evaluating structural systems for recycled content, local material content, and overall efficiency. Deciding to learn about LEED and applying that knowledge to sustainable building projects is merely an extension of what engineers already do.

LEED Certification emphasizes sustainable initiatives such as green roofs, solar PV arrays, storm water collection systems, heat recovery, and sophisticated building envelope solutions that all indirectly affect the structural design. These features have a significant impact on the building framing, therefore many engineers see the relevance in pursuing a LEED credential as a means of better assessing and implementing these solutions into their building projects.

Engineers who are LEED AP professionals can practice flexibility and innovation when they approach clients about their building projects. What they bring to the table are alternative ideas that complement the green building goals of the architects, design professionals, and building contractors. Engineers, specifically those with a LEED AP BD+C credential, have the expertise to provide enhanced advice regarding HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems in high-performing, energy-efficient buildings.

How Engineers Can Use LEED

There are a multitude of ways that engineers can incorporate LEED and sustainability into their building projects. Here are a few examples of ways that engineers can take their knowledge to the next level and provide new services to their clients:

• LEED Sustainable Design Charrettes – A charrette refers to a collaborative session in which design professionals and their clients draft project goals for sustainable design and outline a plan for achieving those goals. Engineers with knowledge of the LEED Certification process will be able to use the LEED rating system as a checklist for achieving (or exceeding) those goals. This is a great opportunity for engineers who want to use their knowledge and expertise in sustainability to become leaders and facilitators on LEED-registered projects. This level of awareness, organization, and proficiency ensures that the project remains on pace and within budget.
• LEED Consulting and Documentation – Similarly, an engineer working on a LEED certification project will be better equipped to identify and integrate viable sustainable design strategies into new construction or existing facilities over a colleague who is less familiar with LEED. One key component to earning LEED certification for a building project is the documentation; an engineer familiar with LEED will be an important resource for organizing, preparing, and submitting the official LEED documentation. It’s best for the team leader to be LEED accredited so that he/she can competently describe the project in question and submit the project for consideration in the appropriate LEED categories.
• Energy Modeling – Saving energy (and energy-related expenses) is often a top goal for buildings that pursue LEED certification. An engineer fluent in LEED will be able to use sophisticated software to project annual energy consumption and costs and to determine whether the project will meet the energy efficiency prerequisites as outlined in the LEED rating system.
• LEED Commissioning – A LEED-accredited engineer will be able to verify that the HVAC, plumbing, electrical, lighting, wastewater, etc. systems achieve the project requirements as designed by the architect and compliant with the intended level of LEED certification.

These are just a few of the actionable ways that engineers can incorporate LEED knowledge into their jobs.

LEED AP vs. LEED AP BD+C

As I noted above, there were a variety of 40 Under 40 honorees with either a LEED AP or a LEED AP BD+C credential. You may be wondering what the difference is. It’s quite simple.

A LEED AP, or LEED Accredited Professional, is someone who passed the LEED exam prior to 2009. At that time, there was only one level of LEED accreditation, and it was called LEED AP.

In 2009, the U.S. Green Building Council revamped its LEED credentialing process and split the LEED AP into three tiers. The first tier is LEED Green Associate, the next level is LEED AP with Specialty, and the top level is LEED Fellow. When this change occurred, there was a grace period for LEED APs to opt into the new system and become a LEED AP with Specialty. All they had to do was pay a fee and commit to ongoing continuing education activities. Those who did not opt into the new system did not lose their LEED accreditation – they simply became known as LEED APs forevermore. A LEED AP who now wants to opt into the new system must start from the beginning with the LEED Green Associate accreditation, which is fair, since the LEED standards have now been updated twice since a LEED AP probably passed his or her exam.

In regard to the 40 Under 40 list, where 25 of the winners held a LEED credential, 44% had the LEED AP BD+C credential and 56% had the LEED AP. By the way, LEED AP BD+C stands for LEED AP Building Design and Construction, which refers to new construction or major remodel projects.

It’s nice to see that so many building professionals have made the commitment to environmental stewardship and that Consulting-Specifying Engineer has recognized their achievements. Congratulations to this year’s list!