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Advice provided by: Rob Freeman Jr, LEED AP, Green-Buildings.com

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Jannett asks: I was in a sustainable design class the other day and the question was asked by a new student if you need to take the LEED GA exam before the AP exam. The teacher said "no". Now he is already AP accredited so I believe that is correct for him (I don't believe he even has to take the GA exam), but for a new student with no prior project experience, don't we have to pass the GA first? I know we have to have worked on a LEED project team before we can apply to then take the AP specilty exam.
We are a bit confussed - please clarify exams and requirements for new students and for previously accredited AP professionals.

Also please clarify if a current AP accredited person has a time limit (2 yrs?) to then make a speciality selection (ID+C for example) and does this mean they need to take that specilty exam or can they just declare their specility?

Thank you

Answer: Hi Jannette: Thanks for your question. Yes, you are correct, any new (after June 30th, 2009) candidate for the LEED AP credential is required to take the LEED Green Associate exam, also called the Tier I exam or "part one" of the LEED AP exam. The instructor you had perhaps meant that a LEED AP candidate does not have to "become" a LEED Green Associate, but they still must take that exam and pass it. See this prior post for more details. Also, the instructor could have been referring to the fact that "legacy" LEED APs don't have to take the LEED Green Associate exam if they want to choose that route (see below) to enroll in the new LEED AP with specialty system.

Regarding current LEED APs making specialty selections and the time to do this, LEED APs without specialty credentialed under the pre-Tiered credentialing system (i.e. New Construction 2.0, 2.1, and 2.2, Commercial Interiors 2.0, and/or the Existing Buildings 2.0 exam tracks) may enroll in the new credentialing system between "summer 2009 and summer 2011", according to the GBCI. I assume this means between July 1st, 2009 and June 30th, 2011, but you may want to call the GBCI to confirm the dates.

In order to enroll in the new specialty credential system, "legacy" LEED APs have a few options for how to do this:

1. Become a LEED AP with specialty by passing one of the new specialty examinations; only part 2 will be required if testing by June 2011. When applying for the exam you will need to sign the Disciplinary and Exam Appeals Policy and agree to credentialing maintenance. You will need to complete the standard CMP for your designation and can use one of the new specialty designations (O+M, BD+C, ID+C, Homes, ND) after your name.

2. Become a LEED AP with specialty by enrolling in the new system (agreeing to the Credentialing Maintenance Program (CMP) and signing the Disciplinary and Exam Appeals Policy) and completing the prescriptive CMP requirements for the initial 2 year reporting period. Once you have enrolled in the new system, you can use one of the new specialty designations (O+M, BD+C, ID+C, etc.) after your name.

Once LEED APs without specialty have enrolled into the new system and become LEED APs with specialty, they follow the LEED AP with specialty guidelines for CMP requirements.

Alternatively, legacy LEED APs may choose to do nothing (i.e. not enroll in the new LEED AP with specialty system) and you will continue to be a LEED AP and be designated as such in the LEED Professional Directory.