The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a certification awarded by US Green Building Council to "encourage adoption of sustainable green (environment friendly) building and development practices through creating and implementing universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria". In layman's terms, it is a third party certification and a benchmark for design, construction as well as operation of green buildings.

The professional accreditation for LEED is also given to individuals, project managers, architects, contractors, construction managers, interior designers, landscape architects and even lenders and government officials to improve sustainability records.

Why is LEED Education so Important?

As the world wakes up to the necessity of creating and maintaining sustainable properties which do not create environmental degradation, both in the US and abroad, stricter laws are being implemented with respect to building design, construction and maintenance. Read on for a free leed guide which gives more information on the examination procedure.

The green associate exam is an accepted international accreditation which gives a professional edge to its holders. For projects in the USA as well as for international projects, corporate houses increasingly prefer people well versed with the LEED parameters, who can work with related departments to complete building processes and maintain them according to LEED guidelines.

The LEED ap exam or LEED Accredited Professional exam earlier had several versions depending on the versions of the LEED system, including LEED NC (new construction and major renovation), LEED EB (existing building) and LEED CI (commercial interior). The LEED EB has been discontinued, and the other two will also give way soon to the new version which comes into effect from September 15, 2009.

The new LEED 2009 credentials will have two tiers. Tier I will require passing of a 2.5 hour exam, and the individuals will become LEED Green Associates. Tier II level will comprise of a 1.5 hour exam, which will qualify the individuals as LEED AP with speciality. The computerized multiple choice format questions give instant results and cost around $300 for professionals of member companies and $450 for others. The LEED AP exam has 80 questions, with a maximum score of 200 and 170 required to pass. LEED APs are generally recognized as experts in sustainable design.

Many people take the LEED ap exams, and there are numerous green exam prep centres offering their services and even free LEED exam over the internet. However, study material is free and plentiful, from the USGBC, the Green Building council and other sources.

To crack the exams, the information collected and memorized must be reproduced quickly, completing the multiple choice questions in the stipulated time. Examinees must prepare extensively through leed training classes and leed practice tests. Like most other multiple choice formats, the essential secret to be successful at the exams is to repeatedly practice mock free LEED exam papers. This is where the flash cards of LEEDedu scores an edge over the other study material providers. Its LEED exam prep courses offer extensive and carefully screened questions from expert advisors to give many practice sessions before appearing for the main exams.



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