PTL Exam Prep Blog

LEED Accredited Professional AP Experience

Do you need LEED Experience to qualify for the LEED Accredited Professional Exam? If so we can help you with our Online LEED Project Management Course. Get the Experience You Need to Take the LEED AP in One Day. Get the experience on an actual LEED certification project. Our invaluable program allows individuals to participate as a project team member on an real LEED registered project. This interactive course is led by an experienced accredited LEED professional and walks you through the entire project certification progression. Learn how to direct project team members, register and certify a building, oversee team meetings, delegate credit responsibilities, submit the necessary LEED Online documentation and more. When you have completed this comprehensive instructional program you will receive a letter of attestation that qualifies you to sit for and take the LEED AP exam at an approved testing center.

This program includes:

• Several hours of quality instruction
• Access to LEED Online
• Hands On Credit Documentation
• Online Project Team Meeting
• LEED Documentation Toolkit
• LEED Exam Prep Study Guide (277 Pages)
• LEED Exam Prep Video (4.5 Hours)
• Letter of Attestation

We often get a lot of questions regarding our LEED Project Involvement program where we provide individuals an opportunity to intern on actual LEED projects. The USGBC does not currently approve of any LEED Project experience courses that help you qualify for the LEED AP specialty exam nor does the USGBC approve LEED Exam Prep courses. Typically the USGBC only approves educational courses that will cover green building subject matter.

Below is the Green Building Certification Institute requirements to qualify for the LEED AP exam and I have posted my comments in underlined for your consideration.

Eligibility Requirements

To take the LEED AP exams, you must have previous experience (see the Definition of “personal involvment with a LEED project” section below), within three years of your application submittal date (You can join our projects and qualify for the LEED Exam within several days), on a project registered for LEED certification. This work experience must be documented through LEED Online* or in the form of a letter of attestation from a supervisor, client, or project manager ( The LEED project manager will invite you to LEED online and  assign you one or more credit templates to complete and provide you a letter of attestation) must describe your involvement on the LEED Project as a consultant,  public or private sector personnel who review projects pursuing LEED certification as part of an approval process, contracted worker, member of the LEED Project Team ( You will be a member of the LEED Project Team), LEED Homes Provider, LEED Reviewer, LEED for Homes Green Rater, or staff member of a Certifying Body (CB).

If you are audited, GBCI auditors will review this letter of attestation based on these requirements:

• The letter must be on letterhead or provide other evidence of its authenticity.

• The body of the attestation should be limited to 1,500 words or less.

• The letter must be dated.

• The letter must be authored and signed by a supervisor, client, project manager, or someone else qualified to evaluate the applicant’s performance.

• The author’s title and relationship to the applicant should be demonstrated, for example the author’s business card.

• The letter must summarize and confirm the applicant’s involvement with the LEED Project.

• The full name or Project ID for the LEED Project must be provided.

• The letter must provide the dates of the applicant’s relevant involvement.

(All of this information required is included on the Letter of Attestation provided to you by PTL)

• If the applicant is not currently involved with this LEED project, the end date of this involvement cannot be more than three (3) years ago.

*In order to verify project participation through LEED Online, please submit a screenshot which captures the project name and date, as well as your name and your access to/role within the project. (We also invite you to LEED Online and you will be a lifetime team member with full access to leedonline.com you will be assigned credits that you can easily do a screenshot for this requirement.)

All candidates must also agree to the Disciplinary and Exam Appeals Policy and credentialing maintenance requirements, must submit to an application audit, and must be 18 years of age or older.

Definition of “personal involvment with a LEED project”

For the LEED AP credentials, to be personally involved with a project registered for LEED certification means that the candidate can show how they have contributed to the registered project through active participation in it and have on-going responsibility through their participation. ( As stated we assign you credits to be completed therefore meeting this definition of on going responsibility.)The candidate must show how they have been exposed to the LEED process and have knowledge of the project. ( Our course participants are involved with the ecocharette, project scorecard, credit templates and other LEED documentation)The candidate can work in a variety of fashions that are linked to the pruestions about our course please feel free to contact us at (800) 267-8399 Toll Free or email us at info@ptlexamprep.com

To qualify for the LEED AP Specialty Exams BDC, IDC, Homes, GBOM & ND you must be involved with a LEED Project. The following is the definition of “personal involvment with a LEED project” For the LEED AP credentials, to be personally involved with a project registered for LEED certification means that the candidate can show how they have contributed to the registered project through active participation in it and have on-going responsibility through their participation. The candidate must show how they have been exposed to the LEED process and have knowledge of the project. The candidate can work in a variety of fashions that are linked to the project.
Examples include working in an on-going, full-time role with the LEED Project team in multiple phases of the project including managing or leading the project design or construction team, or facility management teams by providing installation, supervision, auditing, consulting, managing or other leadership roles with the project team. This list is not meant to be exhaustive, but is meant to provide guidance for candidates with their application.
The PTL Exam Prep LEED Project management Experience course involves a student in a variety of ways. The student participates in a full blown several hour eco charrete meeting and goes through a project and all of its requirements. The students is invited to LEED Online where the student has to participate and complete a credit assignment. This course also provides access to exam prep video and study guide for the LEED AP Building Design & Construction test.

PTL Exam Prep (PTL) and the Green Professinal Training Center (GPTC), located in Elk Grove, CA.

PTL is a leading job-training firm, supplying industry with the skilled workforce necessary to compete in a Green economy. As we’re sure you well know, America’s future depends on our ability to transform our energy infrastructure into the clean, independent, sustainable model we know is key to our economic success. We think in terms of a collective, large-scale workforce evolution. A Green economy will not materialize in this country until we close the gap between the skills workers hold now, and the expertise they need to compete in the future. PTL provides the Green job training to bridge this divide. Our classes turn contractors in sustainable experts, home inspectors into Cal Green enforcers, architect and Engineers into LEED-certified professionals. Our training provides the skills workers need to compete in a Green economy, yielding better jobs, higher wages, and a significant contribution to a new, energy-efficient American infrastructure. At PTL, we turn yesterday’s workforce into tomorrow’s best competitors. We do it every day – with thousands of clients across the country – and we’re good at what we do. PTL is a leader in Green workforce training with a comprehensive curriculum in LEED and California Green.

LEED Training Overview

Our training goal with this grant is to help underemployed individuals become Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design Accredited Professionals (LEED APs).LEED AP’s are renowned sustainability experts who are able to contribute to the green rating of buildings with the various LEED systems and mentor all the other sustainable project team members. By obtaining the LEED Accredited Professional designation, you are not only making a wise career investment, you are taking an essential step to remain competitive in a rapidly changing green building industry and positioning yourself for the high demand green job market.

LEED Certification is the most highly regarded Green Building credential in the world and the demand for LEED APs has grown significantly as the State of California, federal government and many of our cities throughout the nation require LEED Certification on all new buildings, operated offices, schools and facilities. There is a need for competent individuals who understand and can implement the LEED requirements and this demand will remain steady as the need for energy efficiency, CO2 emission reduction and the continued effort to limit global warming continues.

While LEED AP has always been a illustrious credential, many employers now want LEED AP accreditation for new hires and are requiring LEED AP accreditation as part of their staff education goals.

The LEED credentialing process features multiple tiers of accreditation that exhibit both level of proficiency and areas of interest and specialization.

The LEED Accredited Professional Credentialing Structure

The first step with any candidate is the LEED Green Associate. This credential covers the core concept and sustainability plus a basic understanding of the USGBC, GBCI and how buildings are certified. This is also the Exam Part #1 of the LEED AP specialty exams and by itself, it is very beneficial for those seeking to show a general working knowledge of Leadership in Energy in Environmental Design and sustainable green building methods. For individu­als who take and pass the LEED GA examination they are allowed to use the LEED GA or LEED Green Associate designation and accredited logo on your stationary, professional resume and responding to request for qualifications & proposals.

The second level is the LEED Accredited Professional with a specialty. You have the option of five separate exams that prove proficiency in the advanced knowledge of sustainable and green building methods in a specialty field such as Building Design & Construction (BDC), Interior Design & Construction (IDC), Green Building Operation & Maintenance (GBOM), Homes or Neighborhood Development (ND). For the purposes of this grant we will focus on LEED BDC & GBOM training because it is the most applicable to the retrainees we have identified.  Our expertise is helping individuals pass one of the specialty exams (in addition to the LEED Green Associate exam) to make use of the LEED Accredited Professional or LEED AP acronym when pursuing green job opportunities and to establish crediability in the new green economy.

LEED AP Fellows

LEED AP Fellows are considered experts in the field distinguished by their many years of green building and LEED experience. The exact requirements of this designation have not been identified as of this date.

PTL Exam Prep will help individuals prepare for and take the LEED Green Associate (LEED GA) Exam. This is a 2-hour, 100 question multiple choice exam which will test your understanding of green building and core concepts.

LEED Green Associate Exam Eligibility

To submit an application for the LEED Green Associate exam, you must meet or exceed at least one of the following prerequisites attendance of an green education program that addresses sustainable building principles, OR the PTL Green Associate class qualifies candidates to sit for the LEED Green Associate exam.

LEED AP Specialty

PTL Exam Prep will also prepare individuals to takethe LEED AP with Specialty credential, which consist of taking a 2-hour, 100 question multiple choice exam. The LEED AP with Specialty credential is for individuals wanting to demonstrate a deep knowledge of green construction practices; it also will exhibit the ability to specialize in a individual LEED Rating System.

To take the LEED AP exams, you must have prior experience with a LEED Certification Projects within the last three years of your application submittal date. This documented work experience must be in the form of a letter of attestation. Our LEED Project Management Experience class will meet this prerequisite and qualify candidates to sit for the LEED AP exam.

It is not necessary for you to be a USGBC member to participate with our LEED Project Management Experience course. Once you register to take the class we give you online access to LEED for Building Design & Construction study materials to increase your working knowledge of the terminology and concepts we discuss during the all day training event. You will also get online access to LEED contractor forms, checklist and documents that can help you manage a LEED Certification Project. During the class we register, conduct Eco charrete, complete credit templates, discuss strategies and synergistic opportunities. We will also invite you to LEED Online which allows you full access to all the credit templates, CIR’s, project scorecard and other helpful tools. The class will include full instruction how to navigate LEEDOnline and accomplish tasks. You will receive immediate access to study tools and the contractor forms I mentioned. On Tuesday we will send out the Webinar invitation with a link to login on April 13, 2010 at 9:00 am. This course will meet the prerequisite requirement for the LEED AP specialty exam because we provide you a Letter of Attestation and invite you to LEED Online plus involve you with a real LEED project. If for any reason GBCI does not accept this experience we will refund your money.

Recently, Edward Cornejo, the founder of PTL Exam Prep and the Green Professional Training Center traveled to Tijuana, Mexico to train architects and contractors about green building. Cornejo returned to the United States excited: The Mexicans he met expressed major interest in the prospect of developing a sustainable-building industry in their country.

They still have a ways to go to achieve success in this arena. To help, some members of the U.S. green-building industry—contractors, engineers, architects and educators—are assisting their Mexican counterparts with training and support. The hope is that this assistance will allow Mexico’s sustainable-construction industry to come to fruition, instead of falling apart.

The Mexico Green Building Council, a non-profit organization, formed to promote ecologically-friendly construction, and encourage the creation of “design and operational options that minimize negative impacts on the environment while maximizing the economic potential,” as stated on its website. The council is in the process of developing a National Green Building Rating Tool, a voluntary certification designed as a national standard for sustainable buildings and development. While the council forms its rating system, in the meantime, Mexican building professionals are looking toward the United States to provide the guidelines to follow.

PTL Exam Prep and the Green Professional Training Center offer training courses covering the U.S. Green Building’s LEED-rating system to construction representatives in Mexico who are eager to take an active role in advancing the country’s eco-friendly building movement.

LEED Certification takes off in Mexico

, which is the HSBC Bank Headquarters Tower. Hopefully, there will be many more to come. Cornejo and his staff offer these trainings on-ground in Mexico, and online.

Meanwhile, in the Unites States, green building continues to grow. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently released a list of the top U.S. metropolitan areas with the largest number of energy-efficient buildings. At the top of the list in California are Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and Sacramento. Los Angeles is in first place, with the District of Columbia in second place. Denver and Chicago are now in the top five, and New York City has moved to the top 10. Buildings included in this list have earned the EPA’s Energy Star designation. Energy use in commercial buildings accounts for 17 percent of U.S. greenhouse-gas emissions. Since the EPA started its Energy Star program in 1999, nearly 9,000 buildings have earned this designation. Overall annual utility savings have climbed to nearly $1.6 billion and greenhouse-gas emissions equal to the emissions of more than 1 million homes a year have been prevented.

Cornejo hopes that as the American green-building industry moves forward, our neighbors south of the border will follow suit. And Cornejo and the rest of the staff at PTL Exam Prep will be there to support these building professionals along the way.

California’s “Governator” has been a strong proponent of green building almost since the day he stepped into office. So it came as no surprise this past January, when Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced that the California Building Standards Commission adopted a mandatory Green Building Standards Code, better known as CALGREEN. The commission made the decision unanimously. This will be the first green-building code of its kind in the United States when it goes into effect on January 1, 2011.

We must take advantage of this upcoming year to prepare our contractors, architects, engineers and other professionals to take on the exciting challenge of green building in California. The code applies to all newly constructed residential, commercial, schools and hospital buildings. The regulations are intended to achieve major reductions in greenhouse-gas emissions, energy consumption and water use to meet the state’s aim of curbing global warming and achieving 33 percent renewable energy by 2020.

The code will also help California reduce its statewide greenhouse-gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, which equates to roughly a 25 percent drop. The state legislature established this goal with the passage of Assembly Bill 32, also known as the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006. California is the 15th largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world. Climate scientists acknowledge that the developed world will have to cut emissions significantly more than that—80 percent by 2050—to stabilize the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

The new building code implements concepts and practices that reduce a building’s negative impact. The code focuses on sustainable building in the following categories: planning and design; energy efficiency; water efficiency and conservation; material conservation and resource efficiency; and environmental quality. The code’s mandatory provisions will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 3 million tons by 2020, according to the California Air Resources Board.

CALGREEN will require the following:

• Reduction of indoor water use by 20 percent. Builders can also opt for voluntary goal standards set for 30, 35 and 40 percent.
• The installation of separate water meters for nonresidential buildings’ indoor and outdoor water use. Larger landscape projects will be required to have moisture-sensing irrigation systems.
• Mandatory inspections of energy systems, such as heat furnaces, air conditioners and mechanical equipment for nonresidential buildings more than 10,000 square feet
• Fifty percent of construction waste must be diverted from landfills, increasing voluntarily to 65 and 75 percent for new homes and 80 percent for commercial projects.
• The installation and use of low-emitting materials, such as paints, carpet and vinyl flooring.

We could all use some maintenance once in awhile. Even the best of us, every so often, forget a bit of our knowledge and our skills get rusty. This goes for green-building professionals, as well, who over time, may loose a bit of their edge. And this is simply unacceptable. Because the sustainable-building industry is continually changing and advancing, these professionals need to keep current with the industry’s latest, up-to-date standards and practices.

PTL Exam Prep designed their Credential Maintenance Program as a way to expand the knowledge and experience base of LEED professionals, and to facilitate continuing professional development. This program also meets the requirements of the Green Building Certification Institute, the organization that manages the LEED Professional Accreditation program. The GBCI requires that all credentials the organization awards to professionals who pass any LEED examination must be maintained on a two-year cycle through the accumulation of continuing education hours.

This includes all of the following exam areas: LEED Green Associate and LEED Accredited Professionals Operations and Maintenance; LEED AP Homes, Building Design and Construction; Interior Design and Construction; and Neighborhood Development.

LEED professionals must earn their required continuing education, or CE, hours during the two-year period following the date the GBCI awarded their credential. This is referred to as the CMP reporting period. This period begins on the exam date and ends two years minus one day from the start date, except for LEED professionals who passed the LEED Green Associate or a LEED AP (with specialty) exam before August 3, 2009. (LEED professionals continue on the same cycle unless the credential is not renewed.)

LEED APs must earn 30 continuing education hours biennially and LEED Green Associates must earn 15 CE hours biennially. If a professional fails to fulfill this requirement, than his or her credential expires.

Being on top of the game mean that LEED professionals will be continually equipped to create resource-efficient models of construction, refurbishment, operation, upkeep and demolition to reduce a building’s carbon footprint. These professionals will always be prepared to bring the old residential housing stock up to modern energy and building codes. They will also be charged with continuing to develop new houses and commercial buildings that are water and energy efficient, make use of recycled materials, promote healthy indoor environments and more.

Make sure you’re on top of your game by checking out PTL Prep Exam’s Credential Maintenance Program. So that when clean technology advances, building codes and laws change, and the green-construction industry inevitably progresses, you won’t be unsuited to meet the challenge.

Existing building owners, investors and managers can reduce on-going operating costs and increase occupants’ productivity by “Going Green” and using the LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance (O&M) Rating System.¹

This rating system allows existing buildings to enter the LEED certification process. It uses voluntary, sustainable performance standards for the ongoing environmentally sound operation of buildings either in use or facing minor changes and updates. Guidelines cover building: operations, regular upgrades to mechanical systems such as HVAC, slight space-use changes and building processes.

The Operations and Maintenance (O&M) system requires proof that each entire building, including tenant spaces, meet LEED prerequisites and attempted credits. Topics include:

¨    Programs dealing with building exterior and site maintenance; maximized use of energy and water; indoor environmental quality; buying environmentally preferred products; and food and waste stream management.

¨    Guidelines covering the entire building for cleaning and maintenance and recycling programs.

¨    Upgrades for improving building energy performance; water use; indoor environmental quality; and materials use.

LEED for Existing Building Operations & Maintenance Certification Requirements

Building owners can apply for any of four LEED Certification levels if their buildings meet each level’s prerequisites and achieve the proper scores. Buildings can be certified at one level then recertified later at another level.

O&M certification is used for: older, non-LEED buildings seeking their first certificate plus already certified new construction schools and “core and shell” buildings looking for ongoing certification.

New buildings and core and shell structures (libraries? Not mentioned in original document) that have already earned a LEED Certificate can sign up for O&M to show a commitment to maintainable ongoing operations.

LEED Certification levels and required scores are:

¨    Certified, 34-42 points.

¨    Silver, 43-50 points.

¨    Gold, 51-67 points.

¨    Platinum, 68-92 points.

Requirements for LEED Certification

There are several minimum requirements for LEED Certification starting with including all of the floor area in the application. The only exemption allowed is up to 10 percent if operations are under separate management control for part of a building.

Other requirements include:

¨    Full occupancy for at least one full year before applying for the certificate, with regular vacancies allowed for residential buildings, convention centers, classrooms, sports facilities and like buildings.

¨    Compliance with local, state and federal environmental rules and regulations covering topics such as hazardous materials, water discharge and waste management.

The U.S. Green Building Council can revoke LEED certification if it knows about noncompliance.

Data and documentation showing performance for at least three months before applying for the first certificate is required. The Energy & Atmosphere Prerequisite 2 and Credit 1 that require longer minimum durations.

If the application is for recertification, then the performance data must cover the time between the first and current applications. Data for a minimum of three months is also required when applying later for new LEED credits.

LEED Continuing Educational Programs for CMP

CMP – The Green Building Certification Institute Credentialing maintenance Program

Legacy LEED AP without specialty our eight course programs include all of the continuing education credits you need to obtain your specialty.

Complete the courses at your own pace, your access is good for a whole year.

Course topics include:

• Green Infrastructure
• Commercial High Performance Guidelines
• Economics of Green Building
• Natural storm water pollutant removal
• Designing relationships to nature
• Best practices for construction
• Stormwater harvesting

And many more programs to choose from click here for More Info

University of Tennessee Sustainable Building Certificate Program

PTL Exam Prep has teamed up with the University of Tennessee to bring you an accredited certificate program for people interested in increasing their knowledge and expertise in sustainable building principles.  This program also will educate and prepare each student for the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) exams.  This program is accessible for one year.

This program includes over 25 hours of online instruction.

Sustainable design awareness

Sustainable design culture

Innovation & design process

Sustainable sites

Water efficiency

Materials & resources

Indoor environmental quality

Energy & atmosphere

Choose your program with exam preparation materials for Green Associate, Building Design & Construction, Building Operations & Maintenance, Interior Design & Construction, LEED for Homes