I am pleased to announce that I can now add LEED AP to my professional credentials. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a green building rating system developed by the U. S. Green Building Council to certify buildings as having been designed, constructed and commissioned to high levels of “green accomplishment.” The LEED system of certification is not the only green building certification program in the United States, but it has become the most widely participated in program in the States. Many municipalities are now requiring LEED certification of buildings constructed with public money.
Becoming a LEED AP (accredited professional) means that I have demonstrated a thorough understanding of the LEED rating system and its application to building projects and can therefore be instrumental in guiding a construction project to LEED certification. It also is further evidence that I am serious about being green in my practice.
While a LEED AP is not required to construct green building projects, having a LEED AP as part of your project team can significantly improve the green performance of the project. And there are those who would say you are not serious about being green if you don’t have a LEED AP on your team. While I don’t fully agree with that statement, I do believe that a LEED AP can be an asset to any project, whether or not it seeks LEED certification.
In the New Year, the LEED AP program will be revised to develop a three tiered system of accreditation. There will also be requirements for continuing education that do not currently exist. So increasingly, the LEED AP accreditation system will identify levels and areas of knowledge and expertise and it will also become a guarantee that LEED APs are staying current with the state of the art.
