The document provides information on studying for and taking the LEED Green Associate and LEED AP specialty exams. It outlines available study resources like reference guides, practice exams, and exam prep courses. It recommends studying the reference guide for your exam topic, understanding the LEED process, and taking practice exams. The exams consist of 100 multiple choice questions to be completed in 2 hours, and a minimum score of 170 is needed to pass.

1. LEED Exam
The following document is based on information available in 2011. Please note that
this information is subject to change based on decisions made by the USGBC and
GBCI. Check for updates at http://www.usgbc.org/ and http://www.gbci.org/.
What study resources are available?
• USGBC 2009 Edition Reference Guides: There is a different Reference
Guide for each exam (BD+C, ID+C, O+M), so be sure to order the correct one.
The resource for the Green Associate Exam is the “Green Building and LEED
Core Concepts Guide.” You can buy the guides from the USGBC Store:
http://www.usgbc.org/Stor /PublicationsList_New.aspx?CMSPageID=1518
For other study guides, practice exams, and forums:
• http://ppi2pass.com/ppi/PPIHome_entDs_LD (available to use at our office)
• http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1412 (available to use at
our office)
• http://www.greenexamprep.com/store/products/practice_tests.html (included
free with registration in our LEED Green Associate Exam Prep course)
What exam prep courses are available?
• We offer free monthly webinars. For more information on these and other
events, visit www.sustainable-performance.org.
• LEED Green Associate Exam Prep Course: Held at various times during
the year, this full-day course is designed to help you prepare for the LEED
Green Associate Exam and implement the Rating System on LEED projects.
• Connect with staff, LEED Green Associates and LEED APs, and other
candidates by joining us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook.
• USGBC LEED Workshops: The USGBC offers various LEED Workshops in
Massachusetts and throughout the US for each Rating System as well as other
workshops focused on implementing LEED on projects:
http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=2011
What should I study?
1. The LEED Reference Guide for the rating system you are testing under. Read the
guide that correlates to the exam you are taking and study it cover to cover.
Spend the majority of your study time on this publication.

2. 2. Certification Process. You should have an understanding of the process of LEED
certification. For instance, what are the different stages during review? When
do I apply for a Credit Interpretation request? For more information visit:
http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1497.
3. Project Review Costs. Do you know how often you pay when getting a building
certified? What is this cost based on? Visit:
http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=65&.
4. LEED Templates. The best way to begin learning about project and team
coordination is to study the LEED templates for credit submittals. These
templates are only provided after you have registered a project at LEED-Online;
however the USGBC provides sample templates to the general public at:
http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1447.
5. LEED Online. The coordination and submission of credits goes through the
LEED Online website. To access LEED Online you must have a project
registered. However, some information on LEED Online is provided at:
http://www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=1108 as well as
http://www.usgbc.org/chapters/cascadia/docs/pdf/LOLOverview.pdf.
6. Synergies. When studying the credits, understand the synergies between
various credits and approaches as touched upon in the Reference Guide. Many
questions don’t focus on a single credit but rather propose a project and ask
how different applications within a project could apply to more than one credit.
What is the test like?
The LEED Green Associate exam is a multiple-choice, computer-based exam
comprised of 100 randomly delivered multiple-choice questions which must be
completed in 2 hours. The exam is scored using a scaled process. Scores range from
125 to 200; candidates must achieve a minimum score of 170 to pass the exam and
earn the LEED Green Associate credential. The exam must be completed in two hours.
The LEED AP Specialty exam is a computer-based exam comprised of two parts.
The first part is the LEED Green Associate exam (identical to the exam previously
described). The second part is a specialty exam (the exam of your choosing). Each
exam contains 100 randomly delivered multiple-choice questions, and each must be
completed in 2 hours. The exams are scored using a scaled process. Scores for each
part range from 125 to 200; candidates must achieve a minimum score of 170 on each
part to pass the exam and earn the LEED AP credential. To become a LEED AP, you do
not have to take both parts of the exam at the same time. You can take the LEED Green
Associate exam, and then the specialty exam at a later date if you so choose.
Study tips

3. 1. Review the Candidate Handbooks. The GBCI provides handbooks that overview
administrative details every candidate should know from pre- to post-exam.
The handbooks can be downloaded for free on the GBCI website:
http://www.gbci.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=97
2. Study time will vary depending on your previous experience with the building
industry and with LEED. If you have some experience with LEED, you probably
need to study over a 1-2 month period averaging 1-2 hours per night (about an
hour per credit). If you have no experience with LEED, you will need to study
longer (either more hours a day, or more days total).
3. Read the appropriate LEED Reference Guide that is available for purchase on
the USGBC website. Read it to understand it, and read it cover to cover.
4. Study each credit. You can do this in study groups or on your own, but you
need to dive into the credits and work the calculations. The best way to
understand something is to apply it to a project you are working on.
5. Study the process of LEED. Spend at least a few study sessions on the other
topics covered by the exam, such as LEED registration, the LEED certification
process, Credit Interpretation Requests, and LEED-Online. This material is often
overlooked and is thoroughly covered in the exam.
6. Reread the LEED Reference Guide. Finally, read the guide again from cover to
cover. You will be surprised how much you pick up the second time around. Try
your hand at some of the practice questions available from the “Study
Resources” header above.
7. Take an exam prep training. This step is not necessary, but may be helpful for
those who learn well in classroom settings or with the structure and
accountability of a course. You will need to study in addition to taking a
training to reaffirm everything you learn in the classroom. For more
information, visit www.sustainable-performance.org.
8. Practice answering questions and taking full exams to familiarize yourself with
the format of the exam.
Check out our LEED Trainings for upcoming opportunities to prepare for the LEED
exam at www.sustainable-performance.org. For helpful and important information by
the Green Building Certification Institute, please visit www.gbci.org/.
Thanks to PPI for providing a 15% discount on LEED study materials for our
community. See what upcoming LEED trainings that we offer.