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LEED Changes in Canada
LEED AP Changes and FAQ about the development of LEED in Canada
LEED Accredited Professional – Update (February 2nd, 2010)
By Steve Dulmage, Director of Education & Training, Canada Green Building Council
Since 2001, more than 10,000 building professionals have earned the LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP) designation in Canada by demonstrating their understanding of environmentally sustainable building design, construction and operation. January 2010 will mark the beginning of a new chapter in the evolution of the LEED credentials which will reflect the rapid advances in green building technology and practice in the marketplace. The new three-tiered credentials will ensure that LEED professionals have the latest knowledge and understanding of green building practice and that their proficiency is recognized.
The global administration of the new LEED AP credentialing system will fall under the auspices of the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). The GBCI, is tasked with safeguarding, and enhancing, the credibility of the LEED AP credential by offering true third party verification, development, analysis, and audit functions for LEED APs.
A LEED professional will begin their credentialing with the LEED Green Associate exam. This credential attests to demonstrated knowledge and skill in understanding and supporting green design, construction and operations.
The LEED AP with specialty credential signifies an extraordinary depth of knowledge in green building practices and specialization in a particular field: commercial building design and construction, commercial operations and maintenance, commercial interiors, residential design and construction, and neighbourhood development. Specialty exams for each field will eventually be available.
LEED Fellows enter an elite class of leading professionals who are distinguished by their years of experience, and a peer review of their project portfolio. Fellows contribute to the standards of practice and body of knowledge for achieving continuous improvement in the green building field. Program requirements are currently in development for this select designation.
CaGBC will continue to provide support to aspiring and current LEED APs and LEED Green Associates through education, study and reference materials, and other resources. We will focus our resources on helping green building practitioners gain the understanding of LEED they will need to maintain their credentials, as well as offering support to those that have yet to achieve them.
The LEED Green Associate exam is now available at Prometric test centres across Canada. For those interested in writing their LEED AP specialty exam, these exams are currently available at US test centres only. The GBCI and CaGBC are working to determine the relevance of these exams for the Canadian market and timelines for delivery across Canada.
Registration for all exams can be done at www.gbci.org. To prepare for the LEED Green Associate exam, CaGBC is recommending that Canadian exam takers focus their studying on the LEED Core Concepts & Strategies book and the LEED Green Associate Study Guide, currently available at the USGBC book store. The CaGBC is working with the its US partners to make these resources available via the CaGBC website. The Core Concepts and Strategies workshop is also a good opportunity to prepare to write the LEED Green Associate exam; registration for this workshop can be done on the CaGBC website (www.cagbc.org).
As for existing LEED AP’s, they will have the option to become a LEED AP with specialization by ‘opting in’, or not, to the new credential maintenance program (CMP) in 2010. For those that opt in they will be expected to earn continuing education credits to improve their knowledge and experience, while for those that ‘opt out’, they will remain a LEED AP in the GBCI database indefinitely. Further information about this process will emerge in the coming weeks and months.
For more information about the exams contact the GBCI. For more information about training contact the CaGBC.
Steve Dulmage is the Director of Education and Training with the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC). For more information visit www.cagbc.org
Further information
Tier I: LEED Green Associate
Evolving good environmental practice and being the first step in the LEED professional’s career pathway, the LEED Green Associate credential attests to demonstrated knowledge and skill in understanding and supporting green design, construction and operations.
Exam: LEED Green Associate
Tier II: LEED AP with Specialization
The LEED AP with specialization credential signifies an extraordinary depth of knowledge in green building practices and specialization in a particular field: commercial building design and construction, commercial operations and maintenance, commercial interiors, residential design and construction, and neighbourhood development.
Exams:
- LEED AP Operations + Maintenance
- LEED AP Homes
- LEED AP Building Design + Construction
- LEED AP Interior Design +Construction
- LEED AP Neighbourhood Development
Tier III: LEED AP Fellow
LEED Fellows enter an elite class of leading professionals who are distinguished by their years of experience and a peer review of their project portfolio. Fellows contribute to the standards of practice and body of knowledge for achieving continuous improvement in the green building field.
Exam: program requirements are currently in development
Changes to LEED in Canada (from 2009)
There are significant changes coming to the LEEP AP program. This info page is intended to help answer commonly asked questions.
The LEED AP exams will be changing in January 2010, and there will be a new tiered system of LEED APs. The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) will be taking over the administration of the LEED AP system.
Individuals who want to take the current LEED exam and become a LEED AP before these changes take place should note the below deadlines, read these FAQ's (see 2nd item on the page) and note that the LEED NC and CI workshops offered in the fall will be your last chance to take these trainings.
- October 23rd, 2009. This will be the last date to book your LEED exam (either LEED NC or LEED CI). To do so, you book your exam on the the CaGBC website.
- December 31st, 2009. This is the last date in which you can write the LEED Canada NC exam or the LEED Canada CI exam. On January 1st, 2010 these exams will no longer be available in Canada. Even if you are taking an exam before this deadline, it must be scheduled before October 23rd, as noted above.
For further information please refer to these FAQ, as well as the CaGBC Exam Handbook, both available on the CaGBC's website.
Individuals can now obtain significant discounts on their LEED exam, LEED books, or LEED workshops through the National Benefits Package. Usually these discounts are only available to corporate CaGBC members and their employees, but the National Benefits Package allows individuals to become members of the Canada Green Building Council, thereby giving them access to these significant discounts. For more information, please click here.
FAQ: Development of LEED Canada NC 2009
November 3, 2009
The year 2009 has already seen the launch of two new rating systems in Canada. LEED Canada for Homes launched in March and LEED Canada for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance went live in August. Many people are wondering about the anticipated update to the original LEED rating system, LEED Canada for New Construction and Major Renovations (LEED Canada NC). This FAQ is intended to answer the questions most commonly asked in this regard.
When will LEED Canada NC 2009 be available?
Registration for LEED Canada NC 2009 will open in June 2010.
Are you updating LEED Canada CS as well?
Yes, LEED Canada Core and Shell (CS) 2009 is being updated as part of the development of LEED Canada NC 2009. The two rating systems will be fully integrated, sharing a common Rating System document and Reference Guide.
When will LEED Canada CS 2009 be available?
Registration will open in June 2010, at the same time as registration for LEED Canada NC 2009.
Will I be able to register under the current rating systems after registration for the new rating systems is opened?
No, you will not be able to register for either LEED Canada NC 1.0 or LEED Canada CS 1.0 after the new versions are released in June 2010.
Will I be able to switch a previously registered project to LEED Canada NC 2009 or LEED Canada CS 2009 after these versions are launched?
Yes, projects registered under the current versions of the rating systems will be able to switch to the new versions. Details will be provided closer to launch.
Will I be able to use LEED Canada 2009 pathways for a previously registered project without fully upgrading to new products?
Yes, projects registered under the current versions of the rating systems will be able to use some pathways from LEED Canada NC 2009 and LEED Canada CS 2009 without fully upgrading to the new rating systems. A table of allowed substitutions will be provided closer to launch. Not all new pathways will be acceptable for previously registered projects due to the change in individual credit weightings. However, the CaGBC recognizes that some applicants will want to use the alternative pathways provided in the 2009 product line but are unable to fully upgrade due to the stage of the project. This methodology provides flexibility to LEED Canada users.
Why have there been delays in the launch of LEED Canada NC 2009?
A number of factors have resulted in the delays. CaGBC staff have worked with the volunteer committees that oversee development to continuously adapt to the changing hurdles as best possible. Whenever delays meant a potential halt in progress, development plans were adjusted so as to either move ahead in an area where progress was still possible, or integrate new features such as Core and Shell, which was not originally intended to be updated. We regret the delays, but are comforted by the knowledge that LEED Canada NC 1.0 continues to serve Canadians well.
Will the final Rating System document be different from the balloted version?
LEED Canada NC 2009 Rating System was released for ballot to CaGBC members in December 2008. The Rating System document outlines the intents and requirements of each credit and prerequisite. Since balloting, LEED Canada NC 2009 has undergone updates and changes. Most importantly, requirements for LEED Canada CS 2009 have been added. In addition, changes (generally grammatical) made by the USGBC following their ballot have been integrated.
When will the final Rating System documents be released?
The final Rating System documents will be released in March 2010. To support the introduction of the new Rating Systems in Canada, the CaGBC intends to simultaneously release documentation outlining how LEED Canada NC 2009 and LEED Canada CS 2009 will be different from the current versions.
Why was LEED Canada Core and Shell 2009 integrated with LEED Canada NC 2009?
This was done in recognition of the fact that LEED Canada CS is derived from LEED Canada NC and significant portions of the content are identical. The integration also recognizes that some projects may begin as CS projects and finish as NC projects, or vice versa, depending on the ability to recruit tenants; by integrating the documentation for the two (sister) rating systems, we can better ensure alignment and provide greater ease of use for project teams faced with changing occupancy rates.
Why is LEED Canada CI not being updated?
LEED Canada for Commercial Interiors was only recently released in Canada (fully launched in 2007) and is a standalone product. It was determined that the best use of our resources was to redevelop only LEED Canada NC and LEED Canada CS at this time, as LEED Canada CI continues to serve customers well.
My company works on both sides of the border (Canada/USA). How will the LEED Canada products be different from the USGBC LEED 2009 products?
A comparison between LEED Canada and USGBC LEED versions will be made available with the release of the LEED Canada NC 2009 and LEED Canada CS 2009 Rating Systems in March. Those who operate in both the United States and Canada will find there is greater alignment with the new rating systems. The development team generally limited changes to those that could be justified by differences in the Canadian marketplace, such as standards and regulations.
When will the Reference Guides be available?
The development team is working as quickly as possible in the hopes of being able to release the electronic versions of the English and French Reference Guides when registration for LEED Canada NC 2009 and LEED Canada CS 2009 opens in June 2010.
Will the new LEED Canada products use USGBC’s LEED Online?
No, LEED Canada 2009 projects will continue to use a process similar to the current LEED Canada NC 1.0 certification methodology. There will be some minor changes (e.g., removal of the audit round); these will be explained closer to launch. The CaGBC is investigating moving to the USGBC’s LEED Online system for a future version launch.
When can I attend a workshop to learn about the new rating systems?
Workshops are being planned for March 2010 onward; you can expect to see details posted shortly. These new workshops are expected to take a deeper look at the rating systems than previous versions, focusing more on application of the material and providing greater value to all those who attend.
