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CMP for Dummies
What is a LEED AP with specialty?
A LEED with specialty is someone who tested under the new procedures, starting in 2009, for accreditation through the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) or an existing LEED AP without specialty who chooses to enroll in credentialing maintenance or re-tests.
What is Credentialing Maintenance?
Credential maintenance is the continuing education completed by LEED Professionals to maintain current knowledge of green building practices and LEED. Credential maintenance requirements ensure the LEED Professional Credentials maintain their relevance and significance in a constantly evolving industry.
GBCI's Credential Maintenance Program (CMP) is designed to help LEED Professionals grow their knowledge base, stay current with best practices, and show clients and employers that their expertise is meaningful in a rapidly transforming and ever-demanding marketplace. CMP is evidence of GBCI’s commitment to protecting the integrity of the LEED Green Associate and LEED AP credentials; it keeps credentials current with the evolving body of knowledge and practice of green building.
Under CMP, all LEED Professional Credentials given by GBCI must be maintained on a 2-year cycle through the accumulation of continuing education (CE) hours.
What about LEED APs without specialty?
The LEED AP credential was established in 2001 and over 100,000 green building professionals earned the credential before the specialties were introduced in 2009. Currently, all LEED APs without specialty are eligible to earn the LEED AP with specialty credentials through enrollment. There are two options for enrollment: testing and prescriptive credential maintenance; choose the one that works best for you.
Will I lose my LEED AP status if I don’t enroll in Credentialing Maintenance?
No, this is not required and if you choose not to “upgrade” you will maintain your LEED AP without specialty. You will be known as a Legacy LEED AP. However, you will not be able to serve as the LEED AP on a LEED project. Additionally, if you choose not to enroll during the next two years (through the end of 2011), and you do not qualify for re-testing under the new requirements, you will not be eligible to become a LEED AP with specialty.
Why should I enroll?
The purpose of Credentialing Maintenance is to stay current with changing technology, specialize in one specific area of green building, and to provide a differentiating factor among professionals involved in green building.
How do I earn Credentialing Maintenance Hours?
There are 8 ways to earn CMP Hours – Professional Development Courses, Live Presentations, Self-Study Programs, College and University Courses, Certificates, Professional Licenses and Credentials, Committee and Volunteer Work, Authorship, and LEED Project Participation. The details for each of these delivery methods can be found by downloading the CMP Guides from www.gbci.org.
Do I have to pay for the Credentialing Maintenance Hours?
No. There are many opportunities to earn free CMP hours including self-study, green building article authorship, and LEED project participation. Additionally, you can earn CMP hours through live presentations made by companies and vendors as well as online webcasts. There are programs that cost money where you can earn CMP hours, but there are many free opportunities so you should seek those out.
How many hours of CMP are required and how much does it cost?
For LEED Green Associates, 15 hours every 2 years are required and for LEED Accredited Professionals, 30 hours every 2 years are required. For both GA’s and AP’s, the GBCI requires a fee of $50 every 2 years to renew their certifications.
