I have a question too, if you don't mind my stacking this thread, jayness. I have the study material for the 2.1 version, do I need to get the study material for the new version or can I study the old version and get by fine? Where do the differences lie?

I plan on studying for a month, and just reading the book, not going to classes or anything. I don't think it matters how much experience you have.

V2.2 has changed quite a bit since V2.1, to the tune of about 100 pages or so, if I remember correctly. You should probably study V2.2 as that is what's being tested.

Strawbeary and Jayness. I just got my book (last night) and I am planning on studying for the rest of July and August and hopefully taking the exam late in August. I may also attend two upcoming cram sessions that are scheduled two weeks apart.

Buildings get certified. People get accredited.



I highly recommend taking a class, you'll get a better sense for what will or won't be emphasized on the exam than from books alone.

.mm

I studied for a month, probably a total of about 50 hours, and passed by a comfortable margin. I read the Reference Guide cover-to-cover, then skimmed it again, then used it and the rating sytem summary to quiz myself until I was comfortable with the material. I'm sure classes would help, but aren't necessary.

Accreditation is definitely worth doing, if for no other reason than to demonstrate ambition to employers / clients and give yourself some leverage at your next review. Cynical, I know, but a reality. Plus, you get to add "LEED AP" after your name for the rest of your career and don't have to worry about CE!

i got accredited on july 1...studied for 3 weeks almost every day for minimum of 2 hours, max of 8 hours [weekends]. similar to pv, i read the reference guide cover to cover and skimmed over what i highlighted just before the test. also, whenever i was reading about a credit, i had the credit template open on my laptop to further understand exactly what they were talking about.

my main study materials were:
1. version 2.2 ref. guide
2. colorado usgbc study guide
3. home made flash cards from reading the reference guide

there are some significant changes from 2.1 to 2.2, so don't waste any time with that material....get the new stuff to make sure that everything is in place.

i found some ok material on areforums.org, but i was not totally sold on the accuracy of it.

pvb- LEED for life will probably be going away in the next few years with the roll out of 3.0. the usgbc has been discussing recertification or ce for the past year as a future requirement.

its nice to have some initials to use on my business card, since IDP is bogged down and its going to be another year or so before I wrap up the landscape requirements ,too.

we had a leed study group last year. a few people from our office and three engineers from a firm that does a fair amount of consulting for us. i know that two people from that study session took the leed test within a couple of weeks and both passed it.

I just took my last ARE section yesterday, and now I'm going after LEED, hopefully before the end of the month. I attended a local LEED class back in June, and since then I've been going through the book and the course guide as my study materials.

I haven't done a LEED project, but I have looked at two or three earlier projects with an eye toward considering them for certification, so I have a bit of familiarity with the requirements already.

Rather than beginning a new thread,
I was talking with my boss about the different LEED tests and was wondering which of the three- new construction, existing buildings, commercial interiors- was the easiest to pass? I want to start off slow and perhaps take a more difficult one later.

they're all about the same ... one test might be easier to you only because of what you already know ... NC probably would be easier for an architect primarily involved in new construction ... CI probably would be easier for an architect primarily involved in interior design ... EB probably would be easier for an architect primarily involved in renovation work.

why would you ever want to take, and pass, more than one exam?

if you only want to take the easiest test, then you will fail. period.

no need to take more then one LEED exam since there is lots of overlap. I found the LEED test more challenging then any one section of the LARE or what I've studied about the AREs. So again, if you think that it would be good practice for the ARE, think again


don't take the test until you're invested in the LEED process, otherwise it's just a waste of time and money.

i just began working at a firm that has a high opinion of LEED and claim to be a "sustainable" practice- all terms used loosely. I thought i would take initiative and show interest. I wasnt going to use this as practice for the are, but thanks for the heads up. Also, i didnt know if i needed to take more than one leed test, or if one would suffice. I imagine a certification is just that and if you are certified in one you are generally certified in all.
thanks for the help.

GET OLD EXAM QUESTIONS ... they always ask some the questions, so if you are looking for a couple easy answers get some sample questions, after that just know your stuff.