Free LEED Green Associate Study Guide

Hi everyone!

My name is Claire and I wrote this to provide an easy to understand guide to help you pass the LEED Green Associate exam with confidence. I joined Poplar Network shortly after I graduated from Cornell with a degree in environmental science.

We believe that by bringing experienced and emerging green building professionals together in one place, we can better connect, exchange information, market each other and further our careers.

This study guide is a great example of how green building professionals can share information from their personal career experience to benefit other professionals. I have now passed the LEED Green Associate exam twice, with a 95% the first time (in December 2010) and a 98% the second time (in September 2012).

This is my personal advice to green building professionals studying for and passing the exam, based on my own experience. Note: I am not affiliated with GBCI or USGBC.

Why Take the LEED Green Associate Exam?

The first time I heard about the LEED Green Associate exam, it was through a summer internship with the conservation department of a town government where I was working on alternative energy and energy efficiency projects. My boss suggested that I take the exam, because she believed would teach me more about green building and boost my resume. I wanted to learn more about the field, since I had learned about it in some of my classes, and wanted to give myself an edge in applying for jobs at graduation, especially in a tough economy.

Therefore, in my opinion, there are two main reasons for taking this exam:

Professional/career investment 
Education about LEED and sustainability

When I started looking for jobs, I found that earning the credential most assuredly helped my search. I found many job postings that specifically requested LEED credentials, and if they didn’t, I found that employers were impressed when I mentioned it in interviews. It showed my dedication to the industry beyond my collegiate studies, and a more in-depth knowledge of the rating systems than I had gotten in some of my classes.

Exam Eligibility

At its inception in mid-2009, the Green Associate exam had a three-tiered eligibility requirement, which accepted candidates with either green building education, work in a sustainable field, or work on a LEED registered project. I used my certificate of completion from a Green Associate exam prep course to qualify the first time.

However, as of November 2012, GBCI has eliminated the eligibility requirement for the Green Associate, meaning that anyone can take the exam. 

Exam Tip: I was a student at the time of the test, so I applied for student pricing by mailing my transcript to GBCI. However, after 3 weeks, the price has not been updated on my profile, so I called them. Apparently, they did not receive “snail mail” at the time, and told me to upload my transcript online. Therefore, I would recommend using GBCI.org rather than mail for exam applications.

Studying Techniques

The first time I prepared for the test, I took a two-day exam prep course in August 2010, which was four months before I actually took the exam. Each day was 7 hours of instruction, and I thought the time was used well. The instructor, who had LEED experience, did a great job of teaching the material and answering our questions.

However, since I already had learned about LEED and green building in some of my classes at Cornell, I felt that the exam prep class was not critical to my success. For someone who is completely new to the topic, I would recommend a course. For a professional or student who has had a fair amount exposure to the rating system, though, I would recommend a less expensive alternative (the in-person course I took was $595). Online courses are usually less expensive, and a good study guide can be even more cost-effective.

Exam Tip: It’s important to note that the study guide that came with the course I took would not have made sense without actually taking the course. While it was a great guide, it used abbreviations and notations that I wouldn’t have understood without the instructor. If you are forgoing a class, make sure you purchase a clear, easy to use study guide.

Study Guides: 

The study guide was the most important tool I used to prepare, and critical to my success on the exam. USGBC often suggests using many of its primary references (rating systems, reference guides, etc.) however I didn’t use any of the LEED primary references because my instructor told us the study guide was all we needed (which was true). I found that only two questions on the exam were not covered in the guide (and to be fair, the instructor told us to be prepared for one or two surprises).

Investing is a good study guide (like this one) is important, because it will save you a lot of time and energy. If you are able to understand and memorize everything in the guide, and test your knowledge with practice tests, then you should be able to do well on the test.

Index/Flash Cards: 

I’m a visual learner, so I hand-wrote my own flash cards using the material in the study guide. I tested myself on the information until I could get through all of them without mistakes. I have used this method to study for many tests, and find that it works well for me.

You can also purchase flash cards here if you do not want to make them yourself.

Practice Tests/Exam Simulators: 

Second to only the study guide, practice tests were absolutely essential to my success on the LEED Green Associate exam. Once I memorized the information in the study guide, I took four 100-question practice tests over and over until I could score 100% on each one. I reviewed all of my wrong answers so that I could learn to answer it correctly the next time.

Aside from testing your knowledge of the material, online practice tests with exam simulators are a good way to practice taking a computerized exam. Prometric only uses computerized exams, so it’s good to get comfortable with the format. The actual exam has a timer in the corner, and allows you to mark questions to go back to. It keeps track of the ones you haven’t answered, too. Exam simulators will help you get used to these features.

To make the exam more realistic, give yourself 2 hours and take it in a quiet place. In the exam, you will have a whiteboard and marker for notes, so use a notepad and pencil.

P.S. Create a free profile on Poplar Network to earn a 15% discount on all of our exam prep products, including study guides, flash cards, online training and practice tests.

When to Take the Exam:

The first time I took the exam, I took it during winter break of my senior year of college. I had essentially unlimited free time to study, since I wasn’t taking any classes. This was obviously an ideal situation, because I could focus on only the exam. I highly recommend this for any students taking the test. Even if you are working during the break, it’s easier than studying for the exam plus five other classes as the same time.

Exam Tip: The exam prep course instructor recommended that we take the exam soon after we finished the class, when the information was still fresh in our minds. However, because of school, I took it four months after the class. While I definitely had to refresh my memory, the study guide was helpful and I was able to jump back in quickly.

How Long to Study: 

Everyone who is preparing for the LEED Green Associate exam asks the same question: "How long should I study?"

I have to say, I believe that the length of study is a very individual thing. Some people have better memories than others, and some have a stronger background in LEED and green building. Others are better test takers.

Personally, the first time I studied, I did so for about 6-8 hours a day for 6 days leading up to the exam. However, I think I studied too much, because I was able to take the exam in 30 minutes. The second time, I studied for much less time, maybe about 25 hours - but keep in mind that I work with green building and LEED nearly daily, so the information was pure review. The amount you study will really depend on a range of factors, including your prior knowledge of the material.

While overstudying may be a waste of time, I do think that it was worth over-preparing, since GBCI charges a $50.00 application fee, an exam fee of $150 for USGBC members and full-time students and $200 for all others. I didn’t want to fail and have to re-pay the exam fee. However, I do think that once you score about 95% or higher on all of your practice exams, you can safely assume that you are ready to take the exam.

Test-Taking Strategies:

The Green Associate exam is administered by Prometric, which has testing centers across the globe. When you arrive at the testing center, the staff will ask you to put your belongings in a locker, and you will be searched before entering the testing room. In the room, you will have the computer (with the computerized exam), noise-canceling headphones, a whiteboard and marker.

A good test-taking strategy that I used both times I took the exam was a “brain dump”. This means that as soon as you enter the testing room and sit at your desk, use your whiteboard and write down information that you memorized. I recommend writing down information that you only recently memorized, or had trouble remembering during your practice tests. For example, I wrote the ASHRAE standards and what they referenced.

Other recommended test-taking strategies, which I use for most multiple-choice tests, include:

Process of Elimination: Write down A, B, C, D, and E on your whiteboard, and cross out the answers that you know are incorrect. Narrowing the choices down improves your changes of getting the question right.
Use the Test itself as a Tool: Some questions may contain information that will help you figure out an answer to another question. Use the test to take the test!
Mark Questions You Are Unsure of: The computerized exam program allows you to check off questions that you don’t know the answer to so that you can go back to them. I find that if I spend a lot of time thinking about a question during the middle of the test, I will second guess myself and become anxious. Marking questions you’re unsure of and coming back to them can help you to think about it with a fresh mind and remain calm. Plus, it’s better not to waste your time on one question you don’t know the answer to if you can spend it on five that you do know the answers to.

Credential Maintenance Program (CMP):

When you apply for the LEED Green Associate exam, you agree to the Credential Maintenance Program (CMP), which requires you to renew your credential every two years, via either continuing education or re-testing. For the Green Associate, 15 hours of continuing education are required, with 3 of them being LEED-specific. You can also re-test during the exam period, but you must pay the exam fees. If you fail to meet the requirements within two years of the date you passed the exam, you will lose your credential. You must take the exam to earn it back once it has expired.

GBCI Credential Maintenance Tip: One way to earn continuing education hours for free is authorship. This means writing original, published 500-word articles that relate to green building and/or LEED. Each of these articles counts as three hours, and if 75% or more of the article pertains to LEED, the hours can count as LEED-specific. Poplar Network allows its professional members to publish articles for CMP. Inquire at news (at) poplarnetwork dot com.

Key Takeaways:

Use a good, concise study guide to prepare for the exam. You won’t need to use USGBC’s primary references if you invest in a good guide, and it will save you time and energy.
Use practice exams and retake them until you score above a 95% (though 100% would be ideal). Review your incorrect answers after each test so that you can learn from your mistakes.
If you are a student, take the exam during one of your breaks so that you can focus on the material and nothing else. Of course, this is not possible for everyone, so other tools such as MP3 audio files can be helpful if you want to study on your commute, etc.
Use the whiteboard and marker (or paper and pencil) provided by Prometric to do a “brain dump” at the beginning of the exam. Write down any information that you are afraid you will forget during the exam. When taking the test, use the process of elimination, use the test to take the test, and mark questions you are unsure about.
The LEED Credential Maintenance Program allows you to maintain your credential via continuing education. Writing articles about green building and having them published on Poplar is one free way to complete these hours.

That's it! Essentially, we believe that the LEED Green Associate credential is a great way to learn about green building and give yourself an edge when looking for jobs in construction or sustainability. Good luck!