Free LEED Exam Prep

Having a passion for sustainability and green building is the first step towards becoming LEED accredited. Jumpstart your career by becoming a LEED professional with Poplar Network’s Free LEED Exam Prep materials.
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Congratulations! You've decided to take the first steps toward becoming LEED accredited.

My name is Chamarra McCrorey, and I'm a recent graduate of Temple University. I am preparing to take the LEED Green Associate and LEED AP exams and I have put together a list of all the information you should know to prepare for the exams.

For the LEED Green Associate exam, I am following the "Step by Step 7 Day System" for LEED GA exam preparation from Poplar Network, which I share with you below... However, you can take as much time as you like to prepare.

Indeed, the LEED Green Associate exam and the LEED AP with Specialty exams should be prepared for differently. The LEED AP exam requires several weeks to prepare, whereas the LEED Green Associate can be tackled within a week or so.

As you read on, you'll find helpful information on choosing whether to take the exams at the same time or separately, what material to study, what NOT to study, and examples of practice questions that are representative of what we've seen on the actual exam.

I'll also describe exam taking strategies, provide exam preparation presentations, examples from our study guide, instructions for creating your own flashcards and 50 free examples of flashcards, a free video introduction to LEED, and more.

You'll find examples of practice questions for both LEED AP and Green Associate exams and 30 brand new 2016 LEED v4 Green Associate and LEED AP BD+C practice questions to get you started. We also have links to our free LEED AP ID+C and LEED AP O+M practice questions for you and strategies for each of the LEED AP exams.

Should I become a LEED Green Associate?

Having a genuine interest in a career in green building makes you a perfect candidate for the LEED Green Associate credential.

The LEED Green Associate is the Tier I credential which demonstrates knowledge of green design, construction and development concepts. LEED Green Associates can be found in many companies that value sustainability and green building. The LEED GA differentiates you with potential employers because it demonstrates expertise in green building which can help to improve a company on many levels.

The LEED Green Associate also emphasizes your commitment to sustainable standards and improving the environment.

LEED is the most popular green building rating system in the U.S. and there are projects in over in 140 countries. Also, according to the USGBC, “Leaders around the world have made LEED the most widely used third-party verification for green buildings, with around 1.85 million square feet being certified daily.”

As a LEED Green Associate, you will have current knowledge about green principles and practices that will help increase business, benefit the environment, and support your business endeavors.

Read more about the LEED Green Associate Credential here.

LEED Green Associate Exam Elements

The LEED Green Associate Exam is comprised of two key domains. The first domain is called the Task Domain which demonstrates necessary steps needed to use LEED effectively and safely. Tasks such as team coordination with projects, becoming certified, and analysis for LEED credits are reflected in the exam. USGBC considers this domain to be 100 percent present throughout the exam. The second aspect, the Knowledge Domans, is divided into specific sections and a certain number of questions are related to each topic (as described below). Some of the topics are Integrative Strategies, Project Surroundings and Public Outreach and LEED Process.

The USGBC LEED Green Associate Candidate Handbook provides a list of Knowledge Domains with the number of exam questions you may see that are related to each topic. You can use the following as a guide to decide where you need to focus more of your study time:

LEED® Process (16 Questions)

  • Organization fundamentals such as the mission and the role of USGBC and GBCI
  • Structure of LEED rating systems such as your familiarity with the credit categories, prerequisites, and requirements for the LEED certification
  • Scope of each LEED rating system and types (i.e. BD+C, ID+C, O+M, ND, Homes)
  • LEED development process for example volunteer and stakeholder involvement
  • Credit categories (e.g., goals and objectives of each, synergies)
  • Impact categories (e.g. what should a LEED project accomplish?)
  • LEED certification process (e.g. certification levels [Certified, Silver, Gold, Platinum])
  • Other rating systems – (e.g., in general what other rating systems are out there?

Integrative Strategies (8 Questions)

  • Integrative process (e.g., early analysis of the interrelationships among systems; systems thinking; charettes)
  • Integrative project team members (e.g., architect, engineer, landscape architect, civil engineer, contractor, facility manager, etc.)
  • Standards that support LEED

​​ Location and Transportation (7 Questions)

  • Site selection (e.g. targeting sites in previously developed and brownfields, reduction in parking footprint)
  • Alternative transportation (e.g., type, access, and quality; infrastructure and design)

​Sustainable Sites (7 Questions)

  • Site assessment (e.g., environmental assessment, human impact)
  • Site design and development (e.g., pollution prevention; habitat conservation, rainwater management)

Water Efficiency (9 Questions)

  • Outdoor water use (e.g., use of graywater/rainwater in irrigation)
  • Indoor water use (e.g. waterless efficiencies, water-efficient appliances)
  • Water performance

​Energy and Atmosphere (10 Questions)

  • Building loads such as the components and use of space
  • Energy efficiency such as the design and energy efficiency
  • Alternative and renewable energy practices
  • Energy performance management
  • Environmental concerns (such as energy resources, greenhouse gases and global warming)

​Materials and Resources (9 Questions)

  • Reuse of buildings, materials, furniture, etc.
  • Life-cycle impacts
  • Waste such as construction and demolition and waste management plans
  • Purchasing and declarations such as policies and plans, EPP

Indoor Environmental Quality (8 Questions)

  • Indoor air quality such as ventilation, smoke control, improvement to indoor air quality and green cleaning.
  • Lighting such as electric and daylight
  • Sound
  • Occupant comfort, health, and satisfaction
  • Environmental impacts of the built environment
  • Codes between LEED and buildings
  • Values of sustainable design such as energy savings, health of occupants
  • Regional design

The exam reflects USGBC’s goals for green building strategies, costs of green building, principles, and LEED online. The topics on The LEED Green Associate Exam will ultimately test your knowledge of green building as well as your ability to help other LEED professional on green projects.

There is an added benefit to the exam. While prerequisites were once in place for the LEED Green Associate Exam, there are no longer any prerequisites. Anyone with a keen interest in green building, a dedication to sustainable efforts and a drive to earn certification can take the test.

18 Concepts you need to study to pass the LEED Green Associate Exam

Poplar Network has put together a list of key concepts that tells you exactly what you need to study to pass the exam. It is as follows:

1. MPRs
2. IPD
3. CIRs
4. LEED Boundaries
5. Basic Services
6. Sustainable Sites definitions
7. Water Efficiency definitions
8. Flow Rates
9. Landscaping formulas and definitions
10. FTE calculation
11. EA p3 - Refrigerant Management Definitions
12. Renewable Energy definitions
13. Different energy & HVAC standards
14. Low Emitting Materials standards
15. MR Recycled Content definitions
16. Regional Materials scenarios
17. Rapidly Renewable Materials list
18. Exemplary Performance (EP) thresholds

Some LEED Green Associate Exams are “easy to pass but difficult to study for.” This is due to the fact that you never know what may be on the exam. While you know specific topics that you will be tested on, you do not know how they will test you on that information. They will require more than memorization of information which I will discuss more as you read on. Jump to Studying and Test Taking Strategies from LEED Green Associate and AP Exams.

Free LEED GA v4 Practice Test

Poplar's free LEED v4 Green Associate practice test simulates questions and content from the actual exam.

The actual LEED v4 Green Associate exam is given during a two hour exam period and includes 100 questions. When preparing for the exam, it is highly recommended that you use an accurate study guide, and full 100 question practice tests until you can score in the 95-100% range.

Our Free Practice test allows you to retake it as many times as you need to reach a proficient score. The Free Practice Exam is a crucial element that will help you succeed on the actual exam.

Example Free LEED Green Associate Practice Exam Content

Poplar Network in collaboration with GreenStep’s Principal and Founder, Alex Spilger, put together a Free LEED Green Associate Webinar which you can watch here. GreenStep is a business dedicated to green building education. Alex has taken the LEED Green Associate exam ten times and the LEED AP exams eleven times. He has in-depth expertise not only about what is on the LEED exams but also how the questions on the exam are formatted and about the tricks embedded in them.

Here is a screenshot provided by Alex Spilger, during his free webinar session which you can access at the link above. During his webinar he explains in detail what the LEED exam is about, how it is set up, how you can register, and importantly, how to prepare. This is an example of how questions will appear on your screen when you take the exam at a Prometric exam center.

As you can see, there is a “back” button and “next” to access prior questions and following questions. You can also mark a question if you want to return to it later. This is a key button since there may be times where you may become stumped. With this button, you can take an educated guess, move on, and then come back later if you have extra time.

Our free LEED Green Associate practice exam which you can access on Poplar Education mimics the exact style of the actual exam. This is an important and crucial tool to use when you are preparing. You will learn how questions are phrased and how the test is formatted which will help you avoid any surprises come test time.

Should I become a LEED AP?

While The LEED Green Associate credential is Tier I, LEED AP is considered Tier II.

If you have background working on sustainability projects and green building efforts, you may be seeking a more specified credential that focuses on and demonstrates your expertise in one of the following topics:

Click on one of the above links to gain access to USGBC’s candidate handbook for each exam.

Before taking any exam on the previously listed topics, you must have already passed the LEED Green Associate exam.

The LEED AP credential affirms your advanced knowledge in green building as well as expertise in a particular LEED rating system. The LEED AP specialties are LEED AP Building Design + Construction, LEED AP Homes, LEED AP Interior Design + Construction, LEED AP Neighborhood Development, and LEED AP Operations + Maintenance.

To achieve the LEED Accredited Professional credential you have to pass a 4-hour, 200-question exam with a score of 170 out of 200 if you have not already passed the Green Associate exam. If you do not pass the Green Associate portion of the test during the four-hour period, you will not earn the LEED AP credential.

If you are interested in the LEED AP credential, you no longer need to fulfill LEED project experience, however, USGBC does try to test project experience from within the exam. As such you may want to include LEED project experience in your LEED AP exam preparation process.

You must either currently be a LEED Green Associate or plan to take both exams back-to-back. While you can take both exams simultaneously on the same day, we actually recommend avoiding this option. It may be information overload and extremely overwhelming studying for two exams. Therefore, you should focus on passing the LEED Green Associate Exam prior to studying for the LEED AP Exam. After you finish the Green Associate Exam give yourself a pat on the back and take a break before diving into new material. All of the exams are rigorous and cover very dense material. You want to make sure that you give yourself enough time to soak all of it in.

Moreover, A LEED AP must maintain 30 continuing education credit hours for every two-year reporting period. Read more here.

Example Free LEED AP Practice Exam Content

We offer a free simulation test that mimics the actual LEED AP Exams. The following is an actual example from our Free LEED v4 BD+C Practice Test.

When you are taking the simulation test, you are not timed. You can take as much time as you need and really think about the questions.

Also, after pressing next it shows you if you answered correctly and gives specific feedback on the answer that you chose. Make sure to take notes while you practice!

Studying and Test Taking Strategies from LEED Green Associate and AP Exams

Alex Spilger suggests for the LEED AP exams, which he has taken 11 times, that the questions are more challenging. This may be due to the fact that the information is more specific depending on the type of certification you are looking for. However, you can miss more questions on the LEED AP exam than you can on the LEED Green Associate Exam.

Memorization Strategies

  • Use Visual imagery- get funny (or gross)- make acronyms or use words that you will remember to chunk concepts into memorable ideas
  • Flashcards- create flashcards with key ideas that you can study and come back to at any time
  • Thinking out loud- repeat ideas aloud to yourself. It helps to recite and you will see what you actually know based on what you can recall aloud

LEED Exam Test Taking Tips: To do and not to do

Alex Spilger provided those seeking LEED certification with some great tips. He recommends spending at least 15-20 hours on preparation for the exam. More specifically, about eight hours on studying, memorizing, and reviewing materials and about 7 hours on practice exams. He also recommends studying as close to your exam date as possible. While it may be tempting to start early, it is hard to memorize all of the come exam time if you began studying three or four months beforehand.

Not only will you use rote memorization skills, but you will need to use other skills as well during your prep and study time before the test and during the test such as:

  • Reading comprehension
  • Notetaking
  • Stress management
  • Time management
  • Testing taking strategies

Make sure that when you review sample questions like those in our free practice tests, you comprehend each part of the question before finding the answer. Eliminate answers you know to be incorrect. Take notes while you study so that you know what to review and what you feel confident about. Try not to get stresses and overwhelmed about the exam. While it is high stakes testing, you can always go back and take the exam again if needed. It is easy to stress but if you find yourself getting to that point, just take a study break. Those are always very helpful. Managing your time is extremely important. You want to plan out when, where, and how you are going to study. Do you like to work in quiet secluded places like your room, home office, or a library? Do you like to work with a little noise around such as a coffee shop? Are you a morning person or a night owl? Are you a haptic learner where you like to read? Do you prefer to listen or are you a visual learner? It may be helpful to utilize all forms of learning. You can read, take notes, and repeat aloud or put on soft music in the background. Figuring out your study habits will help you tackle the information with minimum stress and maximum confidence.

DO:

While you study

- Spread out your studying

- Take notes while you study

- Memorize the points needed to reach different levels of certification (e.g. Silver, etc.)

- Do memorize the requirements for a Project to become LEED Certified.

- Become acclimated with the wording used on the test simulators.

The questions on the practice tests are written in the same format as the questions on the actual test. Many of the questions require not just memorized material, but good test taking strategies. Many test developers create questions that are meant to trick you and throw you off track. You may find that you begin to second guess yourself. Therefore, read the question carefully and pull from all of your knowledge to find the best answer rather than the correct answer.

Before and during your test

- Do a "brain dump"

- Mark questions to return to

- Go through the exam twice (if you have time)

- Review notes or test questions that you had trouble with

- Take breaks if needed

- Eat a light meal beforehand

- Use your critical thinking skills

- Guess answers

It is okay to guess when you do not know the answer, you will not be penalized. Skip questions that are too difficult so that you do not waste any time during the exam. It may be best to guess an answer, mark the question, and come back to it later if you have time.

DO NOT:

- Take both exams on the same day (if you can help it)

- Skip any questions

- Cram the day before

- Stress about passing

- Study every day all day without giving yourself at least ten minute breather

- Simply memorize and regurgitate information.

While the test does have simple recall questions such as “how many points are required for LEED Silver Certification?” there are also questions that require application and synthesis of knowledge meaning that you will have to pull together many concepts that you have come to learn and understand in order to piece together or correct answer to a question. If recall is knowing what green building is, synthesis is knowing how to implement green building and following the steps and requirements.

According to the LEED Green Associate Professional Candidate Handbook there are three types of questions items that can be found on the exam:

Recall Items: This is where memorization comes into play. These questions test to see if you remember factual information which may link back to some of the categories mentioned above about the LEED Green Associate Exam.

Application Items: This is where you may be given a problem or scenario and you will have to solve it using principles or procedures. A calculator will also be available on the exam if need be.

Analysis Items: Finally, you will have to break problems into their specific parts to create a solution. This is where you have to demonstrate that you have not only memorized the material but that you know how and can implement green building strategies. You will not only recognize different aspects of the problem but you must evaluate the relationships between all of the elements and figure out the best solution.

Poplar Network’s 7 Day Exam Preparation Method

Day 1: Register for the test on Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI). While the USGBC develops the exam, GBCI administers the exam.

Then, you have to choose a location where you would like to take the exam. The exams are available at Prometric center which can be found all over the world.

Day 2: Memorization Guide based on Moon Walking with Einstein, by Joshua Foer, 2006 USA Memory Champion.

The Memorization Guide was created by Poplar Network Founder, Rob Freeman, in order to help you memorize the material. He condensed 300 pages of Foer’s book to eight pages of everything you need to start remembering the material.

Day 3: Take the first practice exam which gives you feedback about why each answer is right and why each answer is wrong. In addition, personal flashcards are convenient ways that you can quiz yourself to see if you are retaining information.

You can create flashcards yourself with key terms, or use the ones available in Poplar Network’s Super Study Pack. Keep referring back to the memorization guide and follow those tips.

Day 4: Watch the video training course. This can be done anywhere; in your home, on your commute or while you are taking a jog. Then you want to take the third simulation test. The benefit of this approach is that you are spacing out your studying which allows you to gradually soak up information without cramming.

After studying in college for four years, I know that cramming material in all at once especially at the last minute will only hurt you. You become exhausted and the information does not have time to process and stick in your memory. Setting aside time to study and spacing out your studying time are good habits which will help you pass the exam.

Day 5: Keep using flashcards like the ones located in the Super Study Pack. The cards available in the pack can be flipped and marked when you are having trouble with a particular idea. The cards can also be printed, so you can use them anywhere you go.

Day 6: Practice, Practice, Practice! Study using the practice tests in the Super Study Pack or one of our free LEEP Green Associate and LEEP AP Exams.

Keep taking the practice tests and adding to your notes. Think critically and deeply about the questions that you may still be unsure about and research those specific topics again. Try to reach a confident understanding in those ideas and take the test over again to track your improvement and changes.

Day 7: On the last day of the seven day plan, you should be feeling confident and ready to go. The only thing left to do is review. Refresh your memory on topics you may not have look at as deeply thus far or concepts you have not looked at since the second or third day.

Go over your flashcards, personal notes, and maybe take another shot at a practice exam again if you’d like. Use this day as review, but do not try to cram in information. Remember, you do not have to obtain a perfect score, but make sure that you have a solid understanding of all of the concepts that we’ve listed for you.

While we do offer free exam prep we do offer a Super Study Pack, as mentioned previously. It is a 200 dollar value for 100 dollars. Also, we feel very confident in this material that if you do not pass the exam, we refund you your money. That is a steal.

Here is what is offered in the Super Study Pack:

1. Poplar’s 131 page LEED v4 Green Associate Study Guide (PDF) with 100 question practice test

2. 400 practice questions with exam simulator

3. 9 module Online LEED v4 Green Associate training course

4. 2 hour downloadable MP3 Audio Study Guide

5. 400 Downloadable/Printable PDF Flashcards

6. Bonus LEED Exam Memorization Guide (only available with the Super Study Pack)

As soon as you buy the pack, you have instant access to the material on any device.

Free Exam Materials

Poplar Network is launching a free LEED exam prep package to get you started on your journey towards becoming LEED Certified! Here are list of available exams.

Click on an exam you are interested in to learn more about the free exam prep that is offered.

These practice tests are perfect if you are beginning your test prep and are unsure where to start. This will give you a feel of what the test format, the style of the questions, and your knowledge so far of LEED concepts. The passing score on each of the exams is at least an 85 percent but we suggests you keep taking the practice exams until you reach between 95-100 percent correct. That way, when you take the actual exam, you have more margin for error and are more prepared with an understanding of most of the concepts

Also, don’t forget about our free webinar with Alex Spilger who has taken the LEED Green Associate and AP Exams more than anyone on Earth! Join us for a free webinar here.

Along with offering tests for each of the exams listed above, we also offer free tests material for NABCEP Solar, IGBC AP, LEED EPD and a LCA Course. Also, once you’ve mastered the LEED exam and have become a LEED expert, we also have a free guide that tells you about credential maintenance.

During my years as an undergraduate in college taking graduate level courses, I had professors that would say in order to get an “A” on an assignment, you cannot just meeting the minimum requirements listed on the syllabus, you have to go above and beyond to demonstrate a true, deep, and thoughtful understanding of concepts discussed in class. The same holds true for becoming LEED certified. While the USGBC offers free reference guides for each exam with extensive lists as I have shown you about what topics you need to know, just memorizing definitions and the list of concepts will not help you to pass the exam. In fact, Alex Spilger, having taken the LEED exam 21 times, knows that only 10-15% of the questions on the exam come directly from the reference guides. While that does not meet you should ignore the reference guides completely, it means that you will need to truly develop an understanding of the concepts involved in LEED, the goal of LEED certification, and how to implement LEED when overseeing projects.

What to look forward to once you are LEED Accredited

Alex Spilger also mentions in the free webinar that there is a network called LEED Fellows. This network is contrived of distinguished LEED professionals that have years of experience and contributions to green building. You can become a part of this network after you take the first step of passing the exam. In the meantime, join Poplar Network and connect with its 10,000 members. Meet people who have the same passions, goals, and dedication to green building as you.

Start preparing for your exam today! With these tools you are bound to succeed. Good Luck!

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