Sunday, April 18, 2010

Tips on How to Pass a LEED Exam on the First Try and in One Week and Responses to Some of the Readers' Questions

The following are tips on how to pass a LEED Exam on the first try and in one week and my responses to some readers' questions, and I think they may help you:




1. I found the reference guide way too tedious. Can I only read your book and just refer to the USGBC reference guide (if one is available for the exam I am taking) when needed?



Response: Yes. That is one way to study.



2. Is one week really enough for me to prepare for the exam while I am working?



Response: Yes, if you can put in 40 to 60 hours during the week, study hard and you can pass the exam. This exam is similar to a history or political science exam; you need to MEMORIZE the information. If you take too long, you will probably forget the information by the time you take the test.



In my book, I give you tips on how to MEMORIZE the information, and I have already highlighted/underlined the most important information that you definitely have to MEMORIZE to pass the exam. It is my goal to use this book to help you to pass the LEED exam with the minimum time and effort. I want to make your life easier.



3. Would you say that if I buy your LEED Exam Guide Series books, I could pass the exam using no other study materials? The books sold on the USGBC website run in the hundreds of dollars, so I would be quite happy if I could buy your book and just use that.



Response: First of all, there are readers who have passed the LEED Exam by reading only my books in the LEED Exam Guides Series (www.ArchiteG.com). My goal is to write one book for each of the LEED exams, and make each of my books stand alone to prepare people for one specific LEED exam.



Secondly, people learn in many different ways. That is why I have added some new advice below for people who learn better by doing practice tests.



If you do the following things, you have a very good chance of passing the LEED exam (NOT a guarantee, nobody can guarantee you will pass):



a. If you study, understand and MEMORIZE all of the information in my book, and do NOT panic when you run into problems you are not familiar with, and use the guess strategy in my book, then you have a very good chance of passing the exam.



You need to UNDERSTAND and MEMORIZE the information in the book and score almost a perfect score on the mock exam in this book. This book will give you the BULK of the most CURRENT information that you need for the specific LEED exam you are taking. You HAVE to know the information in my book in order to pass the exam.



b. If you have not done any LEED projects before, I suggest you also go to the USGBC website and download the latest LEED credit templates for the LEED rating system related to the LEED exam you are taking. Read the templates and become familiar with them. This is important. See link below:



http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=222



There are so MANY different ways to study and pass, pick one path that is right for you.



The LEED exam is NOT an easy exam, but anyone with a 7th grade education should be able to study and pass the LEED exam if he prepares correctly.



If you have extra time and money, the only other book I would recommend is the USGBC reference guide, the official book for the LEED exam. I know some people who did not even read the reference guide from cover to cover when they took the exam. They just studied the information in my book, and only referred to the reference guide to look up a few things, and they passed on the first try. Some of my readers have even passed WITHOUT reading the USGBC reference guide AT ALL.



4. I am preparing for the LEED exam. Do I need to read the 2" thick reference?



Response: See answer above.



5. For LEED v3.0, will the total number of points be more than 110 in total if a project gets all of the extra credits and all of the standard credits?



Response: No. For LEED v3.0, there are 100 base points and 10 possible bonus points. There are many ways to get bonus points (extra credits or exemplary performance), but you can have a maximum number of 6 ID bonus points and 4 Regional Priority bonus points. So, the maximum points for ANY project will be 110.



On another note, the older versions of LEED rating systems all have less than 110 possible points except LEED for Home, which has 136 possible points.



6. For the exam, do I need to know the project phase in which a specific prerequisite/credit takes place? (i.e., pre-design, schematic design, etc.)



Response: The information on the project phase (NOT LEED submittal phase) for each prerequisite/credit is NOT mentioned in the USGBC reference guide, but it is covered in the USGBC workshops. If it is important enough for the USGBC workshops to cover, then it may show up on the actual LEED exam.



Most, if not all, other third party books completely miss this important information. I cover it for each prerequisite/credit in my book for the LEED exam because I think it is very important.



Some people THINK that the LEED exam ONLY tests information covered by the USGBC reference guide. They are wrong.



The LEED exam does test information NOT covered by the USGBC reference guide at all. This may include the process of LEED submittal and project team coordination, etc.



I would MEMORIZE this information if I were you, because it may show up on the LEED exam. Besides, this information is not hard to memorize once you understand it, and you need to know it to do actual LEED submittal work anyway.



7. Are you writing new versions of books for the new LEED exams? What new books are you writing?



Response: Yes, I am working on other books in the LEED Exam Guide Series. I will be writing one book for each of the LEED exam. See LEEDSeries.com for more information.

Book Reviews for "LEED BD&C Exam Guide"

Very valuable guide! I am a lighting designer and am preparing to take the LEED BD+C exam. A few years ago I had taken the LEED 2.0 beta test and unfortunately did not pass it. I got this guide to prepare for the 3.0 version and it was fairly well organized to help me refresh my memory on the background LEED knowledge I had. All the specifics that one needs to know about each credit such as the Purpose of the credit, Credit path, Submittals, Strategies and technologies etc, are clearly organized for every credit. In addition the author also employs the smart technique of Mnemonics which helps in memorizing the vast amount of information in a simplified manner.


---visswapriya prabakar





Not a bulky ref guide: This book does a great job in highlighting and summarizing the key points and concepts in USGBC ref guide. If you only have limited amount of time for AP exam preparation, definitely go for this book.

---Metcalf





Very Helpful: I found the book to be very detailed and very helpful. I plan to take the exam soon, and I feel fully prepared for it.

---Yousuf Asadzoi





LEED BD&C Exam Guide - A good outline: The book is an excellent outline to learn the necessary items required to study for the exam...Practice exam is good indicator of test preparation.

---Paul Levine







I had appeared for GA and passed. I loved the content and the underlined highlights. I read your book; it gave me insight and knowledge on how credits are applied. Some questions in your book helped me answer ones on the test. Good book, I'll go through it once again when I appear for AP.

---Haresh Vibhakar, AIIA ( India ), AIA, LEED Green Associate

Architect

Why is "LEED BD&C Exam Guide" the most CURRENT and comprehensive book on LEED AP BD+C Exam in the market?

Many of you asked when my updated version of LEED books would be available.




Your wait is over: "LEED BD&C Exam Guide" is available NOW!



See link below for sample pages:

http://outskirtspress.com/agent.php?key=11011&page=LEED-BDC



"LEED BD&C Exam Guide" (ISBN-10: 1432745727, ISBN-13: 978-1432745721) is the most current, exam-oriented, and comprehensive book on LEED BD&C Exam in the market for the following reasons:



It is based on information from the latest USGBC "Green Building Design and Construction Reference Guide," and the related USGBC workshops, and comprehensive information gathered from many websites, PLUS a lot of information, mnemonics, and study techniques relevant to the exam but is NOT covered by the USGBC reference guide or workshops or any other similar books.



It includes all the relevant features that you love in "LEED AP Exam Guide" (ISBN-10: 1432728423, ISBN-13: 9781432728427), but updated to the latest LEED v3.0.



I added new content including: submittals and synergies for each credit or prerequisite; core concepts, recognition, regulations, and incentives for each credit category; more sample questions; valuable information specifically tailored to LEED Green Associate Exam.



I also used a new and better copy editor for "LEED BD&C Exam Guide," Barry. Barry is very detail-oriented and helped to substantially improve the quality of the book. Barry and I have reviewed and edited "LEED BD&C Exam Guide" many times before the final publication.



"LEED BD&C Exam Guide" is very comprehensive but is still much easier to read, at a portable size, and will save you a lot of valuable exam prep time when compared with the 700-page, large-format USGBC "Green Building Design and Construction Reference Guide."



See Customer Discussion Section at the bottom of the Amazon.com book listing page of "LEED BD&C Exam Guide" for more information on the book.



"LEED BD&C Exam Guide" includes ALL the information in "LEED GA Exam Guide" (ISBN-10: 1432741683, ISBN-13: 9781432741686), PLUS complete discussion of LEED prerequisites and credits for LEED NC, LEED CS, and LEED Schools rating systems, PLUS a summary table and a mnemonics for each LEED category, PLUS comprehensive study materials, 20 extra sample questions, an extra mock exam with 100 additional questions for part II of LEED AP BD+C Exam, and information on green building design and construction, LEED certification, and sustainability.



Gang Chen, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Author of "LEED GA Exam Guide," "Architectural Practice Simplified," "Planting Design Illustrated," and other books on various LEED exams, architecture, and landscape architecture (http://www.architeg.com/publications.php)

USGBC and GBCI seem to enjoy confusing LEED exam takers and making their lives miserable

One thing that I notice is that USGBC and GBCI tend to spread their information everywhere, but not in one place. They seem to enjoy confusing LEED exam takers and making their lives miserable.




For example, they have some information regarding the responsible party and project phase or case studies that are part of their workshops, but not in their reference guide; they also have a lot of information that is at the GBCI and USGBC websites, but not anywhere else, such as CIR guidelines, MPRs and related requirements, etc.



I just finished writing "LEED GA Exam Guide" (published on 10/28/09) and "LEED BD&C Exam Guide" (published on 12/18/09), and I am writing the "LEED ID&C Exam Guide." Another thing that I notice is that because USGBC has expanded the LEED systems so much, they have to have different task groups to write different reference guides, but they are NOT even consistent between reference guides for different LEED systems. It seems like their tasks forces do not even talk to each other and coordinate: For example, ALL LEED systems were based on the platform set by LEED NC, but for EAp2, LEED CI only listed 2 related credits as synergies, but the LEED NC has included MANY more credits for synergies for the same credit, and most of them DO apply to LEED CI also, but the LEED ID+C reference guide misses these credits. Page 121 of LEED Interior Design and Construction Reference Guide also mistakenly listed EAp1 as IEQp2 under Domestic hot water systems for Table 1.



If you are taking the LEED AP ID+C Exam, USGBC suggests you to take USGBC classes at both the 100 (Awareness) and 200 (LEED Core Concepts and Strategies) level to successfully prepare for Part One of the exam. USGBC classes at 300 level (Green Interior Design & Construction: The LEED Implementation Process) can be taken to prepare for Part Two of the exam. A one-day course normally costs $445 (as of publication) with an early registration discount, otherwise it is $495. You will also have to wait until the USGBC workshops or courses are offered in a city near you.

The problem is: when you go there, after you spend 8 hours and close to $500 for each workshop, the instructor will tell you that the workshops are NOT for LEED exam prep. Come on, you have just spent so much money and time and go through the trouble for the workshops, and they just tell you now the workshops are NOT tailored for the LEED exams? Give me a break.



So, I think third party books are absolutely necessary and they are much more helpful than the USGBC publications and workshops or GBCI and USGBC websites alone.

Why is "LEED BD&C Exam Guide" Needed?

There are two main purposes for "LEED BD&C Exam Guide": to help you pass the LEED AP BD+C (Building Design and Construction) Exam and to assist you with understanding the process of getting a building LEED certified.




The LEED AP BD+C Exam is a brand new exam GBCI launched in 2009. The biggest problem for LEED AP BD+C Exam is the shortage of LEED AP BD+C Exam prep materials.



The LEED AP BD+C Exam has two parts (or sections):



Part One is EXACTLY the same as the LEED Green Associate Exam. It has 100 multiple choice questions and must be finished within two hours (The total exam time for BOTH parts of the exam is four hours). In this book, "LEED AP BD+C Exam Part One," "LEED AP BD+C Exam Section One," and "LEED Green Associate Exam" are used interchangeably since they are EXACTLY the same.



Part Two is the LEED AP BD+C specialty exam. It focuses on information and knowledge related directly to green building design and construction (BD+C). It also contains 100 multiple choice questions and must be finished within two hours.



The raw exam score is converted to a scaled score ranging from 125 to 200. The passing score is 170 or higher. You need to answer about 60 questions correctly for each section to pass. There is an optional 10-minute tutorial for computer testing before the exam and an optional 10-minute exit survey.



The LEED Green Associate Exam is the most important LEED exam for two reasons:



1. You have to pass it in order to get the title of LEED Green Associate.



2. It is also the required Part One (2 hours) of ALL LEED AP+ exams. You have to pass it plus Part Two (2 hours) of the specific LEED AP+ exam of your choice to get any LEED AP+ title unless you have passed the old LEED AP exam before June 30, 2009.



To stay at the forefront of the LEED and green building movement, I sign up for USGBC courses and workshops myself, and I review the USGBC and GBCI websites and many other sources to get as much information as possible on LEED. Based on this very comprehensive research, I summarize the information in my latest book, "LEED BD&C Exam Guide: A Must-Have for the LEED AP BD+C Exam: Comprehensive Study Materials, Sample Questions, Mock Exam, Green Building LEED Certification, and Sustainability (LEED v3.0)." I have done the hard work so that you can save time preparing for the exam by reading it.



There are a few ways to prepare for the LEED AP BD+C Exam:



1. You can take USGBC courses or workshops. You should take USGBC classes at both the 100 (Awareness) and 200 (LEED Core Concepts and Strategies) level to successfully prepare for Part One of the exam. USGBC classes at 300 level (Green Building Design & Construction: The LEED Implementation Process) can be taken to prepare for Part Two of the exam. A one-day course normally costs $445 (as of publication) with an early registration discount, otherwise it is $495. You will also have to wait until the USGBC workshops or courses are offered in a city near you.



OR

2. Take USGBC online courses. Refer to the USGBC or GBCI websites for information. The USGBC online courses are less personal and still expensive.



OR

3. The USGBC's "Green Building and LEED Core Concepts Guide." It is somewhat useful, but does not have enough information for you to pass the LEED GA Exam, let alone LEED AP BD+C Exam.



OR

4. The USGBC Reference Guides: They are comprehensive, but they give too much information. Searching for information related to LEED AP BD+C Exam from the USGBC Reference Guides is like "looking for a needle in a haystack." For example, The LEED 2009 Reference Guide for Green Building Design and Construction (BD&C) has about 700 full-size pages. Many of the calculations in the books are too detailed for the exam. They are also expensive (approximately $200 each, so most people may not buy them for their personal use, but instead, will seek to share an office copy).



It is good to read a reference guide from cover to cover if you have the time. The problem is that few people have the time to read the whole reference guide. Even if you do read the whole guide, you may not remember the important issues to pass the LEED exam. You need to reread the material several times before you can remember much of it.



Reading the reference guide from cover to cover without a guidebook is a difficult and inefficient way of preparing for the LEED AP BD+C exam, because you do NOT know what USGBC and GBCI are looking for in the exam.



OR

5. Various books published by a third party are available on Amazon. However, most of them are not very helpful.



To stay at the forefront of the LEED and green building movement, I sign up for USGBC courses and workshops myself, and I review the USGBC and GBCI websites and many other sources to get as much information as possible on LEED. Based on this very comprehensive research, I summarize the information in my latest book, "LEED BD&C Exam Guide: A Must-Have for the LEED AP BD+C Exam: Comprehensive Study Materials, Sample Questions, Mock Exam, Green Building LEED Certification, and Sustainability (LEED v3.0)." I have done the hard work so that you can save time preparing for the exam by reading it.



"LEED BD&C Exam Guide" will fill in the blanks and become a valuable, reliable source:



a. It will give you more information for your money. It has more information than the related USGBC workshops.



b. It is exam-oriented and more effective than the USGBC reference guides.



c. It is better than most, if not all, of the other third-party books. It gives you comprehensive study materials, sample questions and answers, mock exams and answers, and critical information on building LEED certification and going green. Other third-party books only give you a fraction of the information.



d. It is comprehensive yet concise. It is easy to carry around. You can read it whenever you have a few extra minutes.



e. It is great a timesaver. I have highlighted the important information that you need to understand and MEMORIZE. I also make some acronyms and short sentences to help you easily remember the credit names.



It should take you about 1 to 2 weeks of full-time study to pass each of the LEED exams. I have met people who have spent 40 hours to study and passed the exams.



You can find sample texts and other information on the LEED Exam Guides Series in customer discussion sections under each of my book's listing on Amazon.

I do not have Green Certification experience or contracting, engineering, design, etc. Can I pass a LEED Exam? Will you recommend your book to me?

Question from a reader:


I came across a blog with information from you about passing the LEED exams. I am in the health care field and would like to switch careers to the Green Industry. I have soft skills such as management, consulting and marketing, sales etc... I do not have Green Certification experience or contracting, engineering, design etc...so I am a very unique candidate. I want to take the exam this year...



Would you recommend your book to me? I have limited funds and cannot afford to spend money on classes, guides etc. I do have 3-4 hours a day to study. What do you recommend? I have another friend in the same boat. Where on Amazon can we find your book?



Gang Chen's answer:

I highly recommend my book to you and your friend. You are the kind of people that I am writing the book for. The whole purpose of writing my book is to help people to save time and money and pass the exam.



A LEED Exam is not easy because it does require you to understand and MEMORIZE some important information. My book simplifies the process and is written for people with 7 grade or higher education, and I already underlined the info that you need to memorize.

Some people say ANYONE can take the LEED Green Associate Exam, is it true?

The short answer is: Yes.

If you are taking LEED Green Associate Exam, you need to meet one of the three criteria below:

1) Studying in an education program that addresses green building principles


Per USGBC:

"GBCI has confirmed that all of USGBC's education programs, with the exception of its webinars, satisfy this requirement." See link below for more information:

http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=2011


This means ANYONE can take the LEED Green Associate Exam.


Why?

Because ANYONE can take the one of the USGBC's education programs listed at link above and qualified for the exam as long as he is willing to pay the fee (about a few hundred dollars, exact fee is depending on which program he chooses). You probably will take one of these education programs to prepare for the LEED exam anyway.


OR

2) Working in a sustainable field


OR

3) Have previous experience supporting a LEED-registered project


Gang Chen, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Author of "LEED GA Exam Guide," "Architectural Practice Simplified," "Planting Design Illustrated," and other books on various LEED exams, architecture, and landscape architecture (www.ArchiteG.com)

Sample Pages and Table of Contents, etc. for "LEED BD&C Exam Guide"

See link below:
http://outskirtspress.com/agent.php?key=11011&page=LEED-BDC

Where can you find other books written by Gang Chen?

See link below:
http://www.architeg.com/publications.php 

Disclaimer for "LEED BD&C Exam Guide"

This book provides general information about the LEED AP BD+C Exam and green building LEED Certification. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher and author are not providing legal, accounting, or other professional services. If legal, accounting, and other professional services are required, seek the services of a competent professional firm.

It is not the purpose of this book to reprint the content of all other available texts on the subject. You are urged to read other available texts and tailor them to fit your needs.

Great effort has been made to make this book as complete and accurate as possible; however, nobody is perfect, and there may be typographical or other mistakes. You should use this book as a general guide and not as the ultimate source on this subject.

This book is intended to provide general, entertaining, informative, educational, and enlightening content. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable to anyone or any entity for any loss or damages, or alleged loss and damages, caused directly or indirectly by the content of this book.

USGBC and LEED are trademarks of the US Green Building Council. The US Green Building Council is not affiliated with the publication of this book.