1. Competent Authority for LEED Certification
Currently, the Green Business Certification Institute (GBCI) is the organization authorized by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to receive and review applications for LEED certification.
2. LEED Certification Registration Process and Procedure
The LEED certification process is based on a self-assessment model. The project owner and their team are responsible for collecting and providing documentation to prove that the project meets the requirements for their chosen certification. The GBCI’s role is to assess the project based solely on the documentation provided by the owner to decide whether to grant certification; GBCI does not conduct direct, on-site inspections of the project area.
Step 1: Project Registration The LEED certification process begins when the project owner or another authorized individual registers the project on the official GBCI website. During registration, they will select the desired certification type for the project and confirm its entry into the GBCI database.
- When to Register: It is generally recommended that project owners register during the design/planning phase. This helps the owner, contractors, and other stakeholders identify the necessary project requirements early on. It allows them to conduct site surveys, identify potential regional advantages, and agree on design and construction methods that will ensure the project meets the selected LEED criteria.
Step 2: Preparing the Application for Review The project owner and relevant parties collect, prepare, and submit all necessary documentation to demonstrate compliance with the requirements outlined in the credit checklists. Based on the selected certification type, the owner will know the specific criteria and requirements the project must meet. The owner can then choose which credits the project will aim for and assign responsibility to different team members (e.g., construction consultants, electrical/mechanical engineers, architects) for providing the required documentation. Unlike a traditional construction project where design, bidding, and construction phases are relatively independent, a LEED project requires more synchronized and close collaboration among all parties.
Step 3: Application Review
- Submission Deadline:
- For LEED BD+C and LEED ID+C projects: No later than 2 years after substantial completion of construction.
- For LEED O+M projects: Within 60 days after the end of the performance period used for certification. The review process begins once the owner submits the prepared application. GBCI will conduct a preliminary review and provide feedback to the owner, indicating which prerequisites and credits the project has met. The owner can either accept this as the final result or revise and supplement the application for a final review. The result of the final review is binding. Based on the project’s score, GBCI will decide whether to award certification.
For LEED BD+C and LEED ID+C projects, owners have two options for the review process:
- Standard Review: Submit the entire application at once after construction is complete.
- Split Review: Submit the design-phase credits for review first, and then submit the construction-phase credits for a separate review after project completion.
3. Validity of LEED Certification
- LEED O+M certification is valid for 3 years, after which the owner can apply for recertification.
- LEED BD+C and LEED ID+C certifications do not expire.