The Green Building Certification Institute launched a credentialing maintenance program recently for LEED accredited professionals, or LEED APs, and Green Associates with a goal of ensuring that LEED professional credentials will remain relevant in an evolving marketplace.

With the launch of LEED v3 in April, GBCI created a number of changes and enhancements to the LEED professional credentialing program, including the introduction of the LEED Green Associate and realigning the specialties within the LEED AP program to better reflect market practice areas.

More than 130,000 LEED APs obtained their credentials between 2001 and June 2009. CMP will ensure that those credential holders who tested under previous versions of LEED for New Construction, LEED for Commercial Interiors or LEED for Existing Buildings continue to demonstrate a level of knowledge that places them at the forefront of a constantly evolving green building marketplace, according to GBCI.

A number of activities qualify to earn LEED credential holders credit toward their credentialing maintenance. They include continuing education as well as the practical application of LEED on projects and participation in the green-building community. A CMP Guide is available at www.gbci.org that outlines CMP-eligible activities and the requirements for maintaining LEED AP and LEED Green Associate credentials.

GBCI plans to launch an online tool for registered CMP users to track activities.