Along with their many other LEED designation and credential changes, the USGBC and GBCI is altering the former LEED AP Fellow into their new LEED Fellows program.
The alterations of this credential are still being worked out and are not final, to date, which puts it a bit behind the other designation changes, all being implemented in an effort to phase out the old credentials this year.
We do know that a LEED Fellow will “become part of an extraordinary class of leading professionals distinguished by their years of experience and contributions to the standards of practice and body of knowledge for achieving continuous improvement in the green building field.”
For more specific information, speculators calculate that the new LEED Fellow program will be completely defined and introduced over the next two years.
There’s not much to report on a program that isn’t set yet, but under the new v.3 system, the LEED program is divided into three tiers. The Green Associate credentials are in Tier I, with Accredited Professionals in Tier II and Fellows in the final tier.
If this program follows in the footsteps of the others that have gone before it, most likely the benefits to homeowners will be minimal, with changes mostly focusing on the testing and credentialing aspects as well as making the program more easily understood and adhered to by the LEED professionals.