Now come LEED specialist designations

The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) in the U.S. began contacting LEED Accredited Professionals (APs) in Canada last month to see whether they would be interested in applying for the new specialist designations. The credentials, which were launched in the U.S. at the beginning of this year, require candidates to take an examination in their particular area of expertise.
The LEED AP specialist categories so far are in BD + C (building design and construction), ND (neighbourhood development); Homes; O+M (operations and maintenance) and ID+C (interior design and construction).
The Green Building Certification Institute is in Washington, DC and was established in 2009 as an organization to administer examinations and provide third-party verification for LEED accreditations, whether they be of individuals or buildings. The GBCI also provides the same services in Canada.
The Canada Green Building Council and U.S. Green Building Council promote and run LEED programs, but the GBCI is now the third party organization to oversee and verify the process and certifications.
GBCI also recently announced that in just over a year it has awarded the LEED Green Associate credential to over 10,000 individuals. The LEED Green Associate credential is for professionals who work in industries that support sustainable buildings but may not be actively involved in designing projects. For example, individuals involved in manufacturing, property management, law, marketing, etc. Individuals have to take tests to show their knowledge of sustainable building in order to become associates.