This article is part of series that highlights synergies between EDGE and LEED.
Attention LEED Green Associates, LEED APs with specialty, SITES APs, and WELL APs! Did you know that your work on EDGE projects can count toward your Continuing Education (CE) hours?
It’s true. Work on any project registered for EDGE certification can now count toward your General CE hours required to maintain your GBCI credentials. Work on EDGE projects registered for certification count for 1 General CE hour per efficiency measure and project administrators can claim an additional 2 General CE hours per project.
GBCI credentials are maintained in two-year cycles, or reporting periods, starting when the credential is earned (based on exam date) and ending two years minus one day from the start date. The purpose of credential maintenance is to encourage learning experiences that demonstrate continued competency and up-to-date industry knowledge.
General CE hours are defined as activities that are relevant to general green building concepts such as environmental sustainability or human health and wellness. All GBCI credential holders must earn all general CE hours to maintain their credential, and any activity that counts as general CE hours for one credential may count for other GBCI credentials, as long as the hours were completed during the credential holder’s reporting period. Access the Credential Maintenance Program (CMP) Guide for additional information about GBCI professional credential maintenance.
How to self-report EDGE projects for a LEED AP with specialty and LEED Green Associate General CE hours
- Log in to your USGBC credentials account at http://www.usgbc.org/account/credentials
- Press the blue 'REPORT CE HOURS' button
- Select 'Project participation' as your activity.
- The project participation page will then ask you for the project’s LEED ID. Since you are reporting an EDGE project, simply put in the 10 digit Project Number as listed in the EDGE App in this field. Then click the gray ‘SUBMIT’ button.
- The Project ID number you just entered will show up on the next page. However, you will notice that the page will not display the name of the EDGE project nor the fact that it is an EDGE project. This is okay and you can move forward to next step.
- Complete the Involvement section, including the dates you worked on the EDGE project. Note that the dates must fall within your two-year reporting cycle. You will also select your role on the project.
- The next field asks you to detail the credits that you worked on. Please write ‘This is an EDGE project [Name of your project]’ and then list the efficiency measures that you worked on. You can provide as much detail as you would like in this field.
You should also state that you were the project administrator if you helped the project team complete the entries and upload documentation in the EDGE App. - The Reference section asks you to identify someone who can verify the work you completed on the project.
- The next section asks you to document the number of CE hours and whether they are LEED-specific (only for project work done on LEED projects). Since you are reporting hours for an EDGE project, you will select ‘None’ so that the CE hours will be counted as part of your General CE requirements. Click the green ‘SUBMIT’ button when done.
You can view the CE hours you just reported in your credentials dashboard. Note that the listing here won’t state the name of the project or even that it is an EDGE project. However, that information was captured and will be available for review in the event your credential maintenance is audited.
To self-report CE hours for SITES APs, log into your SITES Online account.
To self-report CE hours for WELL APs, log into your WELL Online account.
Questions about reporting CE hours or GBCI program credentials? Please feel free to contact us.