About LEED - General
About LEED - Technical/Certification
Website & LEED-Online FAQ
LEED Reference Guides
What is LEED?
The LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System™ is a voluntary, consensus-based standard to support and certify successful green building design, construction and operations. LEED is transforming the marketplace by providing a nationally recognized certification system to promote integrated, whole-building design practices in the building industry.
Read the Intro to LEED »
How do I create a USGBC Web site user account?
Please go to the Site User Registration page.
How do I learn more about the requirements for a particular LEED credit?
If you are looking for more details about a specific LEED credit, please visit our LEED Rating Systems page for a free download of the rating system of interest.
If you are a member of a project team and require more in-depth information about a specific credit, please go to our Publications page to purchase a reference guide which contains detailed information on credit requirements, documentation requirements, calculations, referenced standards and other resources.
Can I get my product or service LEED certified?
USGBC does not certify, endorse or promote products, services or companies, nor do we track, list or report data related to products and their environmental qualities.
LEED is a certification system that deals with the environmental performance of buildings based on overall characteristics of the project. We do not award credits based on the use of particular products but rather upon meeting the performance standards set forth in our rating systems. It is up to project teams to determine which products are most appropriate for credit achievement and program requirements.
For more information on how you can get involved, please visit the Resources for Product Manufacturers and Service Providers page.
Where can I learn more about green materials, manufacturers, and products?
The USGBC does not certify, endorse or promote products, services or companies, nor do we track, list or report data related to products and their environmental qualities.
However, using green products and materials may contribute to a building’s LEED Certification. See our Green Building Links for information from other green building organizations.
How can I get my building project LEED certified and how much will it cost?
The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) assumes administration of LEED certification for all commercial and institutional projects registered under any LEED Rating System The most successful LEED project teams report an integrated design process, with LEED in mind from the project’s inception.
For information on registration fees and processes, as well as information on certification, please visit GBCI.org »
Which Rating System should I use?
The introductory section of each LEED Rating System provides general guidance for what application is best for that particular rating system. It is possible that your project might be eligible for Certification under more than one rating system. Please review the checklists for each rating system. You can download the checklists from each rating system's page. In order to earn LEED certification, a project must meet all prerequisites and earn the minimum number of LEED credits/points listed on the checklist. Compare your project’s projected credit achievement for each applicable rating system.
What is LEED-Online?
LEED-Online allows project teams to submit 100% of their documentation online. LEED-Online stores all LEED information, resources, and support in one centralized location. Powered by Adobe LiveCycle technology, LEED-Online enables team members to upload credit templates, view and submit Credit Interpretation Requests (CIRs), manage key project details, contact customer service, and view and respond to reviewer comments. Visit the LEED Online page on GBCI.org for more information »
I am a member, why am I being charged the non-member price for my purchases?
USGBC national memberships are for organizations only. Employees of member organizations need to associate their Corporate Access ID to their personal accounts to receive USGBC member discounts.
How do I get the LEED Letter Templates?
The LEED Letter Templates are available to team members of LEED Registered Projects via the credit scorecard page of LEED Online. All other individuals, including those without a Registered Project can download sample LEED Letter Templates from the LEED Resources page.
Where can I find USGBC collateral materials?
USGBC collateral materials, including Project Profiles,PowerPoint Presentations, and brochures, are available for download on the USGBC Resources page.
Where can I find more information on tax incentives and government initiatives for my LEED Certified building?
For information on state and local initiatives, please go to our Government Resources page.
Where can I get a LEED logo for use?
If you were recently involved in certifying a project, please contact USGBC with the name of the project, its location and year certified, and we will send the appropriate artwork for your use.
If you are interested in using the LEED logo for commercial or promotional purposes, please download and submit the Usage Request Form, providing specific visual examples of how the logo would be used.
If your organization is a member of USGBC, you can find a downloadable USGBC member logo online.
How can I change the project administrator for my project?
Please have the current project administrator send an email to LEED Customer Service with the name of the new administrator and the project name and number.
Where can I find a list of LEED Registered and Certified projects?
Please consult the searchable LEED Project Lists. Note: Confidential LEED Projects are excluded from these lists.
I’m a first time user of LEED-Online. Why is my email address “tagged to an existing user”?
When you create an account for www.usgbc.org, your login information is automatically applied to your LEED-Online account. Please try to login using your www.usgbc.org account information. If the problem persists, please contact LEED Customer Service with your name, and the name and number of the project you are trying to access.
How do I purchase a LEED Reference Guide?
Please visit our Publications page for product descriptions and to place an order online. A USGBC Web site user account is required to place an order.
How much do reference guides cost?
Please visit the publications pricing page for detailed information on Reference Guide prices.
How long do reference guides take to ship?
Domestic-bound orders deliver in 5-7 business days after the day the order was placed, and ship via UPS-Ground (Please note that PO BOX orders ship USPS, and may not receive tracking information).
Rush-order shipping is not available.
International orders may take between 2-3 weeks for delivery.
Access to download your PDF copy of the reference guides is available immediately upon payment received.
What is the difference between the PDF access for E-book and hard copy reference guide purchases?
With each purchase of a hard copy 2009 Edition reference guide, 30-day access to a non-printable PDF version of the reference guide is available.
Printable PDF versions of the reference guide are available for purchase independently of the hard copy.
The E-book purchase option provides 30-day access to download a printable PDF version of the reference guide. This option does not include a hard copy delivery of the reference guide. The E-book reference guides have a personalized water-mark on every page, which cannot be removed.
The PDF reference guides are intended for personal use only and should not be stored on any shared networks.
How do I access my online reference guide?
2009 Edition Hard Copy reference guides come with a 30-day access to download a non-printable PDF version of the guide. 2009 Edition reference guides are also available for purchase in E-book format, which comes with a 30-day access to download a printable PDF version of the guide.
The PDF reference guides are intended for personal use only and should not be stored on any shared network.
To access your PDF reference guide, please go to LEED -> LEED Resources and click Online Reference Guides. You will be required to sign-in with your user-name and password. If you have purchased a 2009 Edition reference guide, be sure to download and save a copy of the PDF to a secure location within 30 days of purchase. Hard Copies of versions 2.0, 2.1, or 2.2 reference guides come with indefinite access to an online non-printable version of the reference guide.
What are the differences between 2009 Edition reference guides and other versions of the reference guides?
Please visit the LEED v3 page for details on the differences between v2.0 and v3.0 rating systems and their corresponding reference guides.
What is the return/refund policy for reference guides?
USGBC has a no return/no refund policy on reference guide purchases. Please be sure that you are ordering the correct and desired guide. For information on LEED reference guides and rating systems please review our section on LEED Reference Documents. For further inquiries or if you have received the incorrect reference guide, please contact leedinfo@usgbc.org.
USGBC will not extend access to download your purchased PDF reference guide after 30 days from the date of purchase. Please download and save your PDF reference guide to a secure location within 30 days of purchase and consider creating a back-up copy to make sure your document is safe if something were to happen to your computer. The PDF reference guide is intended for personal use only and should not be stored on publicly accessed network drives.
Are bulk order discounts available for reference guides?
Bulk order discounts are available to full-time employees of USGBC national member organizations. Please search our member directory to see if your company is a USGBC member.
Bulk order discounts are at USGBC discretion, and are intended only for use by full-time employees of the respective USGBC national member. Chapter membership does not qualify individuals as national members. Bulk orders cannot be placed online. To place an order on your company’s behalf, please prepare the following information:
To place an order on your company’s behalf, please prepare the following information:
- Name and Company
- USGBC corporate access code
- Reference guide type and total quantity
- Description of intent for usage
- Shipping address
- Contact information and best time to receive a phone call within the next two business days
Send information to workshop@usgbc.org. Once complete details are received you will be contacted by a USGBC representative with a price quote, shipping & handling costs and payment options.
Pricing of bulk discounts can be found on the publications page by clicking on the title of your desired reference guide.
Are student discounts available for reference guides?
Full-time Student or Faculty Discount for Hard Copy and E-book:
$99 (not including S&H)
Available for full-time students and faculty who can show proof of status and enrollment. Limit one type of each guide per student or faculty member.
Students should include the following information with your order request:
- Copy of valid school photo ID
- Unofficial transcript or schedule of classes
- Contact information and best time to receive a phone call within the next two business days
Faculty should include the following information with your order request:
- A formal letter from your university/college administrative office or department head verifying your full-time faculty status
- Provide name and university/college department you reside in
- Contact information and best time to receive a phone call within the next two business days
- Please note that orders must be shipped to a university address in your respective department, and no discounted orders will shipped to a residential address
Create a USGBC site-user account, and then send information to workshop@usgbc.org. Once complete details are received you will be contacted by a USGBC representative with a price quote including shipping & handling costs. Please have your credit card information on-hand.
Can our organization place a Purchase Orders for Reference Guides?
No, USGBC does not accept Purchase Orders.
For all other questions, call 1-800-795-1747 or e-mail LEED Customer Service.