The LEED Fellow designates the most exceptional professionals in the green building industry.

LEED Fellows are a highly accomplished class of individuals nominated by their peers and distinguished by the caliber of their contributions to advancing the field of green building.

Nomination process

The nominator, the individual nominating a Fellow, must be a LEED AP with specialty who is in good standing and has 10 or more years of professional green building experience. The nominator can only nominate one LEED Fellow for each class, and cannot be currently nominated themselves.

Evaluation

The criteria for assessing LEED Fellow nominees are based on five major dimensions of green building and sustainability that have been identified as mastery elements. The application process allows nominees to document their green building and sustainability knowledge, skills and abilities in four of the five mastery elements. One of the elements must be Technical Proficiency, and the nominee may choose the other three elements from Education and Mentoring, Leadership, Commitment and Service, and Advocacy.

• Technical Proficiency: A LEED Fellow is highly proficient technically. He or she is experienced and knowledgeable in the application of multiple LEED rating systems and has provided significant contributions to LEED projects. A LEED Fellow is adept at identifying technical or procedural solutions to green building challenges and has demonstrated a sustained level of accomplishment for at least ten years.
• Education and Mentoring: A LEED Fellow provides education, training and mentoring—sharing knowledge about LEED, sustainability and green building with others, both inside and outside of his or her own organization.
• Leadership: A LEED Fellow is a leader in his or her own organization and in the field of green building. He or she plays an important role in instituting and applying sustainability practices and procedures within his or her own organization as well as within clients’ projects and the community.
• Commitment and Service: A LEED Fellow demonstrates a history of commitment and service to green building. This can include contribution and service to GBCI and USGBC or other Green Building Councils, as well as community service that has furthered green building or sustainability.
• Advocacy: A LEED Fellow is a longstanding advocate for sustainable ideas, concepts and technologies related to or promoting green building or sustainability. He or she delivers presentations and speeches and writes articles or books explaining green building and sustainability. A LEED Fellow also proactively encourages the adoption and use of LEED rating systems with clients, communities or government entities.

Additional information

• After the nominee and the nominator are deemed eligible, they receive information on how to submit application materials via the LEED Fellow Portal. Both the nominator and the nominee have access to the online portal and are required to submit application information as a team. In addition, the nominee must pay a $225 application fee.
• The electronic LEED Fellow Portal ensures that application materials are received on time and that the process is efficient and fair.
• After evaluation, the most outstanding professionals are selected for the annual class of LEED Fellows.

• To maintain LEED Fellow status, LEED Fellows are also required to maintain their LEED AP with specialty credential. Upon retirement, the LEED Fellow changes to the Fellow Emeritus credential.
• The LEED Fellow Handbook contains detailed information on the nomination process. Questions? Contact the LEED Fellow hotline at 202-742-3272.