LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system that has always been up to date and has based all their efforts on improvement each day. The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) has developed a new credential system for LEED professionals for maintaining and meeting LEED goals. LEED professionals have been building new practices in what they would recognize as part of green building practices. The new LEED professional credential program is developing new practices to encourage green building professionals to maintain and even advance their expertise. There are goals that have been balanced accordingly with three challenges which include staying current, differentiation, and specialization. Staying current can help maintain the best practices and can evolve the LEED system as it continues to grow. As any good system functions, differentiation is held in place to distinguish green building professionals with basic, advanced, and extraordinary levels of knowledge, honoring credit where credit is due. And lastly, specialization helps green building experts develop knowledge on sub–sectors of the industry. These goals have been set in place to not be far out of reach.

There are also three changes to the LEED credential program itself that is being phased in throughout 2009. These include:

• Allow yourself the opportunity to reach the three levels of excellence that help distinguish practitioners with basic, advanced, and extraordinary levels of expertise.
• Eligibility for the many levels that are a part of the examination system.
• Record the maintenance requirements that are required to ensure that all LEED professionals have the latest knowledge of all green building practices.