SYLLABUS

: STUDY PLAN

LEED AP BD+C EXAM: 4 WEEK STUDY PLAN

OVERVIEW

This step-by-step plan will get you ready to pass the LEED AP® BD+C exam in 4 weeks. Plan to study 3-5
hours each day, depending on your own pace.

To get started, create a free account on usgbc.org if you do not already have one. Make sure you are signed into
your account, so that you can view the course pages. If you are a student, check the “I am a student” box to receive
discounts on exam registration.

Each day’s study plan page includes links and/or resources to download that you will need to study.

NOTE: This study plan assumes that you have passed the LEED Green Associate Exam. Candidates may take both the
LEED Green Associate Exam and LEED AP BD+C Exam in one sitting, or separately. This study plan focuses specifically
on the knowledge needed to pass the LEED AP BD+C Exam, beyond that which is required to pass the LEED Green
Associate Exam. LEED project experience is critical to the LEED AP designation and it is tested within the LEED AP BD+C
Exam itself. If you are new to LEED, we highly recommend you focus first on the LEED Green Associate Exam.

Click here for information on how to prepare for the LEED Green Associate Exam.

REQUIRED MATERIALS

In addition to the free resources included on each day’s study plan page, you’ll need to purchase the Study Bundle:
LEED BD+C Exam Preparation Guide and BD+C Reference Guide (v4). Within the LEED AP BD+C Exam Preparation
Guide, refer to the Learner Resources section for the code to access the online resources associated with the guide.

For questions about the LEED AP BD+C credential or exam: usgbc.org/credentials.

DAY 1 STUDY PLAN >>>

Topics: Study activities:

Becoming a LEED AP
Watch video “What is a LEED AP?”
The LEED AP exam process
The case for green building Read LEED AP BD+C Candidate Handbook (26 pages)

Read the Preface “The Case for Green Building” in the

LEED v4 Reference Guide for Building Design and
Construction (3 pages)

Read Chapters 1 and 2 of the LEED AP BD+C Exam

Preparation Guide (12 pages)

U.S. GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL 1

DAY 2 STUDY PLAN >>>

Topics: Study activities:

Getting started with the Reference Guide
Read the Getting Started section of the LEED v4
Green building incentive strategies
Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction
LEED Certification process
(18 pages)

Read article “Green building incentive strategies.”

Read “Guide to LEED Certification: Commercial”

Read Chapter 3 of the LEED AP BD+C Exam

Preparation Guide (21 pages)

Complete the Knowledge Retention Exercises on page

34 of the LEED AP BD+C Exam Preparation Guide

DAY 3 STUDY PLAN >>>

Topics: Study activities:

Minimum Program Requirements
Read the “Minimum Program Requirements” and
LEED v4 Rating System Selection Guidance
“Rating System Selection Guidance” sections of the
Foundations of LEED
LEED v4 Reference Guide for Building Design and
LEED v4 Checklist
Construction (6 pages)
LEED Certification fees
Read “Foundations of LEED” document (29 pages)

Review the “Checklist: LEED v4 for Building Design

and Construction” (this checklist is also available on
page 422 of the LEED AP BD+C Exam Preparation
Guide)

Read about LEED Certification Fees (7 pages)

Explore “LEED v4 Rating System Selection Guidance”

DAY 4 STUDY PLAN >>>

Topics: Study activities:

Review what you’ve learned so far
Review online flash cards
LEED Online
usgbc.org and gbci.org Complete online quizzes

Explore LEED Online

Explore usgbc.org and gbci.org

Register for the LEED AP BD+C exam

DAY 5 STUDY PLAN >>>

Topic: Study activities:

Integrative Process
Review page 11 of the Getting Started section of the
LEED v4 Reference Guide for Building Design and
Construction (1 page)

U.S. GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL 2

 Read the Integrative Process section of the LEED v4
Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction
(19 pages)

Read Chapter 4 of the LEED AP BD+C Exam

Preparation Guide (11 pages)

Complete the Knowledge Retention Exercises on page

48 of the LEED AP BD+C Exam Preparation Guide

Review online flash cards

Complete online quiz

DAY 6 STUDY PLAN >>>

Topic: Study activity:

Location and Transportation
Read the entire Location and Transportation section of
the LEED v4 Reference Guide for Building Design and
Construction (82 pages)

DAY 7 STUDY PLAN >>>

Topic: Study activities:

Location and Transportation
Read Chapter 5 of the LEED AP BD+C Exam
Preparation Guide (38 pages)

Complete the Knowledge Retention Exercises on page

89 of the LEED AP BD+C Exam Preparation Guide

Complete the Calculation Exercises on page 91 of the

LEED AP BD+C Exam Preparation Guide

Review online flash cards

Complete online quiz

DAY 8 STUDY PLAN >>>

Topic: Study activity:

Sustainable Sites
Read the beginning of the Sustainable Sites section of
the LEED v4 Reference Guide for Building Design and
Construction, through the end of the Rainwater
Management credit (60 pages)

DAY 9 STUDY PLAN >>>

Topic: Study activity:

Sustainable Sites
Read the end of the Sustainable Sites section of the
LEED v4 Reference Guide for Building Design and
Construction, starting with the Heat Island Reduction
credit (60 pages)

U.S. GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL 3

DAY 10 STUDY PLAN >>>

Topic: Study activities:

Sustainable Sites
Read Chapter 6 of the LEED AP BD+C Exam
Preparation Guide (35 pages)

Complete the Knowledge Retention Exercises on page

128 of the LEED AP BD+C Exam Preparation Guide

Complete the Calculation Exercises on page 131 of the

LEED AP BD+C Exam Preparation Guide

Review online flash cards

Complete online quiz

DAY 11 STUDY PLAN >>>

Topic: Study activity:

Water Efficiency
Read the entire Water Efficiency section of the LEED
v4 Reference Guide for Building Design and
Construction (62 pages)

DAY 12 STUDY PLAN >>>

Topic: Study activities:

Water Efficiency
Read Chapter 7 of the LEED AP BD+C Exam
Preparation Guide (28 pages)

Complete the Knowledge Retention Exercises on page

161 of the LEED AP BD+C Exam Preparation Guide

Complete the Calculation Exercises on page 163 of the

LEED AP BD+C Exam Preparation Guide

Review online flash cards

Complete online quiz

DAY 13 STUDY PLAN >>>

Topic: Study activity:

Energy and Atmosphere
Read the beginning of the Energy and Atmosphere
section of the LEED v4 Reference Guide for Building
Design and Construction, through the end of the
prerequisites only (68 pages)

DAY 14 STUDY PLAN >>>

Topic: Study activity:

Energy and Atmosphere
Read the end of the Energy and Atmosphere section
of the LEED v4 Reference Guide for Building Design
and Construction, starting with the first credit
(Enhanced Commissioning) (78 pages)

U.S. GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL 4

DAY 15 STUDY PLAN >>>

Topic: Study activities:

Energy and Atmosphere
Read Chapter 8 of the LEED AP BD+C Exam
Preparation Guide (46 pages)

Complete the Knowledge Retention Exercises on page

211 of the LEED AP BD+C Exam Preparation Guide

Complete the Calculation Exercises on page 215 of the

LEED AP BD+C Exam Preparation Guide

Review online flash cards

Complete online quiz

DAY 16 STUDY PLAN >>>

Topic: Study activity:

Materials and Resources
Read portions of the Materials and Resources section
of the LEED v4 Reference Guide for Building Design
and Construction.

Start with the beginning of the section through

the end of the PBT Source Reduction—Mercury
prerequisite. Then read the PBT Source Reduction—
Mercury credit and continue through the end of the
Materials and Resources section (72 pages).

You will read the credits that you skipped over (the
Building Life-Cycle Impact Reduction credit and the
three Building Product Disclosure and Optimization
credits) together tomorrow.

DAY 17 STUDY PLAN >>>

Topic: Study activity:

Materials and Resources
Read the remaining portion of the Materials and
Resources section of the LEED v4 Reference Guide for
Optional activity:
Building Design and Construction starting with
Review “Does this Item Count as a Product?” handout
Building Life-Cycle Impact Reduction credit, and
continuing through the MR Credit Building Product
Disclosure and Optimization—Material Ingredients
credit (57 pages)

DAY 18 STUDY PLAN >>>

Topic: Study activities:

Materials and Resources
Read Chapter 9 of the LEED AP BD+C Exam
Preparation Guide (55 pages)

Complete the Knowledge Retention Exercises on page

272 of the LEED AP BD+C Exam Preparation Guide

U.S. GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL 5

 Complete the Calculation Exercises on page 275 of the
LEED AP BD+C Exam Preparation Guide

Review online flash cards

Complete online quiz

DAY 19 STUDY PLAN >>>

Topic: Study activity:

Indoor Environmental Quality
Read the beginning of the Indoor Environmental
Quality section of the LEED v4 Reference Guide for
Building Design and Construction, through the end of
the Enhanced Indoor Air Quality Strategies credit (60
pages)

DAY 20 STUDY PLAN >>>

Topic: Study activity:

Indoor Environmental Quality
Read an additional portion of the Indoor
Environmental Quality section of the LEED v4
Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction,
starting with the Low-Emitting Materials credit through
the Thermal Comfort credit (53 pages)

DAY 21 STUDY PLAN >>>

Topic: Study activity:

Indoor Environmental Quality
Read the end of the Indoor Environmental Quality
section of the LEED v4 Reference Guide for Building
Design and Construction, starting with the Interior
Lighting credit (64 pages)

DAY 22 STUDY PLAN >>>

Topic: Study activities:

Indoor Environmental Quality
Read Chapter 10 of the LEED AP BD+C Exam
Preparation Guide (64 pages)

Complete the Knowledge Retention Exercises on page

343 of the LEED AP BD+C Exam Preparation Guide

Complete the Calculation Exercises on page 349 of the

LEED AP BD+C Exam Preparation Guide

Review online flash cards

Complete online quiz

U.S. GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL 6

DAY 23 STUDY PLAN >>>

Topics: Study activities:

Innovation
Read the Innovation section of the LEED v4 Reference
Regional Priority credits
Guide for Building Design and Construction (12 pages)

Read the Regional Priority section of the LEED v4

Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction
(7 pages)

Read Chapter 11 of the LEED AP BD+C Exam

Preparation Guide (11 pages)

Complete the Knowledge Retention Exercises on page

362 of the LEED AP BD+C Exam Preparation Guide

Review online flash cards

Complete online quiz

DAY 24 STUDY PLAN >>>

Topics: Study activities:

Synergies and Trade-Offs
Read Chapter 12 of the LEED AP BD+C Exam
Addenda
Preparation Guide (10 pages)

Read the Appendices section of the LEED v4

Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction
(12 pages)

Read about LEED Addenda

Explore the LEED Addenda database

Review online flash cards

Complete online quiz

DAY 25 STUDY PLAN >>>

Topics: Study activities:

Test taking tips
Read two of the appendices within the LEED AP BD+C
Review recommendations
Exam Preparation Guide (LEED Certification Standards
and the LEED v4 for BD+C: New Construction and
Major Renovation Checklist)

Review the exam day tips

Revisit key study materials

DAY 26 STUDY PLAN >>>

Topic: Study activities:

Practice Exam
Take a practice exam

Use your results to identify and study areas to re-

review

U.S. GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL 7

DAY 27 STUDY PLAN >>>

Topic: Study activity:

Additional Resources
Consider purchasing additional study materials if you
did not pass the practice exam

DAY 28 STUDY PLAN >>>

Topic: Study activities:

Next steps as a LEED AP BD+C
Promote your new credential

Share your feedback with Education @USGBC on your

study experience

Maintain your LEED AP BD+C credential

U.S. GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL 8