One of my main goals for 2010 is to earn LEED "Green Associate" status and then
LEED Accredited Professional (AP) status in Interior Design and Construction (ID+C).
One can earn a Green Associate credential separately or in conjunction with a LEED AP exam, depending upon one's past experience on LEED registered projects.
There are three tiers to LEED Professional credentials: Green Associate, AP, and Fellow. The "Fellow" status criteria is currently under development, but will feature an elite group of professionals who are leaders in the field.
Green and sustainable design will remain on the forefront of the construction, architecture, and design industries. It seems that there is less hype about green design as it becomes more mainstream, and projects and building materials/products will continue to incorporate aspects of sustainablity in order to be relevant and to be viewed favorably.
A recent
report from Design Intelligence states that green and sustainable design has become "an integral aspect of good design". Indeed, focus upon good design often now starts with the use of environmentally sustainable practices and materials, and projects are evaluated equally for their "green-ness" and aesthetics.
I've already been working with a variety of environmentally sustainable products for several years now, but having a LEED accreditation can only help me with my design business.