Two organisations share the LEED world. USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council) is the membership non-profit that develops the LEED rating systems, advocates and provides education. GBCI (Green Business Certification Inc.) is the independent body that certifies projects and administers the professional credentials — separating standard-setting from verification.

Body	Role	You interact when…
USGBC	Develops LEED; registers projects	You register your project & access LEED Online
GBCI	Reviews & certifies; runs exams	You submit for review and sit credential exams

CERTIFICATION PATH The flow is Register → Apply (document credits) → Review (preliminary & final) → Certify. Reviews can be split into a design phase and a construction phase. The project, not the architect, earns the certification.

📝Registerwith USGBC

📂Documentcredits in LEED Online

🔍GBCI reviewpreliminary & final

🏆Certifiedlevel awarded

Documentation lives in LEED Online, the web platform where the team uploads evidence for each credit. Reviews come back with credits marked anticipated or pending; the team responds, and GBCI issues a final decision and the certification plaque.

🏛️USGBC develops

✔️GBCI certifies

💻LEED Online

🏆Plaque

EXAM TIP Remember the split cleanly: USGBC builds the standard; GBCI grants the certificate. Mixing them up is a classic trap.

🌿 LEED AP BD+C — Green Building