Badri Patel is HVAC Equipment Account Executive at Johnson Controls, with over 16 years of experience in the HVAC industry. His professional experience encompasses various roles in design, construction, project management, business development and account management, from clean spaces to comfort applications. He serves as ASHRAE Certification Committee Chair and as ASHRAE Toronto President for Society Year 2025-26. He is also Programs Subcommittee Chair on TC 8.7 Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF). He is ASHRAE Distinguished Lecturer and frequently presents on VRF technology and how ASHRAE supports HVAC professionals in their careers.

Badri holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology from Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani, India and a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering from Nirma University, India.

Fernando Dutra Del Castillo is a mechanical engineer specializing in HVAC design, building energy performance, and decarbonization strategies. He is the current President of the ASHRAE South Brazil Chapter and the founder of DeHeat, a startup dedicated to improving thermal system efficiency through advanced modeling and hybrid solutions. Fernando is an ASHRAE Certified HVAC Designer (CHD) and High-Performance Building Design Professional (HBDP) and contributed as a Subject Matter Expert for ASHRAE’s CDP certification.

Kimberly Pierson is the Director of Energy and Asset Management for Moseley and is based in the firm’s Raleigh office. As an architectural engineer, she has pursued an interdisciplinary approach to engineering throughout her career and is most interested in energy audits, facility management and planning for the life of a building, including its equipment and systems. Kim enjoys assisting clients in understanding how to optimize the building life cycle and where to best allocate funds for repairs, upgrades, new construction, and energy management. Kim is a Certified Energy Manager (CEM), Certified Decarbonization Professional (CDP), High-Performance Building Design Professional (HBDP), and a Building Energy Audit Professional (BEAP), in addition to a Professional Engineer (PE) and other certifications. 

Patricia Young is Director of Psychometric Services at Kryterion. She has more than 20 years of experience working as a psychometrician in the certification and licensure industry with both new and well-established examination programs. She has worked with nonprofit boards, public agencies, and for-profit organizations on small and medium volume examination programs in a broad range of industries. In addition to performing the full range of examination validation, development, and maintenance activities for certification and licensure programs, she assists clients in obtaining or maintaining NCCA or ANAB's ISO/IEC 17024 accreditation for their programs.

ASHRAE Journal:

ASHRAE Journal presents.

Badri Patel:

Welcome everyone to another edition of ASHRAE Journal Podcast. I'm Badri Patel, and I'm excited to guide today's conversation. I'm HVAC equipment account executive at Johnson Controls Canada. I've been involved with ASHRAE's certification committee for quite a while now. And this year I get to chair the group that oversees how credentialing programs are built and maintained. It's all about supporting professionals like you in demonstrating excellence in our field.

Joining me today are three fantastic guests who bring a wealth of experience and insights from across the ASHRAE community. Let's welcome Kim Pierson, Fernando Castillo, and Patricia Young. It's great to have you all here. Let's start by getting to know everyone a little better. Kim, why don't you kick things off, tell our listeners a bit about your background and your role within ASHRAE.

Kim Pierson:

Sure. So my name is Kim Pierson. I am the director of energy and asset management for Moseley. We are an architectural engineering firm mostly in the southeast of the United States. I'm an architectural engineer and a licensed professional engineer, and I have been an ASHRAE member for just over 15 years at this point and have served in lots of different capacities from chapter and region position. Recently, I was the chair for training and education at ASHRAE Society, where I'm still currently involved as a consultant along with a few other things. So thanks for having me.

Badri Patel:

Thanks, Kim. Great to have you with us. Fernando, let's go to you next.

Fernando Castillo:

Hi, everyone. I'm Fernando Castillo. I'm a mechanical engineer and current president of the ASHRAE South Brazil Chapter. I started out as an HVAC designer, then spent a few great years at Daikin Brasil as an application engineer and team coordinator. Now I'm the founder of DeHeat, the startup focused on decarbonizing thermal systems through simulation and hybrid solutions.

I'm also an ASHRAE CHD, a certified HVC designer, and HBDP, which stands for High-Performance Building Design Professional. I'm really excited to be here with you guys and share my perspective on how ASHRAE certifications have made an impact in my professional life.

Badri Patel:

Appreciate that, Fernando. And we have our guest three, Patricia, who is a psychometrician. For our listeners, don't mix that up with psychometry. We are not talking about temperature and humidity charts today. Patricia, would you mind introducing yourself and telling us a bit about your role and how you've been working with ASHRAE's certification efforts?

Patricia Young:

Yeah, of course. It's good to be here. I'm Patricia Young. I'm the director of psychometric services at Kryterion. So I've been working as a psychometrician for licensure and certification exams for about 25 years now, and I've worked with clients from all types of industries. So I've been working specifically with ASHRAE on development and maintenance of their certification exams for about one year. And I am not an expert in HVAC or I'm not an engineer. I'm only an expert in testing. So it's good to be here.

Badri Patel:

Thank you. Fantastic. It's great to have such a diverse group of perspectives here today, and this is going to be a great conversation. Let's start with you, Kim. For listeners who may not be as familiar, what exactly are ASHRAE certifications and how do they differ from building rating systems, building certifications or even product certifications?

Kim Pierson:

So the key thing with ASHRAE certifications is that it is just a credential for a professional. So we're looking at the individual, not even a company or a group of people. Just the individual. And it's a way for a professional to show that they're an expert in a niche area. ASHRAE certifications really focus on the built environment. So that's where you have the BEAP, which focuses on energy assessment. You have CDP, which focuses on decarbonization. So all of these are little niche areas within the build environment. An individual can take the exam and prove that they're an expert in one of those fields. So again, it's a professional credential just for an individual. It's very similar to your P.E. exam or some of the other licensing where it's just about you and your knowledge.

And that varies a lot from some of the other things we think of, which are credentialing for buildings, the LEED, WELL. Even ASHRAE has their Building EQ. All of those take into account a building, seen at it from start to finish, how well is it rated compared to a baseline building. So very different. That's showcasing the actual performance of a building, whereas ASHRAE credentials are focusing on individual knowledge.

And then there's the whole notion of product. If you're new to ASHRAE, just know if you're around us, you'll hear that ASHRAE does not certify products. We're very big on making that clear distinction. They can say that they meet ASHRAE standards. They meet the requirements of ASHRAE 90.1 or so forth, but ASHRAE doesn't have a program out there to certify a product and say, "This is ASHRAE certified."

So that's really the difference. So when it comes down to it, if you're talking about ASHRAE certification, we're talking about an individual proving through an exam that they're a subject matter expert on some niche in the build environment.

Badri Patel:

Thanks, Kim. That's a great way to set the stage because people often hear certification and immediately they think of systems like ENERGY STAR or LEED, but ASHRAE certifications are really about individual professionals. 

Now, Fernando, let's go back a bit in time. When did ASHRAE first begin offering professional certifications? And if you can talk a little bit about how many different programs are available today.

Fernando Castillo:

That's a great question, Badri. ASHRAE began offering professional certifications back in the mid-2000s as a way to recognize individual expertise, not buildings or products, but people who demonstrate a high level of technical knowledge and the ability to apply ASHRAE standards in the real world projects. Over time, the certifications have evolved into a comprehensive framework that covers three main areas, building design, building performance and now decarbonization.

The building performance certifications like the BCxP or Building Commissioning Professional and the BEAP or Building Energy Assessment Professional, focus on verifying and improving how building is actually perform in operation. Then there's the building design group, which includes four major programs, the BEMP or the Building Energy Modeling Professional. We have the HFDP or the Healthcare Facility Design Professional, also the HBDP or the High-Performance Building Design Professional, and the most recent one, the CHD, the Certified HVAC Designer. The CHD is one that I personally hold. It's one of the newer design certifications created to formally recognize the skills of HVAC designers around the world.

The HBDP and the BEMP programs have also continued to evolve, incorporating new content around the energy efficiency and decarbonization, reflecting where our industry is heading. And most recently, ASHRAE introduced the CDP, that stands for Certified Decarbonization Professional. It's a really important step that aligned the certification framework with global climate and sustainability goals.

So today, ASHRAE offers a well-rounded portfolio of certifications covering everything from energy modeling HVAC design to commissioning, energy assessment and full scale decarbonization strategies. 

I would say on a personal note, I had the honor of serving as part of the job task analysis team for the CDP certification. It was an incredible experience that showed me how much care and technical depth ASHRAE puts into developing these programs. But I'll let Patricia explain more about how the process actually works.

Badri Patel:

Appreciate that, Fernando. It's impressive to see how far the program has come and how much it's expanded. And in fact, it was indeed great to witness how the certification committee and building decarb task force that is now, by the way, a standing committee, work together for CDP that was launched last year. It was impressive. 

Patricia, I'd like to bring you in next. Could you walk us through the job analysis process? How do you determine what knowledge areas and skills each certification should test?

Patricia Young:

Yeah, absolutely. The job analysis is really the foundation of any certification exam and program. So it's a detailed analysis of a job role to determine what are the critical tasks, knowledge, and skills that are needed to perform at an acceptable level to hold that certification. So it starts with gathering input from a diverse group of subject matter experts. So subject matter experts are people who are actively working in that field specific to that job role.

So we hold some focus group meetings, typically 16 to 20 hours of meeting times with the subject matter experts with the goal of developing content for a survey that then goes out to the larger population of individuals in the target audience for that certification. So we survey people and ask them how important those tasks are to their job, how frequently they perform those tasks, and how important the associated knowledge and skills are to competent performance.

So this ensures that the exams reflect real world practice and focuses on the knowledge and skills that are most critical and used frequently by professionals. So the job analysis is really critical for legal defensibility of the certification program, and it provides that content validity for the exam, because you cannot measure anything on the examination that's not linked to an important job task.

Badri Patel:

I see. So it sounds like a very thorough process, really ensuring the exams reflect what the professionals are doing out there in the field. 

Patricia, let's continue a follow-up question with you. You mentioned how exams are developed through job analysis. Could you please explain what a test blueprint is developed and how it's used in shaping each certification exam?

Patricia Young:

Yeah. And just to be clear, there's many different names for a test blueprint. It's also called an exam blueprint, content specification outline, test content outline and there's probably other names that I'm not remembering right now, but think of a test blueprint as a roadmap for an exam.

So it's a document that specifies the content areas that will be measured in the exam, the specific knowledge and skills that will be measured in each area, the weight of each area, so how many test questions on each topic area or subsection and any other requirements that every test form or examination form must meet. So an example of one of those additional requirements might be the cognitive level of the question. So whether the question would be measuring something that you would just recall, like a memorization question, whether it would require you to apply information that you've learned along the way in order to answer the question or it would require solving a problem or greater analysis to solve the problem. 

But the test blueprint ensures consistency and fairness. So it makes sure that every test form must comply with that test blueprint. Every candidate gets a form that has the same general content and structure, even if the specific test questions are different. So in short, the blueprint is what keeps the exam aligned with the job analysis and legally defensible.

Badri Patel:

Thanks, Patricia. That's really insightful. I'm just wondering, so when we download the candidate guidebook for most of the certifications, they have a blueprint that's bifurcated into the content, and then it also says some of the content is for application, memory and analysis, right? So all this blueprint relates to that portion, I believe, right?

Patricia Young:

Yep, correct. And so every test form has to meet that blueprint that's published in the candidate guide.

Badri Patel:

Right. Kim, let's shift to the candidate experience. When it comes to preparing for an exam, what tools and resources are available, like study guide or prep courses? And are there any new resources in development that candidates should know about?

Kim Pierson:

So there is a lot of resources out there. And if you have taken a certification or you've been interested in taking it and you've downloaded the candidate guide, you've seen that there is a lot that is covered by these exams. Again, they're pretty broad categories, but ASHRAE doesn't just leave you out there to figure it out on your own. The candidate guide really does break down with the blueprint and understanding the jobs task analysis, what is covered.

And so it gives you the broader categories, but it also gives you some really great resources and saying, these are the standards, these are the guidelines, these are courses, content, things that are worth reading, journal articles even, to help you get a good feel for the content you should be familiar with. Again, these certifications are testing you on your knowledge and your experience.

So you should be familiar with a lot of them. It shouldn't just be going in with a blank slate, but it's a lot of material. And especially if you are in a specific field, maybe you don't design certain things. I work heavily on existing buildings and assessment side of things. So some of the design stuff I'm not as familiar with. So there's a lot to go back and study, but I would always start with the candidate guidebook. It nicely breaks it down, gives you almost an entire page of resources, and highlights a lot of additional things that are worth looking at. 

On top of that, ASHRAE has so many wonderful resources, whether or not you're looking to take an exam, but just providing a lot of resource and knowledge. And so that starts with the ALI courses, the ASHRAE Learning Institute courses.

Those are instructor led, whether they're in-person. We offer a lot of them at winter and annual meeting. Then they're also online and you can take them one day, one afternoon in the month, or maybe it's offered two afternoons because it's a longer course. So there's that option. You have an instructor. They have content. You can ask questions. It's that face-to-face, even if you're online type atmosphere. 

Then there's what we call SDLs, which are self-directed learning. That's at your own pace. Usually there's a booklet involved with that. You fill it out, and then you submit it back in. You get your score, and you can use that for PDHs. You can also use that to study for the exam. And then there are e-learning courses, which are shorter online on demand courses that walk you through content for all sorts of things. But again, a lot of that aligns with the tasks that are inside that candidate guidebook.

So all of that's available, and you can find all of that on ASHRAE's website. A lot of times when you click on the certification, it'll say, "Hey, these are our recommended courses for you." And you can click them and find them that way. There are sample and practice tests. That has been a lifesaver for me in taking certifications because I like to see how questions are worded and get the feel for it because every exam is different, who'd write it, who's monitoring it. Some people word things differently. So I like seeing the practice test, get a feel for taking it. 

And the really cool thing is, if you do the practice test, it's timed and you can see how much time you're going to need, if maybe you need to move a little faster or slow down because you're rushing through it, and you'll have more time on the actual exam. 

Then certifications has created some really awesome study guides. They're not for every certification yet, but they are with the intent of being created for all of them. And the study guides are there to walk you through that blueprint and understanding all the resources, knowing where to look and giving you some sample questions. Because again, there's the recall version, which is just memorizing information and fact, but then there's also application and analysis and applying those into a situation. And sometimes those can trip you up. So having more resources and practice for it can help. 

And then ASHRAE has a lot of other knowledge out there in ASHRAE Journals. If you look on the technology portal, the Center for Excellence for Building Decarbonization has all of their papers and guides for that. So there's a lot going on and a lot of resources. That's not even going out and looking at different things that the DOE might provide or other entities that are closely related to the built environment.

So there's a lot available. It's always changing and growing. I know the ALI courses and a lot of the educational stuff from training and education, we're always trying to improve those, keep those up to date, making sure we have the most recent version, 90.1 and 62.1 being instructed and taught. There's so much out there that you should never feel like you are unsure where to start or you can't access information.

Badri Patel:

No, I hear you, especially for the practice exam. They were really helpful when I pursued my BEAP, Building Energy Assessment Professional credential back in the days. And yes, of course, e-learning courses and ALI, ASHRAE Learning Institute, courses are really helpful. And if we have any of the grassroots chapter members listening to this, ASHRAE Society does offer a group pricing if you want to have a dedicated ALI course for your chapter or if it's an employer ask.

Kim Pierson:

You can also access the e-learning or the study guide as your membership benefit. When you renew your ASHRAE membership, you get the choice. So if you're interested in the certification, if there's already a study guide out there, or there's an e-learning course that's within one of the certifications you've been eyeing, that can be your membership benefit. Or you can even get one of the standards or guidelines that's a resource for your exam. So there's ways to get a discounted rate on accessing some of that material as well.

Badri Patel:

Yeah, I'm glad that you mentioned it. And ASHRAE staff, they work diligently to update the certification webpage regularly. So more information is being posted from time to time there. 

Now, Fernando, let's talk about who's eligible to take these exams. What are the eligibility criteria candidates should be aware of? And how are applicants evaluated to sit in the exam?

Fernando Castillo:

First off, ASHRAE certifications, they are meant for professionals who already have some real world experience. The eligibility criteria usually combine a little bit of education, professional background, and ethical commitment. For instance, depending on the certification, candidates can qualify with a bachelor's degree plus about five years of field experience or with more years of experience if they come from a technical or associate background.

Certification has its own requirements, but the best place to check all that information is in the candidate guidebook. As we know, ASHRAE publishes one for every certification and is available for free on their website. If you take the HBDP, for example, the High-Performance Building Design Professional, the guidebook explains everything you need to know: eligibility, the application steps, fees, and how the exam works.

For the HBDP, the guide says candidates need both the technical background and design experience in the HVACR systems. Plus, they must agree to uphold ASHRAE’s code of ethics, which covers integrity, safety and professional responsibility. Once approved, candidates have 90 days to schedule and take their exam. And the exam itself is two and a half hours with 150 multiple choice questions. It's computer based and you can take it in an authorized test center.

What I really like is that ASHRAE make it clear that the exam isn't just about theory. It's based on real task professionals performing the field. And that's because all the questions come from the job task analysis, or the JTA process, where industry experts define what skills and knowledge are actually needed. And after you pass, get your digital badge, which includes your certification details and help you share easily online.

Then every three years you go through a recertification showing continuing education credits that help ensure everyone stays up to date with the latest standards and technologies. And speaking from my experience, when I prepare for the HBDP, I used the candidate guidebook as my roadmap. It gave me clarity on the scope of the exam and the standards to review.

It's definitely the best starting point for anyone planning to apply. And just as a tip, if you ever have a question about your application of the process, you can always send an email to the ASHRAE certification staff. They're friendly, responsive, and quick to help. I reached out to them myself a few times and they're really fantastic.

Badri Patel:

Yeah. Thanks, Fernando. I'd like to reiterate that ASHRAE staff has been very prompt and supportive. They're there to answer any questions if you have. If you're not sure whether you would qualify looking at the study guide and the criteria, shoot an email to them and they'll take a look and get back to you. Patricia, I'll come back to you for this one. ASHRAE certifications are ANSI-accredited, which is a big deal in the credentialing world. Why is that significant for professional seeking the certifications?

Patricia Young:

Yeah, it is a really big deal because it signifies quality and credibility for the certification program. So the accrediting body is the ANSI National Accreditation Board, and it's a third party evaluator that basically evaluates each certification program relative to ISO standards for professional certification.

So they're coming in and ensuring that all the processes for developing and maintaining the certification exams, as well as the policies for governing the certification program meet industry best practices. So it truly is a rigorous application process that has to be done from scratch every five years, and there's also annual reporting requirements and evaluations.

Badri Patel:

So basically it tells employers and regulators that the program meet rigorous international standards. And we have seen recognition from institutions like U.S. Department of Energy and Natural Resources Canada, right? 

Fernando, this would be for you and Kim. Both of you have served as subject matter experts. What does that role involve and how does it shape the certification process? I guess both of you have been involved at some point in the study guide or in one of the subcommittees. So Fernando, if you can share your thoughts on that.

Fernando Castillo:

Sure. For those who don't know, the SMEs, or the subject matter experts, are the professionals who help ASHRAE create and improve its certification programs. We are people who work in the field every day, like engineers, designers, commissioning specialists, sustainability professionals, people with real experience who live and breathe these topics. When ASHRAE develops a new certification or updates existing ones, the first steps is called the job task analysis, as we already known.

That's when the SMEs meet to decide which skills and knowledge are most important for that profession. For example, in the CDP, the Certified Decarbonization Professional Project, we talk about things like electrification, energy management, carbon accounting and building performance. Basically, what decarbonization professional needs to do in a daily work. I had the great honor of representing Latin America in that group, which was very special to me.

It felt great to share our regional perspective and help make sure the certification reflected the global reality, not just one country or region. The process is very collaborative and honestly, a lot of fun too. We didn't only talk about technical topics. We even voted on the badge colors and designs for the certification. So yes, we take the work seriously, but we also enjoy it.

Besides defining the job scope, SMEs also write and review the exam questions to make sure they are clear, fair, and connected to real professional practice. It's a very detailed work, and it gave me a lot of respect of how solid and credible these exams are. One of the highlights for me was when I had the chance to travel to Washington, D.C. for an SME meeting.

I met Dru Crawley in person. Someone I really admire and consider a legend in our industry. I really joke that I felt like being part of The Avengers of decarbonization, all these brilliant people from around the world sitting together, working towards the same goal. It was amazing, Badri.

Badri Patel:

Yeah. Thanks for sharing your experience, Fernando. 

Kim, would you like to add to that based on your study guide and subcommittee involvement?

Kim Pierson:

Sure. So I'm new to my subcommittee. I'm on the BEAP subcommittee, and we've only met once since I've been appointed, but it was great. It was actually interesting for me because everybody just has such different experiences. And especially when you get together as other engineers and design professional, you just kind of assume everyone knows the things you know or have done the things you've done.

And you start talking and you're like, "Oh, no, I've experienced this and you haven't." So I found that really interesting. Because again, we're trying to determine, are the questions valid? Are we asking something that someone might not have experience with? Are we really driving home a point that should be covered on the exam?

And so that's been fun sharing and getting to know other people's experiences, especially because like I mentioned, I'm more on the operation and maintenance side at this point now than the design side, but just coming to terms like, "Well, I think you should know that because you should understand how operations and maintenance are impacted and this is where I've seen that play out."

So that's been really interesting and I've quite enjoyed it. For the study guide, I actually came in and it was before I had taken the CDP exam. And I was already well in the midst of studying, but just hadn't taken it yet because I was extremely nervous because that's such a broad topic. So I was like, sure, I'd love to be the SME on the study guide. Our group was assigned the first part of the study guide, which is a lot of the resources and the baseline general knowledge.

And there were just so much that you go through because you're given access to all the resources that are in the candidates guide, all the things that we're saying you should know for the exam, and you're combing through it trying to pick out references that go back and link to those job analysis trends to those topics where it's saying you should know those little points in there and saying, "Hey, if you don't know this, go back and read this section. Here's a great resource."

And so I spent a lot of time diving into it. It was really easy to get so in the weeds, but then having to take a step back and be like, "Well, you can't note 700 things. We're trying to make a study guide, not a very large unabridged version of the dictionary." So that was interesting. And developing the question, we had a lot of discussion of, are we being too easy or are we being too hard?

I think it's easy to fall in one of those two camps. And so it was a balance of, are we creating some great recall questions? Are we creating some great analysis question? Can we make sure that everyone has access to the same information? And we've had discussions about, is it just for the U.S.? Are we making this international? Is everybody going to understand?

And maybe this is simply a change in the question. Are we adding a caveat of if you were to design something in this area, what would be the first thing you address? Because maybe it does vary from region or from your climate. So trying to take those into account so that we're not just focused so narrowly on our own perspective and our own viewpoint. So it's been a very rewarding experience on both accounts.

I really have just taken it as something fun to do because it does get to expand my knowledge and again, change my perspective. And coming from the training and education side, it was a really easy thing, not a big stretch for me in terms of what I was used to doing with ASHRAE.

Badri Patel:

Yeah, I think that's the beauty of volunteering at ASHRAE, right? You have a room full of people coming from a different stakeholder and from different region, and it's an amalgamation of so many thoughts and inputs. But could you add a little bit about, you have chaired teaching and education committee as well. How does that support ongoing learning and future prep courses, if you'd like to share something about that?

Kim Pierson:

Sure. So training and education, one of those committees, to be honest, I didn't know that it existed until I served on it for three years, and then was vice chair, and then chair. But I would say it took me a solid like five, six years in ASHRAE before I knew that there was a committee that existed that created and was responsible for all the educational content. I just assumed, as I'm sure a lot of people do, the ASHRAE staff just magically makes it all happen.

Badri Patel:

Yes.

Kim Pierson:

But there is a small committee and it is small. We're I think 12 people plus the vice chairs and the consultant and all that. It's a small committee. It's extremely hardworking. And the whole goal of the committee is to make sure that all ASHRAE education is constantly updated. We're meeting the criteria that our members want. We have the topics they want. We have relevant instructors who are SMEs and the true pioneers of whatever it is they're talking about.

And so we work really hard to make sure that's updated. And part of that is creating new content, especially as decarbonization was coming on with the forefront. And even during COVID, there were just so much going on. So it's a very quick turnaround of, "We need a course, let's get this going." And of course, if you're around ASHRAE a lot, there's a process and procedure that can slow things down because we want to make sure we do it the right way.

So it can take a little bit, but we work very hard to make it happen as quick as possible. But the great thing about TEC, like I said, there is the ALI courses, so ASHRAE Learning Institute, instructor-led courses, and those tend to be longer. A lot of times we're talking three hours to maybe 12 hours, depending on how much. Obviously we'll break it up because no one wants to sit through 12 hours.

But then there's the SDLs that are self-directed learning on your own, and e-learning, which are the shorter recorded courses. There's all of that there. But what we really started working on, we had a request from the certification committee a few years ago about creating something that would help with certification. Because if you've taken a certification from a different organization, let's throw out the certified energy manager, which I have so I can speak on that one, you actually take a course from them. You have a course that you learn about. You understand what's going to be on the exam. You'll go over all the resources. They make sure that like, "Hey, don't take this exam unless you've met this criteria." So you're somewhat set up for it. And it's a nice test prep course. So certifications asked for training and education to help develop this. And we're in the process, we have an RFP out.

We're looking for different people to instruct and develop this course. And so the intent is that we're going to start with the CDP, so focusing on decarbonization, is to have a day, day and a half long course that works through the study guide, essentially. Going through all the resources, making sure people understand what it is that they're supposed to know, where the resources are, what things are relevant to that exam, whether it's the recall or the analysis, applying all these concepts.

There's so many wonderful resources, especially from the Center of Excellence for Building Decarbonization. That just taking the time to walk through them and have people share their perspectives of how they've applied it, how they approach things. Now, it won't teach the exam question. So if you think that these courses you're going to go and they're going to walk through and be like, "Number one is going to be A," that's not going to happen.

But the whole point is so you can review the study guide, be familiar with all the content and information. And then hopefully we can roll this in to where you take the exam maybe in the afternoon if we're doing this at the winter meeting, where you take the course Friday and Saturday morning and you take the exam Saturday afternoon, for example. Or you could take the exam later on after you've had more time to study if you want to take the prep course early on.

So we're hoping to get that developed and rolled out soon. And then if that is success and everybody likes it for the CDP, we would like to expand that so that we have it for the other certification. So there's just more resources and helping pull it together. Because again, sometimes you need a study group and it's great to have those other people, especially if you can get out of your comfort zone, introduce yourself to them, get their contact info.

Maybe it would result in you forming your own little study group or support group to where you cheer everybody on and you can encourage people when they're taking their exams, share your results. Hopefully everybody get to celebrate that they passed. But that's really what we're working on at TEC. So hopefully we'll see it soon.

Badri Patel:

Oh, absolutely. And it's a great experience whether you're working with a certification committee or teaching and education committee. It's like how the publication and education council, public council work overall, right? It's great exposure. 

Patricia, coming back to you a little bit about the testing part, can you explain how beta testing and test scoring work to ensure exams are fair and valid? That's something the potential professionals who might be willing to take the certification might be interested to listen to?

Patricia Young:

Yeah. So it's important to note that all the items, and Fernando talked about this, but all the items go through multiple review steps. And by items, I mean test questions. It's our term of art, but every question then undergoes a process of beta testing before they are used as scored items on a test form. So there can be other names for beta testing. Sometimes it's called field testing or pretesting, but it essentially means that the items are administered to actual candidates for the certification, but they're not counted towards their final score.

So there's two different ways to do the beta testing. It can be a beta test administration. This is usually done when there's a new test blueprint. So a job analysis is conducted, a new test blueprint is created, and then we administer maybe up to one and a half times the length of a normal final test form and determine which items are performing acceptably, which items should be scored according to the test blueprint.

The other method of beta testing is where we just add unscored items to operational test forms. So there are maybe 15 items, test takers don't know which items they are, but they respond to them as a real question so we can determine how those items are performing. So the ultimate goal is trying to make sure that questions are performing within an acceptable statistical parameter. So are they too easy, too hard? Do they differentiate between high performing and low performing test takers? But it's a really critical step to make sure that the exams are fair and we can make valid decisions on somebody's pass/fail status from the exam.

Badri Patel:

Thanks for sharing that. I guess I may have a follow-up question. How exactly are the cut scores determined?

Patricia Young:

Yes. So in order to have a defensible cut score for certification exams, we have to set exams based on a Kryterion reference standard setting method. So that means that we're not setting an arbitrary cut score. We're not grading on the curve, which would be more norm referenced or essentially comparing you to the group of test takers that you took the exam with. So in most cases in certification testing, the modified Angoff Method is the method used.

And this is where we have subject matter experts review each of the questions on the exam and they estimate how difficult that question is for somebody who is at that kind of just lowest level that could meet your expectations. Our term of art and testing is called minimally competent or minimally qualified. Some people bristle at that term because they make it feel like we have low expectations, but that's not at all the case.

It's just meant to reflect the lowest level of knowledge and skills that somebody could have yet still meet the expectations for the certification. So this process is typically done for new exams. So after a job analysis is conducted and a new test exam is implemented on that new blueprint, then we go through that method. And then from there until the next job analysis study, any revisions to the test form, we determine the cut score through a statistical equating process.

But the whole process is meant to ensure that the passing standard or cut score reflects competence based on that certification's definition, no matter what test form a candidate receives. So a candidate shouldn't be benefited by getting an easier form than a different candidate, or they shouldn't be judged relative to the cohort of test taker that they took the exam with.

Badri Patel:

Thanks for sharing all that behind the screen understanding to our listeners. 

Fernando, let's look ahead a bit. ASHRAE's global presence continues to grow. We have more chapters than ever before. How do you see the role of ASHRAE certified professionals evolving, particularly outside of North America?

Fernando Castillo:

That's a really good question, and I think the answer really depends on where you are in the world. In North America, ASHRAE certifications are already very well established. They're recognized by companies, universities and even government agency as gold standard of technical competence. But outside North America, especially in developing regions like Latin America, we're still in the process of building that same level of recognition.

Here in Brazil, for example, our national industry standards organizations already use ASHRAE standards as a main technical reference, which show how strong ASHRAE influence is in our engineer practice. But when it comes to certifications, not everyone in the industry is aware of what they represent or how they can impact a professional career. That's one of the challenges we face locally, and it's also part of our job as ASHRAE chapters to help bridge that gap.

We work to promote the certifications, explain their value to companies, and encourage professionals to see them as an investment in their growth and credibility. Another big challenge is cost. For professionals in developing countries, the certification and exempt fees can be a real barrier. ASHRAE has already done a great job by offering reduced rates for members in developing economies. But even so, it's still something we need to keep discussing because the credentials can really elevate careers and we want them to be accessible to as many people as possible. 

Personal note, when I earned my CHD, my certified HVAC designer certification, and shared my digital badge on LinkedIn, I was surprised by the response. I received messages from professionals all over the world. People from Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, asking about my experience with the exam, how to prepare, and which materials to study. That moment really made me realize how much global curiosity and respect there is for ASHRAE certifications. That interaction actually inspired us to create in our chapter the CHD Study Group in South Brazil, where we shared preparation strategies, discussed technical topics, and supported each other through the process.

It became a really positive learning community, and it showed that local collaboration can make global certifications much more approachable. So I would say the role of ASHRAE certified professionals outside North America is evolving fast. I think that we're becoming ambassadors, not just for technical standards, but for culture of excellence and sustainability.

And as more professionals from Latin America, Africa and Asia join this movement, the certification itself becomes stronger, more diverse and more globally relevant. It's a really exciting time, and I think our local chapters play a key role in making sure that these opportunities reach everyone everywhere.

Badri Patel:

Yeah. Thanks, Fernando. I agree that it's definitely supporting a higher standard of practice around the world. And with the growing presence of our chapters internationally, it's definitely making a difference there. 

Moving towards the closing part, I'd love to hear from each of you on this final thought. Some might say that certifications are just a bunch of letters after your name. How do you respond to that? Kim, let's start with you. What would you say to that?

Kim Pierson:

I always find it funny. We joke at my house every time I get a new certification because I add letters to my name. And my employer is extremely supportive. So I have added quite a few since I've been with Moseley to the point that IT had to make some exceptions in our signatures so that I could fit them all.

Badri Patel:

I bet you I have dealt with that.

Kim Pierson:

Yes. They only let you do so many. So you always have to make an exception. You might have to choose on your business cards which ones are more important. But personally, I love certification from the standpoint of it challenges me personally. I like to know that not only is it something that I know very well, I am a subject matter expert on there, but it also lets me expand my personal knowledge.

Again, it's that whole you're studying and you come across something, a resource that you're not familiar with, but as part of the exam, you start reading, you start learning. Maybe that leads you down a rabbit hole or something else. I'm notorious for reading something, going to the sources, and then keep going. And I love that because then it's just adding to my knowledge. It's knowledge that I can then share with my coworkers, I can share with clients, I can share with other ASHRAE members. So it builds my world and expands what I know and what I've come in contact with, and I love that. 

I also am really big on showcasing my passions. It's the whole point. I'm in this industry because I love it. I love what I do. I want to be the best at it. So why not get certified in the things that I'm passionate about so that everyone around me knows? And when you see me at ASHRAE, I wear my little ASHRAE certified sticker on my name badge with pride. I'm very excited to tell you that I have three different certifications and this is the one I added. I jokingly always say I'm taking a break. I never am. I get a new one almost every year. It's just what I do. 

But then from the business standpoint, the reason Moseley is so supportive of this is because then I can come back and not only share that knowledge internally and support our staff, support our team, but then we can go and talk to clients and bring a new perspective, help them make their projects better.

If you're a CDP and you're coming in and you have a client that says, "Hey, I'm looking to have a net-zero carbon-neutral building," it's one thing to say, "Yeah, we're interested in that," it's another to have someone on the project team that can say, "I understand where this is coming from. I have this experience. I have this certification."

It just really adds that support that your firm cares about the client's concerns and what they're interested in and you have that knowledge to back it up. So while it might be a lot of letters and it might be an alphabet soup at the end of my name, I'm very proud of it, and I am happy to add them all and fit them all in my signature because it really means a lot to me both personally and professionally.

Badri Patel:

Yeah. Great perspective, Kim. We have a few ASHRAE leaders and members who have all the seven certifications from ASHRAE. 

Fernando, how about you? How do you view the value of certification just beyond the acronym?

Fernando Castillo:

First of all, like you say, Kim, I hear you. I'm also a certification addict. When you have one, you want to have it all. And sure, on paper they might look like just letters, but those letters always come with a story. They usually represent hard work, late night studying, real world experience. And it's always a commitment to keep growing as a professional. When I earned my CHD and HBDP, it wasn't about collecting titles.

It was about challenging myself to meet an international standard and bring that knowledge back to the projects I work on. Funny enough, once you post that badge, people start reaching out. Clients, colleagues, even students asking questions, wanting to learn more. That's when you realize it's not just about the letters. So yeah, maybe they're just letters, but for me, they definitely open real doors.

Badri Patel:

Thank you, Fernando. And Patricia, any closing thoughts on that?

Patricia Young:

Well, I'd just like to say that what Kim and Fernando have said is really the ideal situation that any certification program would want to hear. They clearly see value in the certifications that they've earned. The only thing I'd like to add is just the significance or emphasize the significance that certificates, employers, consumers, regulators, and any other stakeholders also see that value in the credential and believe the program has credibility and integrity.

So that's really just the business part of certification. So it's important that all stakeholders understand what it means to hold that certification and view the program as high quality and rigorous. Because without these things, the certification is really worthless. It's hard to get people to take it, maintain it, and then the program becomes unsustainable.

Badri Patel:

Wonderful. I think that really sums it up perfectly. Certifications aren't just about adding credentials. I feel they're about validating expertise, demonstrating commitment to the profession, and contributing to a higher standard in our industry. 

Well, that brings to the end of this episode of ASHRAE Journal Podcast. My sincere thanks to Kim, Patricia, and Fernando for sharing your time and insights today. 

If you'd like to learn more about ASHRAE certifications programs, visit ASHRAE.org for more details. I'm Badri Patel, and on behalf of ASHRAE, thanks for tuning in. We'll see you next time.

ASHRAE Journal:

The ASHRAE Journal Podcast team is editor Drew Champlin; managing editor, Linda Rathke; producer and assistant editor, Allison Hambrick; assistant editor, Mary Sims; associate editor, Tani Palefski; and technical editor, Rebecca Norris. 

Copyright ASHRAE. The views expressed in this podcast are those of individuals only and not of ASHRAE, its sponsors or advertisers. Please refer to ashrae.org/podcast for the full disclaimer.