ASHRAE Commissioning And Energy Auditor Certification Programs Earn DOE Recognition
From eSociety, August 2017
By Mary Kate McGowan, Associate Editor, News
Two ASHRAE certification programs, the Building Commissioning Professional (BCxP) and Building Energy Assessment Professional (BEAP) certifications have been recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as meeting the Better Buildings Workforce Guidelines (BBWG).
ASHRAE’s pursuit of BBWG alignment and DOE recognition helps ensure the continued validity and relevance of its commissioning and energy auditor certifications.
DOE recognition of these two ASHRAE certification programs positions BCxP and BEAP employers to compete for federal, state, and local government body contracts that call for certified professionals to provide the services.
The recently launched BCxP certification validates competency to lead, plan, coordinate, and manage a commissioning team to implement commissioning processes in new and existing buildings. So far nearly 70 building commissioning professionals have already applied for the BCxP certification, and more than 600 ASHRAE certified Commissioning Process Management Professionals (CPMP) are eligible to recertify as BCxPs.
More than 300 building energy assessment professionals already hold the BEAP certification, which validates competency to assess building systems and site conditions, analyze and evaluate equipment and energy usage, and recommend strategies to optimize building resource utilization. BEAPs also qualify to perform In Operation ratings for ASHRAE’s Building Energy Quotient (bEQ) program.
The Better Buildings Workforce Guidelines were developed in collaboration between the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the commercial energy performance industry to strengthen the growing energy efficiency market by certifying a highly skilled workforce. DOE recognizes programs that meet these established guidelines.
ASHRAE had a role in developing the Guidelines through its participation on the Board of Advisors for the National Institute of Building Sciences’ (NIBS) Commercial Workforce Credentialing Council (CWCC).