HFDP – Healthcare Facility Design Professional Certification

Why Healthcare Facility Design Professionals Pursue the ASHRAE HFDP

• Elevate your reputation and career opportunities >> See survey data
• Demonstrate competency in critical healthcare facility design knowledge and skills >> See who’s a HFDP
• The HFDP digital badge guarantees enhanced recognition
• ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) accredited personnel certification program, under ISO/IEC 17024 (ID #1139), ensuring fairness and validity

     

Why Employers Support the ASHRAE HFDP

• Recruit the most-qualified professionals
• Elevated reputation and credibility among current and potential customers
• Provides clear, value-added professional development goal
• Greater employee job satisfaction and higher retention

Eligibility Checklist

• • Education and Work Experience
    • Government-issued or government-recognized license as a professional engineer and two (2) years of experience in healthcare HVAC&R design, OR
    • Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related field and five (5) years of experience in HVAC&R design, including two (2) years of experience in healthcare HVAC&R design, OR
    • Associate’s degree or Technical degree or certificate in design, construction, or a related field and seven (7) years of experience in HVAC&R design, including a minimum of three (3) years of experience in healthcare HVAC&R design, OR
    • High School diploma or equivalent and a minimum of ten (10) years of experience in HVAC&R design, including a minimum of seven (7) years of experience in healthcare HVAC&R design.
  • Code of Ethics
  • Pass HFDP Certification Exam

Download a Candidate Guidebook to learn more.

FAQs

These Certification FAQs can help.

Key Policies

Review key policies related to Request for Special Accommodations, Impartiality, Certification Complaint Process, Appeal of Certification Denial, and Guidelines for Suspending, Withdrawing or Reducing the Scope of Certification.

Please call 678-539-1105 or email with any questions.

Apply for HFDP

Application Fees

ASHRAE Member: $495
ASHRAE Developing Economies Member: $295
Non-member: $745
Corporate Group: Email Tim Kline or call 678-539-1181 for a quote.

Exciting news! HFDP candidates currently have two application options:

1. Through Jan. 31, apply to sit for the current HFDP exam form, with no application fee discount - must test by Feb. 28, OR 
2. Through Feb. 28, apply to sit for the new HFDP exam form, using the Discount Code HFDP2026 to receive a 50% discount on certification application, with the following details:
   • The first 50 applicants will receive the 50% discount
   • Test against the new exam content outline during a March 1-31 window 
   • Note: 140 exam questions and 3.0 hours of testing time
   • Results released May 5

Note: discount does not apply to Developing Economies “initial retake” applications.

Note: Non-native English speakers may apply to receive an additional 30 minutes of testing time.

Questions?

These Certification FAQs can help. Please call 678-539-1105 or email with any additional questions.

ASHRAE offers certification examination year-round.

Approved Certification Candidates may schedule their  computer-based exam at any one of over 1,000  test center locations worldwide.

Questions?

These Certification FAQs can help. Please email or call 678-539-1105 with any additional questions.

Get HFDP exam ready by following these few, easy steps:

• • Review the Exam Blueprint in Appendix A of the Candidate Guidebook
  • NEW! Take the 30-question, online Practice Exam today!
  • Consider any publication or training resources for Exam Preparation.
  • Review Tips and Strategies for exam preparation
  • Try these Sample Exam Items

Requesting an Extension

To request a 45-day extension of the 90-day deadline to schedule and take an exam, candidates must submit an application at least five business days prior to the end of the 90-day deadline. The administrative fee to initiate the extension is $50.00.

Apply for extension

Questions?

These Certification FAQs can help. Please call 678-539-1105 or email with any additional questions.

Recertify HFDP

Recertification every three years helps ensure HFDPs maintain a level of continuing competence through acceptable professional development in subject matter related to their certification.

Application Fees

ASHRAE Member: $245
ASHRAE Developing Economies Member: $145
Non-member: $375

Eligibility Checklist

• Forty-five (45) Professional Development Hours (PDHs)
• Code of Ethics

Note:

• Acceptable evidence of professional development hours (PDHs) earned is supporting documentation issued by a third-party, which includes the name of the certificant and the date earned. In the case of continuing education, supporting documentation also must include the number of clock hours of participation, and a title indicating the subject matter.
• Beginning in 2025, three (3) PDHs may be earned per hour for the first course or workshop taught, then 1 PDH per hour for each of the next two subsequent equivalent presentations. Up to 15 PDHs maximum may be earned from teaching during the 3-year certification cycle.
• Beginning in 2026, at least 50% of total the number of PDHs needed for recertification must come from continuing education earned.

Questions

These Certification FAQs can help. Please email or call 678-539-1105 with any additional questions.