MALTA, N.Y. — The Building Performance Institute Inc. (BPI) achieved accreditation by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) as a national certifying body. BPI earned ISO 17024 accreditation for its Residential Building Envelope Whole House Air Leakage Control Installer (RBE-WH-ALCI) certification.

“The development and execution of ANSI procedures is a major undertaking, and BPI has committed considerable resources to ensure its success,” said David Hepinstall, chairman of the board, BPI. “Many organizations develop industry-level certifications for technicians within their sector; but achieving accreditation to this international standard means BPI has put in place processes critical to delivering fair exams at every BPI test center across the country.”

The RBE-WH-ALCI certification is the first of BPI’s suite of certifications to undergo the ANSI accreditation process, and is BPI’s fastest growing certification. Its exam verifies a candidate’s knowledge, skills, and abilities to tighten the building envelope to reduce energy loss from air leakage. Such measures also reduce pollutants and allergens through air migration. The exams also verify the candidate’s ability to improve thermal comfort and energy efficiency through the proper installation of dense-pack insulation materials.

BPI’s new Home Energy Professional certifications for Energy Auditor, Retrofit Installer, Crew Leader, and Quality Control Inspector will be the next four certifications BPI submits to ANSI for accreditation under ISO 17024.

“This milestone will carry BPI and the contractors it serves well into the future. It allows us as an organization to continue to grow and provide home performance professionals with the support and resources they need to succeed,” said Larry Zarker, CEO, BPI.

Publication date: 9/17/2012