ATLANTA — Two ASHRAE certification programs, the Building Commissioning Professional (BCxP) and Building Energy Assessment Professional (BEAP), have been recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as meeting the organization’s Better Buildings Workforce Guidelines (BBWG).

The certifications achieved DOE recognition for aligning with Better Buildings Workforce specifications for two key commercial, energy-related jobs — the building commissioning professional and energy auditor jobs — and for being American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-accredited personnel certification programs under ISO/IEC 17024 — Accreditation No. 1139.

Of the six programs the DOE has recognized for aligning with Better Buildings Workforce Guidelines, two are ASHRAE certifications.

“ASHRAE certification programs provide value to built-environment professionals, employers, and building owners across the globe and embody our commitment to advancing human well-being through sustainable technology for the built environment,” said Cameron R. Labunski, certification committee chair, ASHRAE. “DOE recognition of these two ASHRAE certification programs positions the employers of BCxPs and BEAPs to compete for federal, state, and local government body contracts calling for the services provided by these certified professionals.”

Better Buildings is a national initiative in which the DOE works with partners to promote greater energy efficiency to save energy and money, create jobs, and protect the environment. A key element of the Better Buildings Initiative is to ensure a trained and skilled workforce to help accelerate involvement in energy efficiency.

The ASHRAE Building Commissioning Professional certification is for individuals who lead, plan, coordinate, and manage a commissioning team to implement commissioning processes in new and existing buildings. The ASHRAE Building Energy Assessment Professional certification is for individuals who assess building systems and site conditions, analyze and evaluate equipment and energy usage, and recommend strategies to optimize building resource utilization.

For more information, visit energy.gov.

Publication date: 8/31/2017

Want more HVAC industry news and information? Join The NEWS on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn today!