[bldg-sim] Action Alert! How should "qualified energy analysts" be certified for the new Federal commercial tax incentives?

Renee J. Azerbegi renee at ambient-e.com
Mon Oct 31 08:18:13 PST 2005


My two cents
..

 

It would be easiest to stick with the typical protocol for the building
design industry
.. where engineers and architects need a licensed engineer
or architect to stamp the drawings and specs, so should it be with energy
modeling. Who actually does the design in engineering and architectural
firms is often not the licensed engineer or architect. But that licensed
person does do a thorough review of the drawings and specifications, just as
a licensed mechanical, electrical, or architectural engineer or licensed
architect might review an energy model and report.

 

Other than requiring that, the Certified Energy Manager exam given by the
Association of Energy Engineers is a good alternative. It is a comprehensive
3 to 6 hour test, I can‘t remember, on energy efficiencies issues and
requires a good understanding of energy usage in buildings.

 

The LEED test would not be good to require as it is not comprehensive enough
and goes into very little detail on energy issues.

 

Why create something new when there are already existing procedures in the
building design industry?

 

Renee

 

 

Renée Azerbegi, CEM, LEED-AP

 

President, Colorado Renewable Energy Society - cres-energy.org

 

ambient energy, inc. - solar & sustainable design solutions

renee at ambient-e.com   ambient-e.com

4392 ulysses way,  golden, colorado  80403

tel: 303-278-1532   cell: 303-885-2695   fax: 303-278-8533

 

 

  _____  

From: bldg-sim at gard.com [mailto:bldg-sim at gard.com] On Behalf Of Vern Smith
Sent: Monday, October 31, 2005 8:16 AM
To: bldg-sim at gard.com
Cc: bldg-sim at gard.com
Subject: [bldg-sim] Action Alert! How should "qualified energy analysts" be
certified for the new Federal commercial tax incentives?

 

Our modeling group discussed this on Friday.  We agree that many of the most
experienced modelers are not registered professionals.  Most projects, via
building codes, require the oversight of a registered professional any way.
We don't think defaulting to a registered professional will give assurance
that the model is a reasonable representation of a project, unless that
person actually created the model.  There are simply too many details in a
typical energy model that may be overlooked if the registered individual did
not create it.  So, if a certification process is going to be required, it
should be at the individual level.  If DOE doesn't create a process to
certify modelers, such as a training workshop plus exam plus standard
practices, then perhaps a professional organization would take the lead.
ASHRAE, IBPSA, AIA, or AEE might be candidates.

Regards,
Vern Smith

Misuriello, Harry wrote:



Dear Building Energy Analysis Colleagues:

 

I am writing to you on behalf of the commercial subcommittee of the Tax
Incentives Assistance Project (TIAP.)  TIAP is a coalition of public,
private and NGO parties with a strong interest in effective implementation
of the energy efficiency tax incentives included in the Energy Policy Act of
2005 (EPAct 2005, also known as the “energy bill”.)

 

The commercial tax incentives require the use of “certified” computer
software that is run by “qualified individuals.”  The Department of Energy
is in the process of making recommendations to the Treasury Department on
how these individuals should be certified.  A good fact sheet on the
commercial building tax incentives can be found at www.nema.org
<http://www.nema.org/> .

 

An excerpt from EPAct 2005 addressing this certification is shown below.

 

`(6) CERTIFICATION-

`(A) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall prescribe the manner and method for the
making of certifications under this section.

`(B) PROCEDURES- The Secretary shall include as part of the certification
process procedures for inspection and testing by qualified individuals
described in subparagraph (C) to ensure compliance of buildings with
energy-savings plans and targets. Such procedures shall be comparable, given
the difference between commercial and residential buildings, to the
requirements in the Mortgage Industry National Accreditation Procedures for
Home Energy Rating Systems.

`(C) QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS- Individuals qualified to determine compliance
shall be only those individuals who are recognized by an organization
certified by the Secretary for such purposes.

 

In recent discussions we found that DOE views this as an issue and is
looking for some creative ideas on certification of energy analysts for the
purposes of tax incentive rule compliance.  The default outcome may be to
require a licensed design professional (i.e. PE, AIA) as a qualified
individual; however, many of the best modelers and analysts may not be
registered engineers or architects.  Also, unlike the residential sector,
there is no commercial equivalent to RESNET.  As far as we know there is no
certifying body for commercial building energy analysts or modelers.

 

TIAP is most interested in maximizing participation in the commercial tax
incentives program in order to achieve significant energy savings.  We would
like to see a certification approach that allows the greatest number of
qualified energy modelers and energy analysts to carry out this work.  We
are looking for workable solutions to certification that do not exclude
qualified modelers from this market.

 

So, what advice can the community of modelers and energy analysts provide on
this topic?  TIAP and the Alliance to Save Energy are looking for input on
the following questions:

 

*	Are there any existing energy analysis certification programs that
can be used as a model?
*	Is there any existing organization that could be designated for
certifying energy modelers?
*	Are there any training courses in modeling and energy analysis that
should be required?
*	What level of experience should be required for an individual to be
deemed capable for this work?
*	How should this experience be documented?  Are satisfactory client
references for modeling projects acceptable?
*	Which of the following designations indicate that an individual is
qualified for energy modeling:

*	Licensed design professional (i.e. PE, AIA)?
*	Certified Energy Manager (CEM) from the AEE?
*	LEED-AP certification from the USGBC
*	Other?
*	No existing designation works for this purpose?

*	Is it practical to require no certification for energy analysts and
just have the licensed building designer sign off on the analysis results?

 

TIAP would greatly appreciate your ideas and opinions as soon as possible,
but it would be great to have them by Monday.  Please post replies to the
list.  There are some meetings in Washington DC next week where this issue
will be discussed.

 

Thank you for your consideration of these questions.

 

Harry

 

Ps---I apologize for any redundant cross postings.  I’m sending this out to
all three of the energy modeling email lists.

 

-----------------------

Harry Misuriello

Director of Buildings and Utility Programs

Alliance to Save Energy

1200 18th Street, NW, Suite 900

Washington, DC 20036

Tel: 202 530 2214

Fax: 202 331 9588

 

 
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-- 
Vernon A. Smith, P.E.
Architectural Energy Corporation
2540 Frontier Ave., Suite 201, Boulder, CO 80301-2400 USA
Direct: 303-459-7424
Main: 303-444-4149 x424
vsmith at archenergy.com
http://www.archenergy.com
 
 
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