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

David Bryan DBryan at AmerIndian.com
Fri Oct 28 07:39:00 PDT 2005


I would suggest that for tax incentive purposes, a simpler energy 
modeling program be used than the DOE 2.1-based programs which are 
required for purposes like LEED compliance.  This would allow for 
single professionals like registered architects, LEED certified 
professionals or PE's to quickly estimate compliance without need for 
complicated modeling requiring  inter-disciplinary input and the 
associated expenses.

Dave Bryan

AmerINDIAN Architecture
Suite 100, 475 Cleveland Avenue North
Saint Paul, Minnesota, 55104    USA

651-644-1586 phone
651-644-7172 fax

dbryan at amerindian.com
www.amerindian.com

At 07:00 PM 10/27/2005, you 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 <http://www.nema.org/>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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