ASHRAE Certifications…

…with a focus on the BEMP and BEAP programs

David Eldridge, P.E., BEMP, BEAP, HBDP

Project Manager
Grumman/Butkus Associates

Grumman/Butkus Associates Energy Efficiency Consultants and Sustainable Design Engineers

ASHRAE’S Purpose and Motivation for Professional Certifications

BACKGROUND
Certifications in the Industry
 Popularity of certifications

 Demand in industry

 ASHRAE’s philosophy not to “teach an exam”

ASHRAE’s Motivations
 Created to fill an identified industry need
through market research

 Based on best practices

 Developed by ASHRAE practitioners

 Web-based examinations at local testing centers

Current ASHRAE Certifications
 HBDP
High-Performance Building Design Professional
186 certified professionals
 HFDP
Healthcare Facility Design Professional
286 certified professionals
 OPMP
Operations and Performance Management Professional
61 certified professionals
Current Certifications
 CPMP
Commissioning Process Management Professional
302 certified professionals
 BEMP
Building Energy Modeling Professional
182 certified professionals
 BEAP
Building Energy Assessment Professional
93 certified professionals
Testing Locations
 Prometric Testing
Locations

 Pencil and paper

testing

o ASHRAE Meetings

o ASHRAE Special
Topic Conferences
ASHRAE Development Process
 Certifications committee
 Detailed Content Outline (DCO)
o Actions of a competent professional
 Subcommittee for each certification
 Unanimous consent among committee
 Tests for competency, not ability to take tests
 Future test “forms” developed from “pre-test”
 Statistical methods
Test Format
 100 multiple choice questions
 Always one answer that is most correct
o Well – almost always
 A non-programmable calculator is required!
 Closed book!
 Passing score…generally between 1 and 100 for
most tests
o Chosen from a statistical analysis of difficulty and
prior performance of the item
Bad Items
Types of Items on Exams
 Recall
Remember or recognize specific information
 Application
Ability to comprehend, relate, or apply knowledge to
new or changing situations
 Analysis
Ability to synthesize information, sometimes from a
variety of sources, determine solutions, and/or
evaluate usefulness of a solution
This lingo is specific to psychometrics
Types of Items on Exams
 Recall
What does a pitcher’s ERA measure?
 Application
Given a box score, what is the pitcher’s ERA?
 Analysis
Given the stats for four college pitchers, which one
would you draft?

Logical red herrings are allowed! Outright trickery is

not.
ASHRAE Certification Lifecycle
Lifecycle Step 1- Guidebook
 Eligibility

 Detailed Content
Outline (DCO)

 Reference material
Lifecycle Step 2 - Application
 Eligibility!

 BEMP: PE + 2 years
modeling experience
OR
BS + 5 years exp, 2
years modeling

 BEAP: same with only

three years total
experience, 2 assessing
Lifecycle Step 2 - Application

 Application Fee:

$295 for ASHRAE

members

$415 for non-members

Lifecycle Step 3 – Schedule a Test
 Apply

 Valid acceptance for

90 days to take test

 Bring only an ID and

calculator – lockers
should be provided
Lifecycle Step 3 – Schedule a Test
Lifecycle Step 4 – Review Resources
 ASHRAE standards
and guidelines

 ASHRAE
publications,
guidelines, research

 Industry standard
books and manuals
Lifecycle Step 5 - Renewal

 Renewal Fees:

$125 for ASHRAE

members

$195 for non-

members
Building Energy Modeling Professional

BEMP
BEMP Detailed Content Outline
 Establishing Scope
 Components of Building and Energy Systems
o HUGE section
o Many items relating to fundamental calculations
 Applications of Energy Models for Buildings
 Interpretation of Energy Model Results
 Project Deliverable
BEMP
 Call up DCO

 25 recall

 41 application

 34 analysis

 2.5 hours – it is a marathon not a sprint!

BEMP
 ASHRAE Building Energy Quotient

 Asset Rating

 Other programs coming? Response to RFPs?

BEMP Educational Resources
 Reference Material

 IBPSA-USA BEMBook

 Experience
BEMP
 ASHRAE Standards – includes the usual
suspects:
o 55, 62.1, 90.1 + User’s Manual, Guideline 14
 Some less-used:
o 100 (Energy Conservation in Existing Buildings), 140
(testing of software)
 Handbook of Fundamentals (Energy
Calculations)
 Several texts about modeling of systems
 eLearning from ASHRAE
Building Energy Assessment Professional

BEAP
BEAP Detailed Content Outline
 Assessment Preparation and Management
 Preliminary Analysis of Building Performance
Data
 On-Site Building Assessment
 Analysis and Prioritization
 Completion Activities
BEAP Development
The BEAP program was developed in close
collaboration with representatives from

 ASHRAE’s Building Energy Quotient (bEQ)

program
 Illuminating Engineering Society (IES)
 National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS)
 Sheet Metal and Air-Conditioning Contractors’
National Association (SMACNA)
 Testing, Adjusting and Balancing Bureau (TABB)
BEAP
 Call up DCO

 35 recall

 45 application

 20 analysis

 2.5 hours – it is a marathon not a sprint!

BEAP
 Building Energy Quotient from ASHRAE –
Operational Rating

 Other programs to come?

BEAP Educational Resources
 Reference Material

 Procedures for Commercial Building Energy

Audits

 Experience
BEAP
 ASHRAE Standards – includes the usual
suspects:
o 55, 62.1, 90.1
 Procedures for Commercial Building Energy
Audits – new edition, go buy it tonight!
 Handbook of Applications – Chapters 35 and 40
for energy management and operations
 IES Handbook
 eLearning from ASHRAE
Questions and Discussion?
 Thank you for your time today!

 Discussion, Q&A

 Feel free to contact me:

o David Eldridge, DSE@grummanbutkus.com