PORTLAND, Ore. – Demand for the services of commissioning professionals is rising and will continue to rise into the near future, according to a survey by PECI and the Building Commissioning Association (BCA).
The numbers tell the story of an industry experiencing growth as a result of the increasing popularity of buildings that earn green certifications. In addition, the commissioning industry expects the adoption of more ambitious building and energy codes nationwide to further amplify demand. Together, these factors have created a need for training services that will expand the commissioning workforce and allow the industry to effectively meet these new, rising needs.
We asked attendees of the BCA’s National Conference on Building Commissioning (NCBC) to assess their professional experiences in a variety of areas, including: current motivators for commissioning work; expected changes to the commissioning industry as a result of new building codes; and training needs. The survey revealed that:
· 72 percent of respondents, mostly commissioning professionals, have experienced more demand for new building commissioning services in the past year.
· 69 percent have experienced more demand for existing building commissioning in the past year.
· Green building certifications like LEED® and ENERGYSTAR are significant motivators for commissioning, according to 68 percent of those surveyed.
· Green certifications are followed closely by corporate environmental goals, which were cited as motivators by 64 percent of respondents.
· 56 percent expect changes to building and energy codes to drive an additional increase in demand for commissioning.
· The rising demand has created a need for training industry wide; 68 percent cited a need for training on specialty systems like building enclosures and renewables.
· In order to adapt to new building codes and rising demand, respondents anticipate a need for increased training and certification and the deployment of larger teams with broader skill sets.
Read a more detailed summary of the survey findings here.
The survey findings support the recent creation of a comprehensive Commissioning Authority Training program, which PECIand the BCA developed in tandem and launched this spring. Read more about the curriculum at learn.peci.org.
The findings also correlate with the results of this year’s BCA Leadership Conference, where 71 commissioning authorities representing 66 U.S. and Canadian firms planned the association’s roadmap in strategic areas of education, best practices, certification, codes and standards and international development.
PECI and the BCA have supported the positive evolution of the commissioning industry for decades. PECI helped pioneer commissioning processes and best practices and remains a leader in the development of commissioning programs, research and tools. “PECI’s mission has always aligned exactly with the mission of the commissioning industry,” said Dan Reese, PECISenior Program Manager. “This survey was our latest effort to stay informed and serve the industry as best we can.”
“The BCA helps members and their organizations meet challenges and changes as they arise within the commissioning profession. We worked with PECI to develop this survey and a training program that will help produce outstanding new commissioning professionals and also deepen the knowledge and skills of existing ones,” said Liz Fischer, Executive Director. “Our job is to make sure the industry is ready to embrace the increasing demand and thrive.”
About PECI
PECI is a leader in the field of energy efficiency solutions, with expertise in designing and delivering programs for utility and government agency clients. Through sustained market and customer engagement, PECI achieves persistent energy savings and reaches millions of residential, commercial and industrial customers. A nonprofit corporation dedicated to creating the new energy economy, PECI was founded in 1980 and has offices in Portland, Oregon as well as Northern and Southern California. To learn more visit www.peci.org.
About BCA
The Building Commissioning Association is an international non-profit organization that serves as the recognized authority and resource on commissioning. Our membership is made up of professionals from the commercial building industry who are dedicated to using and maintaining the highest standards and practices in the commissioning process. The mission of the BCAis to guide the building commissioning industry by advancing best practices, education and promoting the benefits of commissioning to design and construct buildings that work. Learn more at www.bcxa.org.
Related Stories
| Sep 13, 2010
Palos Community Hospital plans upgrades, expansion
A laboratory, pharmacy, critical care unit, perioperative services, and 192 new patient beds are part of Palos (Ill.) Community Hospital's 617,500-sf expansion and renovation.
| Sep 13, 2010
China's largest single-phase hospital planned for Shanghai
RTKL's Los Angles office is designing the Shanghai Changzheng New Pudong Hospital, which will be the largest new hospital built in China in a single phase.
| Sep 13, 2010
World's busiest land port also to be its greenest
A larger, more efficient, and supergreen border crossing facility is planned for the San Ysidro (Calif.) Port of Entry to better handle the more than 100,000 people who cross the U.S.-Mexico border there each day.
| Sep 13, 2010
Triple-LEED for Engineering Firm's HQ
With more than 250 LEED projects in the works, Enermodal Engineering is Canada's most prolific green building consulting firm. In 2007, with the firm outgrowing its home office in Kitchener, Ont., the decision was made go all out with a new green building. The goal: triple Platinum for New Construction, Commercial Interiors, and Existing Buildings: O&M.
| Sep 13, 2010
'A Model for the Entire Industry'
How a university and its Building Team forged a relationship with 'the toughest building authority in the country' to bring a replacement hospital in early and under budget.
| Sep 13, 2010
Conquering a Mountain of Construction Challenges
Brutal winter weather, shortages of materials, escalating costs, occasional visits from the local bear population-all these were joys this Building Team experienced working a new resort high up in the Sierra Nevada.
| Sep 13, 2010
Data Centers Keeping Energy, Security in Check
Power consumption for data centers doubled from 2000 and 2006, and it is anticipated to double again by 2011, making these mission-critical facilities the nation's largest commercial user of electric power. With major technology companies investing heavily in new data centers, it's no wonder Building Teams see these mission-critical facilities as a golden opportunity, and why they are working hard to keep energy costs at data centers in check.
| Sep 13, 2010
3D Prototyping Goes Low-cost
Today’s less costly 3D color printers are attracting the attention of AEC firms looking to rapidly prototype designs and communicate design intent to clients.
| Aug 11, 2010
Minneapolis Public Housing authority, Honeywell launch energy retrofit program
Minneapolis Public Housing Authority and Honeywell today announced a $33.6-million energy efficiency and facility renewal program that will help the housing authority improve its infrastructure, reduce its impact on the environment, and save more than $3.7 million in utility costs per year. Local contractors will also complete a majority of the work for the program, one of the largest of its kind for a public housing authority, helping boost the Twin Cities job market.