The National Renewable Energy Laboratory recently tapped the knowledge of a local energy auditor as it worked to develop new national guidelines for training programs in six areas – Operating engineer/building technician, Building energy auditor, Energy /sustainability manager, Energy modeler, Commissioning/retro-commissioning practitioner, and Facility manager.
Richard Buzard, president of Lake Orion based Facilities Performance Services, served as a subject matter expert for commercial building energy audits at a Denver workshop in May 2011.
The purpose of the study was to identify and catalog the activities a worker performs in doing a commercial building energy audit, and the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully complete an accurate audit using the most reliable and recognized guidelines, standards, and analysis tools, such as those provided by ENERGY STAR, ASTM, ANSI, ASHRAE, and the Department of Energy.
The results of the study will be a set of national guidelines that training organizations can draw from in developing their curriculum and for use by the General Services Administration and the Department of Energy to help meet the requirements of the Federal Buildings Personnel Training Act of 2010.
“It was an honor to be selected to help develop the new national guidelines. A lot of companies, even utility providers, provide energy audits. Some are based on phone calls or online forms, by unqualified employees, or are done by companies who have a product to sell. It’s really a case of buyer beware. Companies who use these guidelines in training their auditors can assure their clients that their products meet standards for performance and quality.”
Buzard started his career with 18 years in the Navy where he served as a member of engineering, repair, repair planning and training departments in the submarine and surface fleets, then went on to earn an Associate’s degree in HVAC & Refrigeration and a BS degree in Facilities Management. His experience includes positions as a Program Manager, Project Manager, Area Facilities Manager, and Site Director of Facility Services. He started Facilities Performance Services in 2006 to address the energy efficiency and facilities management needs of businesses throughout the region.
Facilities Performance Services is a Michigan Corporation and Veteran-owned business.
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Source: Facilities Performance Services