The EMP certification has achieved ANSI accreditation and is recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Workforce Guidelines program. Apart from the distinction associated with these designations, it ensures that the EMP is identified as a Qualified Energy Auditor by the definition established in the ASHRAE 211 Standard for Commercial Building Energy Audits.
EMA offers the EMP certification to qualified candidates through independent study and remote testing, as well as in two-day seminar and exam events that feature 12 hours of instruction followed by the four-hour closed-book exam.
Those who attain the EMP have demonstrated the ability to plan effective energy management, manage energy information, implement energy-management programs, manage budgets and implement energy-efficient projects. Although the majority of EMPs come from the commissioning sector, the credential is becoming increasingly popular among facilities engineers in higher education, energy managers from the private sector with enterprise responsibility and application engineers from manufacturers.
EMA offers a wide variety of resources for the preparation of EMP candidates, as well as continuing education for existing EMPs and others. These include the EMP Guideline and webinars on energy-management topics, including a two-hour version of the 12-hour EMP Seminar, “Essential Techniques and Calculations for Energy Managers & Commissioning Authorities.”
EMA also recently introduced a 16-hour operations and maintenance training program for facility managers for use in utility incentive programs.
“I chose EMA and the EMP certification because they incorporate verification of energy conservation measure implementation by having a commissioning component. This was a natural extension of my skillset not available through other energy- related certifications,” says Gretchen Coleman, P.E., CCP, CxA, EMP, owner of Gretchen Coleman Commissioning Group LLC. “The energy management field has seen rapid change and advancement in the last few years and EMA has been ahead of it with the EMP credential.”
The ‘Authorities in Building Performance’ Face COVID-19
The COVID pandemic has kept an entire nation on alert for whatever unforeseen impact it delivers next. The members of AABC, ACG and EMA share in that vigilance, yet remain eager to get fully back in the field and practice their professions. In fact, many are turning the tables on the virus and finding ways to use it to benefit the economy.
A perfect example is Santanu Nath, P.E., CxA, EMP, principal of S&S Engineering Inc. “While COVID has been a major disruption, we’ve used our unimpeded access to shuttered mission-critical buildings to get work done and accelerate projects,” Nath explains. “In the case of a VA hospital and county courthouse, this means we’ve been able to turn our construction partners loose ahead of schedule.”
As the nation works toward reopening the many and varied buildings that
are part of its economic backbone after unprecedented periods of dormancy, as well as rapidly implement reconfigurations and schedules, building owners need to be certain more than ever that they are hiring professionals with knowledge and experience. The certifications carried by the organizations that make up the “Authorities in Building Performance” are a great place to start.
For More Information
AABC: (202) 737-0202, [email protected]
ACG: (202) 737-7775, [email protected]
EMA: (202) 737-1334, [email protected]