The Year Behind; The Year Ahead
The transition to a new year is a great time to reflect on achievements of the previous year, and this newsletter will do some of that. But it is equally important to look forward to the year ahead. Many organizations are working to establish a robust framework for safety and quality in the clean energy…
The transition to a new year is a great time to reflect on achievements of the previous year, and this newsletter will do some of that. But it is equally important to look forward to the year ahead. Many organizations are working to establish a robust framework for safety and quality in the clean energy sector by building industry standards and leveraging those standards in a credentialing process.
In 2012, IREC worked closely with a broad range of stakeholders to develop a new standard for certificate awarding training programs (IREC Standard 14732: General Requirements for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Certificate Programs). In 2013, through our partnership with the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), we will be launching the ANSI-IREC Accreditation Program which uses IREC Standard 14732 as a foundation.
The National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) worked closely with industry in 2012 to develop a new certification scheme for crew leader, retrofit installer technician, quality control inspector, and energy auditor in the energy efficiency sector. Then, in the last quarter of the year, Building Performance Institute (BPI) began to offer pilot exams for these new certifications. In 2013, the pilot for these certifications is expected to be completed and the four certifications will become part of our national credentialing framework.
Initiatives such as these are the focus of stories we plan to bring you in the Credentialing Chronicle in 2013. Through standards development and credentialing, we are laying the foundation for a well-trained workforce that will be able to deliver quality work and drive consumer confidence as the clean energy economy grows.
