Press and Media
NEWS RELEASE
September 5, 2006
Contact: Cynthia Putnam, 206-292-3977
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A-B Tech Approved for Building Operator Certification
The Northwest Energy Efficiency Council (NEEC) is pleased to announce
that the North Carolina Community College System has become an
approved provider of the nationally known Building Operator Certification
(BOC) program. With this approval, NEEC welcomes North Carolina
as the 19th state to join the BOC provider network. North Carolina
is the first state in the Southeast to offer the training.
BOC is a competency-based training and certification for building
operators, offering improved job skills and more comfortable and
energy efficient facilities. The certification also provides a
credential for professional development while offering employers
a way to identify skilled operators. Graduates of the BOC training
typically achieve utility bill savings of $22,000 in the first
year, and document a decrease in the number of tenant complaints.
The BOC program will be administered by Asheville-Buncombe Technical
Community College (A-B Tech) on behalf of the community college
system with sponsorship by the North Carolina State Energy
Office and Waste Reduction Partners.
Mike McCarthy, Executive Director of AB Tech’s Corporate & Economic
Development Program will oversee the program. The BOC training,
says McCarthy, “is a great opportunity to help businesses
stay competitive by shaving energy costs. We’re excited about
the opportunity to work with NEEC to bring the program to North
Carolina. It offers great value to private sector companies and
public institutions interested in controlling energy costs to stay
competitive and to be environmentally responsible.”
BOC Level I certification is earned by completing 56 hours of
classroom training and written exams, in addition to hands-on projects
conducted at the operator’s facility. Topics include HVAC
systems and controls, energy conservation techniques, electrical
systems, and indoor air quality. Level II certification, which
offers more detailed training for maintenance managers, requires
49 hours of classroom work.
According to David Wallace, Western North Carolina Program Manager
for co-sponsor North Carolina State Energy Office, “We are
achieving major utility bill savings in state facilities, and well-trained,
front-line staff are key to that success.”
Over 3,000 operators hold BOC certifications nationally. The certificate
is registered with the Building Owners and Managers Institute (BOMI)
and the International Facilities Management Association (IFMA)
for continuing education maintenance points.
Free information sessions are scheduled at A-B Tech’s Enka
campus Haynes Building on September 7, 19, and October 5 at 8am.
Reserve a seat with BOC coordinator Mike McCarthy mmccarthy@abtech.edu (828)
254-1921 Extension 5821. Classes begin October 24.
For further information, go to http://abtech.edu/business/buildingoperator,
and the national website, www.theboc.info
ABOUT NEEC
The Northwest Energy Efficiency
Council (NEEC) is a business association
of the energy efficiency industry. NEEC’s mission is to promote
policies and programs that enhance market opportunities for energy
efficiency. Building Operator Certification is one such program
and continues to gain national recognition.
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