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.