The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and U.S. Department of Commerce announced selections for three Centers for Building Operations Excellence that will receive a total of $1.3 million to create and deploy programs aimed at training and expanding current and incoming building operators. The centers are part of the Obama administration’s Better Buildings Initiative, which is working to improve the energy efficiency of America’s commercial buildings 20 percent by 2020, with the potential to reduce American business’ energy bills by approximately $40 billion per year.
“Improving energy efficiency in business and manufacturing is critical for helping American businesses keep costs down and stay competitive in the global economy,” said Secretary of Energy Steven Chu. “The first step is ensuring we have well-trained buildings and facilities operators that know how to boost building performance and keep commercial facilities from wasting energy.”
The three Centers for Building Operations Excellence will work with universities, local community and technical colleges, trade associations, and the Energy Department’s national laboratories to build training programs that provide commercial building professionals with the critical skills they need to optimize building efficiency while reducing energy waste and saving money. The DOE and Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technologies’ Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NIST MEP) are jointly funding the centers.
“These federal grants are an example of the Obama administration’s commitment to investing in cutting-edge, job-creating technologies that save money and improve energy efficiency as part of an all-of-the above approach to American energy,” said Acting Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank. “These centers will help ensure that American workers have the skills they need to remain globally competitive in a 21st century economy.”
The Centers for Building Operations Excellence, chosen through a competitive grants process, utilize multi-organization partnerships and support from local and state governments. The selected centers are:
· The Corporation for Manufacturing Excellence in California, partnering with Laney College and the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 39;
· Delaware Valley Industrial Resource Center in Pennsylvania, partnering with Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania College of Technology, and Drexel University; and
· New York State Department of Economic Development in New York, partnering with City University of New York and Rochester Institute of Technology.
The Better Buildings Initiative program creates opportunities for current and future facilities staff of all levels to obtain valuable skills that support a clean energy economy. Specifically, the funding announced today will help the three centers develop curricula and pilot training programs for building operators, managers, and energy service providers, focusing on building re-tuning, energy management, and building operations in commercial, industrial, and educational buildings. The training will outline steps building operators can take to reduce energy consumption, save money and drive continuous improvement in a broad range of commercial buildings.
To learn more about the Better Buildings Initiative, visit http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/betterbuildings/. To learn more about NIST MEP’s work to support manufacturers nationwide, visit www.nist.gov/mep.
Related Stories
Hotel Facilities | Apr 12, 2022
A virtual hotel to open in the metaverse
A brand of affordable luxury hotels that launched in 2008, citizenM has announced it will purchase a digital land site in The Sandbox, a virtual game world owned by Animoca Brands.
Government Buildings | Apr 11, 2022
Milan’s new US Consulate celebrates Italian design
In Milan, Italy, the new U.S. Consulate General broke ground on April 6. Managed by Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO), a U.S. government agency that directs overseas builds, the 10-acre campus will feature a new Consulate building, as well as the restoration of the site’s historic Liberty Building and reconstruction of a pavilion on the 80,000-square-foot parade ground.
Healthcare Facilities | Apr 7, 2022
Visibility breeds traffic in healthcare design
Ryan Companies has completed several healthcare projects that gain exposure by being near retail stores or office buildings.
Multifamily Housing | Apr 7, 2022
Ken Soble Tower becomes world’s largest residential Passive House retrofit
The project team for the 18-story high-rise for seniors slashed the building’s greenhouse gas emissions by 94 percent and its heating energy demand by 91 percent.
Multifamily Housing | Apr 5, 2022
New Covenant House New York contains multiple services for youth in crisis
The new Covenant House New York, a crisis shelter for homeless youth in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood, provides a temporary home and multiple services for young people.
Sponsored | BD+C University Course | Apr 1, 2022
Video surveillance systems for multifamily housing projects
This introductory course provides detailed technical information and advice from security expert Michael Silva, CPP, on designing a video surveillance system for multifamily housing communities – apartments, condominiums, townhouses, or senior living communities. Technical advice on choosing the right type of cameras and optimizing the exterior lighting for their use is offered.
Modular Building | Mar 31, 2022
Rick Murdock’s dream multifamily housing factory
Modular housing leader Rick Murdock had a vision: Why not use robotic systems to automate the production of affordable modular housing? Now that vision is a reality.
Multifamily Housing | Mar 29, 2022
Here’s why the U.S. needs more ‘TOD’ housing
Transit-oriented developments help address the housing affordability issue that many cities and suburbs are facing.
Contractors | Mar 28, 2022
Amid supply chain woes, building teams employ extreme procurement measures
Project teams are looking to eliminate much of the guesswork around product availability and price inflation by employing early bulk-purchasing measures for entire building projects.
Reconstruction & Renovation | Mar 28, 2022
Is your firm a reconstruction sector giant?
Is your firm active in the U.S. building reconstruction, renovation, historic preservation, and adaptive reuse markets? We invite you to participate in BD+C's inaugural Reconstruction Market Research Report.