Agree to Avoid Duplicating Building Enclosure Commissioning Efforts

The National Institute of Building Sciences (Institute), ASTM International (ASTM) and RCI, Inc. issued a joint statement July 11 announcing their intent to avoid duplication of effort relating to their respective building enclosure commissioning (BECx) programs.

The Institute is rolling out a series of new BECx certificate modules as an education component of an agreement with ASTM to create a joint certificate in building enclosure commissioning. The first three two-hour, face-to-face pilot modules were unveiled in April during the fifth BEST Building Enclosure Science & Technology Conference™ (BEST5) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A BECx workshop with additional modules is scheduled for Building Innovation 2019: The National Institute of Building Sciences Seventh Annual Conference and Expo, in January in Washington, D.C.

Building on that, ASTM will work with the Institute to develop e-learning versions for each module. ASTM will leverage its expertise in multi-media services and provide access to the modules through its online learning management system.

In addition, RCI Inc., in partnership with Professional Testing, Inc., a certification and examination development company, is developing certifications for the various BECx roles as defined by ASTM. RCI’s goal is to develop full-scope certifications for each area to advance the level of quality and standards across the U.S. BECx industry. These certifications will be developed in accordance with accreditation requirements of ISO/IEC 17024: Conformity assessment–General requirements for bodies operating certification of persons. To achieve this objective, RCI, Inc., has adopted a broad, industry-wide collaborative approach to ensure that all impacted stakeholders’ needs have been taken into consideration. The first step will be to invite industry experts to serve on the Job Task Analysis working groups to be hosted at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in October.

About the National Institute of Building Sciences

The National Institute of Building Sciences, authorized by public law 93-383 in 1974, is a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization that brings together representatives of government, the professions, industry, labor and consumer interests to identify and resolve building process and facility performance problems. The Institute serves as an authoritative source of advice for both the private and public sectors with respect to the use of building science and technology.

About ASTM International

Committed to serving global societal needs, ASTM International positively impacts public health and safety, consumer confidence, and overall quality of life. We integrate consensus standards – developed with our international membership of volunteer technical experts – and innovative services to improve lives… Helping our world work better.

About RCI, Inc.

RCI, Inc. is an international nonprofit association established in 1983, whose mission is to advance the profession of building envelope consulting. RCI’s Consultant members adhere to a strict code of ethics that offers unprejudiced service without affiliation with any product or manufacturer.