North American Technician Excellence (NATE) has completed development of the beta version of the highly-anticipated HVAC Efficiency Analyst Exam. Creation of this senior-level certification was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy in an effort to promote HVAC installation practices that would save energy and reduce peak demand.
CEE has been involved throughout the creation of this exam to ensure it aligned with CEE member efforts to promote quality HVAC installations.
“The HVAC Efficiency Analyst senior certification validates the experienced technician's knowledge of load calculation, equipment selection, air distribution, hydronic distribution, system performance, indoor air-environment quality and maintenance,” said Pat Murphy, NATE Vice President of Certifications. “Unlike other NATE tests, this senior test requires the candidate to hold two NATE service certifications.”
The HVAC-EA requirements are available on the NATE Web site.
NATE anticipates that approximately 50 beta tests need to be administered before the certification development can be completed. Once the statistics of the beta tests are collected, the “passing score” will be established. While technicians who pass the beta version will be certified as Efficiency Analysts by NATE (assuming they hold the perquisites), the test will be fine-tuned over time.
“Completion of a beta HVAC Efficiency Analyst Exam is really exciting,” said John Taylor, CEE's HVAC Program Manager. “CEE members now have a credible technician certification that focuses on energy efficiency and can be integrated into their existing HVAC programs.
“With energy costs on the minds of most Americans and Canadians, we expect HVAC technicians will increasingly want to differentiate themselves as energy-efficiency experts.”
CEE members interested promoting the HVAC Efficiency Analyst Exam by offering the beta test to technicians in their service territory should contact Kathy Corr at 703-600-0358 or CEE's John Taylor at 617-589-3949, ext 228.
North American Technician Excellence, Inc. (NATE) is the leading certification program for technicians in the HVAC and Refrigeration industry and is the only test supported by the entire industry.
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