Awareness of energy efficiency in the buildings sector is growing at a rapid pace, and efficiency programs are expanding equally fast. Many states are seeking to triple their current programs in the next few years. While this increased attention is necessary to meeting energy efficiency targets set by states and utilities, there is concern that there are not enough knowledgeable practitioners to do the work. Many training programs focus on certifying installers, but there is also a need for higher-level engineers and architects to perform detailed assessments of large commercial and institutional buildings. To address this concern, the pending American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 includes a provision to establish Building Assessment Centers (BAC) modeled after the Department of Energy's highly successful Industrial Assessment Center (IAC) program, a longstanding and successful program that trains industrial efficiency engineers.

This paper will explore how the BAC program can replicate the successes of the IAC program, building on the expertise of IAC directors and building efficiency practitioners to describe effective program strategies. BACs, located at universities throughout the country, could serve as centers of regional coordination to meet public-private market needs. The paper will examine how the BACs can work collaboratively with universities, state governments, regional efficiency organizations, and utilities, as well as partner with the IACs and DOE's Combined Heat and Power Clean Energy Application Centers. If established properly, the BAC program could serve a vital role in training building efficiency experts while helping to meet state and utility energy efficiency targets.