AFE Applauds Passage of "Federal Buildings Personnel Training Act of 2010"

Legislation backed by AFE and other industry groups designed to help save the environment — and taxpayer dollars

HERNDON, VA — December 27, 2010 — The Association for Facilities Engineering (AFE) today applauded the recent passage of legislation to provide training for federal building personnel in the areas of building maintenance and operations, energy management, safety and design functions.

"This legislation is a win both for federal facility workers and the American taxpayer," said Wayne Carley, PhD, AFE’s interim executive director. "Federal facilities workers will win because they will now be provided with the comprehensive training they need to operate buildings in an energy efficient, sustainable and safe manner. And the American taxpayer will win because the required training will help federal facilities workers operate buildings in a more efficient manner — saving taxpayer money and the environment."

Even before the legislation was signed into law, Dr. Carley noted, AFE leadership had been discussing how the association’s Certification programs will be able to help the federal government and facility workers achieve the maintenance and operations goals detailed in the legislation.

President Obama signed the Federal Buildings Personnel Training Act in mid-December after being introduced in April by Reps. Russ Carnahan (D-Mo.) and Judy Biggert (R-Il.) and Sen. Tom Carper (D-De.) and Susan Collins (R-Me.).

AFE, along with more than 33 leading organizations involved in the operation, maintenance, design and construction of buildings, supported this legislation to help provide federal workers with the training necessary to design, construct, operate and maintain environmentally sound buildings.

Under provisions of the Act, Federal workers will be trained in a series of core competencies relating to building operations, maintenance, energy management, and safety and future performance. Workers will be able to take courses and obtain licenses and certification for their efforts.

The legislation requires U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) to categorize core competencies that federal personnel must maintain in all federal buildings. It also directs GSA to work with professional societies, industry associations (such as AFE), and apprenticeship training providers to ensure the federal government's personnel meet the required competencies.

The bill mandates six areas that GSA must include as core competencies: maintenance, energy management, sustainability, water efficiency, safety (including electrical safety) and building performance measures. AFE Certification programs have curriculum in place, or in development, focusing on each of these core competencies.

AFE is the premier organization for facilities engineers and operations professionals. The Association unites a community of nearly 4,000 facilities professionals who promote and advocate for ways to efficiently operate and maintain complex building and facility systems, including high performance and sustainable building systems. AFE empowers its members through networking, knowledge sharing, training and certification, and resources needed for career advancement. AFE further seeks to promote the facilities engineering profession within academia and the broader engineering community.