BPI Announces ANSI Accreditation as a Certifying Body
Malta, NY, August 31, 2012 – The Building Performance Institute, Inc. (BPI), a nationally recognized standards development and credentialing organization, is proud to announce that today it achieved accreditation by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) as a national certifying body. BPI's accreditation is based on earning ISO 17024 accreditation for its Residential Building Envelope Whole House Air Leakage Control Installer (RBE-WH-ALCI) certification.
"The development and execution of ANSI procedures is a major undertaking, and BPI has committed considerable resources to ensure its success," said David Hepinstall, BPI Chairman of the Board. "Many organizations develop industry level certifications for technicians within their sector; but achieving accreditation to this international standard means BPI has put in place processes critical to delivering fair exams at every BPI Test Center across the country."
ANSI is the U.S. representative of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ISO 17024 is the international benchmark for personnel certifications across all industries. It sets requirements for organizations that manage the certification of individuals in order to ensure impartiality of operations and reduce any conflict of interest. Under ISO 17024, certifications are developed and administered using international best practices, including cross-disciplinary peer review and industry validation of technical materials.
"This milestone will carry BPI and the contractors it serves well into the future. It allows us as an organization to continue to grow and provide home performance professionals with the support and resources they need to succeed," said Larry Zarker, BPI CEO.
The RBE-WH-ALCI certification is the first of BPI's suite of certifications to undergo the ANSI accreditation process, and is BPI's fastest growing certification. Its exam verifies a candidate's knowledge, skills and abilities to tighten the building envelope to reduce energy loss from air leakage. Such measures also reduce pollutants and allergens through air migration. The exams also verify the candidate's ability to improve thermal comfort and energy efficiency through the proper installation of dense-pack insulation materials.
BPI's new Home Energy Professional certifications for Energy Auditor, Retrofit Installer, Crew Leader, and Quality Control Inspector will be the next four certifications BPI submits to ANSI for accreditation under ISO 17024.
ANSI coordinates, facilitates, and promotes the development of voluntary consensus standards that are relied upon by industry, government agencies, and consumers across the United States and around the world. ANSI accredited organizations - and the experts that populate them - work cooperatively to enhance the U.S. quality of life and improve the competitiveness of businesses operating in the global marketplace.
About the Building Performance Institute
BPI is the nation's premier building performance credentialing, quality assurance and standards setting organization. BPI develops technical standards using an open, transparent, consensus-based process built on sound building science. In 2010 BPI was approved by ANSI as an accredited developer of American National Standards.
BPI offers the following:
- National standards to ensure top quality, consistent protocols are being followed throughout the home performance and weatherization workforce
- Certification of individuals in building analyst, heating, AC/heat pump, shell/envelope and multi-family designations
- Accreditation of contracting companies committed to delivering quality home performance improvements
- Quality assurance to verify conformance with BPI standards and provide feedback for continuing improvement
- Partnership with testing organizations that deliver BPI services in their market
For more information on BPI, visit www.bpi.org.
Building Performance Institute, Inc.
107 Hermes Road, Suite 110
Malta, NY 12020
Phone: (877) 274-1274
Fax: (866) 777-1274
info@bpi.org
www.bpi.org
Contact:
Leslie McDowell
Building Performance Institute
lmcdowell@bpi.org
202-223-9510 x208
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