Recently introduced federal legislation could provide training for federal-building personnel in the areas of building operations-and-maintenance, energy-management, safety, and design functions.
The Federal Building Personnel Training Act of 2010 was introduced by Reps. Russ Carnahan (D-Mo.) and Judy Biggert (R-Ill.) and Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine). It is supported by 33 organizations involved in building design, construction, and operation and maintenance as well as the High-Performance Buildings Congressional Caucus Coalition (HPBCCC), a private-sector building coalition established and chaired by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). The HPBCCC supports the High-Performance Buildings Caucus of the U.S. Congress, which is co-chaired by Carnahan.
The legislation would help provide federal workers with the necessary training to construct and maintain environmentally sound buildings. Federal workers would be able to be trained in a series of core competencies relating to building operations and maintenance, energy management, safety, and future performance. Workers would take courses and be able to obtain licenses and certification for their efforts.