How are energy efficiency standards and policies driving the adoption of novel building technologies and strategies in the U.S.? How can these innovations be applied to promote the growth of renewable energy? As sustainability becomes a priority in the building sector, how might the role of building technicians change, and what implications will this have for advanced technical education?
These questions, and more, were posed at the 2025 National Institute, the virtual conference co-hosted by CIEE’s Building Efficiency for a Sustainable Tomorrow (BEST) Center and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) on January 8 and 9. Now in its final year, the two-day event attracted over 150 industry professionals, college faculty, and students, who gathered to explore the future of energy-efficient buildings and technician education.
Elevating People, Professions, and Building Performance
This year’s agenda boasted a robust lineup of speakers, including those from LBNL, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), Contemporary Controls, California State University (CSU) campuses and technical colleges, and UC Berkeley. Lively presentations and discussions covered diverse topics ranging from smart thermostats and vehicle-grid integration to artificial intelligence (AI) and climate policy.
A highlight of the conference was a roundtable on the High-Performance Building Operations Professional (HPBOP) certification, a national initiative organized by the BEST Center. Informed by International Organization for Standardization (ISO) requirements, the certification aims to validate technical professionals who demonstrate advanced understanding and knowledge of key building performance concepts, such as whole-building energy use and system optimization. Since its conception in 2016, the certification has received support from a wide range of organizations, including the International Facility Managers Association (IFMA), the Association of Facilities Engineers, Milwaukee Area Technical College, and more.
“We want to elevate people … [and] stimulate their interest in getting the certification,” said Peter Crabtree, a visiting project scientist at CIEE and the principal investigator (PI) of the BEST Center. Crabtree, who brings over 35 years of expertise in technical building education and workforce development, is leading the testing and deployment of the HPBOP certification. He, along with co-PI Ted Wilinski, stressed the importance of legitimizing technical professionals, not only in the eyes of their respective employers but within the building industry at large.
Given significant interest in the certification, the BEST Center and its partners created and released an HPBOP examination study guide in 2024 and are seeking additional funding to launch an online, on-demand refresher course. Recognizing the value of applying real-world knowledge in the classroom, the team is also preparing a blueprint for community colleges to integrate HPBOP concepts into their curriculum.
“Systems thinking is a very important part of HPBOP,” said Crabtree. “Continuous quality and improvement are very much a part of [the affective domain of learning]. There’s an organizational commitment that goes along with high performance.”
The 2025 National Institute was sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF), Contemporary Controls, Schneider Electric, HVAC Excellence/ESCO Group, National Alliance for High-Performance Building Operations (NAHBO), and Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC); and endorsed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).
Watch recordings from the 2025 National Institute