The Smart Buildings Center (SBC) believes the smarter use of technology and practices in the built environment, particularly as they relate to building operations and management, will enable a cleaner, healthier and more productive future. As part of its mission to accelerate the adoption and commercialization of smart building technologies and practices, SBC delivers education and training to educate the building workforce of the future through the following programs and initiatives.
Building Operator Certification Program
The national Building Operator Certification (BOC®) program is the leading competency-based training and credentialing program for building engineers and maintenance personnel across the country. BOC teaches facilities staff to find practical, low and no-cost efficiency solutions by optimizing the performance of existing building systems. Through the program, graduates also learn how to create a preventive maintenance program that improves the building environment and prolongs the life of equipment, thus improving a facility’s bottom line. Learn more about the BOC program at www.theboc.info.
Remote Learning Calendar & Library
The Remote Learning Calendar and Library provide details and links to upcoming live and previously recorded remote learning events. The events cover a wide range of topics relevant for commercial energy managers, trade allies, facility managers, and those with a general interest in energy efficiency and smart building technologies. Topics covered include energy efficiency, demand response, building operations, benchmarking, building tune-ups, smart building technologies, and grid-enabled buildings.
The Remote Learning Calendar and Library are funded through the generous support of Puget Sound Energy.
Smart Buildings Center Technical Webinars
SBC Technical Webinars offer live instructional webinars throughout the year to keep facilities personnel informed on the latest best practices, trends, and technologies that will help save energy and run facilities at optimal efficiency. Participants learn practical solutions to deal with the energy hogs in their buildings from industry experts. All previously recorded webinars are available to watch in the SBC Technical Webinar Library.
Smart Buildings Center YouTube Channel
The SBC YouTube channel features a video training series demonstrating practical applications of some of the diagnostic tools available in SBC’s Tool Lending Library, highlights from SBC’s Smart Buildings Exchange conference and ‘Why Smart Buildings?’ Executive Forums, and more.
U.S. Department of Energy Better Buildings Workforce Accelerator
The Smart Buildings Center was a partner in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Better Buildings Workforce Accelerator (BBWA) from 2020-2023. The three-year initiative sought to raise the level of building science and energy efficiency knowledge in the nation’s building-related workforce. See the BBWA case study highlighting SBC’s partnership with Northeastern University and Washington State University to expand Building Operator Certification (BOC®) training to emphasize grid-interactive efficient buildings and occupant-centric controls with a focus on an entry- and pre-entry-level workforce.
