In 1981, the Association for Energy Engineers (AEE) began an accreditation program to extend engineering practices to the public, educating professionals on energy efficiency, reliability and safety. Originally designed to increase knowledge for government agency personnel, AEE professional certification training draws students from the utility, renewable energy and building management sectors.
Among several programs offered by AEE, Certified Energy Management (CEM) training can be obtained through a five-day training program or online real-time classes that cover 17 topics necessary for certification, of which 11 must be evaluated during the 4-hour written, open-book exam. Topics cover indoor air quality, HVAC, lighting, and boiler and steam systems, among others. The cost of the training program is $1,150 for AEE members and $1,250 for nonmembers; the certification exam is an additional $300, as of June 2010.
The application requires letters of reference and verification of employment. Professional engineers and registered architects with three years of energy management experience meet the requirements for application, but so do professionals with no education and at least 10 years of experience working in the energy engineering or energy management field. Basic algebra and written problem statement capabilities are necessary to complete training and obtain certification.
More than 8,000 professionals are certified energy managers, with more and more jobs listing CEM as required or desired qualifications. The certification is no longer just for government personnel; according to "How Online Education Gets Green Jobs," private companies are also paying CEMs $95,000 to $115,000, on average, annually to provide energy solutions and best management practices for all of their buildings and facilities.
Codes and standards and indoor air quality, energy accounting and economics, and energy audits and instrumentation are three of the 11 subjects professionals must pass during the exam to obtain certification, which must be maintained with 10 professional credits earned every three years. Maintenance credits can be obtained with continued employment or membership in professional engineering societies as well as through professional awards or published papers in professional journals. In any case, according to "How Online Education Gets Green Jobs," CEM training can provide more professional opportunities and increase salaries by about $5,000 annually.