Hasan Ateş's Blog

I founded EWB-TR, the Turkish chapter for Engineers Without Borders, i.e. “Sınır Tanımayan Mühendisler Derneği,” along with 6 fellows!

I have earned the LEED AP® Building Operations + Maintenance (O+M) credential placing yours truly among an elite group of leading professionals with expertise in green building and the LEED for Existing Buildings: Operation & Maintenance (EBOM) projects. The credential signifies leadership in the field and active participation in the green building movement. As a credentialed professional, I possess the knowledge and skills necessary to participate in the design process, support and encourage integrated design, and to streamline the LEED application and certification process.

I have earned the LEED AP O+M credential placing yours truly among an elite group of leading professionals with expertise in green building and the LEED Existing Building Operations and Maintenance (O+M) rating system. The credential signifies leadership in the field and active participation in the green building movement. As a credentialed professional, I possess the knowledge and skills necessary to participate in the design process, support and encourage integrated design, and to streamline the LEED application and certification process.

I have been an InterNations member since 2015, and recently started acting as Ambassador Baghdad of InterNations.

My membership has provided me with a subtle array of new expat and local connections from different countries and industries. Once the Baghdad ambassadorship was awarded to me, I went ahead to organize the first ever online event to pull together the Baghdad community. Afterwards, together with my partner Ms Hajir Majid who joined me shortly after completing her master’s degree, we have organized 2 online events so far, which I should note that have already been a teaching experience personally and professionally for myself. A few key observations I have got are:

People in general are fed up about COVID-19 and, in all conscience, do not want to talk (or hear) about it.Online meetings have given people the opportunity to socialize without leaving the comfort of their bedrooms.No matter how large the number of registrants is in an online event, the show-up rate depends on the interest and relevancy of the people who are invited. Therefore, the invitees should consist of a targeted group of people.

I recommend expats to join InterNations for a privileged social networking experience, like a pro!

Have a comment? Do not hesitate to write it below!

Oud is a passion of mine since year 2000. I have always kept my interest in it at an amateur level but never stopped improving my performing skills and knowledge.

For a significant amount of time, I have been thinking that the world wide web lacked a website which is fully dedicated to oud.

Hence, I made Udperest.

OK, you protect yourself from the virus. You maintain social distancing and put on your mask. You are in lockdown. But, what can you do more than that? How to be more useful for the long run? Is there any other way to benefit the humanity against coronavirus disease?

Here are a few tips for you:

1- You can donate your unused computer powerFolding@home COVID-19 Project

Folding@home (FAH or F@h) is a distributed computing project for simulating protein dynamics, including the process of protein folding and the movements of proteins implicated in a variety of diseases.

OpenPandemics by IBM

On April 1st, 2020, IBM announced OpenPandemics. The project aims to identify possible treatments for the Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) which is responsible for the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic. World Community Grid (WCG) will partner with Scripps Research, with whom it has partnered in the past, notably in FightAIDS@Home projects.

2- You can donate your moneyCOVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) is leading and coordinating the global effort, supporting countries to prevent, detect, and respond to the pandemic.

Everyone can now support directly the response coordinated by WHO. People and organizations who want to help fight the pandemic and support WHO and partners can now donate through the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for WHO.

Coronavirus Relief Fund by GlobalGiving

Your donation to the Coronavirus Relief Fund will help stop the virus’s spread and give communities on the front lines of the crisis the resources they need to act quickly and protect the most vulnerable.

3- You can spread knowledgeWorld Health Organization (WHO)Mental Health Europe (MHE)European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)United Nations (UN)80,000 HoursGreenpeace4- You can do something else?

You have any other ways to contribute in this fight against COVID-19? Let them be known in the comments!

Today we will have a look at the certification and credential programs provided by various organizations around the world for technicians, engineers and managers involved in commissioning (Cx) at individual or corporate (firm) level.

I aim this article to be the most complete list available online for such programs. Therefore your feedback is much appreciated if you have any.

AABC Commissioning Group (ACG)Certified Commissioning Authority (CxA)

The CxA certification, an ANSI-accredited and DOE/Better Buildings® recognized program, recognizes independent building commissioning professionals who demonstrate the technical, management, and communications skills required for competent performance.

Certified Commissioning Technician (CxT)

ACG has developed a second-tier certification, the Certified Commissioning Technician (CxT), for those who do not yet possess the management and technical experience to qualify for the CxA.

Association of Energy Engineers (AEE)

AEE has 3 certification programs for individuals and corporates:

Certified Building Commissioning Professional (CBCP)Existing Building Commissioning Professional (EBCP)Certified Building Commissioning Firm (CBCF)American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)

ASHRAE has one certification type for commissioning professionals:

Building Commissioning Professional (BCxP)

The BCxP certification, an ANSI-Accredited Personnel Certification Program under ISO/IEC 17024 (#1139), validates competency to lead, plan, coordinate and manage a commissioning team to implement commissioning processes in new and existing buildings.

Building Commissioning Certification Board (BCCB)

BCCB provides 3 certification programs for individuals and corporates. These were formerly provided by Building Commissioning Association (BCxA).

Certified Commissioning Professional (CCP)

The CCP is an individual who leads, plans, coordinates and manages a commissioning team to implement commissioning processes in new and existing buildings. CCPs have demonstrated knowledge, experience, and passed a rigorous exam on the commissioning process and technical knowledge needed to provide a quality service.

Associate Commissioning Professional (ACP)

The ACP can be a stepping stone to Cx Providers starting their journey in this profession. Once they study for, take and pass the ACP test, they can use their proven knowledge to commission projects, using the profession’s best practices, until they are able to qualify for the CCP.

Certified Commissioning Firm (CCF)

The CCF adheres to the industries best practices in the practice of commissioning and provide highest quality service to potential clients and the commitment to the advancement of the commissioning industry.

Building Commissioning Association (BCxA) University

BCxA University provides a certificate program for Cx providers:

Commissioning Provider Certificate Program (CxP)

The CxP Certificate Program documents that an individual has taken courses that include an understanding of the Cx process, building systems; and skills and field knowledge needed to be a commissioning provider.

Commissioning Specialists Association (CSA)

CSA is a UK-based association and they have 4 categories for individual and corporate membership. They provide a certificate upon membership.

Individual Membership

Individual membership is aimed at those field engineers who are actively involved in the commissioning process. These may be from the mechanical, electrical or controls fields. There are 6 levels of Grade depending on demonstrated experience level:

GRADE 1: COMMISSIONING TRAINEE / ASSISTANTGRADE 2: INTERMEDIATE COMMISSIONING / BALANCING TECHNICIANGRADE 3: COMMISSIONING TECHNICIANGRADE 4: COMMISSIONING ENGINEERGRADE 5: SENIOR COMMISSIONING ENGINEERGRADE 6: COMMISSIONING MANAGERIndividual Associate Membership

This category is formed to accommodate individuals who are not doing commissioning but are affiliated to commissioning through other trades.

Corporate Membership

Corporate membership is aimed at organizations whose main or only business is the commissioning of building services systems.

Associate Membership

Associate membership is aimed at organizations that are connected with the industry, but whose main business may be outside the pure commissioning activity.

National Environmental Balancing Bureau (NEBB)Individual CertificationNEBB Discipline Certification OptionsCertified TechnicianCertified ProfessionalBuilding Enclosure Testing (BET) BET CPBuilding System Commissioning (BSC)BSC CxCTBSC CPCommissioning Process Professional (CxPP) CxPPCleanroom Performance Testing (CPT)CPT CTCPT CPFume Hood Testing (FHT) FHT CPRetro-Commissioning of Existing Buildings (RCx-EB) RCx-EB CPSound Measurement (SM)SM CTSM CPVibration Measurement (VM)VM CTVM CPTesting, Adjusting & Balancing (TAB)TAB CTTAB CPFirm Certification

Firms that meet the specified criteria can apply for NEBB certification.

University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison)

UW-Madison has a unique certification process. Applicants who do not yet have sufficient professional experience in the commissioning process to qualify for one of the more advanced certifications will receive accreditation as a QCxP. This certification is then valid for five years to allow the applicant time to acquire the necessary experience for one of the other certifications.

Credentials offered by UW-Madison are:

Building Enclosure Commissioning Process Provider (BECxP)Accredited Commissioning Authority + Building Enclosure (CxA+BE)Qualified Commissioning Process Provider (QCxP) (also QCP)Accredited Commissioning Process Authority Professional (CxAP) (also CAP)Accredited Commissioning Process Manager (CxM)Accredited Commissioning Process Technical Service Provider (CxTS) (also CTS)Accredited Green Commissioning Process Provider (GCxP) (also GCP)Other Certifications

Should there be any other commissioning certification programs missed out in this article, please write them in below comments section.

Conclusion

There are pretty different kinds of certifications for different levels of experience. One may get a Cx certification for their needs whether be it for advancing in their career or for certifying their current level of knowledge in the industry. One key element not to miss out is recognition: Each certificate has its own area of recognition, so one should check it before pursuing a specific certificate.

Have any objections or additions? Discuss in comments section.

First things first: Happy new year to everyone out there!

Recently I passed LEED Green Associate exam and got my credential from U.S. Green Building Council. This was the last professional move of yours truly in 2019.

Green Building is one of the key terms emerging amongst climate change discussions nowadays.

What are your opinions on this issue? Please comment below.

Life is a sacred form of presence in the unquestionable entity of wholeness. Hence here I am, and this is hereby my first post to let you know I, too, am existentially a form of life.