Blog - Smart Buildings Center

NEEC Hiring Senior Project Manager, Apply by Dec 3rd

November 28, 2021 By Britton Rife

About NEEC and the Smart Buildings Center:
The Northwest Energy Efficiency Council (NEEC) is a non-profit business association of the building efficiency industry. NEEC’s mission is to promote energy efficiency policies, programs and technologies that create jobs and foster economic growth and environmental improvement.

The Smart Buildings Center (SBC) is a 501c3 organization with a mission to accelerate the adoption and commercialization of smart buildings technologies and practices through education and demonstration. Through partnership with NEEC, the two organizations offer a physical meeting space in the Pacific Tower in Seattle and offer training, educational events and webinars, networking opportunities, and loan out diagnostic tools through the Center’s Tool Lending Library.

General Description:
NEEC is seeking an inspired, passionate, and dynamic Senior Project Manager to support the organization’s footprint with Grid-interactive Efficient Building (GEB) operations, and act as a strategic lead and technical advisor on smart buildings technologies, overall building electrification and policies that support the role of higher performing buildings in the clean energy economy. This role would entail managing multiple projects and clients, as well as seeking new and creative ways to drive the smart buildings conversation through curriculum and content development, trainings, and other initiatives with the Smart Buildings Center. The role requires knowledge of grid-interactive efficient buildings, smart buildings technologies, building systems and diagnostic tools, the energy management industry, and overall project management skills. The position reports directly to NEEC’s Director of Education and Training and will work both independently and collaboratively throughout the organization, as well as with SBC partner organizations as needed. This is a full-time position based in Seattle, WA.

Responsibilities:

Develop curriculum on the topic of Grid-interactive Efficient Buildings and smart buildings technologies for NEEC’s Building Operator Certification program
Manage process of creating and launching a credential in the operation of smart buildings to augment the BOC program
Work with Certification team to enhance BOC certification exam with new content relevant to technologies and trends in building operations
Contribute subject matter expertise to the development of forward-thinking solutions that accelerate the demand for smart buildings through new programs and policies
Generate and publicly present thought-leading ideas through public presentations, written resources, publishable articles, and/or blogs

Qualifications:

5+ years’ experience with project management
Familiarity with and passion for grid-interactive efficient buildings, smart buildings, and smart buildings technologies
Experience working with federal contracts and grants
Ability to manage multiple projects, including planning, reporting, and meeting deadlines
5+ years’ experience in the building design, construction, facility operation, energy management, building science or related industry
Excellent written communication skills and comfort speaking before large audiences
Experience with commercial (preferred) or residential building codes
Demonstrate a high degree of professionalism and an ability to work with a variety of stakeholders including building owners and operators, policymakers, and other industry professionals
Experience with energy savings analysis both for individual buildings and a portfolio of buildings
Ability to travel periodically
Education/Training: Baccalaureate degree in building science, engineering, architecture, environmental studies, planning or a related field OR a combination of education, prior work experience, and certifications, such as CEM or BOC

Compensation and Benefits:
NEEC offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience. Benefits include: employer paid health, vision, and dental insurance; IRA with 3% employer match; flexible paid time off; ability to work remotely; public transportation program.

How to Apply:
Email resume and cover letter to Melanie Danuser melanie.danuser@neec.net

Application deadline: December 3^rd, 2021

Rebuilding as a Community in K-12 Schools: COVID and Beyond

November 15, 2021 By Britton Rife

Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2-3pm
Register

In this interactive webinar sponsored by Puget Sound Energy and hosted by Smart Buildings Center, panelists with expertise in Strategic Energy Management (SEM) in K-12 schools will discuss their lessons learned in navigating the challenges of operating their buildings safely during the COVID-19 pandemic. They’ll also share insights for moving forward with a re-focus on energy efficiency, in light of the challenges presented by climate change and resulting mandates such as the WA Clean Buildings Performance Standard (H.B. 1257).

Panelists:
Marina Tanay, Capital Projects/Facilities Manager, Sumner-Bonney Lake School District No. 320
Michael Knaack, Sustainability Manager, Tacoma Public Schools
Travis Bown, Director of Maintenance, Mead Public Schools
David McCaughey, Sr. Business Developer, Energy Services, UMC

Register in advance for this webinar.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Job Opportunity: Facilities Operations Specialist, AESC

November 15, 2021 By Britton Rife

AESC is an energy consulting firm with a collaborative and professional work environment. We are passionate about what we do and are looking for talented people who share our passion.

AESC is seeking an experienced Facilities Operations Specialist or Building Operator to provide technical support to energy efficiency programs in our Portland, OR office. The successful candidate would bring experience across the variety of building systems common to commercial buildings, including but not limited to HVAC, lighting, boilers, Direct Digital Control (DDC), and Building Automation Systems (BAS). This position will not manage the operations at one specific facility, but rather will focus on working with several commercial building owners and occupants to identify and implement strategies in the Operations and Maintenance (O&M) of buildings resulting in energy savings. Other responsibilities may include whole building facility audits, energy analysis, and project development.

The successful candidate will also demonstrate strong communication skills, excellent customer engagement skills, and intellectual curiosity beyond their core scope. The successful candidate will have 5-8 years of experience in the facilities management and/or building operations fields.

View the full job description and application requirements

NEEC Hiring for Senior Project Manager Position

November 10, 2021 By Britton Rife

Responsibilities:

Develop curriculum on the topic of Grid-interactive Efficient Buildings and smart buildings technologies for NEEC’s Building Operator Certification program
Manage process of creating and launching a credential in the operation of smart buildings to augment the BOC program
Work with Certification team to enhance BOC certification exam with new content relevant to technologies and trends in building operations
Contribute subject matter expertise to the development of forward-thinking solutions that accelerate the demand for smart buildings through new programs and policies
Generate and publicly present thought-leading ideas through public presentations, written resources, publishable articles, and/or blogs

Qualifications:

5+ years’ experience with project management
Familiarity with and passion for grid-interactive efficient buildings, smart buildings, and smart buildings technologies
Experience working with federal contracts and grants
Ability to manage multiple projects, including planning, reporting, and meeting deadlines
5+ years’ experience in the building design, construction, facility operation, energy management, building science or related industry
Excellent written communication skills and comfort speaking before large audiences
Experience with commercial (preferred) or residential building codes
Demonstrate a high degree of professionalism and an ability to work with a variety of stakeholders including building owners and operators, policymakers, and other industry professionals
Experience with energy savings analysis both for individual buildings and a portfolio of buildings
Ability to travel periodically
Education/Training: Baccalaureate degree in building science, engineering, architecture, environmental studies, planning or a related field OR a combination of education, prior work experience, and certifications, such as CEM or BOC

How to Apply:
Email resume and cover letter to Melanie Danuser melanie.danuser@neec.net

Application deadline: December 3^rd, 2021

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan Announces New Executive Order to Drastically Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

November 4, 2021 By Britton Rife

Executive Order directs City departments to implement new carbon-based building performance standards, expand transit access and Healthy Streets, and advance clean energy workforce development

On Nov 1st Seattle Mayor Jenny A. Durkan announced a new Executive Order directing City departments to accelerate action toward net zero emission buildings, healthy and equitable transportation, and clean energy workforce development to advance climate justice. Actions announced are projected to reduce the City’s building carbon emissions an additional 27% by 2050.

“From a new normal of smoky summers and dangerous heat in Seattle, I have never seen the impacts of climate change that we are now facing,” said Mayor Jenny Durkan. “We’ve invested billions to support green transportation, efficient buildings, and other policies to mitigate climate change, but we know we need to do more to reach net zero. Cities are leading the way to take real action – our work in the last four years is making a commitment to reduce our building emissions by nearly 50% and lead the nation on climate justice and equity.”

Buildings account for more than one third of Seattle’s climate pollution and are one of the fastest growing sources of emissions. Mayor Durkan’s Climate Action Executive Order will:

Direct the Office of Sustainability & Environment to create legislation for Carbon-based Building Performance Standards for existing commercial and multifamily buildings 20,000 sq ft or larger in 2022. This standard is estimated to reduce building greenhouse gas emissions 27% by 2050.
Prohibit fossil fuels in City-owned buildings by 2035 to continue Seattle leading by example.
Provide options to lower upfront and operating costs for affordable housing to address the climate crisis and improve resilience as we build, operate, and maintain affordable housing.

“Seattle needs to take serious and significant action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings. A carbon-focused building performance standard is a cornerstone to that effort and will build on the success and work at the state and city level to reduce energy use,” said Amy Wheeless, Senior Policy Associate at the NW Energy Coalition. “This bold action must also come with supportive policies that ensure the benefits of this transition are equitable and support affordable energy services.”

Key provisions in the Executive Order include:

Expanding free transit for SPS Middle and High School students with additional ORCA cards for middle school students. Announced in 2018, Seattle’s ORCA Opportunity is now available to up to 8,000 additional middle school students, 15,000 high school students, and more than 1,000 Seattle Promise students.

Expanding Seattle’s Stay Healthy Streets to establish City’s first urban pedestrian zone. Potential sites for the urban pedestrian zones will be identified by December 31, 2021 for implementation in Summer of 2022.
Taking legislative and permitting action to incentivize electrification and make it easier for residents, businesses, and governments to transition away from fossil fuels and go electric.

Launching $1 million pilot to convert heavy-duty diesel trucks operating in the Duwamish Valley to electric to reduce carbon pollution and diesel emissions.

“Expanding ease of access to public transit is a key element of creating a climate resilient and socially equitable city,” said Alex Hudson, Executive Director of Transportation Choices Coalition. “This transit expansion project will help get more young Seattleites where they need to go safely and reliably, while also lowering transportation costs for families and empowering a new generation of transit riders.”

“EVgo applauds the City of Seattle for making continued advancements toward a fully electrified transportation sector,” said Sara Rafalson, Vice President of Market Development and Public Policy at EVgo. “Public-private partnerships, coupled with critical efforts to streamline permitting, are important tools to accelerate infrastructure investments for fleets and personal use vehicles alike.”

In addition to policies that reduce emissions in the buildings and transportation sectors, the City is working to advance a more diverse clean energy workforce to ensure a just transition off of fossil fuels. Key provisions of the Executive Order include:

Launching City clean energy workforce committee to advance the economic equity goals of Seattle’s Green New Deal in alignment with the Green New Deal Oversight Board.
Deploying new 2022 clean energy workforce investments and identify City capacity and funding needs and regional partnerships to prepare, connect, and diversify workers in the growing clean energy sectors.

“Seattle has been a trailblazer in energy efficiency, mode shift to transit, electrification, smart growth near transit, eliminating fossil fuels from homes and commercial buildings, and climate justice, but we need to do more,” said Michelle Caulfield, Interim Director of the Office of Sustainability & Environment. “I’m proud to see Seattle’s leadership on display at COP26 and the Mayor standing with leaders from across the globe to confront the climate emergency head-on.”

Mayor Jenny Durkan announced the executive order from Glasgow, Scotland, where she is representing the City of Seattle at the COP26 Climate Summit which brings Cities and nations together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

“Cities have proven time and again their ability to push the envelope on climate action and consistently raise ambition – the Building Performance Standard (BPS) announced today by Mayor Durkan is a great example,” said Kelly Shultz who leads the sustainable cities program at Bloomberg Philanthropies. “Policies to lower building emissions are critical to ensuring a sustainable, more inclusive future. We celebrate this announcement and look forward to continuing our collaboration with cities leading the fight against climate change like Seattle.”

“It’s exciting to see these next steps from a city that already has ambitious climate policies on the books,” said Elizabeth Stampe, a city strategist at NRDC with the Bloomberg Philanthropies American Cities Climate Challenge. “Policies like free transit for kids and cleaner energy in large buildings do more than reduce greenhouse gas emissions: they make Seattle a better place for all people to live and breathe. A zero-emission pedestrian zone is an especially important way to reduce pollution and make way for safer walking in Seattle. As the City makes good on these commitments in the coming year, we expect to see equity front and center alongside decisive climate action.”

The City of Seattle has already led bold action to advance energy efficiency and decarbonization in buildings, including a new commercial energy code that is among the strongest on climate in the nation, an Oil Heat Conversion Tax to fund low-income household conversions from oil heat to electric heat pumps, a ban on fossil fuels in new municipal buildings, accelerated transportation electrification including expanding bus-only lanes and transit capital investment, 52 miles of new bike facilities in the last five years, EV Readiness Ordinance requiring EV-ready electrical service in new off-street parking stalls, environmental and racial justice policies, and more.

IFMA Launches FM Framework Training with Industry Partners

November 4, 2021 By Britton Rife

New FM Framework offers IFMA members training in a range of specialty areas

The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) is pleased to announce the launch of its expanded Facility Management Training and Development Framework (FM Framework). IFMA has created a single source for interdisciplinary knowledge- and skill-building by partnering with 8 of the most well-respected and influential organizations in the built environment industry.

The FM Framework provides industry-leading training from IFMA’s partner organizations that is relevant to all built environment practices. FMs now have direct access to top training solutions in disciplines that fall under the umbrella of FM responsibility, including cleaning operations, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, security, building repairs, IT and more.

In conjunction with IFMA’s ANSI-accredited credential programs and professional development courses, the framework provides a unified training program that covers the entire life cycle of the built environment. The brainchild of 2018-19 IFMA Board Chair Graham Tier, CFM, FMP, MRICS, the 2019 FM Framework provided guidance on specialized skillsets. It classified specific roles, mapped the skills needed in facility management and recommended professional development options from a network of associations.

“IFMA has been building bridges across disciplines for years, partnering with associations that have training for FMs and cross-promoting our educational resources,” said IFMA President and CEO Don Gilpin. “The updated FM Framework goes a step further, directing professionals to a specific course or program offered by the industry’s recognized authority in a desired specialty area. Whether you need to dive into a skillset, oversee a specific function within the facility portfolio or meet a particular organizational goal, the framework takes the onus of finding the training off the FM.”

IFMA is relaunching the FM Framework with the following partners:

International Sanitation Standards Association (ISSA)
Open Standards Consortium of Real Estate (OSCRE)
American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)
Audio Visual and Integrated Experience Association (AVIXA)
Business & Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association (BIFMA)
Circular Economy Institute (CEI)
National Environmental Balancing Bureau (NEBB)
Northwest Energy Efficiency Council (NEEC)

IFMA members who purchase the specified training from a framework partner will receive that organization’s member rate. Reciprocally, framework partner members will receive special pricing on IFMA’s included courses.

“FMs have to ensure their team can perform all of the necessary roles and collaborate effectively with other departments. That takes an understanding of diverse job functions that goes beyond rudimentary knowledge,” added Gilpin. “Upskilling in a range of specialty areas will help FMs adapt to a new work environment, bringing a higher level of excellence to their organizations and themselves.”

IFMA Members should visit ifma.org/professional-development/fm-framework to view the FM Framework. IFMA partners should visit ifma-9196528.hs-sites.com/exclusive-introduction-to-fm-0 to view information on IFMA’s opportunities for partner organizations.