2018 marked the first time that a Building Operator Certification (BOC) series was held in the Bluegrass State. Kentucky’s Energy and Environment Cabinet (EEC) provided funding that subsidized the cost of tuition for students in 2018 while helping MEEA get the training off the ground and established in the state.
If you’re unfamiliar, the BOC program achieves measurable energy savings by training individuals directly responsible for day-to-day commercial building operations. BOC is a competency-based training and certification program that provides energy-saving operational strategies for maintenance and operations staff and technicians. BOC graduates use the tools learned in training to help their facilities save energy, reduce costs and improve their building systems.
To successfully launch the BOC program in Kentucky, MEEA partnered with Kentucky’s EEC and the Kentucky Pollution Prevention Center (KPPC) to spread the word to local organizations about the inaugural Level I series in Louisville and Lexington. KPPC played an integral part of the day-to-day logistics of the trainings, attending each day and advising participants through homework assignments and connecting them to energy efficiency opportunities and programs. Both 2018 series were widely successful, experienced strong participation and provided students with 74 hours of training to 34 students, resulting in the first Certified Building Operators in the state of Kentucky.
“I’ve been in facility management for over 15 years and have never attended a course that offered this much useful information,” said George Stevens, the Director of Facilities at Maryhurst in Louisville, Kentucky. “With the knowledge I gained attending the BOC course, I am already implementing changes and seeking funding to improve operations.”
Additionally, we were able to recruit six local instructors, all experts in energy efficiency, who are now certified to teach BOC courses. These instructors are poised to serve as important partners within the state for many years to come.
After a successful 2018, MEEA, the Kentucky EEC and KPPC are excited to bring additional series to Kentucky in 2019. We are working with the Mountain Association for Community Economic Development (MACED) to host a series in Eastern Kentucky in Spring 2019. If you’re interest in attending this series, please fill out this contact form so that you are notified once the event is finalized. For more on future BOC trainings in Kentucky, visit the BOC Central website.
Thank you to all the partners and students throughout Kentucky who helped make BOC’s Kentucky launch a huge success. And special thanks to the Kentucky’s EEC for providing the funding to bring BOC to Kentucky and keep tuition affordable.