Building Efficiency for a Sustainable Tomorrow (BEST) Center

商业建筑是美国城市的主要特征，占美国温室气体排放量（GHG）的近20%。美国减少GHG排放和保护不可再生能源资源的压力越来越大，这导致需要减少商业建筑的能源消耗。与此同时，对能源和环境设计领导力（LEED）认证建筑的研究表明，改善室内环境质量可以提高工人的生产力。联邦劳工统计局（BLS）估计，美国有292，000名“暖通空调机械师和安装人员”，该领域将在2014年至2024年期间增加近40，000个新职位，远远快于平均增长率。HVACR劳动力发展基金会的一项研究估计，该领域70%的空缺是需要中学后教育的中等技能工作，对这些工人的需求超过了供应。为了解决这些问题，有必要培养一支由楼宇自动化系统（BAS）专家和高性能建筑运营专业人员（HPBOP）组成的队伍。建筑效率为可持续发展的明天（最佳）中心将专注于发展社区和技术学院的全国网络有兴趣改善和/或开发新的建筑科学技术人员教育计划。最好的中心建议作为一个国家的工具，收集，传播和采用响应，及时和特殊的教育计划，课程，实验室应用程序和创新的教学方法，用于建筑系统技术人员的教育。该项目概述了三个目标：1）转变社区学院在建筑技术人员教育领域的教学能力，重点是HPBOP和BAS培训和认证; 2）让行业利益相关者和研究伙伴参与与社区学院的全国合作，以支持高质量的建筑科学教学计划;以及3）加强国家STEM管道建设技术人员，重点是对高中生和代表性不足的成年学习者的推广。该中心将继续将示范课程存档，并在全国范围内传播和促进采用这一示范课程。

Commercial buildings are a predominant feature of U.S. cities that account for almost 20% of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) in the U.S. There is increased pressure in the U.S. to reduce GHG emissions and conserve non-renewable energy resources that is leading to a need to reduce the consumption of energy in commercial buildings. At the same time, research on Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified buildings suggests that improved indoor environmental quality increases worker productivity. The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates that there are 292,000 "HVAC Mechanics and Installers" employed in the U.S. and that the field will add almost 40,000 new positions between 2014 and 2024, a much faster than average rate of growth. A study for the HVACR Workforce Development foundation estimates that 70% of openings in the field are middle skill jobs requiring postsecondary education and that the demand for these workers outstrips supply. To address these issues, it is necessary to educate a workforce of Building Automation Systems (BAS) Specialists as well as High Performance Building Operations Professionals (HPBOP). The Building Efficiency for a Sustainable Tomorrow (BEST) Center will focus on growing its national network of community and technical colleges interested in improving and/or developing new building science technician education programs. The BEST Center proposes to serve as a national vehicle for the collection, dissemination, and adoption of responsive, timely, and exceptional educational programs, courses, lab applications, and innovative instructional methods for the education of building systems technicians. This project outlines three goals: 1) Transform the instructional capacity of community colleges in the field of building technician education, with an emphasis on HPBOP and BAS training and certification; 2) Engage industry stakeholders and research partners in a national collaboration with community colleges to support high quality building science instructional programs; and, 3) Strengthen the national STEM pipeline for building technicians, focusing on outreach to both high school students and underrepresented adult learners. The Center will continue to archive model curriculum and disseminate and promote adoption of this model curriculum nationwide.