RSES CM/CMS/SM Included in BPI Accreditation Options for HVAC Contractors
April 30th, 2012
RSES announces that the Building Performance Institute Inc. has recognized RSES’ Certificate Member, Certificate Member Specialist and Active Specialized Member designations as satisfying one of three alternative path eligibility criteria required for BPI accreditation of HVAC contractors.
BPI accreditation is a company credential that requires two professional certifications on staff for the contractor company. The first is the BPI Building Analyst, the second is a certification related to their core services, either an RSES CM/CMS/SM designation or one of two other acceptable alternative path options.
The CM/CMS exam series originated in 1935 and the SM classification was introduced in 2008. To become a CM, an individual must pass an examination that tests 18 categories of knowledge required in the installation and servicing of refrigeration and air conditioning equipment. Once acquiring a CM designation, an individual may advance to a CMS status by passing one or more of the eight Specialist examinations available in the categories of: Commercial Refrigeration; Commercial Air Conditioning; Heating; Controls; Domestic Service; HVACR Electrical; Heat Pumps; and Dynamic Compression. In 2008, the SM designation was created to allow RSES members to participate in the society’s Specialist examination without having passed the CM examination.
“RSES CM/CMS designations have been in use for more than 75 years proving the expertise of HVACR professionals. Joining these designations with the building science world will allow RSES members the ability to expand their knowledge into whole house performance while being accredited to the BPI standard for making sure the house works as a system,” says RSES Director of Training and Testing Patrick L. Murphy, CM.
As BPI accredited contractors, HVAC contractors have the opportunity to provide complete solutions to customers’ comfort, health, and energy issues by addressing the whole house as a system. This not only expands project work scopes, it allows for reduced call backs, improved satisfaction, fewer emergency replacements and improved conversion rates of referrals from customers. For additional information about BPI’s Accredited Contractor status, contact BPI Manager of Accreditation Carol Ohnsman at 877-274-1274 ext. 109 or cohnsman@bpi.org.
In March 2011, the RSES CM/CMS designations were recognized as satisfying the educational training requirement for obtaining the Service Technician HVAC Specialty License by the Iowa Department of Public Health’s Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board. For more information on the RSES CM/CMS/SM designations, contact RSES at 800-297-5660 or visit www.rses.org.
BPI is the nation’s premier building performance credentialing, quality assurance and standards setting organization. BPI develops technical standards using an open, transparent, consensus-based process built on sound building science. BPI is approved by the American National Standards Institute, Inc. as an accredited developer of American National Standards.
RSES is the world’s leading education, training and certification association for heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration professionals. RSES credentials include its Active Specialized Member, Certificate Member and Certificate Member Specialist categories, as well as one of the largest EPA Section 608 certification programs in the industry. Founded in 1933, RSES is a non-profit organization of more than 11,000 members in nearly 150 chapters in the U.S. and Canada, as well as affiliate organizations worldwide. For more information on RSES call 800-297-5660 or 847-297-6464, or visit our website at www.rses.org. RSES, 1666 Rand Road, Des Plaines, IL 60016.