NEBB’s Certification Program

The NEBB launches the TAB Technician Qualification Program

NEBB, along with the coordination of member firms, and in an effort to improve quality, has implemented a new program called the NEBB TAB Technician program. Since 1971, it has been the intent and purpose of NEBB to certify firms and qualify persons for the purpose of performing necessary tests and inspections of building environmental systems. The TAB program qualifies certified professionally personnel who possess both management and field expertise in this area.

The qualification program for technicians has been established as a natural progression of NEBB’s original purpose. This qualification program is intended to enhance NEBB’s stature with owners and designers, while promoting the professional integrity of NEBB’s certified firms. It will also allow NEBB-certified TAB firms, which employ these technicians, to bid and perform on projects that specify the requirement for qualified technicians.

The technician program is based on the following NEBB publications: TAB Manual for Technicians, Procedural Standards for Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing of Environmental Systems and the TAB Technician Home Study Course.

The following is a generalized listing of differences in skills and/or responsibilities between a certified professional and a technician:

Certified Professionals

  • Develop and plan the work.
  • Handle report preparation
  • Recommend corrective action
  • Set overall safety plan
  • Maintain instruments & calibration program
  • Have experience w/control strategies, sequence of operation, control systems, equipment and software
  • Review, check, sign & stamp final report

Technicians

  • Implement and perform the work
  • Possess basic knowledge of report forms
  • Identify problems
  • Comply with common safety practices
  • Use instrumentation properly
  • Have a basic knowledge of controls

You can be disqualified if:

  • You fail to maintain your status as a qualified technician in good standing with the local chapter.
  • You falsify balance reports and/or data.
  • You do not adhere to NEBB Procedural Standards.
  • You exhibit willful disregard for safety and safe work practices.
  • You fail to renew your qualification or fail to pay renewal fees.
  • Your firm loses its NEBB certification.

To pass the exam, you should be proficient in all of the following categories:

Mathematics

Fluid Flow

  • Pressure (static, velocity and total)
  • Resistance (friction and dynamic loss)
  • Velocity
  • Density
  • Quantity
  • Heat Transfer

General System Knowledge

Air Distribution

  • Know the purpose of each component in an air system and how these components interact as related to system operating pressure.
  • Know the effect of duct leakage on balancing.
  • Know the function of the fan laws, system effect and V-belt drives
  • Understand the function of the components in various types (constant volume, VAV, dual-duct, terminal reheat, etc) of air distribution systems.

Hydronic Systems

  • Know the purpose of each component in a hydronic system.
  • Know the effect on balancing of system resistance.
  • Be able to apply Pump Laws, the effect on pumps when balancing, and pump curves.

Automatic Control Systems

Electrical Systems

Instrumentation

  • Air Measuring Instruments
  • Hydronic Measuring Instruments
  • Rotation Measuring Instruments
  • Temperature Measuring Instruments
  • Electrical Measuring Instruments
  • Computer & DDC Controls

Preliminary TAB Procedures

  • Preliminary Procedures
  • Air System Inspections
  • Hydronic System Inspections

Specific Air & Hydronic Systems TAB Procedures

Other Considerations for Technician Qualification

  • Working Safely
  • Data Gathering
  • Effective communication with the certified professional

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Individual Certification

Those interested in NEBB’s Personnel Certification should review the Candidate Handbook to learn about the types of certification available. Then contact NEBB certification@nebb.org to request an Application for Candidacy and certification details. In order to facilitate a proper response, please indicate the specific certification in which you are interested. 

NEBB Personnel Certification Process

Individuals must complete the specific certification’s Application for Candidacy, meet the pre-requisite requirements, be accepted into the certification program of choice, pay related fees, study and successfully pass the required examination(s).

Once all criteria have been met, the Candidate will be certified as a NEBB Certified Professional (CP) or NEBB Certified Technician (CT).

NEBB Discipline Certification Options Certified Technician Certified Professional
Building Enclosure Testing (BET) BET CP
Building System Commissioning (BSC) BSC CxCT BSC CP
Commissioning Process Professional (CxPP) CxPP
Cleanroom Performance Testing (CPT) CPT CT CPT CP
Fume Hood Testing (FHT) FHT CP
Retro-Commissioning of Existing Buildings (RCx-EB) RCx-EB CP
Sound Measurement (SM) SM CT SM CP
Vibration Measurement (VM) VM CT VM CP
Testing, Adjusting & Balancing (TAB) TAB CT TAB CP

Related Link:

Certification Handbooks for Each Discipline

To receive a copy of the discipline handbook, please email certification@nebb.org.  Please be sure to specify which discipline AND level you are interested in so that we can get you the correct information.

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Firm Certification

NEBB Firm Certification Process and Requirements

Firms that meet the specified criteria can apply for NEBB certification. A firm must designate a Certified Professional employed within their firm to supervise all NEBB related work. The designated individual will be designated as the NEBB Certified Professional. Firms must also determine in which NEBB discipline(s) they are interested in becoming certified.

2.2 Applicant Firm Status

2.2.1     A company must establish Applicant Firm status prior to attaining NEBB Firm certification.

2.2.2     An Applicant Firm must become certified not later than one (1) year from the date of its initial application for certification. If the Applicant Firm does not attain certification within the one (1) year period, the company must reapply as a new Applicant Firm, paying all then current and applicable dues and fees.

2.2.3     Upon application and thereafter, Applicant Firms must pay NEBB and Chapter dues and fees to maintain Applicant Firm status.

2.2.4     Prior to achieving NEBB certification, an Applicant Firm may not:

2.2.4.1    Represent, directly or indirectly, the Applicant Firm as being NEBB Certified or any Applicant Professional or Applicant Technician as holding NEBB certification or Applicant status.

2.2.4.2    Use the NEBB name or logo on letterhead, business cards, brochures or other promotional materials and advertising.

2.3          Firm Certification Requirements

2.3.1    An Applicant Firm must have operated continuously as a legal entity, actively engaged in the field for which it is seeking NEBB Certification, regularly providing services in one (1) or more of the disciplines in which NEBB provides certifications, for a minimum period of twelve (12) months prior to submitting an application for certification.

2.3.2    An Applicant Firm must submit a minimum of six (6) individual and unique letters of endorsement from architects, engineers, contractors, or commercial building owners, attesting to the Firm’s reputation for integrity and business ethics, and knowledgeability in the field for which it is seeking NEBB Certification. These letters must be dated within twelve (12) months of the application date and must reference the Applicant Firm, not any Candidate or Certified Professional, and must list at least one (1) project for which the Applicant Firm provided services for the endorsing party.No more than one (1) letter may be from a contractor.  NEBB and the Chapter of application reserve the right to review and communicate with any person or Firm regarding information on the background, integrity and ethics of the Applicant Firm.

2.3.3    An Applicant Firm must confirm in its application that it will comply with NEBB requirements for instrumentation for each discipline in which certification is sought.

2.3.4    The Applicant Firm must employ a Designated Certified Professional in each discipline for which Firm certification is sought.  A Certified Professional may serve as the Designated Certified Professional for more than one (1) discipline, but not more than one (1) Applicant Firm, or more than one (1) office of the Firm, so long as the Professional is certified in each discipline that is applicable.  The Designated Certified Professional shall be a full time, management level employee of the Firm, located and primarily working at the Firm address listed with NEBB.  NEBB defines full time employment as a minimum average of thirty (30) hours per work week.  The Designated Certified Professional shall be responsible for ensuring that the NEBB Certified Firm and all other NEBB Certified Professionals and Technicians in the office the Designated Certified Professional serves perform services in accordance with all NEBB Procedural Standards and comply with these Operational Procedures.

2.3.5    The Applicant Firm must affiliate with and pay all NEBB fees and dues and Chapter fees and dues of their assigned NEBB Chapter.  Firms affiliated with a Chapter that gives up its NEBB charter or has that charter revoked will be assigned by NEBB to Chapters geographically adjacent to the eliminated Chapter.  The NEBB Board of Directors may re-assign Firm affiliations that are affected by Chapter boundary modifications.

2.3.6    The Applicant Firm must possess the current edition of the NEBB Procedural Standards applicable to the discipline for each certification sought.

2.3.7    The Applicant Firm must submit a NEBB “Agreement to Arbitrate” and “Code of Ethics,” each executed by an appropriate officer or owner in the Firm authorized to bind the Firm.

2.3.8    An Applicant Firm’s application may, but will not necessarily, be denied if an owner, partner, shareholder, Certified Professional, director or officer in the Applicant Firm has previously been decertified by NEBB or was employed in or held a similar position with a Firm previously decertified by NEBB.

2.3.9    NEBB certification in a given discipline is open to any Applicant Firm that meets the requirements for that NEBB discipline.

Firms interested in NEBB Firm Certification should contact the chapter in their area of business to obtain any certification details, including fees, and to answer any questions. For a listing of chapters, please click here.

If your firm meet the requirements for NEBB certification, the Designated Certified Professional can complete Step 1 in the online profile to start the application process.

Once your firm is certified, recertification will be required every two years to remain in certified.  To learn more about firm recertification, please click here.

Reference links:

 

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