If you’ve been researching BPI Certification for a while now, you’ve likely run into the BPI Building Analyst Certification. But here is something NEW that you must consider: the Building Performance Institute (BPI) has updated the BPI Building Analyst Certification job task analysis going into 2023.

What Does the Updated BPI Building Analyst Certification Look Like?

BPI has made three major changes:

1. BPI Building Science Principles is now a prerequisite before you can pursue BPI Building Analyst Certification.
2. BPI Envelope is going away. The updated BPI Building Analyst Certification absorbs content that was previously covered in the BPI Envelope Professional Certification. 
3. By absorbing the BPI Envelope content, the updated BPI Building Analyst Certification job task analysis ended up being very long. There was so much material that BPI decided it’d be best to split this into two certifications: BPI Building Analyst Technician and BPI Building Analyst Professional. 

The changes to BPI Building Analyst are more about structure than content. On paper, the knowledge areas remain very much the same; it’s just that the knowledge is broken down across two certifications. 

Which Certification Should I Get?

Splitting BPI Building Analyst into two certifications is a good thing because each certification can speak to different audiences and experience levels. 

Many practitioners currently work within data collection and diagnostic testing but do no energy modeling or scopes of work. The BA-T aligns with this practice: A Building Analyst Technician conducts residential building science-based diagnostic tests and home performance data collection. This certification gives an easier entrance to the industry while providing a clear path for professional growth.

The BA-P is a progression from the BA-T and is defined as follows: A Building Analyst Professional is a certified Building Analyst Technician who also conducts energy modeling, building analysis, and data evaluation to provide a comprehensive report with a list of prioritized home performance recommendations.

Which Building Analyst Certification Will Utilities and Rebates Want?

The Building Performance Institute has advised utilities and program administrators to replace references of “Building Analyst” with the Building Analyst Professional certification, because it includes a wider range of knowledge that includes energy modeling and work scope development. 

This idea of an updated Building Analyst Certification has created quite a stir in the industry, and I would expect there to be a delay of accurate information being listed on utility and rebate websites. It’ll take some time for everyone to get back on the same page. 

What’s important to know is that Building Analyst has changed, and hopefully the information above will help you navigate whatever requirements you run into for a job or project.

For more information, give us a call at 800-460-2575.