Current Situations and Trends in Buildings and Facility Operations

Building Intelligence Group Completes a Major NSF-Funded Study

In collaboration with Laney College, Building Intelligence Group completed this study as part of a larger research effort focused on "Educating Technicians for Building Automation and Sustainability". This research was funded by the National Science Foundation's Advanced Technological Education program.

Americans depend on commercial and institutional buildings including schools, offices, government buildings, retail stores, hotels, airports, and hospitals to provide safe and comfortable indoor environments. These buildings have a major impact on our economy and global competitiveness. They are also responsible for close to 20 percent of all energy usage and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Despite the importance of these buildings and their impact on the economy and environment, little attention is paid to appropriate training and professional development of technicians, operators, and facility managers responsible for proper operation of buildings. This project synopsis briefly describes relevant trends and influencing factors, as determined through Current Situation and Trends in Buildings and Facility Operations, the research report supporting the National Science Foundation Project “Educating Technicians for Building Automation and Sustainability”. The goal of the research was to document current trends by investigating the current condition of buildings and their operations and maintenance, with a primary focus on how technician training is impacted by global issues of energy, emissions, sustainability, market trends, legislation and regulation, technology and systems, people and processes, and the existing buildings portfolio. The research then summarizes the steps necessary for building automation technicians to have opportunities to obtain the skills required to operate high performance buildings today and in the future. This included the completion of a gap analysis, the development of a call to action, and identification of areas of future work and research.

Download the Project Synopsis, or e-mail us to request the full report.