To advance quality of both installations and the training process, standards and certification systems for clean energy technologies are important to take seriously. Certificates are most valuable when they are designed and overseen by technical or professional associations, educational systems, or other neutral third parties, and when their elements are visible for evaluation by the potential user.   These systems are rapidly evolving, so please keep on top of the information sources below. 

Certification of solar photovoltaic and solar thermal installers is managed by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners, www.nabcep.org.

Small wind installers are also certified by NABCEP, which holds regular certification exams.

Installers of geothermal ground-source heat pump systems are certified by the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association (http://www.igshpa.okstate.edu).    

Training curricula for the trainers themselves, and oversight of credentialing programs, comes from the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (http://www.irecusa.org).

Green building certifications and accreditations are diverse, including the well known Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standard from the U.S. Green Building Council (http://www.usgbc.org).  As a substantive, entry-level overview for professionals, the National Sustainable Building Advisor Certificate offered by many of the CETTC colleges is a nationally recognized resource (http://www.nasbap.org).

Energy efficiency in buildings is the province of the Building Performance Institute (http://www.bpi.org), and trainings in basic building efficiency assessment and upgrades are provided through the SUNY partners with guidance from the Center for Energy Efficient Buildings at Hudson Valley Community College.

The broader world of certifications and trainings is complex and fast-moving.  SUNY continuing education courses have selected the most credible and user-friendly training modules in other specialty areas, and in the emerging area of general knowledge certification for green professionals.