Westar Energy gets OK to offer BOC certification classes

TOPEKA -- The Kansas Energy Office, a division of the Kansas Corporation Commission, has approved Westar Energy's plan to expand its statewide Building Operator Certification program (BOC) training to include municipal and cooperative utility customers. BOC, a licensed program provided through the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (MEEA), is now open to any building operator responsible for day-to-day maintenance and operation interested in learning how to achieve measurable, sustainable energy savings for his or her facility.

Westar has worked with representatives from the Kansas Energy Office, MEEA, Midwest Energy, Empire District Electric Co., Kansas City Power & Light, rural electric cooperatives and municipal utilities to extend the state's network of certified operators.

"The Kansas Energy Office has allocated federal funds to assist with this effort so more people can benefit from comprehensive training to make businesses, schools, hospitals and other facilities more energy efficient," Kansas Energy Office Director Ray Hammarlund said.

BOC is a nationally recognized competency-based training and certification program for building operators designed to inform them about energy efficiency applications and help utilities reduce peak load and defer the need for investing in additional generation capacity. Operators earn certification by successfully completing a series of training sessions, in-class exams and project assignments (completed within their respective facilities). BOC certification provides a credential for the building operators' professional development and provides employers with a way to identify skilled operators.

The BOC offers two levels of certification. Level I emphasizes energy efficient building maintenance practices. Level II stresses advanced equipment troubleshooting and preventive maintenance and offers elective courses to accommodate the varying needs of participants. With practical projects, participants are able to apply tools and methods taught in class to their own facility, constructing functional records for electrical systems, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) operations, lighting levels and controls, and annual profiles of energy consumption.

Participants receive reference manuals and access to the nationwide BOC network of participants for troubleshooting, best practices and advice, a release said.

Since November 2009, 91 building operators have become certified. A course will be offered in Topeka June 21 through Dec. 6 at the Kansas Historical Society, 6425 SW 6th Ave. Visit www.westarenergy.com to select the EfficiencyWorks tab and register for the course.

Westar Energy, Inc. (NYSE: WR) is the largest electric utility in Kansas, providing electric service to about 679,000 customers in the state. Westar Energy has about 6,800 megawatts of electric generation capacity and operates and coordinates approximately 35,000 miles of electric distribution and transmission lines.