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Established in 1971, the
National Environmental Balancing Bureau (NEBB) is the
premier international certification association for
firms that deliver high performance building systems.
Our members perform testing, adjusting and balancing
(TAB) of heating, ventilating and air-conditioning
systems, building system commissioning,
retro-commissioning, execute sound and vibration
testing, and test and certify laboratory fume hoods and
electronic and biological cleanrooms. |
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Building
owners, engineers and contractors seeking ways to cut
costs through the proper design, installation and
optimal performance heating, ventilation, air
conditioning and refrigeration systems, benefit from
working with NEBB certified professionals, who are
required to complete extensive training and testing
programs in order to attain certification status. |
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NEBB’s certification training and testing programs
are the most rigorous in the industry. NEBB-certified
firms and professionals have the skills necessary to
measure the efficiency of building systems, but also
the practical knowledge and communication skills to
create practical solutions for business owners. |
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began offering testing, adjusting and balancing (TAB)
certification in 1971 and has since expanded its
programs in response to the needs of the market. NEBB
also offers certification for: |
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Sound, Vibration or
Sound and Vibration |
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Building System
Commissioning (BSC) |
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Retro-Commissioning (RCx) |
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Cleanroom Testing (CPT) |
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order to qualify for certification, a firm must: |
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Have been
in business as a specialized contractor with full-time
employees for 12 months |
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Enjoy a reputation
for integrity and responsible performance |
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Have
letters of reference and endorsement from project
partners such as building owners or consulting engineers |
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Be affiliated and in
good standing with a local NEBB chapter |
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Possess
the various appropriate instruments required for the
work for which they are seeking certification |
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Confirm in
writing that the company will conform to NEBB guidelines |
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Possess the
appropriate NEBB Procedural Standards |
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Designate,
in writing, one or more certified professionals who will
represent the firm and be responsible for the
supervision of all work |
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NEBB
certified professionals must be employed full-time by a
certified or candidate firm in a management position,
pass the appropriate NEBB examinations and meet
additional management and educational requirements. In
order to become NEBB certified for TAB, an individual
must complete an eight-hour, three-part written
examination and a six-hour practical examination, which
tests a candidate’s ability to apply his or her
knowledge in a real-world setting. |
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S&V,
CPT and Fume Hood Testing certification candidates
must complete a three-day training course and
complete a four-hour written and practical
examination, and Building Systems Commissioning and
Retro-Commissioning candidates complete a three- or
four-day training program and must complete a
written multi-part exam. |
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Capital-MarVa NEBB administers the NEBB program on a
local level. We offer certification for: |
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Building System
Commissioning |
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Sound, Vibration or
Sound and Vibration |
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Capital-MarVa
NEBB proctors the NEBB Certified
Professional written exam locally every
September and March. The written exam for
technicians and the practical qualification
exam for certified professionals and
technicians are also proctored locally
throughout the year. Please see Calendar of
Events for exact date, time, location and
deadline dates for all exams. |
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Certified Professionals TAB
Certification |
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To apply for firm and certified professional
affiliation through the Capital-MarVa Chapter of
NEBB you must submit an application to the local
chapter along with the following: |
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You are
required to provide six (6) letters of
endorsement attesting to the firm's
qualifications (not the individual’s
qualifications) with respect to responsible
performance, quality work and ethical
business practices. These endorsements, from
general contractors, architects, engineers
or building owners that the company has
worked for in the past, should be addressed
to NEBB. Please note that only one of those
letters can be from a contractor. Make sure
these letters are not boiler stamped
letters. Ensure the company name appears in
the body of each letter and that the letters
are signed. Please note that these letters
must reference the firm, not the candidate
certified professionals exclusively. |
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The firm
must have operated for a minimum period
of 12 months continuously with full-time
employees prior to submitting an
"Application for Certification". |
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Please fully
complete and sign Form A-1 and A-2 on page
one and page four (Form A-3 is not needed
unless an additional certified professionals
is also applying). Job experience needs to
be completed and make sure to use the format
shown on page 4 of Form A-1. Employment
history will be verified. You must possess
the NEBB Procedural Standards Manual for the
respective discipline. |
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Once your
paperwork has been received and
reviewed, it will be submitted to NEBB
National. Contact Tiffany Suite at
tiffany@capitalmarva.org
for application and fee information. |
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Your
certified professionals and firm
have a 3 year period from the date
first application is made to pass
the Written Exam and the Practical
Exam. If passage of both exams is
not completed within this 3 year
time period, you must wait an
additional 2 years before you can
re-apply for the certification
process again. At that time you will
have to submit another application
packet and full fees. |
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For
extra testing materials and
courses, you can log onto
www.nebb.org and find Testing,
Adjusting and Balancing Home
Study Guide for Supervisors
under Publications. NEBB also
offers a certified
professional’s review class in
Arizona. Again, information for
this class can be found on the
web under Seminars and Exams. |
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At the
beginning of each calendar year you will be charged a
candidate firm fee until such time as you and the firm
is fully certified. This fee is mandatory to keep your
candidate firm status and to continue your application
process. |
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The
National NEBB organization has established a
qualification process and cutoff dates with respect to
applications for testing. The process requires a
specific pre-qualification application for the applicant
and the applicant's firm in order to register and
participate in testing. The initial phase of the
prequalification is the submission of the application
and fees. To find out the deadline for turning in
application and fees, please contact Tiffany Suite at
tiffany@capitalmarva.org. |
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To find
out when the next exam for certified professionals
candidates will be given in our area, check Calendar of
Events. Upon attaining a passing score on the written
examination, a practical examination is administered
through the local chapter to complete your certification
process (check our Calendar of Events) or you may attend
a session in our National facility in Arizona throughout
the year. After the successful completion of both exams,
you will be provided a company stamp, certificate, and
certification number for your exclusive use in your
business. Certification and membership in NEBB allows
you a member discount on publications. |
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To
become NEBB Technician certified you must first be
employed by a NEBB certified firm and then submit an
application for testing to the local chapter. To find
out when the next exam for technician candidates will be
given in our area, check Calendar of Events. For any
questions, you should contact Chapter Coordinator,
Tiffany Suite at 301.599.9450 or
tiffany@capitalmarva.org. |
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