NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy 

Efficiency & Renewable Energy, operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.

Contract No. DE-AC36-08GO28308

Guidelines for Home Energy 

Professionals Project: 

Multifamily Job Task Analyses 

Needs Assessment

Nick Dirr, David Hepinstall, and Megan Douglas

Association for Energy Affordability, Inc.

Stefan Buck

Advanced Energy

Christina Larney

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Technical Report

NREL/TP-7A40-57405

January 2013
NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy 

Efficiency & Renewable Energy, operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

15013 Denver West Parkway

Golden, Colorado 80401

303-275-3000 • www.nrel.gov

Contract No. DE-AC36-08GO28308

Guidelines for Home Energy 

Professionals Project: 

Multifamily Job Task Analyses 

Needs Assessment 

Nick Dirr, David Hepinstall, and Megan Douglas

Association for Energy Affordability, Inc.

Stefan Buck

Advanced Energy

Christina Larney

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Prepared under Task No. IGST.1430

Technical Report

NREL/TP-7A40-57405

January 2013
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iv 

Acronyms and Abbreviations

AE Advanced Energy 

AEA Association for Energy Affordability 

BAS building automation system

COM-BO Commercialization Building/Operating Engineer 

Technician

COM-CX Commercial Building Commissioning/Retrocommissioning Authority 

COM-EA Commercial Building Energy Auditor

COM-EM Commercial Building Energy Modeler 

COM-FM Commercial Building Facility Manager 

COM-SM Commercial Building Energy/Sustainability 

Manager

Cx commissioning 

DOE U.S. Department of Energy 

HMG Heschong Mahone Group 

HUD U.S. Department of Housing and Urban 

 Development 

HVAC heating, ventilation, and air conditioning

JTA job task analysis

KCHA King County Housing Authority 

LISC Local Initiatives Support Corporation 

NMIC Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation 

NRCERT New River Center for Energy Research and 

Training

NREL National Renewable Energy Laboratory 

NYSERDA New York State Energy Research and Development 

Authority

O&M operations and maintenance 

QC quality control 

RCx retro-commissioning 

SME subject matter expert 

SWS standard work specifications

TNDC Tenderloin Neighborhood Development 

Corporation 

VAV variable-air volume

WAP Weatherization Assistance Program
v 

Table of Contents

Acronyms and Abbreviations ................................................................................................................... iv

List of Tables .............................................................................................................................................. vi

Background ................................................................................................................................................. 1

Purpose of Job Task Analyses................................................................................................................ 2

Existing Job Task Analyses for the Building Performance Industry ............................................... 3

Introduction ................................................................................................................................................. 4

Multifamily Building Job Task Analyses Needs Assessment ................................................................ 5

Scope ...................................................................................................................................................... 5

Format and Process ................................................................................................................................ 5

Recommendation on the Development of Multifamily-Specific JTAs ................................................... 8

Appendix: Subject Matter Expert Working Group Webinar Summaries ............................................... 9

Group 1: Energy Auditor and Quality Control Inspector Webinar Summary........................................ 9

Commercial Building JTAs Review Results ................................................................................... 9

SME Group Recommendation....................................................................................................... 11

Proposed Next Steps...................................................................................................................... 12

Group 2: Building Operator Webinar Summary .................................................................................. 12

Commercial Building JTAs Review Results ................................................................................. 13

SME Group Recommendation....................................................................................................... 14

Proposed Next Steps...................................................................................................................... 14

Group 3: Project/Program Manager Webinar Summary ...................................................................... 14

Commercial Building JTAs Review Results ................................................................................. 15

SME Group Recommendation....................................................................................................... 16

Proposed Next Steps...................................................................................................................... 17

Project/Program Manager Roundtable Summary................................................................................. 17

Goal................................................................................................................................................ 18

Discussion...................................................................................................................................... 18

Proposed Next Steps...................................................................................................................... 19

 
vi 

List of Tables

Table 1. Proposed Multifamily Job Designations and Assigned SMEs ................................................ 6

Table 2. Group 1: SMEs and Reviewed JTAs........................................................................................... 9

Table 3. Group 2: SMEs and Reviewed JTAs......................................................................................... 12

Table 4. Group 3: SMEs and Reviewed JTAs......................................................................................... 15

Table 5. Multifamily Project/Program Manager Roundtable Participants ........................................... 17
 1 

Background 

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) and the 

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have developed the Guidelines for Home 

Energy Professionals (Guidelines) project to support and promote high-quality energy upgrade 

work within the WAP. The Guidelines project seeks to provide foundational resources not only 

for the WAP, but also for workers, contractors, training providers, homeowners, and program 

administrators involved in the greater home performance industry to facilitate job growth in this 

sector and increase the skilled workforce available to perform home energy upgrade work. 

The Guidelines project aims to achieve the highest possible quality in any given home energy 

upgrade task through a three-pronged approach: 

1. Standard work specifications (SWS) 

SWS define the minimum acceptable outcomes for effective, durable, and safe energy 

upgrade work. SWS for single-family, multifamily, and manufactured housing energy 

upgrades are being developed under the Guidelines project. 

2. Job task analyses (JTAs) 

The JTAs for energy upgrade job designations define what a worker needs to do and 

know to be successful in a given job. The single-family housing sector has developed 

four major job designations that include retrofit installer/technician, crew leader, energy 

auditor, and quality control (QC) inspector. Meanwhile, the commercial building sector 

has developed six job categories that include commercial building energy auditor, 

commissioning (Cx)/retro-commissioning (RCx) authority, commercial building energy 

modeler, operations engineer/building technician, facility manager, and 

energy/sustainability manager. The JTAs for energy upgrade work allow for the 

certification of workers and the accreditation of training programs, ultimately ensuring 

quality workmanship for consumers. 

3. Certification blueprints

Certification blueprints synthesize SWS content and JTAs by laying out a roadmap for 

developing worker certifications specific to a designated job category. Four worker 

certification blueprints have been developed for each of the single-family housing JTAs. 

Home energy professional worker certifications are being developed from these 

blueprints and are part of the Guidelines project. They aim to test a worker’s competency 

to properly perform the work of the job category being evaluated. 

The Guidelines project allows industry to leverage these three components to develop training 

resources, quality assurance protocols, accredited training programs, and professional 

certifications. The development of these foundational materials for the WAP, and for the home 

performance industry, facilitates a growing, skilled home energy upgrade workforce that is able 

to meet the increasing demand for energy upgrade work while maintaining quality assurance for 

homeowners and employers. 
2 

Purpose of Job Task Analyses

JTAs are resources that allow industry to define quality work and educate a skilled workforce to 

perform that work. Ensuring quality work and having access to the needed workforce are key 

factors for enabling an industry to grow and sustain itself. The development of JTAs is the first 

step in creating worker certifications and training accreditations within an industry or a sector of 

industry. JTAs serve as a foundational resource from which certification blueprints and 

certification tests can be developed as needed. They provide the industry a comprehensive 

catalog of tasks and the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform these tasks

competently. 

While the development of JTAs can be seen as creating a barrier to market entry for certain 

workers and contractors, the benefits of having a uniform, consensus-based definition of energy 

upgrade work will ultimately propel the home performance industry forward. JTAs establish a 

mechanism for quality control that will help prevent unskilled workers and contractors from 

performing work. The need for skilled workers and contractors is especially pertinent in the 

home energy upgrade field where consumers and financers expect a certain level of energy 

savings to offset the cost of the work. 

The complexities of the work as well as the financing of energy upgrade work create a situation 

in which JTAs are very useful to the home performance industry. As a resource, they facilitate 

industry in achieving the following benefits in their supporting role for certification and 

accreditation programs.

WAP agencies 

Benefits include the following: 

• Agency reputation is improved by employing certified workers. 

• Certified workers stand out in grant proposals and other funding opportunities. 

• Utilities often prefer partnerships with weatherization agencies that employ certified 

workers. 

• Certified workers are attractive to utility rebate programs as they can enhance their 

investments. 

Energy efficiency program administrators

Certified workers are trained, capable, and professional, which leads to: 

• Quality work done right the first time

• Increased cost efficiency and reduced call backs

• Reduced liability by providing safe conditions for the worker and the homeowner

• Satisfied customers. 

Workers 

Differentiates workers in a growing, competitive industry by demonstrating: 

• Proven skills and abilities 

• Commitment to quality work

• Commitment to results

• Delivery of a clear career lattice

• Reduced liability by providing safe conditions for the worker and the homeowner 
3 

• Increased homeowner confidence. 

Employers 

Benefits include: 

• Strengthening contractor reputation and integrity

• Increasing effectiveness

• Doing quality work right the first time

• Delivering work on time and on budget 

• Increasing cost efficiency and reduced call backs

• Reducing liability by providing safe conditions for the worker and the homeowner 

• Satisfied customers

• Identifying talent for increased confidence when hiring. 

Existing Job Task Analyses for the Building Performance Industry

In the last 18 months, DOE has facilitated the development of JTAs for both the commercial 

buildings sector and the single-family housing sector. While there is some overlap in the 

knowledge and skills needed to work in each of these sectors, there are very distinct job tasks 

that do not carry over from one to the other. These distinctions are apparent, for the most part, 

when looking at residential, single-family homes as compared to commercial buildings. Upon 

consideration of multifamily housing, these distinctions are not as clear, but this sector of the 

industry has been hurt by the lack of definition specific to multifamily housing due to an ad hoc 

attempt to place this diverse building set either under the umbrella of commercial buildings or 

residential housing focused on single-family homes. 

The definition of multifamily housing used for this study is:

Any dwelling that contains five or more living units, which share one or more building 

systems and has three categories:

Low-rise: 1-3 stories with any shared building system 

Mid-rise: 4-5 stories with any shared building system 

High-rise: 6 stories or greater. 
4 

Introduction

Creating multifamily housing JTAs in addition to the already existing single-family and 

commercial building JTAs will allow for quality training and certifications within this unique 

sector. Workers, employers, and consumers will benefit from the proposed multifamily-specific 

JTAs. Workers will be provided a clear understanding of the varying skill sets, nuances, and 

knowledge needed to perform energy upgrades within each sector. This clear delineation will 

result in more effective measures and outcomes and will ultimately increase energy savings in all 

building types, benefitting consumers and employers. Having JTAs specific to each building 

sector clarifies career paths and educational opportunities for newcomers to the industry as well 

as for those practitioners with previous experience in one building sector transitioning to another. 

In addition, employers and consumers can be reasonably assured that a certified worker is able to 

perform the designated work at a satisfactory level or better, and can have greater confidence in 

the workmanship of a certified worker. 

In completing the work on the multifamily SWS, the need for JTAs has become increasingly 

apparent in multifamily weatherization (and the broader multifamily building performance 

industry). To determine whether the proposed multifamily job categories needed to have 

multifamily-specific JTAs developed, a study was conducted to assess whether or not the 

existing JTAs for commercial buildings could be adopted “as-is” and effectively used for the 

proposed multifamily job categories. 

After reviewing the existing commercial building JTAs, the study determined that the recent 

work completed with the support of DOE in the commercial sector would not provide an 

adequate basis for adoption and use in the multifamily sector. The study concluded that the

creation of JTAs for key professionals in the multifamily building sector is required to 

effectively address energy upgrade work in multifamily buildings. 

This report describes the efforts carried out to determine whether there is a need to develop 

separate, multifamily-specific JTAs for the four proposed job categories. The multifamily SWS 

market committee considered these job designations to be the best candidates for developing 

JTAs and certification blueprints, as well as having the greatest potential for promoting job 

growth in the multifamily home performance industry. 
5 

Multifamily Building Job Task Analyses Needs 

Assessment NREL, Advanced Energy (AE), and the Association for Energy Affordability (AEA) created and 

managed a JTA study that engaged thirteen multifamily building subject matter experts (SMEs)

to assess six commercial building JTAs to determine whether a distinct need existed for the 

multifamily workforce to have its own JTAs or if it could effectively use existing commercial 

building JTAs. 

Scope

This study’s main emphasis was on identifying gaps that might exist between the existing 

commercial building JTAs and the four proposed multifamily job categories for building 

operator, energy auditor, QC inspector, and project/program manager. The intent of the study 

was not to actually develop the proposed multifamily JTAs; it sought to find out from 

multifamily experts and practitioners whether there is a need for a future process to develop 

JTAs specific to the proposed multifamily job designations. This study did not look at the 

existing single-family JTAs, but these JTAs did come up during discussions and are mentioned 

in the appendix to the extent that they were addressed.

Format and Process

The study began with a kick-off meeting in which thirteen multifamily SMEs were given an 

overview of the assessment process and assigned to one of the three working groups. SMEs 

were tasked with reviewing the draft commercial building JTAs that corresponded to their 

assigned multifamily job category. To gain insight on whether there was a need for multifamilyspecific JTAs, they were asked to consider the three following items: 

1. Details important to the multifamily job category not covered in the commercial building 

JTAs (“gaps”). 

2. Components unique to commercial properties and not applicable to the multifamily 

designation. 

3. Whether a future process to develop a JTA specific to the multifamily job category was 

needed. 

See Table 1 for participating SMEs and corresponding commercial building JTAs assignments 

for each proposed multifamily job designation. 
6 

Table 1. Proposed Multifamily Job Designations and Assigned SMEs 

Proposed 

Multifamily Job 

Designations

Building 

Operator 

Project/Program 

Manager

Energy Auditor QC Inspector

SMEs Asit Patel

John Krigger

Nick Dirr

Nehemiah Stone

Dan Rieber

Wayne Waite

Lindsay Robbins

Mike MacDonald

Phil Hull 

Jeff Staller

Andy Brooks

Dan Cogan

Glen Salas

Corresponding 

Commercial 

Building Job 

Designations

• Building/ 

Operating 

Engineer 

Technician

• Facility 

Manager

• Energy/

Sustainability 

Manager

• Facility 

Manager

• Energy Auditor

• Cx/RCx 

Authority

• Energy 

Modeler

• Energy Auditor

• Cx/RCx 

Authority

• Energy 

Modeler

Each working group participated in a 2- to 3-hour work session webinar focused on whether 

there was a need to develop a JTA specific to the group’s multifamily job category. The working 

groups were coordinated by a point-of-contact from NREL, AEA, or AE, and were facilitated by 

AEA. Each webinar had a designated scribe to take notes to capture the SMEs insights and 

discussion. These notes were then used by the working group facilitators and points-of-contact

to develop a webinar summary and consensus statement regarding the relevance of existing 

commercial building JTAs to the corresponding proposed multifamily job category. After the 

work session webinar, the summary, recommendations, and proposed next steps were distributed 

to the participating SMEs for review to ensure that the document accurately captured the findings 

of the working group. 

Thirteen multifamily building SMEs actively participated in the study and additional experts in 

the field were consulted through the roundtable centered on the project/program manager job 

designation. These individuals have more than 300 years of combined experience in the 

multifamily retrofit industry; each averages approximately fifteen years of experience. SMEs 

from throughout the country participated in the study with a total of ten states represented in the 

overall study and discussions. 

In addition, the organizations involved in the study represented various interests in the 

multifamily industry. They included representatives from affordable multifamily housing 

developers, local WAP sub grantees, state WAP grantees, the U.S. Department of Housing and 

Urban Development (HUD), and DOE as well as multifamily energy efficiency and building 

science experts, trainers, program administrators, and property owners. 

In addition to the three working group webinars, there was a 1-hour voluntary multifamily 

project/program manager roundtable discussion held to gather stakeholder and industry input to 

create a general definition of the multifamily project/program manager. This roundtable 

discussion and the general definition formulated were used to inform the JTA needs assessment 

for the project/program manager working group. The roundtable was open to all SMEs 
7 

participating in the study and additional invitees. Fifteen multifamily building professionals 

attended the roundtable as well as staff from DOE, NREL, AE, and AEA. SMEs in attendance 

included: 

• Crystal Bergemann, HUD, Denver, Colorado 

• Wayne Waite, HUD, Reno, Nevada 

• Brody Vance, Franklin Energy, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 

• Nehemiah Stone, Benningfield Group, Folsom, California

• Katie Lamont, Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation (TNDC), San 

Francisco, California

• Phil Hull, New River Center for Energy Research and Training (NRCERT), San 

Francisco, California

• Lindsay Robbins, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority

(NYSERDA), New York, New York

• Dan Rieber, Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation (NMIC), New York, New 

York

• Peggy Jen, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) San Francisco, California

• Michael Freedberg, HUD, Washington D.C. 

• Dan Cogan, Taitem Engineering, Ithaca, New York

• Jeff Staller, Heschong Mahone Group (HMG), Encinitas, California

• Dan Auer, King County Housing Authority (KCHA), Seattle, Washington 

• Julieann Summerfield, HMG, Oakland, California

• Amit Sarin, HUD, Washington, D.C. 

For detailed summaries of the working group webinars and project/program manager roundtable 

discussions, see the Appendix. 
8 

Recommendation on the Development of MultifamilySpecific JTAs 

Each SME working group concluded that the multifamily building workforce needs its own 

distinct JTAs. As they currently stand, the reviewed commercial building JTAs are not good 

“stand-alone” documents for any of the multifamily job categories. The reviewed commercial

building JTAs do not cover the full range of skills and knowledge needed for the multifamily 

sector; and in many instances, the reviewed JTAs included details that are not applicable to the 

multifamily job designations. 

The working groups recommend the future development of multifamily JTAs be conducted for 

the proposed energy auditor, QC inspector, building operator, and project/program manager job 

categories. The SMEs recommend that the future process consider an approach that can account 

for, and properly manage, the full range of multifamily buildings, which vary broadly in size, 

complexity, equipment types, regional variations, ownership structures, funding structures, and 

occupancy types. The working groups recognized that a number of the commercial building 

JTAs have some individual components that can carry over to the multifamily designations. As 

such, the SMEs recommend that the future process use this existing information to help inform 

the development of multifamily-specific JTAs. 

The development of the proposed JTAs will enable the accreditation of energy efficiency 

training programs for multifamily buildings and verification that organizations training workers 

in the industry are qualified to teach to multifamily job categories. The end result will develop a 

highly qualified workforce that delivers better value to employers and homeowners by 

specifically addressing the multifamily section of the home performance industry thus increasing

quality assurance for employers, property owners and managers, and tenants/homeowners. 

In various instances, multifamily buildings have been classified as either a commercial building 

or a low-rise residential building, often based on building height, which has resulted in longstanding issues, missed opportunities, and confusion in the industry. To avoid this confusion and 

the ad hoc classification of multifamily buildings that leads to less effective energy upgrades, 

multifamily buildings need to be treated independently of these other building types in the home 

performance industry. 

Developing JTAs specific to multifamily buildings will help lay the foundation for the future 

development of standards, certifications, training, and programs that are specifically designed for 

multifamily buildings and will thus produce better results. Well-defined multifamily JTAs will 

produce not only better results (and increase energy savings) but also will assist in clarifying 

career paths and educational opportunities for those practitioners with previous experience in 

either single-family housing or commercial buildings. 

This study concludes that the existing commercial building JTAs cannot be applied effectively to 

the majority of multifamily buildings. The inadequacy of the existing commercial building JTAs 

to effectively address the work and skills needed to perform energy upgrades on multifamily 

buildings demonstrates the need for development of JTAs specific to the four proposed 

multifamily job categories. 
9 

Appendix: Subject Matter Expert Working Group 

Webinar Summaries 

The following sections provide a summary of each working group webinar as conducted with the 

multifamily building SMEs. Each working group member analyzed two or three of the existing 

commercial building JTAs in order to determine their applicability to the respective proposed 

multifamily JTA category being discussed in the 3-hour webinar. Notes from the webinar 

discussion were used to form a summary, SME recommendations, and proposed next steps. Each 

SME reviewed the webinar summary, recommendations, and proposed next steps to ensure the 

written documents accurately reflected the SMEs’ previous analysis, discussion, and final 

determinations during the webinar.

Group 1: Energy Auditor and Quality Control Inspector Webinar 

Summary

The following summarizes the multifamily energy auditor and QC inspector working group’s 

webinar. Table 2 contains the webinar’s participants and reviewed commercial building JTAs. 

Table 2. Group 1: SMEs and Reviewed JTAs 

Group 1 Multifamily Energy Auditor and QC Inspector

Webinar Date Nov. 12, 2012

SMEs Dan Cogan, Taitem Engineering

Phil Hull, NRCERT

Mike MacDonald, Oak Ridge National Laboratory 

Glen Salas, Sustainable Management Solutions

Jeff Staller, HMG

Andy Brooks, AEA

Facilitators Vince Perez and David Hepinstall, AEA

Scribe Christina Larney, NREL

Points of Contact Christina Larney and Rachel Romero, NREL

Reviewed Commercial 

Building JTAs 

Commercial Building Energy Auditor (COM-EA)

Commercial Building Cx/RCx Authority (COM-CX)

Commercial Building Energy Modeler (COM-EM)

Commercial Building JTAs Review Results 

Regarding the proposed multifamily energy auditor and QC inspector job categories, the SMEs 

identified the following gaps in the reviewed commercial building JTAs as well as content that 

was not applicable to the proposed multifamily job category. 
10 

Areas Unique to Multifamily Energy Auditor Not Covered in Commercial Building JTAs 

• There are little to no details in any of the commercial building JTAs on the residential 

components of a multifamily building, including the “soft skills” needed for tenant 

engagement and interaction; and the technical skills for identifying appropriate audit 

sampling methods for multifamily buildings, auditing the apartments/dwelling units, and 

multifamily domestic hot water systems. 

• There is little discussion regarding auditing and the diagnostic skills specific to 

multifamily buildings for building enclosure, infiltration, mechanical ventilation systems, 

and indoor air quality. 

• Most of the commercial building JTAs speak more to large, central, and complex 

commercial systems and do not address mid- and low-rise type residential buildings, in 

particular, non-central (dwelling-unit) hot water and heating, ventilation, and airconditioning (HVAC) systems.

• Most of the commercial building energy modeler JTA speaks more to code compliance, 

new construction, and hourly simulation software tools, and lack the necessary 

information for, and are considerably more advanced than, the multifamily building 

energy audit software tools currently used in the industry.

Areas Unique to Multifamily QC Inspector Not Covered in Commercial Building JTAs 

• It was recognized that a multifamily QC inspector needs not simply to confirm that the 

work was done, but also needs to confirm that the estimated energy savings are likely to 

be realized—this confirmation aspect was missing in the existing commercial building 

JTAs. Multifamily QC inspection includes confirming that what is found on-site 

correlates with and supports the energy audit. Thus, the multifamily QC inspector needs 

to understand many of the components of multifamily energy auditing in order to perform 

a QC inspection; although, in many areas it can be at a more general level of 

understanding. 

• The multifamily QC inspector also needs to be familiar with multifamily energy 

modeling to determine if the energy savings and projections are accurate and in 

agreement with equipment and quality of installation at the multifamily property. As 

such, each of the components missing from the commercial building JTAs in regards to

the multifamily energy auditor, as identified above, also applies to the multifamily QC 

inspector. 

Areas Only Applicable to Commercial Building JTAs and Not a Multifamily Energy 

Auditor

• The COM-CX JTA is very specific to the Cx authority process, and less so to the 

multifamily energy auditing process. 

• Many of the systems identified in the commercial building JTAs would apply to a very 

small subset of multifamily buildings (less than 15%-20%), such as high-rise multifamily

buildings with complex HVAC systems (central chillers, ducted variable-air volume 

[VAV] systems, etc.). 

• The marketing/project development/scoping skills highlighted in the COM-EA JTA are 

more advanced than what is necessary for a typical multifamily energy auditor. 
11 

• Much of the COM-EA JTA is more relevant to modeling a new construction commercial 

building for energy code compliance; the tools to do so are different from the tools used 

in the existing building multifamily energy audit industry. 

Areas Only Applicable to Commercial Building JTAs and Not a Multifamily QC Inspector

• COM-EM JTA is more detailed and advanced than what is needed for a multifamily QC 

inspector. A multifamily QC inspector needs to be a good translator/interpreter of the 

audit and model in order to confirm that what is found on-site correlates with and 

supports the energy audit report and the model’s projected savings, but does not need to 

have the level or extent of skills listed in the COM-EM JTA. 

• Many of the systems identified in the commercial building JTAs would apply to a very 

small subset of multifamily buildings (less than 15%-20%), such as high-rise multifamily

buildings with complex HVAC systems (central chillers, ducted VAV systems, etc.).

• The COM-CX JTA is very specific to the Cx authority process—a sometimes complex, 

relatively expensive procedure—and less so to the simpler multifamily QC inspection 

process. Tasks/items listed in the COM-CX JTA, but not applicable to a multifamily QC 

inspector, include Cx process and documentation, managing the Cx process, developing 

and coordinating testing schedules, reporting and analyzing results, performing end-ofwarranty reviews, professional liability, and risk factors.

SME Group Recommendation

The working group recommends that a unique JTA development process be conducted for both a 

multifamily energy auditor and QC inspector. As they currently stand, the reviewed commercial 

building JTAs are not good “stand-alone” documents for multifamily job designations. The 

majority of the reviewed commercial building JTAs apply to building types that make up a very 

small subset of multifamily buildings (less than 15%-20%), and do little to address the typical 

tasks and technological understanding a multifamily energy auditor and QC inspector would 

need for small and mid-size multifamily buildings. The commercial building JTAs have little to 

no details on the residential components of a multifamily building, including the “soft skills” 

needed for tenant engagement and interaction, the technical skills for identifying appropriate 

audit sampling methods for multifamily buildings and auditing the apartments/dwelling units and 

multifamily domestic hot water systems. 

The existing commercial building JTAs are lacking in multifamily auditing and diagnostic skills 

for building enclosure, infiltration, mechanical ventilation systems, and indoor air quality 

specific to multifamily buildings. Additionally, much of the commercial building JTAs are 

geared toward new construction and energy modeling for alternative method code compliance 

and are inadequate for addressing energy audits and QC inspections in multifamily buildings. In 

some cases, they go significantly beyond the necessary tasks and skills for performing energy 

audits and QC inspections on existing multifamily buildings. 

The COM-CX JTA has useful information, which may be used as a starting point in developing a 

multifamily QC inspector JTA, but because it is specifically designed for a Cx authority in a 

commercial building, there are many missing as well as irrelevant components. Due to these 

significant differences, the existing COM-CX JTA is not a viable substitute for a multifamily QC 

inspector job description. 
12 

As has happened at various times and in various regions of the country, multifamily buildings are 

classified as either a commercial building or a low-rise residential building, based often on 

building height, which has resulted in long-standing issues, missed opportunities, and confusion 

in the industry. Developing JTAs specific to multifamily buildings will help lay the foundation 

for the future development of standards, certifications, training, and programs that are designed 

for multifamily buildings, thus producing better results. 

Well-defined multifamily JTAs will produce not only better results (e.g. increase energy 

savings), but also will clarify career paths and educational opportunities for those practitioners 

with previous experience in either single-family residential housing or commercial buildings. 

Commercial building JTAs should not be applied to all types of multifamily buildings, just as 

single-family residential JTAs should not be applied to all types of multifamily buildings. 

Proposed Next Steps

The working group recommends that a unique JTA process be conducted for both a multifamily

energy auditor and QC inspector. However, because there is a considerable amount of 

information in the existing commercial building JTAs that can be used for these multifamily job 

designations, the group recommends that the future process use this existing information to help 

inform the development of multifamily JTAs. Finally, because multifamily buildings range 

broadly in size, complexity, equipment types, and regional variations, it is not expected that 

every multifamily energy auditor or QC inspector would need to have all the skills necessary for 

every possible type of multifamily building. The group recommends that the future process 

consider an approach that can account for, and properly manage, this variability. 

Group 2: Building Operator Webinar Summary

The following summarizes the multifamily building operator working group’s webinar. Table 3 

contains the webinar’s participants and reviewed commercial building JTAs. 

Table 3. Group 2: SMEs and Reviewed JTAs 

Group 2 Multifamily Building Operator

Webinar Date Nov. 7, 2012

SMEs John Krigger, Saturn Resource Management

Asit Patel, ANP Energy

Nick Dirr, AEA

Facilitators Vince Perez and David Hepinstall, AEA

Scribe Stefan Buck, AE

Point of Contact Megan Douglas, AEA

Reviewed Commercial 

Building JTAs 

Commercial Building Operating Engineer/Building Technician (COM-BO)

Commercial Building Facility Manager (COM-FM)
13 

Commercial Building JTAs Review Results 

Regarding the proposed multifamily building operator job category, the SMEs identified the 

following gaps in the reviewed commercial building JTAs as well as content that was not 

applicable to the proposed multifamily job category. 

Areas Unique to Multifamily Building Operator Not Covered in Commercial Building 

JTAs 

• There are no details in either of the reviewed commercial building JTAs on the residential 

components needed for a multifamily building operator, such as tenant engagement, 

apartment inspections, laundry facilities, pest management, etc.

• There is little description regarding oversight and management of outside contractor and 

consultant personnel, which is an essential responsibility of a multifamily building 

operator and is typically the primary method for equipment maintenance, repair, and 

installation in multifamily buildings.

• The JTAs lack detail for mid- and low-rise type residential buildings, in particular, 

noncentral (dwelling-unit) hot water and HVAC systems. 

• Existing commercial building JTAs lack the “soft skills” often necessary for a building 

operator in an occupied residential building, including managing tenant 

comfort/complaints, janitorial staff, and third-party personnel.

Areas Only Applicable to Commercial Building JTAs and Not Needed for Multifamily

Building Operator

• Most of the systems identified in the COM-BO JTA would apply to a very small subset 

of multifamily buildings (less than 15%-20%), such as high-rise multifamily buildings 

with complex HVAC systems (central chillers, ducted VAV systems, etc.).

• Most of the COM-BO JTA applies to on-staff advanced mechanical maintenance and 

repair work. Most of this equipment would be inspected on-site by a multifamily building 

operator, but the work would often be completed by outside maintenance/mechanical 

contractors. 

• Several areas of the COM-BO JTA have very little to no applicability to multifamily 

building operators, such as overseeing, repairing, and maintaining advanced life-safety 

systems, advanced electrical systems, building automation systems (BAS), cooling 

towers, side-stream systems, VAV systems/pneumatic systems, air-dryer systems, etc.

• Several areas of the COM-FM JTA have very little to no applicability to multifamily 

building operators, such as maintenance management systems (often an outside 

consultant, when existing), managing large-scale operations and maintenance (O&M) 

programs, utility supplier procurement, conducting staff development, performing human 

resources activities and programs, contract procurement and management, budget 

management, strategic planning, asset management, and executing large facility upgrade 

projects. Many of these tasks would be better applied to an asset manager or property 

manager in the multifamily industry. 
14 

SME Group Recommendation

The working group recommends that a unique JTA development process be conducted for a 

multifamily building operator. Too much of the commercial building operating engineer/building 

technician JTA applies to building types, which are a very small subset of multifamily buildings 

(less than 15%-20%), and does little to address the typical tasks of a building operator for small 

and mid-size multifamily buildings. Additionally, the COM-BO JTA does not address the 

residential components of a multifamily building, including apartment inspections, tenant 

engagement, and necessary soft skills. Finally, the existing COM-BO JTA requires the building 

operator to conduct much of the maintenance, repair, operation, and installation of advanced 

equipment, which in a multifamily building is often conducted by outside contractors or 

consultants. As a result, a multifamily building operator JTA would need to include more detail 

regarding managing these outside contractors and consultants. 

The COM-FM JTA has little applicability to a multifamily building operator, and would be 

better suited for an asset manager or property manager in the multifamily industry.

Proposed Next Steps 

The working group recommends that a unique JTA process be conducted for a multifamily

building operator. However, because there is a considerable amount of information in the 

corresponding commercial building JTAs that can be used for a multifamily building operator 

JTA, the group recommends that the future process use this existing information already created 

to help inform the development of a multifamily building operator JTA. Finally, because 

multifamily buildings range broadly in size, complexity, system types, and regional variations, it 

is not expected that every multifamily building operator would need to have all the skills 

necessary for every possible type of multifamily building. The group recommends that the future 

process consider addressing core competencies in addition to identifying specialization based on 

multifamily building type.

Group 3: Project/Program Manager Webinar Summary

The following summarizes the multifamily project/program manager working group’s webinar. 

Table 4 contains the webinar’s participants and reviewed commercial building JTAs. 
15 

Table 4. Group 3: SMEs and Reviewed JTAs 

Group 3 Multifamily Project/Program Manager

Webinar Date Nov. 16, 2012

SMEs Dan Rieber, NMIC

Nehemiah Stone, Benningfield Group

Wayne Waite, HUD

Lindsay Robbins, NYSERDA

Facilitators Nick Dirr and David Hepinstall, AEA

Scribe Stefan Buck, AE

Point of Contact Stefan Buck, AE

Reviewed Commercial 

Building JTAs 

Commercial Building Energy/Sustainability Manager (COM-SM)

Commercial Building Facility Manager (COM-FM)

Commercial Building JTAs Review Results 

Regarding the proposed multifamily project/program manager job category, the SMEs identified 

the following gaps in the corresponding reviewed commercial building JTAs as well as content 

that was not applicable to the proposed multifamily job category. 

Areas Unique to Multifamily Project/Program Manager Not Covered in Commercial

Building JTAs 

• There are no details in either of the reviewed commercial building JTAs on the residential 

components needed for a multifamily project/program manager, including tenant 

engagement, tenant demographics, and evaluation of opportunities in occupied 

apartments or during turnover of apartments. There is no information on management of 

split incentives as well as tenant utility allowances for publicly financed/subsidized 

properties.

• There is little discussion regarding building technologies, systems, and dynamics specific 

to multifamily properties including building enclosure, infiltration, mechanical 

ventilation systems, indoor air quality, combustion safety, multifamily domestic hot 

water systems, water conservation technologies, and on-site renewable energy 

technologies.

• The existing commercial building JTAs lack detail for mid- and low-rise type residential 

buildings, in particular, non-central (dwelling-unit) hot water and HVAC systems. 

• There is little discussion of long-term energy efficiency and green capital planning or 

benchmarking of multiple properties within an organization. The existing commercial 

building JTAs are missing an emphasis on financing and funding of green and energy 
16 

efficiency opportunities in multifamily buildings, as well as the life cycle costing 

necessary for multifamily building, which includes knowledge of financing and 

ownership structure. 

• Multifamily portfolio organizations, affordable multifamily development organizations, 

and multifamily energy efficiency project and programs would not fit well in the existing 

structure of the commercial building JTAs. They do not describe the development and 

adoption of portfolio and organization-wide policies and standards to move properties to 

a condition where they’re continuing to improve the efficiency and quality of the 

housing. 

Areas Only Applicable to Commercial Building JTAs and Not Needed for Multifamily

Project/Program Manager

• Most of the systems identified in the COM-FM JTA would apply to a very small subset 

of multifamily buildings (less than 15%-20%), such as a high-rise multifamily building 

with complex HVAC systems (central chillers, ducted VAV systems, etc.).

• The COM-FM JTA is very specific to a single property and does not apply well to those 

managing multiple properties or projects. Many components of the COM-FM JTA 

would not apply to a multifamily project/program manager, including managing routine 

work orders, BAS, access control systems, security systems, and fire and life-safety 

systems; conducting staff development; and performing human resources activities and 

programs.

• A multifamily project/program manager would not necessarily be conducting the water 

and energy audits as highlighted in the COM-SM JTA, but rather would need to 

understand any audits completed by internal or external energy auditors. 

SME Group Recommendation

The working group recommends that a unique JTA development process be conducted for a 

multifamily project/program manager. As they currently stand, the reviewed commercial 

building JTAs are not good “stand-alone” documents for a multifamily project/program manager. 

The existing COM-FM JTA applies to building types, which are a very small subset of 

multifamily buildings (less than 15%-20%), and do little to address the typical tasks of a building 

operator for small and mid-size multifamily buildings. They also are very specific to a single 

property, and do not apply well to those managing multiple properties or projects. 

The COM-SM JTA is a good starting point, but do not address the residential components of a 

multifamily building, including tenant engagement, tenant demographics, and evaluation of 

opportunities in occupied apartments or during turnover of apartments. There is no information 

on management of split incentives as well as tenant utility allowances for publicly 

financed/subsidized properties. Additionally, it does not adequately focus on long-term energy 

efficiency and green capital planning, or benchmarking of multiple properties within multifamily 

organizations or for a particular program. 

Neither corresponding commercial building JTA includes a description on financing and funding 

of green and energy efficiency opportunities in multifamily buildings as well as the life-cycle 
17 

costing necessary for multifamily buildings, which includes knowledge of financing and 

ownership structure. 

Proposed Next Steps

The working group and industry practitioners agree there is a strong need for the development of 

a JTA for a multifamily project/program manager. The existing COM-SM JTA could serve as a 

useful building block for the multifamily project/program manager JTA, and as such, the group 

recommends that the future process use the existing information to help inform the development 

of the multifamily project/program manager JTA. 

The group recommends that the future process consider an approach that can account for and 

properly manage the full range of multifamily buildings, which vary broadly in size, complexity, 

equipment types, regional variations, ownership structures, funding structures, and occupancy 

types. Additionally, the future JTA development process should address a clear naming 

convention for the multifamily project/program manager JTA to allow it to crosscut and cover 

multiple organizations, projects, or program structures, and to avoid confusion when possible 

(e.g., the potential differences between a “project” and a “program”).

Project/Program Manager Roundtable Summary

The following summarizes the multifamily project/program manager roundtable. Table 5 

contains the roundtable participants. 

Table 5. Multifamily Project/Program Manager Roundtable Participants

Webinar Date Nov. 16, 2012

Roundtable Attendees Crystal Bergemann, HUD

Wayne Waite, HUD

Brody Vance, Franklin Energy

Nehemiah Stone, Benningfield Group

Katie Lamont, TNDC

Phil Hull, NRCERT

Lindsay Robbins, NYSERDA

Dan Rieber, NMIC

Peggy Jen, LISC

Michael Freedberg, HUD

Dan Cogan, Taitem Engineering

Jeff Staller, HMG

Dan Auer, KCHA

Julieann Summerfield, HMG

Amit Sarin, HUD

Facilitators Nick Dirr, AEA 

David Hepinstall, AEA

Jennifer Somers, DOE

Scribe Stefan Buck, AE

Point of Contact Megan Douglas, AEA
18 

Goal

The goal of the roundtable was to create a general definition for the multifamily project/program 

manager. Based on this definition, the existing commercial building JTAs that aligned most 

closely with the proposed multifamily project/program manager were evaluated in order to 

develop a recommendation for whether a multifamily-specific JTA needed to be developed for 

the role of a multifamily project/program manager or whether the corresponding commercial 

building JTAs are sufficient to accurately describe the work and skills needed to competently 

perform a multifamily project/program manager job designation. 

Discussion 

HUD experience has illustrated that the multifamily project/program manager is very critical in 

helping properties achieve energy efficiency savings and green capital improvements within the 

organization. Additionally, the WAP, as well as other energy efficiency multifamily programs, 

has seen the benefits of strong, experienced, and well-defined project and program managers. 

Affordable multifamily development organizations see merit in the development of the 

multifamily project/program manager JTA, as there is currently no training or certification in the 

industry, especially for green and energy efficiency measures. 

The multifamily project/program manager JTA would be an important resource not only for 

specific projects or programs, but for multifamily housing organizations as a whole, particularly 

for portfolio management and long-term green capital planning.

The multifamily project/program manager needs an energy efficiency focus beyond the typical 

asset manager. Within larger organizations, the multifamily project/program manager or 

sustainability manager should be a unique position with more specialization than a typical asset 

manager. 

The project/program manager:

• Serves as a single point of contact and coordinator between multiple stakeholders 

• Interacts with asset managers; owners; local, state, and federal governments; program 

administrators; contract managers; construction managers; multifamily energy efficiency 

consultants; architects; and engineers 

• Needs to be flexible based on client variability and different program types

• Communicates with internal and external experts who can keep the project/program 

manager current with changes in industry, standards, technology, and financing. 

The multifamily project/program manager plays the following general roles and has experience 

in the following fields: 

• Material and services procurement

• Contract management

• Financing and financial management 
19 

• Workforce/labor management

• Construction management 

• Policy and procedure compliance (per regulator/funding source requirements)

• Energy efficiency and building science understanding, including energy conservation 

measures, retrofit specifications, energy policies, O&M best practices, and installation 

standards

• Good translator/interpreter of energy audits and specifications, including understanding 

building technologies, energy models, work scopes, projected savings (and how they can 

be affected by “energy poverty” and comfort issues). 

Proposed Next Steps

Stakeholders within the industry agree that there is a strong need for the development of a JTA 

specific to a multifamily project/program manager. The group recommends that the future 

process consider an approach that can account for, and properly manage, the full range of 

multifamily buildings, which vary broadly in size, complexity, equipment types and regionally. 

Additionally, the future JTA development process should address a clear naming convention for 

the project/program manager job category to allow it to crosscut and cover multiple 

organization, project, or program structures and to avoid confusion when possible (e.g., the 

potential differences between a “project” and a “program”).