For quite some time, the federal buildings where America’s government workers toil have been maintained by dedicated and diligent caretakers who do not always have the skill set to allow these building to perform optimally.
Congress and the President have established stringent goals for federal agencies to achieve reductions in energy, water use, and greenhouse gas emissions. Achieving these goals requires personnel engaged in the design, construction, operation and maintenance of federal buildings to have the appropriate skills and training. Therefore, The McMorrow Government Facilities Management Report embraces the passage of the Federal Buildings Personnel Training Act of this past December.
The legislation will help provide federal workers with the necessary training to construct and maintain environmentally sound buildings. Federal workers will be able to be trained in a series of core competencies relating to building operations, maintenance, energy management, facilities management, safety and future performance. Workers can take courses and be able to obtain licenses and certification for their efforts.
The act requires the administrator of the General Services Administration, with the assistance of relevant industry associations and professional societies, to identify core competencies that all federal buildings personnel must possess to operate and manage government facilities. The measure also applies to government contractors assisting with operations and maintenance.
“You wouldn’t give a race car to an inexperienced driver and expect them to win the Indy 500,” said Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., chairman of the subcommittee on federal financial management and one of the lead sponsors of the bill. “In the same way, we can’t expect our federal buildings to run at peak efficiency if we don’t provide our personnel with the training required to make that happen. This is just a first step to managing our nation’s federal property and buildings in a more practical and cost-efficient manner.”
Within 18 months, GSA and the Energy Department also will develop a recommended curriculum related to facility management and the operation of high-performance green buildings. With the nation’s emphasis on job creation and sustainable workplaces and buildings, the Federal Buildings Personnel Training Act, comes at the right time.
