NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL BALANCING BUREAU

 

The National Environmental Balancing Bureau (NEBB) is a nonprofit organization, founded in 1971 by contractors in the heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC)industry. NEBB exists to help architects, engineers, building owners, and contractors produce great buildings with HVAC systems that perform in ways they have been visualized and designed.

NEBB establishes and maintains industry standards, procedures and specifications for work in its various disciplines, which include:

  •     Testing-Adjusting-Balancing (TAB)-- Air and Hydronic Systems
  •     Sound and Vibration (S&V) Measurement
  •     Building Systems Commissioning -- HVAC and Plumbing Systems
Each discipline is anchored by NEBB Procedural Standards that provides guidelines for work to be performed. NEBB has also created technical manuals, training materials, and seminars to enhance and support each discipline.

CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

NEBB certifies firms that meet certain criteria, ensuring strict conformance to its high standards and procedures. Among other requirements , NEBB-certified firms must document a record of responsible performance, own a complete set of instruments required for the sophisticated techniques and procedures necessary to "fine tune" modern environmental systems, and have a NEBB-qualified supervisor as a full-time employee.

NEBB also establishes professional qualifications for the supervision and performance of work in its various disciplines. NEBB-qualified supervisors must have extensive experience, plus they must pass appropriate, college-level written examinations and demonstrate certain practical working knowledge and proficiency in the use of instruments required for the various disciplines.

PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION

The NEBB program is administered through local chapters and the national office. On the local level, chapters participate in the certification process by reviewing candidate firm qualifications and conducting courses of instruction for the training of supervisors. Chapters also proctor candidate supervisor written and practical qualification examinations. Central administration is provided by the National office, which also issues NEBB certification. Each NEBB-certified firm receives an exclusive NEBB Certification Number and a seal which is used to authenticate reporting forms.

RECERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

Once having met NEBB's rigid requirements for certification, the firm's certification must be reviewed and renewed every two (2) years. Through the recertification procedures, the firms must verify that its NEBB-qualified supervisor is still on staff and that it continues to own a complete set of instruments which are in current calibration. In addition, the firm's NEBB-qualified supervisor renews his/her qualification. Among other requirements, supervisors must keep abreast of developments in their discipline by attending and successfully completing periodic continuing education seminars annually.

PROGRAM OUTCOMES/ADVANTAGES

The NEBB program affords building owners, architects, engineers and other agents a reliable basis for specifying work within the various disciplines of NEBB.The program provides contractors highly competent in their field and promotes proper execution of projects by insuring compliance with NEBB standards and procedures.