The Association of Energy Engineers has a credentialing program for professionals in the industries of home planning, designing, building, and maintaining that is equitable to the USGBC’s LEED program, if not a little more rigorous. One of their 17 programs is the Certified Lighting Efficiency Professional (CLEP) exam, which is designated to allow lighting professionals to prove themselves above the ranks of others in their field.
Eligibility for lighting professionals to qualify for the chance to take the CLEP exam consists of a combination of education and experience. The higher your education, the less years of experience in the professional arena are required. Applicants are also required to take a two-day Fundamentals in Lighting Efficiency training seminar prior to taking the CLEP exam. Additionally, CLEP credential holders are required to complete 10 hours of continuing education in the area of lighting efficiency every three years in order to be eligible to renew their certification.
For the average homeowner, one who is considering building a new home, remodeling an existing home or just making a few home improvements, the benefit of hiring a CLEP is really dependent on your budget and the goals that you have for the project. Obviously, the larger the scale of the project, the larger the advantage of having a CLEP help you.
Typically, if you’re building or improving a home and energy efficiency is important, then you will probably want to hire someone who can help on a larger scale, looking for ways to improve overall house efficiency, whereas a CLEP will have a much narrower focus. On the other hand if all you’re looking for is help with improving the lighting in your home, then this professional is exactly what you’re looking for.
A CLEP will be able to help you choose the proper lighting to give you ample illumination at night without sacrificing energy loss. Lighting is a very important aspect of the home. It’s vital to have efficient lights that are strategically placed that won’t add excessive heat to the home or strain on the utility bills. A CLEP can help you make sure that all of these things are in place.