No, it’s not a certification to help you become the next Batman. BA-T is the abbreviation for the new BPI Building Analyst Technician Certification. The BPI certifications have been around for over 20 years, and Building Analyst is well known. We just wanted to put the word out there that the Building Performance Institute (BPI) is leaning pretty heavy on using the abbreviation, so if you see BA-T Certification, they are referring to the first half of the revised Building Analyst Certification.

How is Building Analyst different from BA-T Certification?

Great question, it’s not different, exactly. In late 2020, BPI decided to split the legacy Building Analyst standard into two levels: Building Analyst Technician (BA-T) and Building Analyst Professional (BA-P).

What does BA-T Certification cover?

Building Analyst Technician covers data collection and diagnostic testing in residential structures. Under the legacy Building Analyst standard, we called this internal/external home inspection, blower door testing, and combustion safety testing. These same job tasks apply to BPI BA-T Certification.

How can I become a Building Analyst Technician?

To earn the BA-T Certification, you:

• Must first pass the BPI Building Science Principles written exam
• Then pass the BPI BA-T field exam

Do I need anything beyond BA-T?

That answer depends on your job and career goals.

If you primarily work in the field performing data collection and report the data to a supervisor, then you are the perfect candidate for the BA-T Certification! 

If you are a one-man-show, AKA a small business owner, you may want to upgrade to the BA-P Certification. With this advanced designation, you not only run diagnostic tests and collect data, but you also interpret those results and turn them into meaningful energy efficiency recommendations to homeowner clients. 

Either way, the home energy audit process starts with the hard work of a Building Analyst Technician. 

As we mentioned before, the Building Analyst Certification has been available for decades. Employers, utilities, and rebate programs are quite familiar with this phrase. Going forward, it’ll be interesting to see whether these stakeholders start to require BA-T Certification in place of the legacy Building Analyst or if they require BA-P Certification. Just know that you cannot become a Building Analyst Professional without first becoming a Building Analyst Technician. 

To get started on your BPI Certification journey, give us a call at 800-460-2575.