The Certified Energy Manager (CEM®)
Program for Professional Certification

 
 

CEM Utilized Around the World & is Recognized Standard of Professional Achievement (click here to see what companies and government agencies are requiring a CEM).

How to Apply for CEM Certification

CEM Application (Exam to be Taken in Conjunction with Live AEE Training Seminar)

CEM Application (Exam to be Taken at Remote Testing Center)

CEM Guidelines
  When you've earned the right to put the initials "CEM" behind your name, you've distinguished yourself among energy management professionals. Simply put, the designation CEM, which stands for Certified Energy Manager, recognizes individuals who have demonstrated high levels of experience, competence, proficiency, and ethical fitness in the energy management profession. By attaining the status of CEM, you will be joining an elite group of 6,000 professionals serving industry, business and government throughout the U.S. and in 22 countries abroad. These high-achieving individuals comprise a "Who's Who" in the energy management field.
 


The Mark of an Energy Professional
Since its inception in 1981, the Certified Energy Manager (CEM®) credential has become widely accepted and used as a measure of professional accomplishment within the energy management field.  It has gained industry-wide use as the standard for qualifying energy professionals both in the United States and abroad. It is recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy, the Office of Federal Energy Management Programs (FEMP), and the U.S. Agency for International Development, as well as by numerous state energy offices, major utilities, corporations and energy service companies.

Eligibility
The prerequisites to qualify for the certification process have been designed to take into account the possible diversity of education and practical experience an individual may have. However each CEM candidate must meet one of the following criteria:

  • A four-year engineering or architectural degree, and/or be a registered Professional Engineer (P.E.), with at least three years experience in energy engineering or energy management.

  • A four-year business or related degree, with at least five years experience in energy engineering or energy management.

  • A two-year technical degree, with eight years experience in energy engineering or energy management.

  • Ten years or more verified experience in energy engineering or energy management.

    (Note: Letters of reference and verification of employment must be submitted.)

Examination and Training Requirement
All CEM candidates must attend one of AEE's preparatory CEM training seminars, and complete and pass a four-hour written open-book exam, proctored by an approved exam administrator. (Information on seminar training options is provided below.) Of the following seventeen sections of the exam, candidates must complete at a minimum of eleven, including those indicated as Required:

  1. Codes & Standards & Indoor Air Quality - Required
  2. Energy Accounting and Economics - Required
  3. Energy Audits and Instrumentation - Required
  4. Electrical Systems
  5. HVAC Systems
  6. Motors and Drives
  7. Industrial Systems
  8. Building Envelope
  9. Cogeneration and CHP Systems
  10. Energy Procurement
  11. Building Automation and Control Systems
  12. Green Buildings, LEED & Energy Star
  13. Thermal Energy Storage Systems
  14. Lighting
  15. Boiler and Steam Systems
  16. Maintenance & Commissioning
  17. Alternative Financing

Fees (see below)
The application fee must be paid at the time the CEM application is submitted. This fee covers both the application process and the examination. It does not include the cost of the required preparatory seminar programs offered in advance of each exam. Also note that this fee is in addition to the cost of any seminar program for which the candidate may choose to register.

How to Apply for CEM Certification

CEM examinations are scheduled in conjunction with AEE's CEM required preparatory seminar programs. Please choose which application below applies to you for either the AEE Scheduled Testing Site or the ACT Testing Center. If you are taking the Online Fast Track CEM Preparatory Course you may now choose to take the exam at one of ACT testing centers around the country.

AEE Live Seminar and CEM Exam
 
AEE Online Realtime Seminar and Remote Testing Centers

Comprehensive 5-Day Training
Program for Energy Managers
5-day seminar
exam 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m on final day of seminar
 Dates and Locations of seminar and testing

or

Fast Track CEM Preparatory Course for Energy Managers
2 day seminar / exam is held from
9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. on morning of day 3
Dates and Locations of seminar and testing

Fast Track CEM Preparatory Course for Energy Managers - Online Seminar

Dates of online seminar

ACT Testing Center Locations

The application must be submitted to the AEE Certification Department for approval. AEE will mail a letter to the candidate informing them of the approval and status of their application. ACT Testing Center contacts the applicant directly to arrange the testing location, explain the testing procedures and ID required, and provide a testing center password. A two business day notice is required by the ACT facility to reschedule.  If you do not for any reason give this notice, you will be required to pay the center fee of $68 before you can reschedule.

Please do not contact the ACT Testing Center for any information on your certification status.

The application is not to be submitted online, but must be printed, completed and mailed/faxed to AEE Headquarters:

Attn: CEM Dept.
Association of Energy Engineers (AEE)
4025 Pleasantdale Road, Suite 420
Atlanta, GA 30340-4264

Or fax ATTN: Helen Ardavin 770-447-4354
(All CEM documentation may be either mailed or faxed)

Your completed application (4 page application, 2 professional references, employment verification and/or client verification and college transcripts) must be received by the Certification Administrator at least 4 weeks prior to the date of the examination for which you wish to sit.

If all of your supporting documentation is not received prior to your test date, it will not preclude you from sitting for the exam. 

International Certification Training
Dates and Locations

CEM News:
Other Pre-CEM Training Option

The Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with UC Davis University Extension (UCDE) to advance the knowledge and professionalism in the field of energy management. As an adjunct to the Certified Energy Manager (CEM®) and Business Energy Professional (BEP® program and , the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) is pleased to be an official sponsor of the U.C. Davis University Energy Resource Management Certificate program. This initiative aims at enhancing student's involvement and increases their role in the growing energy management discipline. The course will serve as a solid foundation for students to move towards obtaining their CEM or BEP Certification. For more information on the U.C. Davis certificate program CLICK HERE. UC Davis Extension is the professional and continuing education branch of UC Davis and is a link to the many resources students can only get from the University of California.

New! CEM Practice Exam
Now Available

The CEM Practice Test was developed by AEE to help candidates prepare for their high-stakes test, understand their strengths and weaknesses across pertinent CEM domains, and reduce test anxiety. The practice test simulates the certification test, contains a four hour time limit, and covers seventeen sections (three mandatory, eight of the remaining fourteen optional) SEE DETAILS

Features and Benefits:

• Accessible anywhere, anytime via the internet

• Content developed by the Association of Energy Engineers

• Test of comparable length and content to that found on the actual proctored exam

• Immediate score report and feedback on all test domains to highlight specific strengths and weaknesses

Please Note:
This is only a practice exam and the results are unofficial. You must complete the official CEM exam in order to become certified.

CEM Department
770-447-5083 ext. 318

  • For General Information on CEM Process or Exam
  • For CEM Application Status or Renewal
  • To Verify Your Information in Our Database
  • For Information on Your AEE Membership
  • For Information on Other Certification Programs

Please leave your name (spell difficult names), phone number, e-mail address and outline what you need.  A staff member will get back to you as soon as possible.

For the fastest response time, these staff are available to assist you:

Ruth Marie
770-447-5083 Ext. 210 or info@aeecenter.org

For Seminar Registration & Questions about CEM Training Seminars:

Valerie Oviatt
770-925-9633 or Valerie@aeecenter.org

Other Questions May be Addressed to our CEM Certification Director:

Helen Ardavin
770-447-5083 Ext. 318 or Helen@aeecenter.org

(Please allow 48 Hours for a Response)
Special CEM
Training Notice

Recently added -- open to public
State University of New York, Ulster will be conducting a

Comprehensive 5-Day Training Program for Energy Managers
(prep: CEM Certification)
Instructors:
Mark Roche, Barry Benator

DATE & LOCATION:
October 26-30, 2009

For further information, or to register for this program, contact:
Barbara Ann Livermore Reer
Program Manager, Clean Energy Technology Training, Continuing & Professional Education, SUNY Ulster
845-802-7171

Please note, funds to attend this training seminar may be available through your local workforce board. Please contact your local Career Center to see if you qualify.

 
 

Please note the following:

  • Registering for a preparatory live or online seminar does not automatically register you to take the CEM exam. You must submit your certification application separately (see information above).
  • Fees shown for seminars do not include certification application/exam fee.
  • For the 2-day preparatory course, the exam is held at the seminar site on the morning of day 3 from 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
  • For the 5-day course, the exam is administered from 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. on the last day of the seminar.

Maintaining Certification
Continuing education is essential to maintaining high standards of professional competency.  A CEM must accumulate ten (10) professional credits every three years to maintain certification.

Activities Applicable as Credits for CEM Renewal:

Continued employment in energy management / energy engineering activities		 1 credit per year
Membership in a professional engineering society 1 credit per year (3 max)

Continuing education:
energy-related seminars and college courses
(includes in-house or online seminars)

 2 credits per:
- CEU earned (e.g.,1.6 CEU=3.2 credits)
- College credit hour earned
- 10 non-credit contact hours
---(must be submitted for approval)

Professional awards or papers presented and published re: energy engineering/management

2 credits each

Offices held in a professional engineering society

1 credit per year

The above serves as a guideline for the 10 credits to be accumulated during each three year renewal period.  A reminder form will be sent during the year your CEM certification expires.  Please keep a file of your credits to assist with completing this form.

Calculating Your Continuing Education Credits:
If you wish to use energy-related AEE seminars as a part of meeting the 10-credit requirement to maintain certification, note that you will earn 0.8 CEU for each full day of participation in any AEE seminar. For example, a 2-day AEE seminar will earn you 1.6 CEU, or the equivalent of 3.2 credits toward CEM renewal. The four-hour period allotted for certification examinations is not included when calculating the number of contact hours for a seminar. Therefore, those participating in the Comprehensive 5-Day Training Program for Energy Managers receive 3.6 CEU for 4.5 days of instruction, since the CEM exam is administered on the afternoon of day 5. These 3.6 CEU will then yield 7.2 credits toward recertification.

Renewal Fee:
 A fee of $200 is required for each three-year renewal of your CEM certification. If you do not renew your certification by your renewal date, you will be required to retake the exam to be reinstated. It is therefore important to inform AEE if your address changes. Failure to do so will delay your receipt of your renewal notice, and may result in your being required to retake the exam.


For Additional Information About CEM Certification...
If you have any questions about CEM certification, or if you prefer to receive your Certified Energy Manager Application Package by mail, please write, call or email:

Helen Ardavin , CEM Certification Director
Association of Energy Engineers
4025 Pleasantdale Road, Suite 420
Atlanta, GA 30340
(770) 447-5083, ext. 218
email: Helen@aeecenter.org