Maintenance of BSS Designation
The First Year you obtain your BSS Designation
The Designee does not have to obtain any credits in the year that the BSS Designation is granted.
The following year forward BSS holders are required to obtain 10 continuing education credits every calendar year.
Maintaining your BSS Designation after the First Year
Designated Building Science Specialists are entitled to use their designation letters, BSS, provided that they:
1. Obtain professional development (PD) each year sufficient to maintain competency and currency. (10 Continuing Education Credits every calendar year)
2. Maintain a written record of PD activities, and
3. Report your detailed activity record annually.
Along with the annual license fees invoice (plus applicable BEC Membership fees), you will receive a PD Report which must be verified each year. PD Reporting must be submitted through your online account at www.bssb.com.
Failure to submit the required information can result in your designation being suspended.
If you do not obtain the required 10 in any given year you may carry forward/backwards 10 credits. A BSS holder can only do this once every few years, you cannot just keep carrying forward credits and the request must be made in writing to the BSSB office.
BSS Credit Reporting Options
Continuing education credits can be acquired by various means, including the following:
- Attendance at a Building Science related event
Credit is given in this category based on the length of the presentation portion of the event (e.g. breaks/lunch not included). One (1) credit is earned for every hour (60 mins) of presentation time. (Maximum 10 credits per year in this category)
Supporting information including program outline or receipt must be uploaded to your personal profile to verify your attendance at any event.
- Presenting at a Building Science related event
Credit in the category is given based on the length of the presentation delivered. Four (4) credits are earned for every hour (60 mins) of presentation time. (Maximum 10 credits per year in this category).
Supporting information including slide deck or copy of notice of event must be uploaded to your personal profile to verify your participation at any event. If you present a session multiple times only the first instance will be accepted.
- Writing for a Building Science related website and/or publication
Credits are given in this category as follows:
1 – Publicly posted online articles which have the capacity to be commented on, minimum 1,000 words up to a maximum of 5,000 words. One (1) credit is earned per 1,000 words. (Maximum 5 credits per year in this category)
2 – Pushing The Envelope Magazine/Other Trade Magazine articles will be given three (3) credits per article. (Maximum 10 credits per year in this category)
3 – Peer Reviewed Conference or Journal Paper will be given ten (10) credits per paper. (Maximum 10 credits per year in this category)
Supporting information including link to articles or article itself must be uploaded to your personal profile to verify your article in any publication.
- Professional Leadership in the Building Science Field
Credits are given in this category as follows:
1 – Participation in Industry related Committees including Boards, Technical Committees etc. that promote the advancement of Building Science. (One (1) credit per board/committee will be allowed in this category up to a maximum 2 credits per year)
2 – Practicing Building Science Specialist is a person that has obtained their designation and is engaged full time in the field of Building Science. (Maximum 2 credits per year in this category)
Criteria for Practicing Building Science Specialists Credits
Full time engagement in the field of building science should include all or most of the following: application of building science theory; analysis of site conditions and designs; design work; testing and supervision of junior building science professionals. In some circumstances, this may also include teaching of building science and the development of codes, standards, regulations or legislation which would have an impact on the building science profession specifically.
Completing the Professional Leadership Credits Form
All Professional members must document the required information in a Professional Leadership Report Form when applying for Professional Leadership Credits.
Completion and submission of the Professional Leadership Form can be found on the BSSB website. Forms are available in Word and PDF format and must be uploaded to your personal profile if and when Professional Leadership Credits are tracked.
The following Information will be required.
Name
Enter name
Current Employer
Enter employer’s name/current supervisor and contact information
Declaration
Indicate current status with respect to professional building science practice, including current discipline.
Duties and Responsibilities
Define duties and responsibilities, in particular with respect to professional building science practice.
Acceptance of any and all continuing professional education credits shall be subject to review by the Building Science Specialist Board, and the Board reserves the right, in its absolute discretion, to request additional information from the applicant and/or to refuse the request for accreditation.
