Funding Available to Train Building Operations and Maintenance Staff

NYSERDA’s Building Operations & Maintenance Training Program provides funding for organizations to design and deliver custom, hands-on training for their maintenance and facilities teams. The program is designed to help organizations save energy and money, improve the performance of existing equipment, and transition to advanced building systems. Organizations can connect with a training partner of their choice to develop a unique training program tailored to their organization's needs – with little or no out of pocket costs!

Building owners and property managers across the State have successfully used project funds to:

• Customize training programs for their staff based on their own buildings and equipment
• Create on-site training facilities
• Develop coaching and mentoring programs
• Film on-demand training videos to support on-going staff education

View Program Details

NYSERDA will provide funding up to $500,000 per project. The funding can cover up to 90% of the cost of eligible projects when 75% or more of buildings employing O&M workers are located in a Disadvantaged Community or when the application is for a qualifying union-led project or qualifying pre-apprenticeship program. For all other projects, NYSERDA will provide funding of up to 70% of the cost of eligible projects. Cost share can include operator time spent in training, so projects could be funded without cash contributions by building owners/property managers.

Training can cover building systems and technical areas as needed for building operations staff, including:

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Is My Organization Eligible?

Building owners, facility managers, property management companies, training providers, business associations, trade groups, and organized labor associations are eligible to apply for funding. In cases where a training provider, a business association/trade group or an organized labor association is the applicant, it must partner with a specified entity or entities that employ building O&M workers. Applications must be for training activities connected with specific buildings, building portfolios, or campuses of buildings, including partnerships of businesses with common training needs and skills gaps.

Applications must include training for operators at buildings that have total annual energy expenditures of $1 million or more for all fuels and uses. Buildings employing O&M workers participating in the project must be New York State electricity customers of an investor-owned utility company that are paying into the System Benefits Charge (SBC)/Clean Energy Fund (CEF).

Contact Us to Discuss Your Eligibility

Learn more at PON 5357 Program Office Hours

Second Tuesday of each month, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. ET

Register for the next Office Hours session by clicking the button below, and you will be sent a calendar invitation with access instructions within two business days. Registration is not a requirement to participate in the Office Hours.

PON 5357 Office Hours

To join live during the virtual office hours, access the meeting with this link .

Case Studies & Factsheets

Download case studies from your peers and industry-specific factsheets to learn more about how Building Operations & Maintenance Training has helped other organizations.

How Can Building Operations and Maintenance Training Help You Meet Your Organization's Goals?

Did you know that every $1 of preventive maintenance you don’t spend now can result in $4 of expenditures to repair or replace those building systems later?

Building operations and maintenance employees are key to building managers and owners in reducing energy costs and carbon emissions. Improving the skills of these employees can significantly improve building efficiency and reduce operating costs, while contributing to the State’s energy efficiency and emission reduction goals.

With the right workforce training, you can expect:

• Improved indoor air quality and reduced infection transfer rates
• Reduced energy/water use and related costs
• Increased occupant satisfaction
• Improved skilled employee retention due to promotion and career advancement opportunities
• Reduced equipment breakdowns and maintenance costs
• Increased engagement in risk management instead of crisis management
• Compliance with NYC Local Law 97 (or penalty avoidance due to non-compliance)

PON 5357 Informational Webinar (July 20, 2023)

Recording 

Slide Deck[PDF]

Webinar Questions & Answers [PDF]

Have questions about NYSERDA’s Building Operations & Maintenance Training Program?

Email [email protected] to get in touch with NYSERDA’s Building Operations & Maintenance specialists.

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