The Certified Sustainable Development Professional (CSDP) Program

 

How to Apply for the CSDP Certification
 

AEE's Certified Sustainable Development Professional (CSDP) program is designed to provide recognition for professionals who have distinguished themselves as leaders in the sustainable development field. The designation CSDP identifies individuals who have demonstrated high levels of technical expertise in energy management and environmental practices.

CSDP Certification Program Objectives

  • To raise the professional standards of those engaged in sustainable development.
  • To improve the practice of sustainable development for buildings, industrial plants and governmental facilities.
  • To identify persons with acceptable knowledge of the principles and laws governing the practices of energy efficiency and pollution prevention related disciplines.
  • To award special recognition to those individuals who have demonstrated a high level of technical expertise in energy management and environmental practices.

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 CSDP candidate must meet one of the following criteria:

  • A four year engineering or architectural degree from an accredited university or college and/or the current status of P.E. or R.A. or C.E.M., with at least three years verified experience in energy efficiency and pollution prevention, or sustainable development
    --OR--
  • A four-year degree in business or related degree from an accredited university or college with at least five years verified experience in energy efficiency and pollution prevention, or sustainable development
    --OR--
  • A two-year technical degree from an accredited college with at least eight years verified experience in energy efficiency and pollution prevention, or sustainable development
    --OR--
  • Ten years or more verified experience in energy efficiency and pollution prevention, or sustainable development


Examination and Training Requirement
All CSDP candidates must attend one of AEE's prepartory CSDP training seminars, and complete and pass a four-hour written examination. Examination questions are based on concepts and experiences basic to energy efficiency, pollution prevention and sustainable development. The exam is open book, and questions are a mixture of multiple choice and true/false.


Fees
Fees for the CSDP certification are as follows:

  • Certification Application and Examination:
    • $200 if exam is taken in conjunction with AEE's 2-day live training seminar
    • $300 if exam is taken at an ACT remote testing center following completion of AEE's realtime online CSDP training seminar
  • Seminar Registration:
    • Live Seminar Option: $1050 for AEE members / $1150 for non-AEE members
    • Realtime Online Seminar Option: $895 for AEE members / $995 for non-AEE member

These fees must be paid at the time the CSDP application and the seminar registration are submitted.


How to Apply for CSDP Certification

Application Deadlines: Your completed application must be received by the Certification Administrator at least 3 weeks prior to the date of the examination for which you wish to sit.


STEP ONE:
REGISTER FOR THE AEE CSDP TRAINING SEMINAR OF YOUR CHOICE
All CRM candidates are required to complete either the 2-day live Fundamentals of Sustainable Development & Carbon Reduction 2-day training program at one of its scheduled locations, or the web-based seminar, Fundamentals of Sustainable Development (10 hours in 5 two-hour online sessions) offered several times each year.

Note: Registering for the seminar does not automatically register you for the CSDP exam. After completing your seminar registration, return to this page, and go to STEP TWO. The links below will take you to seminar course information, current schedules and access to online seminar registration:

SEMINAR OPTION 1 (live seminar):
SEMINAR OPTION 2 (online seminar):


Fundamentals of Sustainable Development & Carbon Reduction
2-day live seminar
Earns 1.6 CEU

Click above link for seminar description, dates and locations, fee information, and online registration.

NOTE: If you register for the live seminar, be sure to select the live exam option under "Testing Location" on your CSDP certification application if you wish to take the CSDP exam at the seminar site immediately following your seminar.


Fundamentals of Sustainable Development & Carbon Reduction
10-hour (over 5 days) realtime online seminar
Earns 1.0 CEU

Click above link for seminar description, dates and times, fee information, and online registration.

NOTE: If you register for the online seminar, be sure to select the remote exam option under "Testing Location" on your CSDP certification application. The CSDP exam is administered at ACT remote testing centers, located throughout the U.S. See detailed instructions below.


STEP TWO:
COMPLETE YOUR CSDP CERTIFICATION/EXAM APPLICATION
After you have completed your seminar registration, click the link below to complete your CSDP Certification/Exam application:

CSDP Certification/Exam Application
 (Application covers both live and remote testing options)

TESTING OPTION 1:
(onsite exam with live seminar)
TESTING OPTION 2:
(exam at remote testing center
following completion of online seminar)
The procedure for those wishing to use Testing Option 1 is as follows:
  1. After registering for the live seminar, CSDP applicant completes the online CSDP certification application selecting the live exam option under "Testing Location."

  2. Applicant submits completed online CSDP application to AEE for review (must be received by AEE at least 3 weeks prior to the exam date).

  3. AEE reviews the application and sends an initial response letter to the applicant, either accepting the application, or requesting additional information if necessary.

  4. Applicant provides any additional information requested to the AEE certification administrator.

  5. Applicant receives verification letter from AEE that all required information has been received, and stating whether certification application has been accepted. (Acceptance of the application is required to sit for the exam.)

  6. Applicant completes the 2-day live seminar and takes the open-book CSDP exam on the morning following day 2 of the seminar, at the seminar site. (Completing the seminar is required in order to sit for the exam.)

  7. Notification of Exam Results: Applicant will receive a letter from AEE within 30 days of completion of the exam which includes the test score and applicant's status. Please do not call AEE about your test results before the end of the thirty-day period. Exam results are not available on the AEE website.

  8. Review by the Certification Board: If all required references are in place, the application is in order, all fees have been paid, the applicant has met all eligibility requirements and passed the exam, AEE will send the applicant's file to the CSDP Board for final approval.

  9. Receiving Your Certification: The Board approval process usually takes 6-8 weeks. Once the approvals have been sent to AEE from the CSDP Board, the applicant achieves CSDP status, and will receive his/her CSDO Certificate in the mail.
The procedure for those wishing to use Testing Option 2 is as follows:
  1. After completing the online training seminar, CSDP applicant completes the online CSDP certification application, selecting the remote testing option under "Testing Location."

  2. Applicant submits completed online CSDP application to AEE for review.

  3. AEE reviews the application and sends an initial response letter to the applicant, either accepting the application, or requesting additional information if necessary.

  4. Upon initial acceptance, AEE sends the applicant's contact information to the main office for ACT Testing Centers.

    (To see a testing center locations map, Click Here; however do not contact the testing center directly. You must be approved for testing by applying through AEE first, and then the testing center will contact you upon your acceptance as a CSDP exam candidate.)

  5. 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.

  6. Applicant takes the open-book CSDP exam at his/her chosen remote testing center.

  7. Notification of Exam Results: Upon completion of the exam, the applicant will see an INITIAL test score. The results will be sent to AEE by ACT, and the applicant will receive a letter from AEE within 30 days of completion of the exam which includes the OFFICIAL test score and applicant's status. Please do not call AEE about your test results before the end of the thirty-day period. Exam results are not available on the AEE website.

  8. Review by the Certification Board: If all required references are in place, the application is in order, all fees have been paid, the applicant has met all eligibility requirements and passed the exam, AEE will send the applicant's file to the CSDP Board for final approval.

  9. Receiving Your Certification: The Board approval process usually takes 6-8 weeks. Once the approvals have been sent to AEE from the CSDP Board, the applicant achieves CSDP status, and will receive his/her CSDP Certificate in the mail.

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


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

Activities Applicable as Credits for CSDP Renewal:

Continued employment in sustainable development-related activities

1 credit per year

Membership in a professional engineering society

1 credit per year (3 max)

Continuing education:
energy efficiency/sustainable development-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: sustainable development

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 CSDP 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 sustainable development-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 CSDP renewal. (The four-hour period allotted for certification examinations is not included when calculating the number of contact hours for a seminar.)

Certification Renewal Fee:
A fee of $200 will be billed to you for each 3-year renewal of your certification. If AEE does not receive your paid renewal by your renewal date, your reinstatement status will be assessed, and if in good standing, a reinstatement fee of $50 in addition to the renewal fee will be required for reinstatement of your certification. In some cases in may be necessary to retake the certification exam. Please be sure to inform AEE if your address changes, as failure to do so may delay your receipt of your renewal notice.


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

Francine Seskin , CSDP Certification Administrator
Association of Energy Engineers
4025 Pleasantdale Road, Suite 420
Atlanta, GA 30340
(770) 447-5083, ext. 223
email: fseskin@aeecenter.org