Data Center Energy Practitioner (DCEP) Training

Data Center Energy Practitioner (DCEP) Training Program

Data centers are energy-intensive and opportunities exist to reduce energy use, but significant knowledge, training, and skills are required to perform accurate data center energy assessments. In order to accelerate energy savings, the data center industry and the US Department of Energy (DOE) partnered to develop the Data Center Energy Practitioner (DCEP) Program. The DCEP training program certifies energy practitioners qualified to evaluate the energy status and efficiency opportunities in data centers.

The original DCEP course curriculum (Generalist and HVAC Specialist) is continuously updated in collaboration with the industry to reinforce proven best practices and introduce new tools and techniques in key areas such as IT equipment, air management, cooling systems, and electrical systems. An IT Specialist course was added in 2019, and an Electrical Power Chain Specialist course will be launched on February 4, 2025 (see training calendar below).

DCEPs will:

• Be qualified to identify and evaluate energy efficiency opportunities in data centers;
• Demonstrate proficiency in the use of the Data Center Profiler (DC Pro) and select Assessment Tools
• Address energy opportunities in electrical systems, air management, HVAC, and IT equipment;
• Receive training on conducting data center assessments;
• Be required to pass one, two, or three exams (depending on course selection).

Property management companies, engineering consulting firms, service companies, data center operators, state energy agencies, and utilities will benefit from the expertise provided by DCEPs.

There are currently three DCEP courses available: Generalist, HVAC Specialist, and IT Specialist. The one-day Generalist course provides a high-level view of different IT and support systems in data centers, the two-day HVAC Specialist course is an in-depth review of HVAC/mechanical systems, and the one-day IT Specialist course is an in-depth review of IT systems. The latter course is explicitly designed for both IT and infrastructure professionals. Links to the Agendas for all courses can be found near the bottom of this webpage. On February 4, 2025, we will launch an Electrical Power Chain Specialist course to complement the three currently available courses. This one-day course will provide an in-depth review of the electrical systems in data centers, such as UPS and PDU systems. 

A participant can either become a qualified DCEP at the Generalist level or at the Specialist level. Which level a participant chooses depends on his/her role in the organization and on multiple other factors. We highly encourage participants to take the Specialist training in addition to the Generalist training. As a DCEP refresher, we also encourage participants to retake the Generalist training every 5 years, but there is no requirement.

The federal Energy Act of 2020 states that each federal agency shall consider having the data centers of the agency evaluated once every 4 years by energy practitioners certified pursuant to the DCEP program. Furthermore, the DOE Order 436.1A of 2023 states that DOE elements must evaluate data centers once every four years by DCEPs. And, the DOE Data Center Optimization Initiative (DCOI) requests that each federal tiered data center that has not submitted a DC Pro software data center assessment in the past two years, have an assessment conducted by a DCEP. This helps DCOI align with the Energy Act of 2020. DCOI also promotes the DCEP program at their monthly online meetings. These requirements and exposure have increased the demand for DCEPs and not just in the federal sector. 

DCEP Administrator and DCEP Training Organizations

The DCEP Program Administrator (PA) is ANCIS Incorporated, and the training is delivered by four Professional Training Organizations (PTOs):

• ANCIS Incorporated (Lead Training Organization)
• CNet Training
• North American Access Technologies
• Seres, LLC.

Training Calendar and Pricing

All currently scheduled training events are listed below. If you are interested in participating in one or several of these events, please contact mherrlin@ancis.us or the organization listed in the last column.

The course fees for most individuals are shown in the training calendar below. There are a number of discounts available:

• Groups between 10 and 19 participants: 15%
• Groups larger than 19 participants: 20%
• Organizations with less than 20 employees: 15%
• Non-affiliated individuals: 20%
• Federal employees: 15%
• Multiple courses (2 or 3): 15%
• Discounts cannot be combined.

To date, we have issued more than 1,300 certificates. A link to a list of DCEP Program Developers, Instructors, and Practitioners can be found near the bottom of this webpage. The list contains information about Level I Practitioners (Generalists) and Level II Practitioners (Specialists). All completed training on performing energy assessments in data centers and passed exams demonstrating their proficiency in the use of the high-level DC Pro Tool and select in-depth Assessment Tools.

Other Resources

Download the DCEP Program Description including the entry requirements and the DCEP Training Agenda. Also, download the DCEP Program Energy Training-Assessment Process Manual for administrative step-by-step instructions for conducting an energy assessment before, during, and after an on-site data center assessment. The manual also includes useful templates for assessments. Links to all these documents can be found below.

Questions? Please contact the DCEP Program Lead Dr. Magnus Herrlin at mherrlin@ancis.us

DCEP Generalist/HVAC Specialist Training Agenda
DCEP IT and Electrical Specialist Agenda
DCEP Process Manual
DCEP Program Description
DCEP Program Developers, Instructors, and Practitioners