Why Certified Commissioning Authorities Are Critical and Why the Shortage Is Getting Worse

The Certified Commissioning Authority (CxA) has become one of the most influential and essential roles in the commissioning industry. Yet it remains one of the hardest credentials to obtain and one of the least represented in the workforce. As commissioning becomes increasingly important across sectors such as data centers, healthcare, life sciences, higher education, and large commercial development, the shortage of qualified CxAs is no longer just an industry inconvenience. It is a risk that affects project budgets, schedules, quality, and long- term system performance. 

What makes a CxA essential 

A CxA is responsible for leading the commissioning process from early planning and design verification through functional performance testing, integrated systems testing, turnover, and operator training. Their purpose is to ensure that building systems operate according to the Owner’s Project Requirements (OPR) and the Basis of Design (BOD). They serve as the independent representative of the owner, providing unbiased verification at every step. 

One of the most critical responsibilities of a CxA is their authority to provide final sign off on commissioning activities. Systems cannot be considered fully commissioned until they pass through the CxA’s final approval. This includes functional testing, integrated systems testing, and performance validation. Only the CxA is empowered to certify that testing is complete, accurate, and acceptable. The U.S. Green Building Council identifies the CxA as the individual responsible for verifying that systems are installed, programmed, and performing according to design. This final approval authority is not granted to contractors, designers, or facility personnel. 

Why the CxA certification is difficult to obtain

Becoming a CxA requires meeting strict education and experience criteria, demonstrating documented independence, and passing a rigorous competency exam. These requirements maintain the integrity and credibility of the credential. However, they also limit how many people are able to qualify. The experience needed often takes years to accumulate, and many commissioning engineers exit the field before they reach eligibility. 

As of January 1, 2025, there are only 1,232 active Certified Commissioning Authorities in the United States, according to the AABC Commissioning Group (ACG). This number is extremely low for a nation with large volumes of construction and increasingly complex building systems. 

Several factors contribute to the shortage: 

• High entry barriers including education and project requirements. 
• Heavy travel and demanding schedules that lead to early career burnout. 
• Engineers leaving the field before they gain enough experience to qualify. 
• Smaller firms that prioritize work life balance yet have few or no CxAs, causing credentialed staff to become overloaded. 

With so few CxAs available nationwide, nearly every industry is competing for the same limited pool. This leads to project delays, increased costs, and higher workload pressure on existing CxAs.

What we are seeing at LVI Associates in the CxA market 

At LVI Associates, what we are seeing in the CxA market is a tightening loop of demand, turnover, and burnout. Daily conversations with clients and candidates show the shortage of experienced, certified CxAs is shaping hiring decisions, delivery risk, and retention outcomes.

Engineering firms are coming to market with urgent requirements tied to project delivery, closeouts, and contract obligations. With limited time to build internal capability, many firms compete for the same small group of credentialed professionals in the CxA market. Erin adds:

This movement increases pressure on remaining teams. Workloads rise, travel increases, and schedules tighten. Over time, that pressure pushes some professionals to step away from commissioning roles altogether. 

“We speak with strong CxA candidates who want to stay in the industry but need less travel and more predictable hours. When they leave commissioning, the talent pool contracts further.” says Erin

Why owners should care 

Commissioning is a quality assurance process intended to confirm that systems are correctly designed, installed, and performing in alignment with the OPR. When CxAs are unavailable or overloaded, owners face several risks: 

• Delayed or incomplete functional testing 
• System performance failures 
• Increased change orders and post occupancy issues 
• Elevated long term energy use and operational inefficiencies 
• Greater risk in mission critical environments such as healthcare and data centers 

Because only a CxA can provide final approval, the shortage directly limits the ability to complete projects on time and with confidence. 

Five strategies employers can use to grow and retain more CxAs 

1. Establish a structured certification path 

Support exam preparation, mentorship, paid study time, and project exposure that aligns with certification requirements. 

2. Create a clear advancement ladder 

Provide a transparent progression from Commissioning Technician to Commissioning Engineer to CxA Candidate and ultimately CxA, aligned with ACG qualification criteria. 

3. Reduce burnout in early career stages 

Manage travel loads, rotate coverage during intensive project phases, and build recovery periods between major commissioning events. 

4. Use a team-based model 

Delegate routine testing tasks to technicians and junior engineers, allowing CxAs to focus on design verification, integrated testing, and final sign off. 

5. Support independence requirements 

Ensure commissioning roles remain organizationally independent from design and construction to allow employees to qualify for certification. 

Manage travel loads, rotate coverage during intensive project phases, and build recovery periods between major commissioning events. 

4. Use a team-based model 

Delegate routine testing tasks to technicians and junior engineers, allowing CxAs to focus on design verification, integrated testing, and final sign off. 

5. Support independence requirements 

Ensure commissioning roles remain organizationally independent from design and construction to allow employees to qualify for certification. 

Where the CxA market goes next 

The shortage of Certified Commissioning Authorities is not driven by a lack of demand for commissioning. It is driven by how commissioning professionals are developed, supported, and retained.  

At LVI Associates, we see this shortage increasingly reflected in compensation. Salary ranges have widened, counteroffers are common, and firms are paying premiums for credentialed CxAs to meet project and contractual requirements. This pressure is most visible in sectors with compressed schedules and high risk profiles, including data center commissioning, but it is now influencing the broader market. 

This is reshaping hiring and retention across commissioning. Firms without clear certification pathways or sustainable workloads are losing experienced staff, while early-career commissioning engineers are more likely to exit before reaching eligibility for the CxA credential. 

A more stable commissioning workforce requires deliberate planning. That includes developing commissioning engineers earlier, protecting credentialed CxAs from burnout, and aligning staffing strategies with long term project pipelines rather than short term delivery gaps. 

Organizations planning commissioning hires or CxA credential coverage should request a call back from us here at LVI Associates to discuss current market conditions, salary trends, and workforce planning. 

Looking for a new role? 

Commissioning professionals exploring their next role or planning a future CxA credential can Register their resume below for a confidential discussion.