American Council for Accredited Certification

What American Council for Accredited Certification does

The American Council for Accredited Certification (ACAC) is an independent, not-for-profit 501(c)(6) professional certification body headquartered in Yarnell, Arizona, that issues credentials to practitioners in indoor air quality and adjacent environmental, building science, and infection control disciplines. Founded in 1992 as the Arizona Indoor Air Quality Council and rebranded to ACAC in 2008, the organization operates 20+ certification programs, including the Council-certified Indoor Environmental Consultant (CIEC), Microbial Consultant (CMC), Microbial Remediator (CMR), Moisture Control Consultant (CMCC), Environmental Infection Control Consultant (CEICC), Fire and Smoke Damage Consultant (CFSC), and Environmental Thermography Consultant (CETC), among others, each requiring verified field experience (2-8+ years depending on level), passage of a psychometrically-validated examination, and unanimous approval by a discipline-specific certification board.

The underlying technology consists of a psychometric exam development methodology using DACUM job/task analysis, the Modified Angoff method for criterion-referenced cut scores, and annual KR-20 internal consistency reliability testing, with computer-based exam delivery outsourced to Kryterion's independent testing center network. ACAC is the only certifying body in the IAQ field to hold independent third-party accreditation from the Council of Engineering and Scientific Specialty Boards (CESB), and its designations are recognized as prerequisites for state licensure in New Hampshire, Connecticut, Georgia, Florida, Arkansas, Mississippi, and New Mexico, and are specified by US agencies including EPA, NASA, CDC, FEMA, HUD, NIH, HHS, and US military engineering commands.

ACAC's business model is a direct-to-consumer certification fee structure, with applicants paying a non-refundable $100-$200 application fee, a $200-$250 certification fee, biennial recertification fees (requiring 40 hours of continuing education), $100 re-examination fees for failed attempts, and optional annual webpage subscriptions ($30 individual, $60 employer, $120 expert witness). The organization markets through its website, public certificant directory, and recognition by government and state regulatory bodies, with no revenue-sharing agreements with training providers, course sellers, or product manufacturers. Operationally, ACAC runs a lean 5-person staff supplemented by 100+ volunteer certification board members, and generates no external funding as a 501(c)(6) nonprofit.

Name

American Council for Accredited Certification

Legal name

American Council for Accredited Certification

Website

https://acac.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ACAC is an independent, CESB-accredited, not-for-profit professional certification body offering 20+ credentialing programs in indoor air quality, microbial, moisture, infection control, and fire/smoke disciplines, serving individual environmental consultants, remediators, and facilities managers across the US, Canada, and Australia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Certification Services

akta.pro primary industry

Continuing Education (CE/CPD) & Provider Accreditation Bodies (EDADACAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental, Health & Safety / Sustainability (EHS, Environmental Compliance CE) (EDAAALAO), Standards, Metrology & Accreditation Bodies (BPAIAOAC)

Keywords

• Indoor air quality certification
• Professional certification programs
• Mold remediation certification
• Infection control certification
• Environmental health certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Yarnell

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Certification fees: One-time certification fees for initial certification (usually $200-250), valid for two-year periods. Application fees (usually $100-200) are non-refundable.
2. Recertification fees: Fees for the two-year recertification period requiring documentation of 40 hours of continuing education. Includes non-refundable processing fees.
3. Examination fees: Fees required prior to taking certification examinations. Re-examination fees are $100 for failed exams.
4. Professional webpages: Individual professionals can maintain personalized webpages at acac.org for a $30 annual fee.
5. Employer webpages: Employers of ACAC-certified professionals can create customized webpages for a $60 annual fee.
6. Expert witness webpages: Expert witnesses who are ACAC-certified professionals can maintain listings for a $120 annual fee.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

American Council for Accredited Certification (ACAC) is an independent third-party certification body offering CESB-accredited professional certification programs for individuals in indoor air quality and related environmental fields. Candidates apply through the website, verify field experience, pass psychometrically-validated computer-based examinations administered through Kryterion, and receive board-awarded certifications approved by unanimous vote. The organization offers over 20 certification programs covering indoor environmental consulting, microbial investigation and remediation, infection control, moisture control, structural drying, IAQ management, emergency operations, fire and smoke damage, environmental thermography, and environmental allergen investigation.

Product overview

The American Council for Accredited Certification (ACAC) is a professional certification organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of over 20 CESB-accredited certification programs for professionals in indoor air quality and related fields. The portfolio is organized into two main categories: Professional Certifications (requiring 8+ years field experience) and Vocational Certifications (requiring 2+ years field experience), plus entry-level technician certifications. Core certifications include: Indoor Environmental Consulting (CIEC/CIE), Microbial Consulting (CMC/CMI), Microbial Remediation (CMR/CMRS), Infection Control Consulting (CEICC/CEICI), Infection Control Remediation (CEICR/CEICS), Moisture Control (CMCC/CMCI), Structural Drying (CSDS/CSDR), IAQ Management (CIAQM), Emergency Operations (CEOP/CEOM/CEOC), Fire and Smoke Damage (CFSC/CFST), Environmental Thermography (CETC/CETI), and Environmental Allergen Consulting (CEAC/CEAI/CEAT). All certifications require verified field experience, passage of psychometrically-rated examinations, and unanimous approval by certification boards. ACAC also provides exam prep courses, candidate handbooks, reference texts, and professional development resources through acac.live.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Indoor Environmental Certification Program

Quantifiable outcome

• ACAC certifications are recognized prerequisites for state licenses in New Hampshire, Connecticut, Georgia, Florida, Arkansas, Mississippi, and New Mexico
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Kryterion, Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationKryterion provides computer-based exam delivery and scoring services for ACAC. They operate authorized testing centers for the certification examinations. ACAC maintains an ongoing relationship with Kryterion for test administration, randomization of items, and electronic grading.
• Council of Engineering and Scientific Specialty Boards (CESB)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCESB provides independent third-party accreditation for ACAC certification programs. ACAC is the only certifying body in the IAQ field to achieve this accreditation. CESB accreditation validates that ACAC programs are developed and operated in compliance with nationally recognized standards.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• InterNACHI: InterNACHI is a large international association certifying home inspectors, with strong online exam delivery and free training. It overlaps with ACAC's residential-focused certifications (CIE, CRMI) in the home inspection market, particularly for inspectors crossing into IAQ and mold work.
• RESNET (Residential Energy Services Network): RESNET trains and certifies home energy raters and building performance professionals, with a quality assurance infrastructure parallel to ACAC's. Its building science emphasis and residential focus intersect with ACAC's moisture control, structural drying, and IAQ residential credentials.
• BPI (Building Performance Institute): BPI certifies building analysts, energy auditors, and envelope professionals with standards-based credentials. While focused on energy performance, BPI's building science emphasis creates overlap with ACAC's moisture control, thermography, and IAQ programs at the building science intersection.

Broad incumbents

• NATE (North American Technician Excellence): NATE is the largest nonprofit certification body for HVAC and refrigeration technicians in North America. While it focuses on installation/service, its HVAC expertise credentials intersect with ACAC's IAQ and HVAC building science content, and both compete for trade professional mindshare.
• Restoration Industry Association (RIA): RIA is the leading trade association for the restoration industry, offering education and credentials (including Certified Restorer and Water Loss Specialist) that overlap with ACAC's structural drying and microbial remediation programs. It serves the same contractor and insurance network as ACAC.
• International Code Council (ICC): ICC develops building codes and certifies code officials, inspectors, and plans examiners across the US. It is a broader incumbent in the building regulatory and certification space, with several of its certifications relevant to the same professionals ACAC serves.
• Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA): IAQA is the principal trade association for IAQ professionals, established after ACAC's 2006 split from membership services. It offers education, networking, and some industry certifications, making it both a partner in legitimizing the field and a competitor for practitioner mindshare.

Direct peers

• IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification): IICRC is the dominant certification body for cleaning, restoration, and inspection professionals, with widely adopted credentials in water damage restoration, mold remediation, and fire/smoke restoration that directly overlap ACAC's CSDS, CMR, and CFSC programs. Both serve the same contractor base and compete for adoption by insurance-driven restoration firms.
• ABIH (American Board of Industrial Hygiene): ABIH grants the Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) credential, the most established certification in industrial hygiene — overlapping directly with ACAC's CIEC, CMC, and CIAQM programs. Both target professionals in occupational and environmental health, with similar CE and recertification requirements.
• NORMI (National Organization of Remediators and Mold Inspectors): NORMI is a smaller, competing certification body for mold inspectors, remediators, and indoor air quality professionals. It directly competes with ACAC's microbial, indoor environmental, and moisture control programs and is often cited as a lower-cost alternative for residential-focused practitioners.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/council-certified

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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