RTI Chapter

The trainee society for future smart buildings workforce.

Uniting Refrigeration & Air Conditioning, Electrical Engineering, Telecommunication Engineering, and Building Technology trainees - fostering peer learning, upholding industry standards, and developing Kenya's next generation of smart buildings specialists.

About KSBTS
Active RTI, Nairobi Campus
Open Electrical Engineering · Telecommunication Engineering · Refrigeration & Air Conditioning · Building Technology
Who We Are

Built by Industry,
for Trainees.

We bring together trainees from Refrigeration & Air Conditioning, Electrical Engineering, Telecommunication Engineering and Building Technology to foster peer learning, collaboration, and professional development in smart building technologies, Building Management Systems (BMS), Internet of Things (IoT), and Building Automation. We promote awareness of and adherence to national and industry standards governing smart buildings, energy-efficient systems, and safe refrigerant handling — in alignment with EPRA, NCA, NEMA, NITA, and relevant regulatory frameworks. Through a structured platform for industry engagement and technical development aligned to the TVET CDACC curriculum, KSBTS contributes to the growth of Kenya's smart buildings sector.

We provide a structured peer community for trainees — from smart building standards awareness to BMS, IoT, and safe refrigerant handling practices.

Railway Training Institute →
Areas We Focus On
01
Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning & Refrigeration
Smart HVAC-R systems, IoT climate sensors, CO₂ monitoring, smart lighting controls, and connected building devices across Kenya's built environment.
02
Intelligent Building Management
BMS and BAS integration, SCADA systems, VRF/VRV automation, and intelligent controls for commercial and industrial buildings.
03
Refrigerant & Waste Management
Ground data collection on refrigerant disposal, safe handling of R22 and HCFCs post-phase-out awareness.
04
Protocol & Integration
BACnet, Modbus, KNX — the open protocols that connect smart building systems. System integrators, multi-vendor, end-to-end delivery.
05
Workforce Development
Deepening RTI trainees' technical competency through the TVET CDACC curriculum, peer learning and direct engagement with Kenya's smart buildings industry.
Certification Awareness · TVET RAC Institutions

Leaving college is not enough.
Certification is the next step.

Kenya's 2025 Controlled Substances Regulations (NEMA Legal Notice No. 53) are explicit: no person may repair, maintain, replace, or retrofit RAC equipment unless authorised, registered, and licensed by the relevant authority. For every RAC technician coming out of a TVET college — whether through CDACC or NITA — a professional certification is now a legal requirement, not an option.

KSBTS actively spreads awareness of this requirement inside RTI and across institutions offering RAC programmes. We work with trainees while they are still in college so that by the time they graduate, they know exactly which certification applies to their level and how to obtain it.

Legal Basis
NEMA Controlled Substances Regulations, 2025
"No person shall repair, maintain, replace or retrofit RAC equipment unless that person has been authorised, registered and licensed or certified by the Authority."
Regulation 12(1) · Legal Notice No. 53, 2025
Certification Pathways by Level
NEMA
RAC Technician Licence
Mandatory for anyone servicing, recovering, or handling controlled refrigerants. Required under the Controlled Substances Regulations 2025. Applies to technicians at all levels who work directly with ODS and F-gases.
CDACC · NITA graduates
EPRA
Energy Sector Authorisation
The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority oversees energy-related installations including high-capacity HVAC and refrigeration systems in commercial and industrial buildings. Required for contractors working on energy-regulated installations.
Level 5 – 6 RAC · Commercial & Industrial
NCA
Contractor Registration
The National Construction Authority registers contractors involved in building services — including HVAC-R installation. RAC technicians working on construction projects or building fit-outs need NCA registration to operate legally on site.
Level 4 – 6 RAC · Construction projects
CDACC / NITA
Trade Test & Competency Certificate
The foundation. CDACC certificates (Levels 3–6) and NITA trade tests establish the occupational competency that underpins all subsequent professional registration. Without these, no regulatory body will consider a certification application.
Entry requirement for all above
Are you an RAC trainer or institution?
KSBTS partners with TVET colleges offering RAC programmes under CDACC and NITA to embed certification awareness into training before students graduate.
Partner with KSBTS
KSBTS Initiative · April 2026

Safe HVAC-R Equipment Disposal Training for Scrap Metal Dealers

Kenya's HCFC phase-out took full effect January 2026 — every end-of-life AC unit at scrap yards must have refrigerant recovered before processing. Yet 1,100 licensed scrap dealers currently have no training on safe refrigerant gas handling. We are actively closing this gap.

Working with interested stakeholders, our society delivers Safe HVAC-R Equipment Disposal Training for good standing during annual license renewal — deploying recovery machines on-site and training toward the full 1,100 scrap dealer national target.

1,100 Licensed scrap dealers nationally
Jan 2026 HCFC full phase-out effective
Contact KSBTS about this programme →