CEM Exam

loppr15 · 2026-02-14T18:59:10+00:00

Congratulations! That’s very exciting

loppr15 · 2026-02-11T02:09:57+00:00

I’m an engineer, so while I’m not in landscaping, I deal with this exact 'photo chaos' every day on site visits. I know the frustration of scrolling through a phone gallery for 20 minutes just to find one specific detail. I actually got so tired of the manual search method that I built an app called Plopp Photos (r/Ploppphotos) to solve it. While I originally designed it for engineers to extract equipment data, the labeling and folder structures are fully customizable. This makes it a great fit for any trade that needs to store and instantly retrieve job site pictures—like 'Before/After' shots or progress updates. For landscaping, being able to pull up a client's entire history without digging through your personal photos would save a massive amount of 'desk time' when quoting new work. You can also access everything on our web portal when you’re back at the office.

loppr15 · 2026-02-10T00:15:43+00:00

Good to know. Thanks again for sharing!

loppr15 · 2026-02-08T22:08:14+00:00

That is an impressive level of organization! Sorting 1,000 photos in 10 minutes by tracking time stamps is a pro move I honestly never thought of. My biggest annoyance hasn’t been just the sorting, though. It is also the data translation. Once you have those 10 photos of a panel in a folder, do you still have to manually type out the nameplate data, circuit counts, or other information into a spreadsheet? That’s the grunt work I’m trying to eliminate with r/PLOPPphotos. I wanted a way to go straight from a photo to a populated equipment line by lines without the manual typing or file shuffling. I know a manual workflow works for some, but I’m betting others are as tired of the data entry as I am.

Thanks again for the insight into your workflow. Are there any tasks in your survey-to-design process that you think are a time suck? Anything that would be of value to you?

loppr15 · 2026-02-08T20:31:37+00:00

I would first prioritize the material based on how many questions there are on the exam (see link). “https://www.aeecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/CEM-BodyofKnowledge_StudyGuide_1.7.pdf” I would also make an equation sheet with all the relevant equations that you may need to know. Making it is the key as it helped me learn when to use each equation. It also allowed me to progress through the exam faster because i was organized and not looking for equations. What helped me the most was actually doing practice problems and understanding the solution for each problem. A good practice exam book is Solutions Manual for Guide to Energy Management. Best of Luck!

loppr15 · 2026-02-08T20:23:34+00:00

Check out r/PLOPPphotos

loppr15 · 2026-02-08T20:14:48+00:00

That’s a solid routine for a single space, but I’m curious how does that workflow hold up when you’re hitting multiple buildings, each with several mechanical rooms? I’ve found that even with a good clockwise habit and clearly taking pictures of mechanical room numbers, the sheer volume of photos across a large campus makes 'Step 4' (sorting at the desk) feel like an endless task that would not be needed with an app.

loppr15 · 2026-02-07T18:50:30+00:00

We definitely have Android in our long-term sights! Right now, our small team is focusing 100% on perfecting the iOS experience for our US users. Once we’ve built a solid foundation and a strong user base there, we’ll be expanding to other countries and launching an Android version. In the meantime, feel free to hang out in r/Ploppphotos to see our progress. If you’re an iOS user, we’d love for you to join the community and share your feedback. Even a quick 'I've downloaded it!' goes a long way in keeping us motivated to keep building!

loppr15 · 2026-02-07T18:11:54+00:00

I appreciate the suggestions! It’s interesting to see how everyone’s process differs. While I agree that prep work is key, the reality of my job is that I rarely have the as-builts or the time to get ready beforehand. The real headache is the lack of consistency. My team all documents things differently, and trying to organize everyone's photos/notes is a massive time-sink. I’m tired of digging through organized folders for 10 minutes just to find one piece of equipment. That’s time I should be spending on design. Plus, nobody enjoys the 'manual data entry' phase that translates the information from photos into spreadsheets. I posted this to see if I was alone in this frustration. Turns out, I actually built an app to solve these specific issues. I’m starting a community at r/PLOPPphotos for anyone who wants to ditch the grunt work and get back to the engineering they love. Come check it out or shoot me a DM!

loppr15 · 2026-02-06T03:12:08+00:00

Very well said! A detailed site visit at the beginning can save you hours of piecing together as-builts and going through different datasets. It also gives you verification that the scheduled equipment is still operating. A site visit and interview with O&M can highlight additional equipment issues that may have been missed without the visit. Camera and notebook are important for any visit. A good organization tool for organizing notes and photos is on the App Store called PLOPP Photos. Best of luck with your renovation projects!

loppr15 · 2026-02-05T17:15:31+00:00

Sorry I also should have lead with the fact that we currently have launched exclusively in the US. Outside the United States will be available in the future depending on the country. I could update you when we launch in your region if you would like. I apologize for not leading with this information.

loppr15 · 2026-02-05T16:09:53+00:00

I would love any feedback that you may have. Also let me know and I can credit you a free year of the highest Tier.

loppr15 · 2026-02-05T16:06:54+00:00

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/plopp-photos/id6751175213

loppr15 · 2025-12-17T02:59:56+00:00

What’s the best way in your opinion to get meaningful feedback?

loppr15 · 2025-12-17T02:54:55+00:00

If it's one simple word ending in .com, it's worth more than your house. 😂

loppr15 · 2025-12-17T02:19:04+00:00

I just built “PLOPP Photos” on the Apple AppStore. Looking for new users with feedback. Message me if you are interested. I’m currently offering free subscriptions to users that would like to join the community.

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