The eLearning Center for B.F. Environmental Consultants, Inc.

This Building Performance program was developed and written in partnership with nationally recognized building science experts. The two online courses are full of scientific facts, interactive exercises, pictures, videos, graphics, and text. See the individual course descriptions for a more detailed description. Also, they are recognized by North American Technician Excellence and Building Performance Institute for continuing education hours. You’ll also receive a study guide and a one year subscription to Home Energy Magazine. This program is a great way to compliment and increase your company’s GREEN services for your customers and to open new doors of opportunity.

Principles of Green Buildings

This is the first online course of its kind. It was developed and written in partnership with nationally recognized building science experts from Advanced Energy of North Carolina and is full of scientific facts, interactive exercises, pictures, videos, graphics, and text. Everything an individual in the building, remodeling, or trade industry needs to know to make buildings perform more efficiently. The PBS course has also been designed to help prepare individuals on the path to various NATE, NARI, BPI, RESNET, and other industry credentials related to green building performance. Instruction aligns with ANSI/ACCA Quality Installation & Maintenance Standards. This course is both BPI and NATE recognized for 28 hours of continuing education (CEHs) applicable to NATE and BPI recertification.

The Principles of Building Science course contains nine learning modules covering:

• House as a System
• Air Flow Basics
• Heat Flow, Insulation & Windows
• Framing & Air Sealing
• Moisture Management
• Conditioning Strategies
• Ventilation
• Combustion Safety
• Indoor Air Quality Basics

At the end of each module is a comprehensive exam of the material covered. In addition every person that completes the Principles of Building Science course successfully will receive a one year subscription (six issues) to Home Energy Magazine in both an online and print version (an $85.00 retail value). Students also receive a study guide that is provided for the course. This first course in the program allows 90 days enrollment to complete. Must obtain a 75% or higher to obtain CEH recognition.

Performing the Comprehensive Building Assessments

This course expands the theories and concepts taught in the Principles of Green Buildings (PGB) course. The PCBA course is designed with the intent to fill a key void in green collar education that is not being offered to those entering or looking to expand their expertise in the industry. PCBA is a course that will be delivered in a task oriented format applying practical real world situations throughout each module of the program.

The course is intended for those individuals who are engaged in conducting building assessments, energy audits, performance testing, energy ratings, green ratings, rating verifications, quality assurance, quality installations, building inspections, home inspections, home tune ups or any other related building improvement, evaluation or repair services where changes are anticipated to the building as a system. Individuals completing the program will become knowledgeable in determining which building assessment tools and techniques to utilize, when to use them and most importantly how to use them and what the results mean.

Students who successfully complete this course will have demonstrated they have the requisite knowledge and ability to apply these concepts working on real world buildings and their systems. It is important to point out that mastery of these skills will come only through real world experience working in buildings over the years. There is no course, lab or other educational substitute for time in the field working in buildings and experiencing situations first hand. This course is designed to put a student into as close to real world situations as they can expect to encounter in the real world. It requires them to not only learn what the various assessment tools and techniques are, when to use these assessment tools but also how to use these various assessment tools, how to use the information gained to prioritize decision making and how to report this information to various stakeholders.

Modules in this series will cover:

1. Observation Techniques and Data Collection
2. Exterior & Interior Assessment and Building System Analysis
3. Blower Door and Zonal Pressure Diagnostics, Ventilation Rates
4. Combustion Safety Testing and Analysis
5. Duct Diagnostics
6. Work Scope Development and Customer Relations

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be prepared to:

• Appreciate the interaction of individual building systems in the whole house operation.
• Have completed the initial portion of the BPI and other Home Performance certification processes.
• Have a better understanding of all the major “systems” found in a conventional building.
• Discover solutions to our National energy dilemma.
• Understand issues of building science and how they can relate to occupant health.
• Discover the relationships of building systems and building sustainability.
• Learn observation techniques and data collection skills.
• Learn inspection and analysis approaches for Comprehensive Building Assessment.
• Learn diagnostic testing procedures for evaluating buildings.
• Learn how to prepare reports and findings for building owners.
• Successfully complete the BPI.
• Successfully participate in the BPI Field testing session.

 

I. House as a System
II. Air Flow Basics
III. Heat Flow, Insulation, Windows
IV. Framing & Air Sealing
V. Moisture Management
VI. Conditioning Strategies
VII. Ventilation
VIII. Combustion Safety
IX. IAQ Basics
X. Observation Techniques & Data Collection
XI. Exterior Inspection & Exterior Building Systems Analysis
XII. Interior Inspections & Building Analysis
XIII. Blower Door & Zonal Pressure Diagnostics, Ventilation Rates
XIV. Combustion Safety, Testing & Analysis I
XV. Combustion Safety, Testing & Analysis II
XVI. Duct Diagnostics
XVII. Reporting & Documentation