The eLearning Center for Gatlin Education Services

In central air conditioning systems there are two basic methods for delivering air to the conditioned space:

constant air volume (CAV) systems, and variable air volume (VAV) systems

As the name implies, constant volume systems deliver a constant air volume to the conditioned space irrespective of the load. VAV systems, on the other hand, are designed to simultaneously meet a variety of cooling and heating loads in a relatively efficient manner. The system achieves this by varying the distribution of air depending on the cooling or heating loads of each area. The air flow variation allows for adjusting the temperature in a single zone without changing the temperature of air in the whole system, minimizing any instances of overcooling or overheating. This flexibility has made this one of the most popular HVAC systems for large buildings with varying conditioning needs such as office buildings, schools, or apartments.

This 6-hour course covers HVAC air distribution systems with the focus being on Variable Air Volume (VAV) systems. The course is entirely based on US Corps of Engineers Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (USACERL) technical report 99/20, May 1999.

The student must take a multiple-choice quiz consisting of thirty (30) questions at the end of this course to obtain PDH credits.

State Board Acceptance

This course can be used by professional engineers to fulfill PDH requirements mandated by state and provincial licensing boards. Decatur Professional Development is an approved provider of continuing education in all states that pre-approve course providers. In all other states that mandate continuing education for engineers, it is the individual engineer's responsibility to determine the suitability of activities for PDH credit. The state boards typically accept online* courses that cover technical, managerial** or ethical content and which are relevant to the practice of engineering. The course must have a clear purpose or objective with a content that will maintain, improve or expand the skills and knowledge of the licensee's field of practice. For questions about your mandatory PDH requirements, visit the website of your state licensing board.

*Online courses are accepted by all state licensing boards that mandate continuing education. Other than New York (which limits online courses to 18 PDH) and Iowa (which limits online courses to 6 PDH), there are no limits placed by other states on the number of hours that can be earned through online continuing education. Consult with your state licensing board if you have any questions about the acceptability of online courses.

**The New York State Board of Engineers does not accept general office management courses, but will accept project management courses that are offered by an approved provider and that are technical in nature and contribute to the engineer's professional practice.

Please Note: Continuing Education credits for this course are awarded as PDH (Professional Development Hour Credits).