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

Our building inspector course offers the convenience and affordability of online learning so you can tailor your studies to fit your busy life. The exciting new Performing Comprehensive Building Assessments (PCBA) program is designed to introduce students to the comprehensive building assessment process. This intermediate course is geared toward conducting visual building inspections, performing diagnostic testing, and determining residential building improvement opportunities in the field; then documenting a home's performance, prioritizing improvements, and preparing a work scope that will guide the homeowners decision making process for making the improvements.

Students who enroll in our building inspector course will start out learning the systems, tools and techniques commonly encountered during visual observations including evaluation of envelope components, mechanical systems and base loads such as appliances and lighting. They will then step into diagnostic testing learning first how to work safely. Students will learn how to set up and use the blower door for building pressurization/depressurization testing; and how to utilize the data obtained in making decisions. Students will learn combustion safety testing (including worst case depressurization, draft and spillage testing), and how to test various appliances for CO including: furnaces, boilers, water heaters and other combustion appliances. Students will also learn basic duct diagnostic testing. Finally, students will be taught how to use assessment information and diagnostic results to develop a work scope which can then be presented to a customer.

The building inspector course will refer to the BPI Building Analyst as well as to various industry codes and standards. It helps prepare individuals for BPI Building Analyst Certification and NATE HVAC Efficiency Analyst Certification (Senior Level). Instruction aligns with ANSI/ACCA Quality Installation & Maintenance Standards. This program is both NATE and BPI recognized for Continuing Education Hours (30 CEHs) applicable to recertification. This course allows 90 days enrollment to complete. Must obtain a 75% or higher to obtain CEH recognition.

This course is open-enrollment and self-paced. Students will be given an initial 3 months to complete their program. If you need more time, a 3 month extension can be purchased for $45.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of the building inspector program, students will be able to:

• Use their senses & technology to assess, gather and organize data for building analysis
• Use a standardized approach to perform various assessments and diagnostic evaluations of a building
• Describe the operation and installation of a blower door and interpret the blower door test results
• Demonstrate understanding of combustion testing, instruments used and analysis made from combustion testing data
• Demonstrate an ability to determine duct system status using a duct blaster
• Develop and present a work scope with prioritized recommendations to customers

The Performing Comprehensive Building Assessments course contains 6 learning modules covering:

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