The following courses are offered by the Energy Training Centers of California’s utility companies. To find out about free upcoming classes please check the current online course schedule. If you see a class that is not currently offered by your utility or your utility company is not listed you may request the course be added by contacting the training center of the utility company.
Insulation and Air Sealing for High Performance Homes: This one day class has been offered by PG&E and Sacramento Municipal Utility District to help contractors understand building air pressures, thermal performance and the hands-on details to address those issues in existing homes.
Design Details for Home Performance Contractors: This one day class builds on concepts laid out in “Insulation and Air Sealing for High Performance Homes.” The class covers more ‘tricks of the trade’ for improving building envelope and mechanical systems. The class focuses more specifically on typical materials and fittings that have been successfully used to achieve performance outcomes.
Zero Net Energy Home Retrofits-Envelopes: This one day course is co-taught with Rick Chitwood of Chitwood Energy Mangement. The course focuses on taking advantage of the opportunities presented by typical building practices to move existing homes to zero net energy. The course evaluates the efficacy of new construction practices and lays out practical climate specific solutions that makes sense for the way we build in California.
Performance Factors for Effective Space Conditioning Systems: This one day course focuses on the critical performance factors to install high performance heating and cooling systems that work in California climates.
Balanced Ventilation: This one day course looks at the state of residential ventilation in California and proposes best practices for the installation of balanced ventilation systems. Outcomes include understanding how to design ventilation duct systems to meet the many real world demands of our houses and their occupants that provide continuous filtered air from a known source.
Heating and Air Commissioning Class: This two day class works through the small details that make a normal looking heat pump, air conditioner or hydronic air handler perform to their highest potential. Whether it’s the equipment dip switches, thermostat wiring or water flow regulation, these tricks are critical to meeting performance outcomes. Learn hands-on in this class.
