Green Building

This 35-hour course for experienced HVAC technicians briefly reviews the essentials of refrigeration theory and design, electrical components, and heat loss and heat gain calculations. It prepares the new geothermal technician for equipment selection, air flow and open-loop requirements and design, cost of geothermal operations, unit setup and startup, diagnosis of refrigeration, air side, water side and electrical, and the manual method for closed-loop systems. Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) materials are used. Instructor: Don Easson, PE, member of IGSHPA, ASHRAE, USGBC. Books included

BUILDING SCIENCE READINESS SELF-TEST A multi-story "L"-shaped house with gable roofs is the subject of this problem. One side of the "L" is a rectangular-shaped, single-story with an 8-foot-wall height and measures outside 36 feet by 48 feet. This portion of the house has a full cathedral ceiling with no usable attic above the living area. The other side of the intersecting "L" is a two-story rectangular-shaped section having 10-foot-wall heights and flat ceilings on both stories.  This rectangle measures 20 feet by 60 feet outside. The attic over this section is open to atmosphere and vented. The pitch of the gable roofs over both rectangles is a 6 in 12 pitch roof framed using dimensional lumber. For the house described calculate 1) the length of the perimeter of the living area; 2) the area of the living space in square feet; 3) the volume of the living area/space in the house in cubic feet; and 4) the area of the all attic areas in contact with living areas. Calculate the heat in BTUs transferred through the surface of a 10-foot-high by 44-foot-long wall if the R value for construction of the wall section is 14 and the R value for the window area  is 2, given that the windows comprise only 30 percent of the wall section’s total area and the outside temperature is 95 degrees F and the interior temperature is 78 degrees F.  If the HVAC system in a house with an attic open to outside atmosphere experiences a 300 CFM air leak into its return air ducts located in the attic and a 150 CFM air leak out of its supply ducts also located in the attic, what is the anticipated change in air pressure inside the building envelope that results from such leakage rates? What would be the effect if the leakage rates were reversed? On an architect’s drawing, a house drawn to scale measures 15 inches wide by 12 inches deep. Determine the size in the dimensions of the actual house if the drawing scale in ¼” = 1’-0”.  Describe the purpose(s) of including elevation views of a house.  Describe the purpose(s) of including section views of a house. Determine the cost to operate an electrical appliance for a total period of 30 days if that appliance consumes 25 watts in its operation for 8 hours each day and the cost of electricity is $0.10165 dollars/kw-hr. Where indicated provide the units of measure of the following electrical/energy terms. Define each term /______.  Voltage- Unit_________/ _________________________________________   Current- Unit_________/ _________________________________________   Power- Unit_________/ _________________________________________   Energy- Unit________/ _________________________________________   BTU- /_________________________________________   Calorie- /_________________________________________   SEER- /_________________________________________   EER- /_________________________________________   COP- /_________________________________________  Heat, power and energy terms/conversions 1 horsepower = _______________ watts 1 ton of cooling = _____________  BTU/hr Therm of natural gas = ___________  BTUs Determine the cost to operate a 60 percent efficient furnace if it consumes 60 million BTUs and the cost of natural gas was $1.20 per therm. How many BTUs were delivered by this furnace? Determine the heat transfer through the surface area of a round duct 8 inches diameter and 44 feet long insulated with R= 8 fiberglass batts sealed with mastic, if the interior duct design temperature is 55 degrees F and the ambient design temperature outside the duct is 105 degrees F. Wood burning stoves are rated by which agency?  (Choose one or more)  DHEC_______, OSHA_______, DNR________, EPA________, SCPFA_______, NWBSA_________ Email your answers to this self-test to bill.spaulding@tridenttech.edu for a reply email with answers.   High scores---- may register directly in the national certification courses below such as HERS, Building Analyst, etc.   Lower scores---- should enroll and complete the Building Science-Level 1 course above to better prepare for later success in the national certifications.

Field Inspectors perform the on-site testing of residences under the tasking from HERS Raters.  This 24-hour course is well suited for home inspectors, trade contractors and others involved in residential construction, as well as for those with technical aptitude looking for a new direction in their careers. Students learn the fundamentals of building science, the protocol for home energy rating data collection, how to perform pressure testing on a house to find infiltration and duct leakage rates, and to collect other important information necessary for a rater to accurately evaluate a residential structure. On the final class day, students pay an additional $50 by credit card to take the online RESNET HERS field inspector national exam.  Calculator is required.  Instructor: Allison Bailes, Ph.D.  Book included.

This 40-hour course is the initial step in becoming a Certified HERS Rater.  Students begin the course with building science and understanding the house as a system.  Students learn to control the movement of heat, air and moisture in residential structures using the structure's pressure and thermal envelopes.  Students use diagnostic equipment such as the blower door, duct blaster and digital manometers to evaluate the actual performance of residences.  Using their personal laptop computers and the supplied REM/Rate software, student will create energy analyses.  Laptops and calculators are required for each student. Books and instructional materials are provided.  Online exam fees are included.

Weatherization

This 40-hour course combines both classroom instruction and individual student performance tests. It covers the fundamentals of building science, measurement and verification of building performance, BPI standards and project specs, building analysis, and professional ethics, conduct and communication. Books included

Topics in this 24-hour course include intermediate building science; envelope systems and their interaction; knowledge and application of measurement and verification of building performance; intermediate BPI standards and project specs; optimizing building envelopes; and professional ethics, conduct and communications. The course consists of classroom instruction and individual student performance tests. Books included

This 24-hour course combines both classroom instruction and individual student performance tests. It covers intermediate building science and knowledge and application of measurement and verification of building performance; manufactured housing systems and their interaction; intermediate BPI standards and project specs; optimizing of manufactured housing and their interaction with building systems; and professional ethics, conduct and communications.  Books included

Course date information will be posted as soon as available.

Course information will be posted as soon as available.

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