Energy Efficiency and Green Building Trainings
Master That™ Interactive Training for Weatherization
Master That teaches Weatherization Plus Health practitioners recommended practices to address home repair and upgrade situations with potential health-related issues. The training modules are designed as “how-to” models for field workers and, while not intended to define DOE Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) policy, content is considered consistent with WPN 11-6 and current WAP best practices. [url; Weatherization Plus Health]
Guidelines for Home Energy Professionals
The Guidelines for Home Energy Professionals, a collaboration between the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the home energy performance industry, provide access to work specifications for weatherization and home energy upgrades, listings of home energy professional certifications for workers, and accredited training programs. The Guidelines for Home Energy Professionals Project fact sheet provides information about the components of the program. [url, pdf; DOE]
Building Performance Institute (BPI) Home Performance Training and Certifications
BPI’s Home Performance Training provides instruction for residential energy efficiency and weatherization retrofit work. They offer a full range of practitioner and professional trainings that meet DOE and EPA energy program standards. They also links to the course schedules of locally accredited BPI training centers across the country. [url; BPI)
Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET)
RESNET offers a series of building certification training and credentials for home auditing professionals including home energy raters (HERS) and green raters. They also feature EnergySmart trainings for contractors and builders to improve energy efficient practices. RESNET-accredited training centers are available across the country. [url; RESNET]
Success with Energy Codes
This series of guides is targeted to builders, tradespeople, and homeowners to promote better building practices. The guides feature checklists and instructions (with visuals) on how to conduct a broad range of construction practices that will improve energy efficiency and the health of clients’ homes. The guides also recommend practices to optimize energy savings based on specific regions of the country. Note: As of August 2017, this series is a work in progress; some states’ resources are still absent. [url; Success with Energy Code].
Examples of Local Training Centers Focused on Green or Healthy Homes:
Center for Energy and Environmental Training (CEET)
This Isles-run service offers a number of training and testing opportunities in the home performance field as well as healthy housing. Trainings are available for un- and underemployed indivisuals in search of green jobs, workers interested in improving their skills, and employers interested in customized training. Features include classroom, laboratory, and field training on energy performance related to duct, heating, air sealing, and insulation, as well as in OSHA, RRP (Renovation, Repair, and Painting) and lead dust sampling. CEET is an accredited BPI Testing Center and serves as local provider of National Healthy Homes Training Center and Network (managed by Healthy Housing Solutions, NCHH’s for-profit subsidiary) trainings. [url; Isles, CEET]
Casa Verde Builders
This green construction training program targets 18- to 24-year-olds, offering construction projects focusing on green, healthy home repairs for lower-income residents and seniors. [pdf; American YouthWorks]
Are there other energy efficiency or green building training programs we should highlight? Please let us know. Email the information and link to Christopher Bloom.