FSEC's building research division offers a large number of training and certification courses directed towards a variety of practitioners, professionals, and the general public. This section gives the listing of the course offerings separated by the course content as applied to commercial or residential buildings.

To use this listing, determine the commercial or residential course you are interested in taking and then click on the course to see description, agenda, time, date and registration for the course. See also Course Schedule for times and dates of course offerings.

The CEU number is listed in the course description if there are credits available for that course.

Commercial Residential Energy Ratings

Commercial Buildings Courses

Energy Analysis for Obtaining Tax Credits & Energy-Efficient Mortgages
As part of the 2005 Energy Bill passed by Congress, new tax credits for builders, design professionals, businesses and homeowners were passed. The student will learn who is eligible to receive credits and how to determine the level of credit available.

Energy Gauge® Commercial Rater Training
This course is designed to learn the methodology of commercial energy ratings in order to accurately assess commercial buildings. After completion of this one day course a challenge test will be administered to the participants in order to certify as a commercial energy rater. When certified, you can then perform commercial energy calculations on the same level as a licensed HVAC contractor.

Green Relocatable Classroom Design Charrette
You are invited to come help design and define what makes a relocatable classroom "Green." Join educators, energy experts, engineers, architects, builders, and legislators, as they attempt to answer this question.

Commercial Energy Code and Green Building Modeling Using EnergyGauge Summit
This course will teach participants how to use software for energy code compliance for Florida and other states that use ASHRAE 90.1. Students will also learn how to generate ASHRAE 90.1 ratings, evaluate federal tax deductions for energy-efficient buildings and calculate LEED credits, including easy on-line reporting feature. Designed for first time and experienced users, students can work alone or in teams to input data and generate output reports which illustrates energy impacts.
Come and see how easy it is to model building energy use. 7 hours.

Residential Building Courses

Designing Building Envelopes to Control Air and Moisture in High Performance
Green Buildings
This course provides a balance of lecture, live model demonstrations and class exercises so students will understand building envelope characteristics that control heat and moisture transport. Participants will become familiar with the four types of water movement – bulk, capillary, vapor diffusion, and air transport in hot and humid climates. We’ll learn the relevance of material properties to energy efficiency, moisture accumulation, and durability, within the envelope assemblies. 7 hours.

Designing and Maintaining Building Air Flows in High Performance Green Buildings
Air flow and pressure problems are silently undermining green goals of maintaining healthy, energy efficient and, durable buildings. This course uses several case studies and research by instructors with first-hand experience to help students understand how the four primary forms of uncontrolled air flow are likely to undermine LEED certified buildings. We recommend specific measures as part of commissioning or recommissioning. 7 hours.

Designing and Maintaining Building HVAC Systems in High Performance
Green Buildings
This course examines cooling system characteristics, advanced dehumidification systems and ventilation control strategies. HVAC systems can be an important part of conserving energy, maintaining comfort, and controlling humidity in green buildings. Case studies will be used that highlight re-commissioning measures that result in significant energy savings. This course is designed to accommodate those not very familiar with HVAC who want to learn more, but has detailed information about advanced systems that will benefit those more experienced. 7 hours.

Design Charrette — Practice Design of a High Performance Green Building
This course applies knowledge gained from the first three segments of the five course series “Designing and Maintaining the High Performance Green Building Series.” Students will benefit from the experience of other professionals. Participants will work in small groups to discuss ideas and describe construction and equipment details for achieving a high performance green school building. Each group will discuss their design ideas at the end of the day. 7 hours.

Energy Analysis for Obtaining Tax Credits & Energy-Efficient Mortgages
As part of the 2005 Energy Bill passed by Congress, new tax credits for builders, design professionals, businesses and homeowners were passed. The student will learn who is eligible to receive credits and how to determine the level of credit available.

Building Energy-Efficient Green Homes
This award winning course will help you incorporate energy-efficient building strategies to make Florida homes more comfortable, more affordable, more marketable and more profitable. It offers new ways to build houses that sell. It shows designers strategies that can quickly, easily and inexpensively be incorporated into new homes. It demonstrates ideas buyers demand for comfort and affordability. The instructors explain the research and intent behind confusing code questions for building officials. It also explains the latest research findings on mechanical equipment - information important to utility representatives and educators. Topics include avoiding catastrophes, roof, floor, and wall construction, window selection, home design and site selection, HVAC equipment selection, installing air tight duct systems, energy-efficient appliances and amenities. 8 credits, CILB#0007648

EnergyGauge® - Florida's Residential Rating Program
Become a certified rater by learning to conduct complete and accurate residential energy ratings. Learn principles of energy and heat flow, energy consumption, energy systems interaction, and how to perform a home rating.

EnergyGauge® FlaRes Pro Hands-On Training
Maximum use with minimum effort from Florida's Code and Rating Software. For new or experienced users, we'll walk you through EnergyGauge, energy code compliance, system sizing, optimization, and improvement analysis. 4 credits, CILB#006825

Florida Green Home Designation Certification Course
Provide buyers and homebuilders more than just energy efficiency by becoming a certifier for the new green home designation. What it takes to qualify a home for the building energy, appliance energy, water efficiency, site, health, materials, disaster mitigation and general categories for this standard. 6 credits, CILB#0006827

LEED^® for Homes for Field Agents
This course is designed to take current Florida green home certifying agents, Florida energy raters and LEED® professionals through the LEED® for Homes® pilot program in order that they may be eligible to be field raters for homes through the Florida Solar Energy Center, the USGBC designated provider serving the Florida region during the pilot program. 6 credits.

From Blueprints to Residential Energy Code
Step-by-step guidance as to how to complete a Florida energy code compliance form from plans. 6 credits, CILB#0006828

Residential HVAC as if Comfort and Energy Mattered
In this course, we'll address common HVAC problems that waste energy and reduce comfort, and how attempts to fix these problems often make things worse. Practical "use-it-today" information and demonstrations will help you learn how to do it right.

Topics will include:

• Ductwork that works: Good ducts, bad ducts and how to tell the difference between the two. We'll also find out how important duct and air handler location can be.
• A balanced treatment of unbalanced airflow: Duct leakage and closing interior doors can cause airflow balance problems and increase infiltration. We'll sort through it and provide solutions.
• Sizing up system sizing: Sizing air conditioning systems properly can provide better humidity removal and lower utility bills. Find out why and how to size right. Results from sizing and HVAC studies conducted in Florida homes will be presented.

4 credits, CILB#0008503