Visit our InterNACHI BPI Training Chapter(click on image above)

Click here to download the pdf format of the BPI course details listed below about our 2011 training curriculum and course schedule.

NOTE: We also offer weekly BPI Professional Energy Auditor Training(BA or EP) every Thursday/Friday alternating Friday/Saturday. This enables you to complete the course over two weeks(total duration of course is 4 days).

BPI Professional Certification Training:

Home Star is coming! Get ready for the proposed $6 billion HOME STAR energy efficiency incentive program, which is going to require BPI Professional Certification. Don't get left behind!...Register today! To learn more, visit: www.bpi.org

Some good reasons to become BPI Certified:
#1. What is 'HOME STAR':

HOME STAR, also known as 'Cash for Caulkers', is a proposed nationwide incentive program for home performance retrofit and weatherization projects. It is intended to encourage homeowners to invest in improving the energy efficiency of their homes, while creating sustainable jobs in local communities. HOME STAR is endorsed by the President's Economic Recovery Advisory Board (PERAB). HOME STAR is intended to create 168,000 jobs. It is estimated that more than 43 million existing homes need urgent improvements to energy efficiency, durability and occupant comfort, health and safety. HOME STAR is expected to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to taking 615,000 cars off the road. HOME STAR energy audits and home assessments test-in/test-out procedures may ONLY be performed by a Building Performance Institute (BPI) Building Analyst Certified Professional or a Residential Services Network (RESNET) qualified rater (or an approved equivalent). To learn more, visit: http://bpi.org/homeowners_homestar.aspx

#2. What is a 'Home Energy Assessor':

This is a U.S. Department of Energy driven program, and is different to the HOME STAR program. Home Energy Assessor (also known as a home energy auditor or home performance contractor) evaluates a home's energy systems through a series of checks and analyses. In order to use the Home Energy Scoring Tool and generate a Home Energy Score, a qualified assessor must meet the following requirements:

* Be Certified by the Building Performance Institute (BPI) or by a Residential Energy Services network (RESNET) provider, and

* Complete and receive a passing grade on DOE's Home Energy Scoring Tool online training module and test. To listen to what Vice President Joe Biden said at a meeting in Washington DC, visit: http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/biden-gov-t-will-encourage-people-do-wha

#3. What is a 'BPI accredited Contractor': 

Not every organization can be a BPI accredited contracting company. Those that recognize the value and want to join the elite can do so by making a company-wide commitment to quality in a few key areas. Reliable, highly skilled home performance contractors are in increasing demand, thanks to the funding allocated to residential energy efficiency retrofit programs under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Many of these programs use the services of BPI accredited contracting companies, because they know they will get quality work with a good return on investment. In fact, the 'Home Performance with ENERGY STAR' program from the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cites BPI or equivalent for individual certification, company accreditation and program quality assurance protocols. To learn more, visit: http://bpi.org/companies.aspx

Carolinas Energy Associates, LLC  is certified as a BPI(Building Performance Institute) Affiliate Training Organization to offer energy auditing training for BPI Professional Certification in the following:

1. BPI Building Analyst Professional (BA).

2. BPI Envelope Professional (EP) - this course covers the advanced building shell diagnostics.

3. BPI combo BA & EP - this course covers both Certifications as a Building Analyst and Envelope Professional.

We offer full time classroom and field training necessary leading up to the on-line written exam and field testing necessary for the BPI 'Building Analyst(BA)' Certification and/or BPI 'Envelope Professional(EP)' Certification upon successful completion. Check out our upcoming class schedules and pricing at www.carolinasenergy.com

Carolinas Energy Associates, LLC  has experienced professionals with a wide range of technical skills and field experience. You can count on us to satisfy your training needs and/or energy audit requirements. We are proud to be BPI Certified Building Analyst and Envelope Professional Instructor/Proctor approved, and also as a Certified Master Inspector(CMI) approved with NACHI, and have conducted many thousands of home inspections. This course is best suited for individuals wishing to embark on a new exciting career in Energy Auditing, or those who have a background in residential construction, contracting or inspection industries. Although High school level math is recommended, it is not mandatory. The Building Analyst Training is a five day intensive course that prepares the candidate for BPI Building Analyst Professional Certification. We believe in the ‘whole house approach’ in our training program which allows students to fully understand how a whole house works as a system.  Our mission is to provide the most comprehensive training to our candidates that will enable real solutions to be offered to potential customers wanting to reduce their energy consumption while improving the safety and comfort level of their homes. Our classroom and field instruction covers basic building science technologies and the ‘whole house approach’ to educate, certify, and provide home energy auditors with the necessary hands-on skills to perform a thorough building analysis with confidence.

The agenda includes heat transfer, moisture issues, how to locate thermal and pressure boundaries, shell inspection and air sealing, mechanical ventilation requirements, pressure diagnostics and combustion safety.  Registration fee covers manuals, the on-line written exam and field test. A laptop with internet access is required for the on-line written exam.  At your discretion, you may arrange to take the written and/or field exams at another one of our scheduled classes, or at some other mutually convenient agreed time. To learn more, visit: www.carolinasenergy.com

FREE added benefits by training with us:

By choosing to train through our Organization is certainly a win-win solution. Since we are Certified Master Inspector approved, we understand how the 'house-as-a-system' works, and want to share our knowledge resources with you that will help you develop further in this very exciting field. We are not aware of any other BPI Affiliate Training Organization that can offer you this added benefit.

Successful completion of any of our BPI training courses offered by 'Carolinas Energy Associates, LLC', you will get one year FREE membership with the largest and most elite International Home Inspector Association, which permits you the following benefits:

1. Free on-line home inspector education in numerous Home Inspector and Energy Auditing related courses.

2. Free custom websites with free hosting.

3. Free listing of 1000's of Inspector sites.

4. Free membership in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

5. Free Green resources.

6. Free inspector graphics library.

7. Free membership in IAC2(International Association of Certified Indoor Air Consultants), that will permit you to take the FREE on-line courses that will enable you to become Certified as a 'Certified Mold Inspector' and 'Certified Radon Inspector'. Official certificates with your name will be issued to you for each of these Certifications on successful completion of these on-line courses.

Building Analyst Training Dates and Location:

Charlotte, NC:        February   21 – 26, 2011  

Charlotte, NC:        March        21 – 26, 2011  

Charlotte, NC:        April           18 - 23, 2011

Charlotte, NC:        May            16 - 21, 2011

Charlotte, NC:        June           20 - 25, 2011    

Course fees:

Building Analyst (BA) course fee: $1237

Envelope Professional (EP) course fee: $937

Combo (BA & EP) course fee: $1937

Building Analyst for HERS rater course fee: $937

Combo (BA & EP) for HERS rater course fee: $1637

***up tp 3 month payment plans accepted***

BPI Building Analyst Training for HERS Raters 
We offer a three day training program, open only to HERS Raters, focuses on combustion safety and concludes with the standard BPI Building Analyst written and field testing. Some building science topics will be discussed, but this is not an in-depth building science review. Registration fee covers manuals, the written and field exams.

Home Inspection Services & Training

We are proud to be BPI Certified and Certified Master Inspector(CMI) approved (NACHI), and have conducted many thousands of home inspections. We believe in the ‘whole house approach’ in our training program which allows students to fully understand how a whole house works as a system.  Our mission is to provide the most comprehensive training to our candidates that will enable real solutions to be offered to potential customers wanting to reduce their energy consumption while improving the safety and comfort level of their homes. This is achieved by using building science technologies and the ‘whole house approach’ to educate, certify, and provide home energy auditors with the necessary hands-on skills to perform a thorough building analysis with confidence. Specialized supplementary home inspection training and understanding of residential building codes is offered to help students understand how a house works. Registration fee covers manuals/Code Check, course completion certificate, access to on-line home inspection software, and your first year free membership with NACHI(National Association of Certified Home Inspectors). To learn more, visit: www.asurelook.com

This is a one day course:  dates to be advised

Course fee: $300.00

Field Proctoring Services

If you have completed training with another organization but need to complete your written and/or field exams for the 'Building Analyst(BA)' and 'Envelope Professional(EP)', we can offer you proctoring services for these Certifications.

Call for more details:  704-488-4469

BPI – Building Analyst Professional Training Curriculum 

Day 1 (8AM – 5PM)

1. Introduction:

      Energy Perspectives: 1949 – 2008 (DOE graphical presentation)

      Energy – Past and Present

‘Residential Energy’ – Cost savings for existing homes (John Krigger & Chris Dorsi.).  This is required reading material prior to the course – to be ordered and studied by each Student before the commencement of the course.

U.S. Dept. of Energy: Energy Savers Booklet (Tips On Saving Energy & Money)

      BPI Technical Standards - Building Analyst Professional

      Energy Auditing Terms and Definitions: A – Z

1. Introduction to Energy Concepts:

Definition of Energy

Basic forms of Energy

Units of Energy

Energy and Power

Laws of Thermodynamics

Efficiency

Energy Definitions (primary energy, delivered energy , useful energy)

Renewable vs. Non-renewable

Types of Pollutants

Nature of Energy

Law of conservation of Energy

Transferring thermal Energy (conduction, convection, radiation)

British Thermal Unit – BTU

R-value

U-value

Heating Degree Days  - HDD  and  Cooling Degree Days – CDD

Home Heating Index – HHI

1. House as a System:

House as a system of inter-related components and systems

Balloon Frame vs. Platform Frame

Sources of Moisture

Moist warm air rises

Roof structure: joist frame vs. truss frame

Attic ventilation types

Flat roofs vs. pitched roofs

Recommended grading slopes

Swales vs. French drain

House flashings

Foundation types

Heated vs. unheated crawlspaces

Day 2 (9AM – 5PM)

1. Combustion Safety:

What we inspect on combustion appliances

Testing for gas leaks: valves, pipes, connectors.

What we test on combustion appliances

Chimney and flues: different types of chimneys and problems found

CAZ Zones

What is worst case for draft testing

Recommended procedure for inspecting an existing gas appliance

Set-up for CAZ depressurization test

Obtaining stable readings

Appliance testing set-up (water heaters & central heating systems)

Checking for drafting

Checking for spillage

Carbon Monoxide poisoning  - what it is and what is a safe level

Carbon monoxide causes and solutions

Carbon monoxide testing procedures

Carbon monoxide recommendations as per BPI standards

Other I.A.Q.(Indoor Air Quality) safety issues: Radon Gas, Mold, Lead Paint, Asbestos. Includes the basic understanding of Psychrometric charts.

1. Building Science Basics:

Requirements of a safe and energy efficient home

The Thermal Boundary

Difference between pressure and thermal boundaries

Thermal and air barriers must be continuous

Pressure and thermal boundaries alignment

The Air Barrier

Air leakage

Direct leakage

Ventilation

Driving forces of air leakage: Temperature difference vs. pressure difference

Stack Effect

Combustion equipment and exhaust fans

Duct leakage

Room pressure imbalances

1. Blower Door Basics:

Using a blower door as a controlled driving force

Pascal – metric standard

Cubic foot per minute – cfm

Blower door installation set-up procedure

Accurate cfm-50 measurement: cfm-50, cfm-natural, cfm-50/”n” factor

Air changes per hour at 50 pascals  - ACH-50

Minimum ventilation requirement – MVR

Room by room inspection with blower door running

Leaks and doors, windows, wall outlets, switch boxes

1. Typical Improvement Measures :

Moisture problems identified and recommended solutions

Condition and types of air filters

Duct and pipe modifications

Waste heat recovery devices

Appliances with older electric motors

CFL’s vs. incandescent lamps

Hot spots: chimney penetrations and recessed light fixtures

Dryer ducts

Insulation: attic, walls, crawlspace

Zonal pressure diagnostics – ZPD

Pressure pan testing

CAZ testing

Thermal losses and imaging

Solar heat gain through double insulated windows

NFRC window ratings

Weatherstripping, door seals

Recommended air sealing - Onsite

Recommended mechanical ventilation – Onsite

1. Energy Related Formulas and geometry:

Cost effectiveness:

- Payback - PB

- Rate of return - ROR

- Savings-to-investment – SIR

            Geometry:

- plane geometry

- solid geometry

Air exchange factors:

            - CFM50, ACH50, ACHn, ALH

Day 3 (9AM – 5PM)

1. Physical on-site energy / building performance audit:

DVD – Building Analyst Field Training Video: How to perform a Home Energy Audit)

Pre-audit briefing and preparation

Home owner introduction and interview

Exterior walk about: grading issues, thermal boundaries, chimneys, etc.

Health and safety testing: 

- gas leaks

- CAZ testing, appliances testing

- CO testing of water heaters(DWH), Furnaces, Gas ranges

            Blower door test:

• installation and set-up
• Locate air leaks
• Room by room zonal testing

Central heating systems: Furnaces, boilers

Water heating systems

Lighting

Refrigeration equipment

Windows, doors, attic access hatches

Fuel switching opportunities

Heat loss savings opportunities

Energy consumptions and recommendations

Appliance and lighting upgrade opportunities

Day 4 (9AM – 5PM)

1. Test Preparation / Review(AM)  &  Written Test(PM):

Written Test(PM):

- 100 questions: 2 hrs (70% pass required)

- Non-programmable calculators only

- Documents permitted: BPI Standards of Practice for Building Analyst

- No other books or training material allowed

Days 4 & 5 (9AM – 5PM)

1. Test Preparation & On-site practical field Test:

            On-Site Field Test:

- 2 – 3 hrs. needed per Candidate (70% pass required, but 85% pass required for combustion safety). Field testing times to be decided amongst Candidates.

- Building Analyst Field Guide – explanation of testing criteria

What you get from us while attending this course:

- All course training material, standards of practice, other reference materials

- BPI Standards of Practice for Building Analyst Professional

- U.S. Department of Energy: Energy Savers Booklet – Tips on Saving Energy

- BPI approved written exam and 1on1 field examination.

- We provide refreshments at coffee breaks

What you need to bring with you to this course:

-  Non-programmable calculator

-  Laptop, Notebook, or Netbook computer with wireless internet capability

-  Open mind and willingness to embark on a great career in Energy Auditing

To learn more about our training program please don't hesitate to call us 704-488-4469, or e-mail us at gary@carolinasenergy.com

Gary Williams - President
Carolinas Energy Associates, LLC
Tel# 704-488-4469
Fax# 704-706-2503
www.carolinasenergy.com
'Saving energy in the Carolinas, one house at a time!'

Envelope Professional(EP) online training offered for FREE!

Through our Affiliation with Greener Dawn Training, we are now able to offer you the on-line course option of completing both the BPI Building Analyst(BA) and Envelope Professional(EP) designations. Study at your own pace, then we take you to the finish line by providing the necessary field training(only one day), BPI written exams, and field testing for both of these Professional BPI designations. Total online Combo(BA/EP) course package: $1,537

This is the most cost effective price in the Industry!

To enroll it’s easy, log onto the http://bpianalyst.com/login/signup.php website to create your own username and password. Pay deposit of $537 using the PayPal link on our web page  http://www.carolinasenergy.com/contact_us then we will activate your account to get you going on your way. To learn more about this on-line BPI training program, please visit www.bpitrainingnow.com

Helping to brighten your Energy Auditing prospects!