Fundamentals of Sustainable Buildings and High Performance Systems Design (GREENGUIDE)

 A thorough introduction to green design practices, benefits, new green building ideas, and an overview of the architectural decisions and their impact on sustainable and green project goals.

Course length: Approximately 35 hours

Designed for:

• Recent engineering graduates working in HVACR
• Engineers entering HVACR from another area
• Technicians
• Architects

After completing this course, you will understand:

• The key concepts of green design
• The source, phases and importance of commissioning
• The various ways in which the various LEED credits affect the HVAC engineer
• The impacts some architectural decisions have and how these decisions affect sustainable/green project goals
• The importance of maintaining thermal conditions and generating new building design ideas.
• Environmental benefits of green design
• The concepts related to water-conservation, water heating and the different water systems
• How building control increases efficiencies and help in achieving LEED credit points

Modules

1)     The Basics of Sustainable Design                     

2)     Commissioning                                                

3)     LEED Guidance                                                           

4)     Integrated Design                                             

5)     Indoor Environmental Quality                            

6)     Energy Conservation                                        

7)     Plumbing and Fire Protection Systems              

8)     Building Controls                                              

Every module includes:

• Reading assignment
• Learning activities
• Lesson summary
• Module exam

Outcomes: The 8 online modules help you to understand:

•  The differences between green and sustainable design, the components of a successful green project, the green building rating systems available and the pros and cons of each system and the justification of the system.

•   The five main phases of commissioning, the importance of documentation to commissioning, the interaction of the commissioning agent with the normal site supervision during construction, and the engineer’s role in construction quality.

• The five main program areas that LEED summarizes, the key points in each program area, particularly as they apply to ASHRAE members, the various EA credits, and the ASHRAE standard for thermal and lighting control.

• The cost implications when choosing a site, the impact site orientation has on the use of natural resources, the basis of integrated design and how it affects project costs, and the concept of night precooling.

• The five main areas that comprise "indoor environmental quality" (IEQ), the relationship between indoor air quality (IAQ) and the outdoor air quality, and how HVAC designs influence this interaction, and the new ideas on design of healthy buildings.

•   The environmental benefits of using renewable energy sources, passive versus active renewable energy, and the types of solar energy utilization.

• Where sustainable design can be implemented into plumbing systems, the effect that other disciplines can have on green design, and the importance of conserving water and the positive affects it can have on our planet.

• How building controls may benefit the environment, the importance of building controls in providing good building IEQ, and help a project achieve LEED credit points and help in continued efficient operation of the building after occupancy.