A Guide To Rain Garden Design

A Guide to Rain Garden Design, Construction and Maintenance
This engineering online PDH course explains how rain gardens work and describes their eco-friendly
benefits.

Rain gardens are shallow, constructed depressions that are planted with deep-rooted native plants
and grasses. Conversion of land into impermeable surfaces creates new challenges for storm water
runoff. This course provides economical options to the otherwise costly stormwater challenges. This
course also provides design and construction information including: FAQs, sizing and siting locations,
landscaping, plant selection, catchment zones, slope calculations, designs for various soil types,
construction, settling, and cost calculations.

This 5 PDH course is intended for civil engineers, geotechnical engineers, landscape architects and
contractors who want to learn the methods to design, construct and maintain rain gardens in various
conditions.
Learning Objectives
This PE continuing education course is intended to provide you with the following specific knowledge
and skills:
o Knowing where to locate and how to determine the storm water catchment zone
o Understanding how to design the storm water catchment zone
o Understanding how rain gardens reduce storm water pollution
o Understanding how to reduce erosion and other negative impacts
o Familiarizing with rain garden designs in sandy and silty soil
o Understanding appropriate native plants and vegetation that will best benefit a rain garden
system
o Learning how to design storm water drainage and overflow systems
o Learning how to maintain a rain garden once it is established
An Introduction to Energy Efficient HVAC Controls
This online engineering PDH course addresses automatic temperature and humidity controls, space
pressurization controls, safety controls, and energy monitoring and central supervisory control
systems for heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.

Energy efficient control systems are complete, reliable, fully functional, maintainable, fully integrated,
addressable, control systems that have been properly designed, installed, and commissioned for
efficient and cost-effective operation. In existing facilities, the design is integrated and interfaced into
the existing control system so that the new equipment and conditions can be controlled and
monitored similar to the existing controlled equipment.

This 2 PDH online course is intended for mechanical and electrical engineers, and other design and
construction professionals seeking an introduction to energy efficient control systems for HVAC
systems.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
 Knowing when to apply and not-apply humidity controls

 Knowing what parameters to monitor and control for air handlers
 Learning about the conditions to be controlled at central HVAC plants
 Knowing the special control issues with variable-air-volume (VAV) systems
 Understanding the importance of contractor submittals for control systems
 Knowing the situations where simultaneous heating and cooling controls are allowable
 Learning about mechanical ventilation controls
 Understanding the fundamentals of energy conservation control schemes
 Learning about fire and smoke protection controls on HVAC systems
An Introduction to Sustainable Design for Buildings
This online engineering PDH course explains the goals of the six main principles behind sustainable
design, opportunities you can use to pursue them, and resources that will help you reach them. When
you have completed this course, you will have a road map that will guide you in making sustainability
an integral part of your management of building and infrastructure design and construction projects.

"Sustainable design" is no longer a boutique concept in the design and construction of buildings and
related infrastructure. It is widely required by government agencies and is becoming more and more
in demand by responsible private owners. Sustainable design seeks to reduce negative impacts on
the environment, and the health and comfort of building occupants, thereby improving building
performance. The basic objectives of sustainability are to reduce consumption of non-renewable
resources, minimize waste, and create healthy, productive environments. Design and construction of
buildings and related infrastructure create major direct and indirect impacts on the environment.

This 2 PDH online course is intended for those engineers, architects and construction professionals
who are interested in learning more about the framework for applying sustainable design concepts in
buildings.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
 Learn about the six principles of sustainable design

 Learn about the seven principles of sustainable site planning
 Learn about the five principles of energy use optimization
 Learn about the seven principles for the protection and conservation of water
 Learn about the eight principles for employment of environmentally preferable products and
materials
 Learn about the ten principles to employ in enhancing indoor environmental quality
 Learn about the five principles for optimization of operational and maintenance practices
 Learn about the resources that you can use learn more about your sustainability options, and
how to access and employ them
An Introduction to Sustainable Lighting Design
This online engineering PDH course discusses how to provide sustainable lighting design to achieve
the required LEED or other certification level in accordance with owner's objectives. Incorporating
sustainable goals into the design process requires a careful analysis of both the cost and the benefits
of the strategies outlined in the rating system. Any design strategy has both synergies and tradeoffs
with other building systems and the project budget.

Lighting design addresses several sustainable issues and presents multiple strategies that can be
considered in a particular project: daylight utilization, lighting controls, energy efficiency, materials,
light pollution, and light trespass. All of these issues have significant impacts on the project budget
that can best be evaluated with a life-cycle cost analysis. Additionally, the most sustainable solution
to a new building project may be to renovate an existing building. In this situation, certain lighting
issues must be addressed to improve the efficiency and visibility of an existing system.

This 2 PDH online course is intended for electrical and lighting engineers and other design and
construction professionals seeking an introduction to the principles and strategies for sustainable
lighting design.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
 Learning about sustainable lighting design and the LEED rating system
 Learning about daylighting strategies for interior illumination
 Understanding the importance of fully shielded luminaires for roadway and area lighting
 Learning about the concepts of light pollution and light trespass
 Learning about light source life expectancy estimates
 Learning about different lighting retrofit strategies
 Knowing how to retrofit existing troffer systems
 Knowing how to maximize the lighting efficiency of building glazing systems
Building Envelope Air Tightness
This online engineering PDH course describes the importance of improving the building envelope
construction to provide better air tightness. In addition, the course discusses the theory and practical
applications regarding building envelope construction.

Infiltration in commercial buildings can have many negative consequences, including reduced thermal
comfort, interference with the proper operation of mechanical ventilation systems, degraded indoor
air quality, moisture damage of building envelope components, and increased energy consumption.
The objective of the study used in this exam was to investigate the impact of envelope air tightness
on the energy consumption of typical commercial buildings in the U.S. Despite common assumptions
that envelope air leakage is not significant in office and other commercial buildings, measurements
have shown that these buildings are subject to larger infiltration rates than commonly believed
(Persily 1998, Proskiw and Phillips 2001).

This 2 PDH online course is intended for engineers in the building industry who are interested in total
integrated building design and operation in order to minimize energy use in the building and provide
more comfortable conditions for the occupants of the building.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
 Building descriptions: retail, offices, apartments

 Airflow models
 Thermal properties, setpoints and schedules
 Energy uses and scalar rations
 Targeted air leakage rates
Building Systems and Indoor Environmental Quality
This online engineering PDH course describes the basic sustainable design considerations for HVAC,
Electrical and Plumbing Systems. The course also discusses the relevance of indoor air quality,
acoustics and building commissioning with respect to sustainable design.

In today's building construction sustainable design is becoming a major factor of design criteria.
Sustainable design applies to every aspect of the building. In particular, this course deals with the
building systems and indoor environmental quality.

This 3 PDH online course is applicable to any engineer who is interested in learning more about
sustainable design considerations for building systems and indoor environmental quality.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
 Control systems
 Air-delivery systems
 Central equipment
 Building commissioning
 Balancing energy and indoor air quality
 Lighting controls
 Hot water heating
 Water pumping systems
Combined Heat & Power Systems for Emergency Back-up
This online engineering PDH course provides practical information on developing a combined heat
and power (CHP) system that would enable a building to operate independently of the electricity grid,
in the event of a major storm or other disruption. This course details what factors must be considered
when configuring a CHP system to operate independently of the electricity grid, and what steps are
involved in a typical CHP project development process.

During and after Hurricane Sandy, combined heat and power enabled a number of critical
infrastructure and other facilities to continue their operations when the electric grid went down. Time
and again, CHP has proved its value as an alternative source of power and thermal energy (heating
and cooling) during emergencies, and demonstrated how it can be a sound choice in making energy
infrastructure more resilient in the face of extreme weather events.

This 1 PDH online course is intended for civil, electrical, mechanical engineers, and planners for
emergency events affecting cities.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
o Policy context for CHP

o CHP in State and local resiliency planning efforts
o CHP basics and benefits
o Opportunities for CHP to contribute to reliability
o Determining whether CHP is an appropriate choice
o Steps in the CHP project development process
o Options for financing CHP
Continuous Commissioning - Maximizing Building Energy Efficiency and

Comfort
This online engineering PDH course describes Continuous Commissioning basics and benefits. The
course also describes specific energy improvement measures related to water/steam distribution
systems, central chiller and heating plants, thermal storage systems. In addition multiple case
studies are discussed to show real continuous commissioning retrofit applications.

Building commissioning has emerged as the preferred method of ensuring that building systems are
installed and operated to provide the performance envisioned by the designer. While most
commissioning processes focus on bringing building operation to the original design intent,
Continuous Commissioning focuses on optimizing HVAC system operation and control for the
existing building conditions. It is an ongoing process to resolve operating problems, improve comfort,
optimize energy use and identify retrofits for existing commercial and institutional buildings and
central plant facilities.

This 10 PDH online course is applicable to mechanical engineers, design and construction personnel,
technical staff and facility personnel who are interested in gaining a better understanding of
continuous commissioning.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
 Benefits of continuous commissioning

 Basic continuous commissioning measures
 Continuous commissioning for water/steam distribution
 Continuous commissioning for central chiller plants
 Continuous commissioning for central heating plants
 Continuous commissioning for thermal storage systems
 Continuous commissioning for optimal building performance
Designing and Installing High Efficiency Air-to-Air Energy-Recovery
This online engineering PDH course serves as a Best Practices Guide for applying energy recovery
modules to an existing K-12 school. It presents an overview of the design and Installation practices of
high-efficiency air-to-Air energy recovery systems.

Indoor air pollutants have been ranked among the top five environmental risks to public health. The
problems they cause can be subtle and do not always produce easily recognized or immediate
impacts on health. With new technologies, we can improve indoor air quality (IAQ) and can save
energy at the same time. One of the big changes with efficiency of air to air energy recovery is the
new reverse air flow curve, resulting in very high efficiency inline fans.

This 1 PDH online course is intended for all engineers involved in the design and installation of high-
efficiency air-to-Air energy recovery systems.
Learning Objectives
This continuing education course is intended to provide you with the following specific knowledge
and skills:
o Understanding the benefits of high-efficiency air-to-air energy recovery

o Learning how to choose the right size ERV for your building
o Learning how to calculate the minimum ventilation rates
o Understanding the installation procedures of high-efficiency air-to-air energy recovery
equipmen
Economizers in Air Handling Systems
This online engineering PDH course describes how air-side economizers are used in air handlers
serving commercial buildings. It also discusses when and when not to use economizers, how
economizers are controlled, how economizers can save or waste energy, what to look for if
economizers are not working properly and other issues related to economizer applications.

An air-side economizer is an HVAC control system that can provide significant cooling energy savings
when much as they should and some waste a lot of energy. Economizers save energy by using
outside air to cool buildings. Better design, controls, installation, monitoring, and maintenance can
help economizers meet their potential.

This 2 PDH online course is applicable to mechanical engineers who design HVAC systems for
buildings where the climate is appropriate for air-side economizers.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
 What are economizers and how do they work
 Specifying economizers
 Principles of operation of economizers
 Definition of terms related to economizers
 Control of economizers
 When to and not to use economizers
 How much energy economizers can save or waste
Electric and Water Utility Integrated Planning
This online engineering PDH course will examine the water-energy nexus, the commonalities and
differences between electric and water utilities, methods of reducing power and water demands, and
future collaboration between these utility types.

Electric power utilities are the largest consumers of water in the United States. Water withdrawals in
the United States for thermoelectric power plants account for approximately 200 billion gallons of
water per day according to the U.S. Geological Survey. At the same time water and wastewater
utilities are also thirsting for water and power. Water utilities need to ensure consistent water and
wastewater services while meeting ever more stringent treatment requirements that require more
power.

This 1 PDH online course is applicable to engineers, designers, contractors, facility managers and
plant operators who are interested in learning about electric and water utility integrated planning.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
 Understanding the water-energy nexus

 Understanding the commonalities and differences between electric and water utilities
 Understanding water use in the power generation process and various thermoelectric power
cooling technologies
 Understanding how electric and water utilities can plan together for their mutual benefit
Energy Audits for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plants and Pump
Stations
This online engineering PDH course will cover how to plan, prepare and execute a process energy
audit for a water or wastewater treatment plant or pump station as well as analyze the results and
discuss energy saving strategies and energy conservation measures.

Water and wastewater utilities consume approximately 4% of the power in the United States. For
water utilities the largest energy consuming operation is pumping, while for wastewater utilities
secondary and tertiary treatment are the processes consuming the largest quantities of power.
Reducing process energy consumption in a water or wastewater treatment plant starts with a process
energy audit specific to this type of facility.

This 2 PDH online course is applicable to engineers, designers, contractors, facility managers and
plant operators who are interested in learning about energy audits for water and wastewater
treatment plants and pump stations.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
 Understanding how energy is used in a water and wastewater treatment plant

 Understanding electric utility billing rates
 Learning how to benchmark a water or wastewater treatment plant
 Learning how to plan and execute an investment grade energy audit
 Learning how to analyze energy audits and identify possible energy optimization tactics
Energy Conservation Methods in HVAC
This online engineering PDH course presents a brief overview of the potential energy saving methods
in heating ventilation and air-conditioning. These methods include: controls, exhaust heat recovery
systems, heat-of-light heat recovery systems and refrigeration heat recovery systems.

This 1 PDH online course is applicable to mechanical engineers, designers, contractors, building
professionals and maintenance personnel.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
 Understanding how controls have a direct effect on energy savings and learning the different
options associated with this concept
 Learning about the different types of exhaust air heat recovery methods
 Familiarizing with the heat-of-light heat recovery method and learning its different techniques
 Knowing the different techniques of the refrigeration heat recovery method
Energy Efficiency Measures to Incorporate into Remodeling Projects
This online engineering PDH course provides guidance for energy efficiency measures that could be
incorporated into general remodeling work and home repair projects. It details the specific activities
that allow for energy efficiency measures and explains the associated costs and savings.

Years after flooding in the Northeast wrought by superstorm Sandy and Hurricane Katrina, thousands
of homes are in need of repair and remodeling, so it is important that engineers and construction
personnel understand energy efficiency measures and consider opportunities to implement them.

This 3 PDH online course is applicable to civil, structural, and mechanical engineers, as well as design
and construction personnel involved in home repair and general remodeling projects.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
o Understanding energy usage in U.S. homes and its shifts over years
o Learning about the types of remodeling activities and associated expenditures
o Learning about the typical property repair claims and causes of damage
o Knowing the specific energy efficiency measures that could be incorporated into remodeling
and repair activities
Energy Savings in MEP Systems - Building Design
This online engineering PDH course describes a wide variety of sustainable concepts and practical
ideas from design to facility operation that will help with the integration of the various systems within
the building. This course also explains that a key to successful integrated building design is the
participation of people from different specialties of design: general architecture, HVAC, lighting and
electrical, interior design, and landscape design. Although the reference text discusses Federal
Facilities, the principles apply to all building types. Part IV of this source material focuses on the
building envelop and integrated design involving all disciplines of the engineering and architectural
work.

Integrated building design is a process of design in which multiple disciplines and seemingly
unrelated aspects of design are integrated in a manner that permits synergistic benefits to be
realized. The goal is to achieve high performance and multiple benefits at a lower cost than the total
for all the components combined. This process often includes integrating green design strategies
into conventional design criteria for building form, function, performance, and cost.

This 2 PDH online course is applicable to all engineers, design and construction personnel, technical
staff and facility personnel who are interested in gaining a better understanding "green" integrated
building design in general and more specifically for federal buildings.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
 Integrated building design

 Passive solar design
 Daylighting design
 Natural ventilation
 Building envelope
 Windows and glazing systems
 Insulation
Energy Savings in MEP Systems - Energy Systems
This online engineering PDH course describes a wide variety of integrated sustainable concepts and
practical ideas from design to facility operation that will help with the integration of the various
systems within the building. Part V of this source document focuses on the energy using systems of a
facility including HVAC, lighting, water heating, energy control, motors, etc.

In today's building industry the concept of integrated sustainable design has taken root and is
branching out into full blossom. Green is considered the responsible way to design. Integrated
design is a process whereby the various disciplines involved in design (architects, mechanical and
electrical engineers, interior design professionals, etc.) work together to come up with design
solutions that maximize performance, energy conservation, and environmental benefits.

Learning Objectives
and skills:
 Energy and conservation issues

 Boilers, air distribution systems, chillers, absorption cooling
 Desiccant dehumidification
 Ground-source heat pumps
 HVAC technologies to consider
 Heat-recovery water heating, solar water heating
 Fluorescent lighting, electronic ballasts, lighting controls, exterior lighting
 Office, food service, and laundry equipment
 Energy management
 High-efficiency drives, variable-frequency motors, power factors
 Electric power systems analysis
 Microturbines, fuel cells, photovoltaics, wind energy, biomass energy systems
 Combined heat and power systems
Energy Savings in MEP Systems - Indoor Air Quality
This online engineering PDH course describes how the integrated process of design, construction,
operation and maintenance of a facility can impact the indoor air quality of the facility. The course
also discusses that IAQ is impacted by multiple discipline issues that impact the total building
operation. Although the reference text discusses Federal Facilities, the principles apply to all building
types. Part VIII of this course material focuses on the materials used within a facility and how these
materials can contribute to IAQ problems.

IAQ problems can be caused (or avoided) at virtually any stage in the design, construction, and
operation of any facility. During building design, such issues as roof overhangs (to keep out rain),
location of outside air inlet ports, glazing specifications (relative to potential condensation and mold
growth), formaldehyde content of cabinetry, and entryway design to hold down tracked in pollutants
all can influence IAQ.

Learning Objectives
and skills:
 Indoor air quality

 Controlling soil gases
 Controlling biological contaminants
 Productivity in the workplace
 Noise control and privacy
Energy Savings in MEP Systems - Water and Wastewater
This online engineering PDH course describes a wide variety of sustainable concepts and practical
ideas related to water and wastewater systems including discussions of water management
concepts, plumbing design concepts, fixture selection considerations and more sophisticated
concepts such as graywater collection and rainwater harvesting. Although the reference text
discusses Federal Facilities, the principles apply to all building types. Part VI of this source material
focuses on the water and waste water systems within a facility.

Sustainable design involves integration of multiple disciplines. The goal of effective water
management is to reduce water consumption without compromising the performance of equipment
and fixtures. Using water more efficiently is a green strategy for several reasons: it reduces pressure
on sometimes-limited water resources; it reduces the amount of energy and chemicals used for water
and wastewater treatment; and to the extent that the use of hot water is reduced, increases energy
savings with associated environmental benefits.

Learning Objectives
and skills:
 Water management
 Toilets and urinals
 Showers, faucets, and drinking fountains
 Electronic controls for pumbing fixtures
 Reclaimed water
 Graywater collection and use
 Rainwater harvesting
 On-Site wastewater treatment systems
Energy-Efficient Windows for Residential Buildings
This online engineering PDH course presents guidelines to help engineers, builders, homeowners, and
designers select energy-efficient windows in new and existing residential construction in all U.S.
climate zones. It includes information about window products, attributes, and performance. It
provides cost/benefit information about window energy-savings and about non-energy benefits such
as thermal comfort and reduced heating, ventilation, and air conditioning demands. The guidelines
also provide information about the energy impacts of design decisions such as window orientation,
total glazing area, shading conditions, and about proper window installation.

Residential buildings account for about 21% of total energy consumption in the United States, and
windows alone are responsible for 25% to 30% of residential heating and cooling energy use. The U.S.
Department of Energy estimates that upgrading the nation's current window stock to meet DOE's
long-term performance goals could save more than 2 quadrillion Btu. Clearly, expanding the use of
energy-efficient windows should be of interest to engineers and others interested in reducing energy
consumption.

This 6 PDH online course is intended for engineers, builders, homeowners, and designers interested in
saving energy in residential buildings.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
 Understanding efficiency measures such as U-Factor and SHGC

 Knowing the concepts of visible transmittance, air leakage, and condensation resistance
 Learning about glazing types
 Understanding the effects of using low-conductance spacers and gas fills
 Learning about frame types
 Understanding the relation of energy efficient windows to energy codes
 Learning about energy and cost savings for new and replacement windows
 Becoming familiar with life cycle cost analysis
 Understanding the effects of orientation, window area, and shading
 Learning about proper installation techniques
Green Remediation: Sustainable Environmental Practices for Remediation

of Contaminated Sites
This online engineering PDH course presents sustainable practices to minimize air emissions,
energy consumption, land impact, water resources and material consumption.
The practice of "green remediation" uses innovative cleanup strategies to consider all
environmental effects of remedy implementation for contaminated sites and incorporates
options to maximize the net environmental benefit of cleanup actions and reducing project
costs.
This 4 PDH online course is applicable to engineers involved with the investigation, design,
construction, operation, and monitoring phases of site remediation regardless of the selected
cleanup remedy.
Learning Objectives
This PE continuing education course is intended to provide you with the following specific
knowledge and skills:
 Understanding of green remediation practices and objectives

 Considerations and methods to reduce air emissions
 Considerations and methods to reduce energy consumption
 Considerations and methods to minimize water resources
 Considerations and methods to reduce impacts on land and ecosystems
 Considerations and methods to minimize material consumption and waste generation
 Best management practices for long-term stewardship actions
Green Roofs
This online engineering PDH course describes the benefits of green roofs, estimated saving and
market potential of green roofs, technology performance of green roofs, warranties, standards and
codes related to green roofs.

Because of their many energy-saving and environmental benefits, green roofs are a promising
technology for energy-efficient buildings. In a green roof, a layer of vegetation covers the surface of a
roof to provide shade, cool indoor and outdoor temperatures, storm water management, and more.

This 3 PDH online course is applicable to environmental engineers, design and construction
personnel, technical staff and facility personnel who are interested in gaining a better understanding
in green roofs.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
 Applications
 Energy-savings mechanisms
 Benefits
 Variations
 Architectural criteria
 Estimated savings
 Market potential
 Implementation barriers
 Costs
 Warranties, standards and codes
Guidelines for Selecting Cool Roofs
This online engineering PDH course presents an overview of cool roofs, which can help
many building owners save money while protecting the environment. It illustrates how cool
roofs work, what kinds of cool roof options are available, and how to determine if cool
roofing is an appropriate energy efficiency option for your building.

Just as wearing light-colored clothing can help keep a person cool on a sunny day, cool roofs
use solar-reflective surfaces to maintain lower roof temperatures. Traditional dark roofs can
reach temperatures of 150ºF (66ºC) or more in the summer sun. A cool roof under the same
conditions could stay more than 50°F (28ºC) cooler.
This 2 PDH online course is applicable to engineers, architects, designers, contractors,

building owners, and all personnel interested in gaining a better understating of cool roofs.
Learning Objectives
This PE continuing education course is intended to provide you with the following specific
knowledge and skills:
 Understanding what is a cool roof

 Learning about the different types of cool roofs
 Knowing if you should use a cool roof
 Learning about cool roof selection and application
 Knowing the precautions and considerations behind cool roofs
HVAC Energy Conservation through Cooling Water Treatment
This online engineering PDH course provides an overview of the waterside problems specific to HVAC
systems. It briefly discusses how the energy is dissipated from the open recirculation systems and
how effective implementation and tight monitoring of the water treatment programs can conserve
energy.

Cooling water is a vital utility for large air-conditioning systems. Use of good quality water or proper
water treatment can cut your water, energy, and maintenance costs substantially. The savings are
associated with the prevention or removal of scale built up on a heat exchange surfaces where even a
thin film of 1/32" or 0.8mm can increase the energy consumption by nearly 10%. Perhaps most
important of all, it can save you the cost of fixing or replacing equipment that's been damaged by
inadequate water treatment; including the downtime and lost revenue usually associated with solving
such problems.

The 5 PDH online course is applicable to mechanical engineers, HVAC designers, contractors, facility
managers, O&M personnel who are responsible for operation and design of efficient HVAC systems.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
 Understanding the energy use of air-conditioning system

 Understanding the waterside problems encountering open recirculation water systems
 Understand the need for water treatment
 Understand the operating principles, application, advantages and limitations of common
water treatment methods
 Understand the potential benefits of cooling water quality
 Understanding control methods - sampling, testing and recording
 Learning about safety in water treatment
HVAC for Home Energy Renovations
This online engineering course provides information about energy-efficient heating, ventilation and
cooling equipment options to help engineers, contractors and homeowners cut their energy use,
reduce their carbon footprint, and increase their homes’ comfort, health, and safety. It will help make
informed decisions about purchasing new HVAC equipment or improving existing equipment for more
efficient operation.

For the average American homeowner, heating and cooling accounts for approximately 40% of annual
energy usage. Picking the right heating and cooling equipment can reduce this significant portion of
the utility bill. This course discusses ways of reducing energy costs and improving the comfort,
health, and safety of homes by upgrading the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment. A
variety of types of heating and cooling equipment are presented in this course.

The 5 PDH online course is intended for mechanical and electrical engineers, architects, contractors,
homeowners and any other technical personnel interested in gaining a better understanding of the
energy savings related to the HVAC systems installed in homes.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
o Knowing when to replace or repair you heating system

o Familiarizing with the different types of furnaces and their efficiencies
o Understanding the different types of heat pumps and their energy ratings
o Knowing the inspection steps of proper boiler maintenance for energy savings
o Learning how to benefit from solar heating
o Knowing when to replace or repair your cooling system
o Familiarizing with the different types of home cooling systems and understand their
advantages and disadvantages
o Understanding the different natural cooling strategies and their applications
o Learning why ventilation is important and familiarize with the different ventilation applications
and strategies for optimum energy savings
HVAC for Home Energy Renovations
This online engineering course provides information about energy-efficient heating, ventilation and
cooling equipment options to help engineers, contractors and homeowners cut their energy use,
reduce their carbon footprint, and increase their homes’ comfort, health, and safety. It will help make
informed decisions about purchasing new HVAC equipment or improving existing equipment for more
efficient operation.

For the average American homeowner, heating and cooling accounts for approximately 40% of annual
energy usage. Picking the right heating and cooling equipment can reduce this significant portion of
the utility bill. This course discusses ways of reducing energy costs and improving the comfort,
health, and safety of homes by upgrading the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment. A
variety of types of heating and cooling equipment are presented in this course.

The 5 PDH online course is intended for mechanical and electrical engineers, architects, contractors,
homeowners and any other technical personnel interested in gaining a better understanding of the
energy savings related to the HVAC systems installed in homes.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
o Knowing when to replace or repair you heating system

o Familiarizing with the different types of furnaces and their efficiencies
o Understanding the different types of heat pumps and their energy ratings
o Knowing the inspection steps of proper boiler maintenance for energy savings
o Learning how to benefit from solar heating
o Knowing when to replace or repair your cooling system
o Familiarizing with the different types of home cooling systems and understand their
advantages and disadvantages
o Understanding the different natural cooling strategies and their applications
o Learning why ventilation is important and familiarize with the different ventilation applications
and strategies for optimum energy savings
HVAC Optimization with Cold Air Distribution
This online engineering PDH course outlines the application considerations for the successful design,
installation and operation of the cold air HVAC system.

The cold air distribution system refers to supplying air at low temperatures of around 42 to 50°F
instead of the customary 55 °F. Cooling supply air below 55°F reduces the supply air volume
dramatically, thereby reducing the first cost of the air-handling equipment and recurring energy costs.
Humidity levels can be lower within range of 40 to 50%, resulting in improved air quality, comfort and
productivity. The physical size of HVAC equipment is smaller, resulting in smaller mechanical rooms,
less dead space above ceilings, and more room for occupants.

Cold air production and distribution is not straight forward and requires more attention to details
during design phase. This includes detailing to prevent condensation or sweating on the cold
surfaces, dumping of cold air and careful selection of ceiling diffusers. Duct leakage is more of a
concern and coil selection is based on parameters that are different from conventional designs.

This 2 PDH online course is intended for mechanical, chemical & process engineers, system design
engineers working in power, oil & gas, chemical, metal & mining, manufacturing and engineering
industries, energy auditors, operational and maintenance personnel who are involved in the planning,
design and operation of HVAC systems.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
 Understanding the design concept of cold air distribution

 Understanding the benefits of cold air distribution
 Learning about cold air relationship to air handling equipment
 Learning about cold air relationship to architectural & mechanical spaces
 Learning about cold air relationship to indoor air quality
 Learning about cold air relationship to energy & cost savings
 Understanding the concerns of cold air distribution (condensation, sweating and dumping)
 Learning about cold air control strategies
 Understanding the design issues
 Utilizing an HVAC optimization checklist
HVAC Pump Characteristics and Energy Efficiency
This online engineering PDH course provides the students with a firm understanding of the basic
principles that centrifugal pumps operate under. Topics covered include the performance curve,
series operation, parallel operation, the affinity laws, friction, specific gravity & viscosity, suction lift,
and NPSH.

Most HVAC systems are designed to handle the maximum potential temperature extremes, keeping
the building cool on the hottest days and warm on the coldest days. As a result, the HVAC system
only needs to work at full capacity on the ten or so hottest and coldest days of the year. On the other
345 days, the system could be operated at reduced capacity.

HVAC pumps are generally designed for peak conditions and the output of these systems is
controlled by mechanically constricting the flow with throttling valves. This wastes energy. By using a
variable speed drives, chilled water flows can be matched to actual heating and cooling demands.

This 5 PDH online course is applicable to mechanical and HVAC engineers, process engineers,
architects, building designers, contractors, energy auditors, facility managers who are interested in
gaining a better understanding of HVAC pump characteristics and energy efficiency.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
 Understand the basic types of pumps used in HVAC applications

 Understand the key fluid properties such as viscosity, density, temperature, specific weight,
concentration and vapor pressure
 Understand why pump performance in typically rated feet of head and not pressure.
 Understand the various head terms such as suction lift, static head, discharge head, friction
head, velocity head and pressure head
 Understand the laws of affinity and illustrate them with a pump operating under VFD control
 Understand the pump curve, system curve, operating point and the best efficiency point for
the pump operation
 Understand the flat, smooth and drooping characteristic curve for the centrifugal pump and
the applications for which it is best suited
 Understand the importance of specific speed and their relationship to the shape of impeller
(radial, mixed or axial)
 Understand pump cavitation and its relationship to net positive suction head (NPSH) available
and required
 Understand the various techniques for flow control including throttling, speed adjustment and
multi-pump installation considerations in parallel or series arrangement
 Learn by example the method to compute the frictional head through the HVAC chilled water
system
 Define the pumping system efficiency and the tips to achieve the same
HVAC Tips for Green Buildings
This online engineering PDH course discusses some of the proven energy efficiency HVAC concepts
for the new building projects. The course focuses on the design of energy efficient building
architecture, building construction materials, HVAC equipment design considerations, energy,
refrigerants, construction practices, indoor environment quality and commissioning practices.

Buildings as they are designed and used today, symbolize unrestrained consumption of energy and
other natural resources with its consequent negative environment impact. Green HVAC design means
improving a facility's indoor air quality (IAQ) and energy consumption as much as possible.

Like many other appliances, the cost of your indoor comfort system includes not only its initial price,
but also the ongoing costs of operation and maintenance. This means that the cooling and heating
equipment and controls that you select today will continue to impact your finances for as long as you
occupy the building. That's why investing in a high efficiency comfort system and maintaining your
comfort system makes sense.

This 10 PDH online course is intended for engineers, architects, realtors, building owners, facility
managers, interior designers, landscape architects, construction managers, lenders and educators
and other professionals interested in learning about tips for green buildings.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
 Importance of bio-climatic/solar passive building design, building siting, day-lighting and

other architectural elements for minimizing HVAC loads
 Affect of energy efficient lighting and appliances on HVAC system
 Principles of heat transfer and the parameters affecting the selection of energy efficient
building envelope materials for roof, walls, glazing and insulation
 Criteria for selecting appropriate cooling system for your application - package units, ductless
split, central chiller systems
 Impact of CFC compounds on ozone depletion and adopting environment friendly refrigerants
 Principles of cooling tower operation and importance of cooling water treatment
 Selection criteria for hydronic system including chilled water & condenser water pumps,
variable speed pumping, chilled water distribution schemes, piping and heat recovery
 Selection criteria for energy efficient air distribution system including air handlers, variable air
volume systems, optimal air distribution systems, and ductwork.
 The heat recovery devices and systems such as airside & waterside economizers, enthalpy &
heat wheels, heat pipe systems and run-around systems
 Alternate system designs using dedicated outdoor air handling systems, demand control
ventilation, displacement ventilation, hybrid ventilation, heat pumps and evaporative cooling
systems
 Energy efficient space heating systems including furnaces, boilers, heat recovery devices,
radiant slab and panel heating systems
 The concepts of thermal energy storage and energy management systems
Improving Energy Efficiency of Boiler Systems
This online engineering PDH course provides simple facts and energy efficiency opportunities in the
areas of combustion management, makeup & feed water management, condensate return, blow-down
system, waste heat recovery and steam distribution & utilization.

Fuel consumers face a double challenge. One is economic - to get the best heating value for every
fuel dollar. The other is environmental - to keep emissions low, at least within legislated limits.
Fortunately, what benefits the first objective also benefits the second. A boiler installation costing
$75,000 can easily consume over $400,000 in fuel every year. Consequently, even with very
economical fuel costs, a difference of just a few percentage points in boiler efficiency can translate
into substantial savings. Understanding boiler operating costs is the key to maximizing investments
year in and year out.

industries, energy auditors, operational and maintenance personnel who are involved in the design
and operation of boiler systems.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
 Understanding the direct and indirect methods for evaluating boiler efficiencies
 Establishing list of energy losses in a boiler system
 Learning about combustion analysis; excess air control and air-fuel mix
 Learning about heat recovery systems (economizers, preheater, flue gas condensing etc)
 Familiarizing with waterside and fireside problems
 Understanding the various boiler water treatment approaches
 Understanding the importance of condensate recovery
 Learning about blowdown optimization and waste heat recovery using flash tanks/ heat
exchangers
 Learning about energy efficiency in steam distribution and steam utilization
 Applying automation using burner controls and oxygen trims
 Utilizing boiler audit checkpoints & questionnaire
This online engineering PDH course provides simple facts and energy efficiency opportunities in the
areas of combustion management, makeup & feed water management, condensate return, blow-down
system, waste heat recovery and steam distribution & utilization.

Fuel consumers face a double challenge. One is economic - to get the best heating value for every
fuel dollar. The other is environmental - to keep emissions low, at least within legislated limits.
Fortunately, what benefits the first objective also benefits the second. A boiler installation costing
$75,000 can easily consume over $400,000 in fuel every year. Consequently, even with very
economical fuel costs, a difference of just a few percentage points in boiler efficiency can translate
into substantial savings. Understanding boiler operating costs is the key to maximizing investments
year in and year out.

industries, energy auditors, operational and maintenance personnel who are involved in the design
and operation of boiler systems.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
 Understanding the direct and indirect methods for evaluating boiler efficiencies
 Establishing list of energy losses in a boiler system
 Learning about combustion analysis; excess air control and air-fuel mix
 Learning about heat recovery systems (economizers, preheater, flue gas condensing etc)
 Familiarizing with waterside and fireside problems
 Understanding the various boiler water treatment approaches
 Understanding the importance of condensate recovery
 Learning about blowdown optimization and waste heat recovery using flash tanks/ heat
exchangers
 Learning about energy efficiency in steam distribution and steam utilization
 Applying automation using burner controls and oxygen trims
 Utilizing boiler audit checkpoints & questionnaire
Improving Energy Efficiency of Duct Systems
This online engineering PDH course describes some of the basics about residential ductwork, supply
and return systems. This course addresses both the energy and health impacts of residential duct
installations. Retrofitting of existing residential duct systems is possible under the guidance of a
professional; however, it is best to properly install the ductwork in new construction so that the
system can operate at maximum efficiency from the beginning of the installation.

The duct system, used in air heating and air cooling your home, is a collection of tubes that distributes
the heated or cooled air to the various rooms. This system can make a big difference in both the cost
and the effectiveness of heating and cooling the home. The duct system can have an important effect
on health of the occupants through the distribution of indoor air pollution.

This 1 PDH online course is applicable to mechanical engineers who design ductwork systems for
commercial facilities and residential facilities and wish to improve on the energy efficiency of this air
transporting conduit of the system.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
 Components of the duct system

 Energy losses and costs
 Health hazards
 Inspection of the duct system
 Tell-tale signs of problem ducts
Improving Fan System Performance
This online engineering PDH course highlights the benefits of fan system optimization and examines
fan system performance characteristics and practical issues concerning measurement data. The
readers will learn to quantify the potential benefits of configuring fan systems for optimal
performance, calculate the amount of energy use by your fan system, and estimate fan system
efficiency. For readers unfamiliar with the basics of fans and fan systems, a brief discussion of the
terms, relationships, and important system design considerations is provided.

This 5 PDH online course is applicable to students, mechanical and HVAC engineers, process
engineers, architects, building designers, contractors, energy auditors, facility managers who are
interested in gaining a better understanding in improving fan system performance.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
 The basics of fans systems including the important system design considerations
 The key factors involved in fan selection and system design
 The different types of fans (centrifugal and axial fan) and their applications
 The key fan system components and the opportunities for performance improvements
 The key performance improvement opportunities
 Common fan systems problems and proper maintenance requirements
 Indications of oversized fans and system leaks
 Configurations to improve fan system efficiency
 Controlling fans with variable loads
 Fan Drive Options and multiple-fan arrangements
 Fan System Economics - the cost of operating fans in your facility
Introduction to Green Streets
This online engineering PDH course introduces the reader to green infrastructure practices for
streets.

Urbanization inevitably causes some degree of disturbance and compaction of the soil, the loss of
vegetation density, impacts to natural habitats and the creation of impervious surfaces. In urban
areas, pavement (roads, sidewalks, and parking) frequently accounts for over 66-percent of the total
imperviousness. Impervious pavement has a tremendous effect on the water quality and quantity of
water delivered to receiving waters. Methods are frequently sought to mitigate the effects of streets
in new and existing development. Green street practices provide the opportunity to alleviate the
hydrologic impacts of streets, as well as the opportunity to improve water quality, habitat, infiltration,
and aesthetics on a site.

Green streets are a suite of tools that have the goal of improving water quality, while mimicking
predevelopment hydrology. Green street practices are one of the most versatile and important green
infrastructure practices. Some green street practices include: permeable pavement, vegetated swales,
bioretention, alternative street design, sidewalk trees, and tree boxes. These green street practices, if
designed installed and maintained properly, can transform urban impacts into a creative method to
provide transportation needs while balancing environmental concerns.

This 2 PDH online course is intended for practicing engineers, contractors, developers, governmental
agencies, regulators, and all other personnel involved with the design, installation, and maintenance of
streets.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
 Understanding the impacts of typical urban roads/sidewalks/and parking lots

 Learning about the goals of green street practices
 Learning about the types of green street practices
 Understanding the benefits and hurdles of various green street practices
 Learning about successful green street case studies
Laboratory Building Energy Analysis
This online engineering PDH course describes energy efficiency strategies including reducing the air
flow during unoccupied periods, variable-air-volume systems; lower static pressure drop in the air
distribution system; energy recovery by enthalpy wheels, heat pipes and run-around loops; evaporative
cooling; and more accurate accounting for plug loads.

Because laboratories use a high amount of energy, often more than five times as much per square
foot as an office building, it is important to find cost-effective ways to reduce their energy use and
costs.

This 4 PDH online course is applicable to engineers who design high tech laboratory buildings and
wish to use HVAC systems that are energy efficient and utilize heat recovery methods.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
 Energy efficiency strategies

 Ventilation rates
 Energy recovery
 Evaporative cooling
 Humidity controls
 Plug loads
 Cost-effective analysis
 Downsizing HVAC equipment
 Energy cost
LEED Rating System for Green Buildings
This online engineering PDH course provides relevant and insightful information on the LEED Green
Building Rating System.

A "green" building is a building that is energy and resource efficient, non-wasteful and non-polluting,
flexible and adaptable for long-term functionality, easy to operate and maintain, and are supportive of
the productivity and well being of the occupants. So-called green buildings are constructed or
renovated under sustainable development, a design process that reduces the harmful impact on
natural resources and looks at the life-cycle costs of the facility.

Historically, how to define and standardize the green building is a long term challenge until the advent
of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, which is on
the minds of many people in the building industry these days, and employers are looking to bolster
their green credentials any way possible, including having employees that are LEED accredited.

This 6 PDH online course is intended for achitects, realtors, building owners, facility managers,
environmentalists, consulting engineers, interior designers, landscape architects, construction
managers, energy auditors, lenders and educators and others pursuing LEED AP certification.
Furthermore, experienced building industry practitioners involved in LEED projects as part of their
professional services will benefit from this course as well.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
 LEED Project Eligibility, Registration & Certification Process

 LEED Credit Interpretation Ruling & Appeal Process
 LEED Prerequisites, Credit Points and Rating Scale
 LEED Sustainable Sites - Construction Activity Pollution Prevention
 LEED Sustainable Sites - Site Selection, Development Density, Community Connectivity and
Brownfield Redevelopment
 LEED Sustainable Sites - Alternative Transportation
 LEED Sustainable Sites - Site Development and Stormwater Design
 LEED Sustainable Sites - Heat Island Effect and Light Pollution Reduction
 LEED Water Efficient Landscaping
 LEED Innovative Wastewater Technologies
 LEED Water Use Reduction
 LEED Energy Performance
 LEED Refrigerant Management
 LEED Measurement and Verification
 LEED Green Power
 LEED Material & Resources Storage and Collection of Recyclables
 LEED Material & Resources Reuse and Renewable Materials
 LEED IAQ Performance
 LEED Environment Tobacco Smoke Control
 LEED Outdoor Air Delivery Monitoring and Increased Ventilation
 LEED Low Emitting Materials
 LEED Thermal Comfort and Daylighting
 LEED Innovation in Design
 LEED Accredited Professional
Lighting Evaluations and Upgrades
This online engineering PDH course provides guidance on how to approach and perform an
evaluation or audit of the lighting that occurs at a facility. It describes the basic nomenclature about
lighting, the different types of lighting fixtures and their advantages and disadvantages for a facility,
and the fundamentals on how to perform a formal lighting evaluation. This course instructs students
on the factors and information necessary to determine whether a lighting upgrade is necessary and
several potential options with technical and economic advantages and disadvantages. It provides an
overview of how to proceed in conducting a lighting evaluation at a diverse facility.

Lighting is a critical concern, as it influences the performance of necessary task in an office or
manufacturing setting and accounts for, on average, about 34% of total energy usage. The best way
to reduce your lighting energy usage is to switch to more energy efficient bulbs and fixtures and
optimizing your lighting for the tasks at hand.

This 2 PDH online course is applicable to chemical, energy, and environmental engineers involved
with the energy, climate change, and sustainability studies to determine how a facility can reduce its
energy costs and perform its functions more energy efficiently.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
 Learning the basic nomenclature about lighting

 Learning how to implement a lighting evaluation program
 Understanding the different types of lighting available and how to determine which have the
greatest advantages for the facility's needs
 Understanding advantages and disadvantages of several different lighting fixtures
 Understanding other strategies to provide adequate task lighting while reducing energy usage
 Learning how to calculate cost savings using ROI calculations
Local Government Climate and Energy Strategy: Combined Heat and Power
This online engineering PDH course describes how local governments can use combined heat and
power (CHP) systems in their facilities and throughout their communities. CHP, also known as
cogeneration, refers to the simultaneous production of electricity and thermal energy from a single
fuel source. This course includes an overview of the benefits of CHP systems, costs, sources of
funding, and case studies.

Installing CHP systems can provide power and heat at less investment cost than the cost of building
additional power plants. In addition, CHP systems provide other economic and environmental
benefits, such as reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improving energy
security.

This 3 PDH online course is intended for civil, electrical, environmental, mechanical, and municipal
engineers concerned with reducing the environmental impact of their local government through the
introduction of sustainable technologies.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
o Reducing GHG emissions and other environmental impacts

o Offsetting capital costs
o Hedging against financial risks
o Increasing electricity reliability
o Applying CHP to wastewater treatment facilities
o Applying CHP to landfill gas energy projects
o Applying CHP to multi-family housing
o Applying CHP to district energy systems
o Learning with case studies
Local Government Climate and Energy Strategy: Energy Efficiency
This online engineering PDH course describes how local governments can achieve multiple benefits
by improving the energy efficiency of their new, existing, and renovated facilities and their day-to-day
operations. This course describes strategies for developing and implementing energy efficiency
programs and gives actual examples of communities in which similar programs have been
successfully introduced.

Saving energy through energy efficiency improvements can be more cost effective than generating,
transmitting, and distributing additional energy from power plants. Energy efficiency also helps reduce
air pollution and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and improves energy security and independence.

Learning Objectives
and skills:
o Improving energy efficiency in existing and new local government facilities

o Assessing baseline energy performance
o Setting goals
o Creating an action plan
o Implementing the action plan
o Evaluating progress
o Recognizing benefits of green buildings
Local Government Climate and Energy Strategy: Energy Efficiency in Water

and Wastewater Facilities
This online engineering PDH course describes how local governments can improve the energy
efficiency of their water and wastewater facilities. The course focuses primarily on three strategies: 1)
equipment upgrades, 2) operational modifications, and 3) modifications to facility buildings.

In addition, policy mechanisms that some local governments have used to support energy efficiency
programs in their operations are described. Investment and financing opportunities, including federal,
state, and other programs that may be able to help water and wastewater facilities with information or
financial and technical assistance, are presented.

The course presents two case studies of water or wastewater facilities that have successfully
improved energy efficiency in their operations. Additional examples of successful implementation are
provided throughout this course.

Learning Objectives
and skills:
o Establishing the facility's energy policy and overall energy improvement goals
o Assessing current energy baseline status
o Identifying energy objectives and targets
o Upgrading equipment such as pumps and blowers
o Modifying operating practices such as reducing the amount of energy required to perform
specific tasks
o Modifying the facility such as installing efficient lighting, heating and cooling equipment
o Maintaining the energy improvement program
Local Government Climate and Energy Strategy: Green Power Procurement
This online engineering PDH course describes how local governments can advance climate and
energy goals by procuring or purchasing green power to meet their electricity needs. It outlines how
local governments can work with utilities, local businesses, nonprofit groups, residents, state
agencies, and green power marketers and brokers to purchase green power. It describes the benefits
of green power procurement; measures for purchasing green power; policy mechanisms that local
governments have used to support green power purchases; and implementation strategies for
effective programs. Two case studies of local governments that have comprehensive programs in
place for purchasing green power are presented.

Green power is a subset of renewable energy that is produced with no greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions, typically from solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, biomass, or low-impact hydroelectric
sources. It includes three types of products: utility products (for example, green power purchased
from the utility through the electricity grid), renewable energy certificates (RECs), and on-site
generation.

Learning Objectives
and skills:
o Saving energy and reducing emissions of GHGs through the use of green power
o Increasing energy security through energy portfolio diversification
o Navigating the green power marketplace
o Understanding RECs
o Understanding utility products
o Implementing on-site generation
o Negotiating terms of green power purchases
Natural Hazards and Sustainability for Residential Buildings

This engineering online PDH provides a description of the interactions, both positive and negative,
between common green building practices and the robustness of residential buildings to withstand
natural hazards.

The course provides an overview of existing residential green building rating systems in the United
States. It describes a range of common green building practices and their interactions with structural
performance and durability. Specific concerns related to seismic, wind, flood, and wildfire are
discussed along with a summary table that ties several specific green building practices to design,
detailing, and installation considerations to enable those practices to be implemented without
compromising natural hazard resistance.

Sustainable building design concepts are increasingly being incorporated into residential building
design and construction through green building rating systems. While the environmental benefits
associated with adopting green building practices can be significant, these practices must be
implemented in a manner that does not compromise the building’s resistance to natural hazards,
such as high winds, earthquakes, floods, or wildfires.

This 2 PDH online course is applicable to civil, building, and sustainability engineers who are looking
to gain knowledge on the considerations of sustainable designs and natural hazards resilience.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
o Understanding the existing residential green building rating systems in the United States
o Familiarizing with the common green building practices and their interactions with structural
performance and durability
o Learning about specific concerns related to seismic, wind, flood, and wildfire
o Understanding the ties between specific green building practices and design, detailing, and
installation considerations to enable those practices to be implemented without
compromising natural hazard resistance
Performance Assessment of Lighting Systems
This online engineering PDH course provides an overview of good lighting practices and discusses
the performance assessment methodology.

Good lighting does not necessarily mean more lighting nor does the more lighting means more energy
consumption. Good lighting does mean more effective lighting while low on energy consumption. It is
important to ensure that while the most appropriate equipment to meet the lighting requirements is
used, it is also the most efficient equipment of its type. The most energy efficient lighting installations
ensure that lighting is provided only where and when it is required. This may be achieved with
appropriate design to produce either uniform general lighting or localized lighting.

This 4 PDH online course is aimed at architects, electrical and control engineers, energy auditors,
O&M personnel and general audience who are interested in learning more about performance
assessments of lighting systems.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
 Understanding the difference between lighting efficiency and lighting effectiveness

 Learning lighting performance terms and definitions
 Familiarizing with general facility lighting systems
 Understanding lighting audit criteria
 Understanding lighting performance test methodology
 Learning the standard recommendations & rules of thumb data on lighting usage
 Ability to compare different types of lamps
 Understanding lighting control strategies
 Familiarizing with the standards & codes
Power Factor in Electrical Energy Management
This online engineering PDH course briefly highlights a systematic approach to the measurement,
correction and control of power factor with the objective of cutting energy costs.

Although terms 'power factor measurement' and 'power factor correction' are well known to electrical
engineers, the real importance of 'power factor' is not always recognized or little understood. Power
factor is the percentage of electricity that is being used to do useful work. It is expressed as a ratio.
For example, a power factor of 0.72 would mean only 72% of the power is being used for useful work.
Power factor correction is the method used to fix the problems that cause power to be wasted.
Energy is saved, and penalties levied by power companies are reduced or eliminated.

This 4 PDH online course is aimed at students, electrical & control engineers, energy auditors,
operational & maintenance engineers, contractors and system designers who are responsible for
design and operation of the system.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
 Understanding the importance of power factor improvement;

 Understanding the difference between real, apparent and reactive power;
 Learning about the direct and indirect cost of low power factor;
 Knowing the benefits of high power factor;
 Knowing the causes of low power factor;
 Understanding the means of improving power factor;
 Understanding the selection aspects of power factor capacitors;
 Learning about the harmonic distortion and power factor correction;
 Ability to conceptualize, judge and select the right system
Professional Engineer's Guide to Energy Star® for Commercial Buildings

This online engineering PDH course is fully based on the US Environmental Protection Agency guide,
“2009 Professional Engineer's Guide to the ENERGY STAR® Label for Buildings” and is divided into 6
modules, each covering a single topic and contains a purpose, background, expectations, hints and
tips, and questions and answers. Where needed, industry standards are referenced and tables are
provided to illustrate the relevant standard requirements.

ENERGY STAR® labeling of the building is an effort by US Environmental Protection Agency to help
mitigate the society’s impact on the environment and climate change. The process requires
Professional Engineers to validate each statement of Energy Performance that is used to apply for the
Energy Star label. As a program of the US government, the program is free. However, it does require a
professional engineer to review the application and perform a detailed field assessment and
verification.

This 2 PDH online course is intended for professional engineers who plan, design, install, and operate
building services systems. This course is intended to assist the PE community in understanding the
requirements of the Statement of Energy Performance, the Data Checklist, and the expectations and
limitations of the PE’s role in the ENERGY STAR labeling process.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
 Understanding the qualifications required for Energy Star Labeling

 Understanding the requirements of validating the Energy Performance Statement
 Understanding the categories of building types eligible for Energy Star Labeling
 Understanding the data required to validate the physical characteristics of the building
 Understanding the data required to validate the operating characteristics of the building
 Understanding the verification requirements of all forms of energy used for building operation
 Understanding the verification requirements of the thermal conditions of the building
 Understanding the verification requirements of the illumination requirements of the interior
and exterior spaces
 Understanding the verification requirements of the minimum ventilation rates and acceptable
indoor air quality of indoor spaces
 Understanding the format of various forms and checklists
Residential Energy Saving
This online engineering PDH course describes some of the basic techniques involved with energy
savings in the buildings that are typical of both residential and light commercial multi-family facilities.
The source documents is written around residential type building construction; however the student
will learn that some of the basic energy saving principles used in residential construction also apply to
light commercial construction being used in retail and multi-family facilities.

In today's building industry there are several commercial type buildings that are using building
techniques similar to residential construction with respect to materials and installation details for
slabs, underground foundation walls, exterior above ground walls, ceilings, attics and roofs. Although
the building codes for commercial construction are different than those for residential construction,
some of the insulation principles that apply to residential construction also apply to commercial
construction.

This 2 PDH online course is applicable to engineers, design professionals, and construction personnel
who are working on projects that involve incorporating energy saving elements into the design.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
 Insulation and sealing air leaks

 Heating and cooling
 Water heating
 Windows
 Lighting
 Appliances
 Home office and home electronics
 Driving and car maintenance
 Renewable energy
Selection Tips for Air Conditioning Systems
This online engineering PDH course provides comprehensive information on the air-conditioning
cooling systems. It details the type and characteristics of commonly used cooling systems with
illustrations, advantages and disadvantages.

Heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) of buildings is accomplished in many ways,
depending on the size, configuration, and location of the buildings and the degree of environmental
control needed. Small simple facilities can be cooled with a localized cooling unit whereas larger
facilities employ several large units or centralized systems.

Air conditioning system types are broken down into two types: direct expansion (DX) systems, in
which there is direct heat exchange between the building air and the refrigerant, and chilled water
systems that utilize chilled water as an intermediate heat exchange medium to transfer heat from the
building air to the refrigerant. It is useful to know what an ideal HVAC system would look like.
Although compromises sometimes have to be made, they should be made with the knowledge of how
and why they are imperfect.

This 4 PDH online course is applicable to HVAC engineers, facility engineers, architects,
environmentalists, operations and maintenance personnel, as well as consultants and contractors
who construct, build and manage facilities.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
 Learn the different types of cooling systems - DX and Chilled water systems
 Understand the efficiency terms and the rating of cooling systems
 Understand the key factors in the selection of DX systems, their advantages and limitations
 Understand the key factors in the selection of chilled water systems, their advantages and
limitations
 Understand the key factors determining the heat rejection systems
 Describe five common methods of heat rejection with advantages and limitations
Sustainable Design - High Performance Buildings
This online engineering PDH course describes some of the practical sustainable design engineering
issues and design processes for energy-efficient buildings at the LANL (Los Alamos National
Laboratory). The topics discussed in this manual can make a difference in the future sustainability of
the laboratory and can be applied to other building designs in the country that are being designed with
sustainability as a design parameter.

Sustainability has gained a growing momentum in the building design industry over the past few
years. Sustainability is a term that embraces engineering, architecture, facility construction, operation
and maintenance for the life of a building from conception of the idea to build the building to the
demolition of the building. Design professionals who are working with clients who are using long
term life-cycle criteria for making building product and system selection decisions will need to
understand sustainable design principles.

This 3 PDH online course is applicable for engineers in the building industry who are interested in
designing building with complete integrated design in mind to provide a high-performance building in
accordance with new industry trends.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
 High performance building principles

 Sustainable lighting design concepts
 Mechanical systems design concepts
 Central plant system design concepts
 Building control systems concepts
 Electrical power systems concepts
 Metering concepts
Thermal Assessments
This online engineering PDH course illustrates how infrared assessments provide the ability to
improve energy efficiency and operating costs, identify sources of water and air infiltration, pinpoint
missing, damaged, wet or fallen insulation, and many other benefits. This course also contains
images taken from an infrared camera and describes what to look for when in the field.

A Thermal Assessment should be the first step towards improving a buildings energy performance
and it is a very important step for that matter. An IR Assessment has significant advantages over
other methods mainly because there is no need to modify the house in any way to troubleshoot the
problem.

This 1 PDH online course is intended for all engineers involved in performing thermal assessments. It
will teach you how to do a thermal assessment in the most efficient manner using infrared imaging.
Learning Objectives
This PE course is intended to provide you with the following specific knowledge and skills:
 Learning how to evaluate a building envelope with an IR Camera

 Understanding the clues to a variety of building inefficiencies
 Calculating the total R-value of a wall or roof construction
 Understanding what factors to avoid when doing an IR Assessment
Twenty Ways to Optimize Energy Efficiency in the Use of Induction Motors
This online engineering PDH course provides 20 different strategies to guide you into the electric
motor evaluation process and highlights common ways you can improve system efficiency and
reliability to achieve permanent long-term electric cost reduction.

The majority of electrical energy consumed in most industrial facilities is used to run electric motors.
Annual energy operating costs of electric motors usually far exceed purchase prices. For example, a
typical 25 horsepower (hp) motor running at full load for 6,000 hours per year would consume nearly
$10,000 of electricity annually. An average purchase price for a motor of this size would be only $500
to $600.

Opportunities for energy conservation are wide spread and applicable to new as well as old plants. It
is important to note that majority of savings will accrue not on the motor itself but on the motor-driven
system as a whole. Energy efficiency decisions are important decisions that affect operating cost for
the life of the equipment. By optimizing the efficiency of your motor-driven systems, you can increase
productivity while achieving substantial energy and dollar savings.

This 6 PDH online course is intended for electrical & control engineers, energy auditors, operational &
maintenance engineers, contractors and system designers who are responsible for design and
operation of the system.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
 Understanding the characteristics, types and classification of motors based on NEMA

 Learning about fixed and variable losses of induction motors
 Learning about power quality and impact of voltage/phase imbalance and power factor on
motor performance
 Understanding motor efficiency v/s motor load and motor load v/s speed relationships
 Learning motor load estimation techniques
 Differentiating between energy efficient and standard motors
 Familiarizing with cost evaluating methods & simple payback analysis of motor replacement
 Application of variable speed drives on motor energy savings
 Understanding motor transmission efficiency using synchronous belts/soft starters
 Understanding starting systems: direct-on-line, delta star controllers
 Deciding on motor repair vs. replacement
 Learning about monitoring and maintenance practices
Waste Heat Reduction and Recovery
This online engineering PDH course describes basic waste heat reduction and recovery opportunities
for improving furnace efficiency, productivity and emissions performance.

Thermal efficiency of process heating equipment, such as furnaces, ovens, melters, heaters, and kilns
is the ratio of heat delivered to a material and heat supplied to the heating equipment. For most
heating equipment a large amount of the heat supplied is wasted in the form of exhaust or flue gases.
These losses depend on various factors associated with the design and operation of the heating
equipment. This technical brief is a guide to help plant operators reduce waste heat losses
associated with the heating equipment.

This 1 PDH online course is applicable to mechanical engineers, design and construction personnel,
technical staff and facility personnel who are interested in gaining a better understanding of waste
heat reduction and recovery.
Learning Objectives
and skills:
 Heat losses from fuel-fired heating equipment

 What determines waste-gas losses
 Steps for increasing energy efficiency through reduction in exhaust gas heat losses
 Waste heat recovery
 Energy reduction and recovery strategy
 Improving the performance of existing equipment
 Modifying and upgrading equipment

A Guide To Rain Garden Design

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A Guide to Rain Garden Design, Construction and Maintenance

An Introduction to Energy Efficient HVAC Controls

 Knowing when to apply and not-apply humidity controls

An Introduction to Sustainable Design for Buildings

 Learn about the six principles of sustainable design

Building Envelope Air Tightness

 Building descriptions: retail, offices, apartments

Building Systems and Indoor Environmental Quality

Combined Heat & Power Systems for Emergency Back-up

o Policy context for CHP

Continuous Commissioning - Maximizing Building Energy Efficiency and

 Benefits of continuous commissioning

Designing and Installing High Efficiency Air-to-Air Energy-Recovery

o Understanding the benefits of high-efficiency air-to-air energy recovery

Economizers in Air Handling Systems

Electric and Water Utility Integrated Planning

 Understanding the water-energy nexus

 Understanding how energy is used in a water and wastewater treatment plant

Energy Conservation Methods in HVAC

Energy Efficiency Measures to Incorporate into Remodeling Projects

Energy Savings in MEP Systems - Building Design

 Integrated building design

Energy Savings in MEP Systems - Energy Systems

 Energy and conservation issues

Energy Savings in MEP Systems - Indoor Air Quality

 Indoor air quality

Energy Savings in MEP Systems - Water and Wastewater

Energy-Efficient Windows for Residential Buildings

 Understanding efficiency measures such as U-Factor and SHGC

Green Remediation: Sustainable Environmental Practices for Remediation

 Understanding of green remediation practices and objectives

Guidelines for Selecting Cool Roofs

This 2 PDH online course is applicable to engineers, architects, designers, contractors,

 Understanding what is a cool roof

HVAC Energy Conservation through Cooling Water Treatment

 Understanding the energy use of air-conditioning system

HVAC for Home Energy Renovations

o Knowing when to replace or repair you heating system

HVAC for Home Energy Renovations

o Knowing when to replace or repair you heating system

HVAC Optimization with Cold Air Distribution

 Understanding the design concept of cold air distribution

HVAC Pump Characteristics and Energy Efficiency

 Understand the basic types of pumps used in HVAC applications

HVAC Tips for Green Buildings

 Importance of bio-climatic/solar passive building design, building siting, day-lighting and

Improving Energy Efficiency of Boiler Systems

Improving Energy Efficiency of Duct Systems

 Components of the duct system

Improving Fan System Performance

 Understanding the impacts of typical urban roads/sidewalks/and parking lots

Laboratory Building Energy Analysis

 Energy efficiency strategies

LEED Rating System for Green Buildings

 LEED Project Eligibility, Registration & Certification Process

Lighting Evaluations and Upgrades

 Learning the basic nomenclature about lighting

o Reducing GHG emissions and other environmental impacts

Local Government Climate and Energy Strategy: Energy Efficiency

o Improving energy efficiency in existing and new local government facilities

Local Government Climate and Energy Strategy: Energy Efficiency in Water

Local Government Climate and Energy Strategy: Green Power Procurement

Natural Hazards and Sustainability for Residential Buildings