Education and Training

The advanced combustion safety course addresses complex combustion safety issues, including fireplaces, woodstoves, venting issues, and HVAC systems that do not have a fan only option at the thermostat, or have a fan only option but it does not work. Hands on classroom and field experience.

Trainer: Building Performance Engineering, a RESNET Accredited HERS Provider and Building Performance Institute Affiliate Organization

Cost: $795.00 (includes classroom and in-the-field training materials. Lunch and morning and afternoon snacks are provided.)

CEU: 11.25

Registration and information:
Nick Safay email: energy@peopleinc.net
Tel: 276-619-2254.

Cancellation Policy: Registration is required. Full refund is available only if cancellations are made 7 days prior to training start date.

Earn your BPI energy certification during this five-day Building Analyst course. You will learn how to use diagnostic equipment such as the blower door and combustion analyzer. Written and a hands-on field exam is required for certification.

Registration and information:
Nick Safay email: energy@peopleinc.net
Tel: 276-619-2254.

Cancellation Policy: Registration is required. Full refund is available only if cancellations are made 7 days prior to training start date.

For Building Analyst graduates only. This three-day Envelope Professional training continues where the Building Analyst class leaves off. Written and a hands-on field exam is required for certification.

Trainer: Building Performance Engineering, a RESNET Accredited HERS Provider and Building Performance Institute Affiliate Organization

Cost: $1,695.00 for BA and $1,095.00 for EP (Includes classroom and in-the-field training materials. Lunch and morning and afternoon snacks are provided.)

Registration and information:
Nick Safay email: energy@peopleinc.net
Tel: 276-619-2254.

Cancellation Policy: Registration is required. Full refund is available only if cancellations are made 7 days prior to training start date.

Who Should Attend: These classes are ideal for architects, builders, engineers, HERS Raters, HVAC contractors, insulators and consultants.

Energy Star v3 for HERS Raters (certification test included
Cost: $450
When: October 19–20
Where: Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center – Abingdon, VA

Energy Star v3 for builders/architects/engineers
Cost: $250
When: October 20
Where: Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center – Abingdon, VA

The EPA has recently released new guidelines to accompany ENERGY STAR New Homes Version 3.0 (also known as ENERGY STAR 2011), which will soon go into effect (see the implementation section to follow for more details).  According to the EPA, ENERGY STAR Version 3.0 is designed to address several key areas that were overlooked in previous versions of the ENERGY STAR program. 
The main changes seen in ENERGY STAR Version 3.0 are:

• The Reference Design Target: With ENERGY STAR Version 2, a qualified home must achieve a HERS score of 85. Now, this target varies with the size of the home.
• A "Home Size" adjustment now applies: Large houses with few bedrooms now get penalized. Better put, larger homes have to be more efficient than smaller homes to ofset the embodied energy consumed to produce the larger home. However, ENERGY STAR Version 3 now excludes basement square footage and anything bigger than 70 sq. ft. with a closet and egress is considered a bedroom.
• The Benchmark Home Size is based on the number of bedrooms in the home to be built. Homes of all sizes can be qualified; however homes that are larger than their Benchmark Home Size must use the Performance Path so that a Size Adjustment Factor can be applied. See the ENERGY STAR Version 3 National Program Requirements for details.
• The "Thermal Bypass Checklist" has been renamed: ENERGY STAR Version 3 now contains the "Thermal Enclosure" checklist. It's the same checklist but now drywall must be sealed to top plates and builder must use SIPS, ICF, double walls, or advanced framing (2x6 on 24", etc...).  More detailed info on the items above can be found here, in our trainer’s news blog.

To qualify a home under Version 3.0, a home must meet the requirements of four checklists:

• Thermal Enclosure System Rater Checklist
• HVAC System Quality Installation Contractor Checklist
• HVAC System Quality Installation Rater Checklist
• Water Management System Builder Checklist (or Indoor airPLUS Verification Checklist)The Foundation of Green Certification Programs
• These checklists can be downloaded via this link.

Training: hosted by People Incorporated’s Green Building Center and conducted by Asheville, NC based home performance contracting firm, Home Energy Partners. HEP is a leader in the energy efficiency training industry and staff are certified HERS/Green Raters for Energy Star, EPA Indoor Air Plus, Designed for Energy Star and other green building rating systems such as LEED for Homes, NAHB Green and NC HealthyBuilt Homes.

Attend Both Energy Star v3 Trainings for $600=$100 Discount

Registration and information:
Nick Safay email: energy@peopleinc.net
Tel: 276-619-2254.

Cancellation Policy: Registration is required. Full refund is available only if cancellations are made 7 days prior to training start date.

A full-day EPA Certified Renovator class for maintenance technicians, service personnel, renovators, painters and any other workers removing, remodeling, or modifying painted surfaces in pre-1978 housing and in pre-1978 child-occupied facilities. Students will learn how to comply with the new EPA Rule (effective as of April 2010) and the HUD Lead Safe Housing Rule as well as how to work safely with lead-based paint, and how to perform lead-safe work practices safely and effectively during renovation, repair and painting projects.

Take advantage of this opportunity to get your employees, as well as your contractors' and subcontractors' workers, trained as Certified Renovators.

Training: CONNOR Institute

Cost: $195.00 

Registration and Information: www.connorinstitute.com

This 6-day class meets the national standard for training and HERS certification for energy raters as adopted by RESNET.

HERS Ratings are required for EnergyStar certification and EnergyStar certification is required for certification in many residential green building rating systems including LEED for Homes, EarthCraft House and HealthyBuilt Homes and for Bronze or higher in NAHB National Green Building Program. 

Cost: $1,395.00 Lunches and morning and afternoon refreshments are provided. (Fee does not include required $45.00 textbook* or $50.00 RENET testing fee) 

Registration and information:
Nick Safay email: energy@peopleinc.net
Tel: 276-619-2254.

Credit Card Payment: Email paypal@peopleinc.net for information.

Cancellation Policy: Registration is required. Full refund is available only if cancellations are made 7 days prior to training start date.

*Textbook: Residential Energy: Cost Savings and Comfort for Existing Buildings by John Krigger & Chris Dorsi

Who Should Attend: These classes are ideal for HERS Raters, HVAC contractors/sales staff, insulators, consultants, engineers, builders and architects.

Manual-J Load Calculation + Drawings
Manual‐J is the first step of the HVAC design process. This process ensures that the designer understands the true energy needs of a building, so that a properly sized system can be selected. Due to the presence of new building materials, advanced insulation systems, solar design strategies, and efficient ventilation systems, it's no longer possible to use rule‐of‐thumb HVAC sizing methods and achieve accurate results. This class will provide you a better understanding of proper system sizing and the implications of doing things the "wrong" way. Special attention will be focused on how to properly select equipment based on the results of your Manual‐J load calculation, emphasizing proper sizing of heat pumps and air conditioners to maximize dehumidification and avoid system oversizing. Other topics covered will include: mechanical ventilation, envelope leakage, zoning, and AED excursions. You'll leave this class familiar with Wrightsoft software, enabling you to easily perform Manual-J load calculations for yourself or your clients.

We'll also cover Manual-S, which covers the proper methods of selecting equipment to match the load produced by the Manual-J. By properly selecting equipment, one can avoid oversizing and increase the overall performance of the system.

Cost: $450.00
When: September 21–22
Where: Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center – Abingdon, VA

Manual-D
Manual D is the name for the protocol used to properly size the air distribution system of a forced-air HVAC system. This protocol, like the Manual J, was developed by members of the ACCA (Air-Conditioning Contractors of America) contractors association, and engineers at ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers).

Completing a Manual-D is the best way to ensure that a heating and air system will deliver maximum comfort at peak efficiency. The only way to ensure your system will be able to deliver the correct amount of air to each room of the house is to perform a Manual-D. We'll also cover Manual-T (Terminations) in the class as well. This manual deals with the selection of registers and grilles to ensure proper mixing of air.

Fortunately, the use of computer software makes this relatively easy. However, the process must still be followed accurately if you want accurate results. We generally offer this class immediately following our Manual-J/S classes. After reviewing the overall process and a variety of tables in the book, we demonstrate the use of Wrightsoft software to complete the layout and sizing of duct systems. You'll complete the design of a few duct systems using this software during the class.

Training: hosted by People Incorporated’s Green Building Center and conducted by Asheville, NC based home performance contracting firm, Home Energy Partners.  HEP is a leader in the energy efficiency training industry and staff is ACCA Epic Trainer certified in: Manual-J, S, D and T.

Cost: $250.00
When: September 23rd
Where: Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center – Abingdon, VA

Attend Both Manual-J & Manual-D Trainings for $600=$100 Discount

Registration and information:
Nick Safay email: energy@peopleinc.net
Tel: 276-619-2254.

Cancellation Policy: Registration is required. Full refund is available only if cancellations are made 7 days prior to training start date.

*for BPI Residential Building Envelope Whole House Air Leakage Control Installer certification

Who Should Attend: This class is ideal for builders, remodelers, weatherization crews, energy auditors, insulators and HVAC contractors.

Insulation & Air Sealing Professional — If you would like to learn to implement measures to tighten the building envelope, in order to both reduce energy loss from air leakage and to block the introduction of pollutants and allergens through air migration, the Insulation and Air Sealing Professional Training is for you. This course will also prepare you to improve thermal comfort and energy efficiency through the proper installation of dense-pack insulation materials. If you successfully complete the testing at the end of this training, you will earn Building Performance Institute Residential Building Envelope Whole House Air Leakage Control (RBE-WHALC) Installer certification.

This training uses both classroom and hands-on exercises.  Life-size props have been constructed to give the in-the-field experience in the classroom.  Exercises include: dense-packing cellulose; air sealing top plate thermal bypasses, recessed can lighting, registers, etc; extending ventilation; applying two-part spray foam under kneewall and more!

Training: Hosted by People Incorporated’s Green Building Center and conducted by Boone, NC based home performance contracting firm, Building Performance Engineering. BPE is a leader in the energy efficiency training industry and staff are BPI certified Proctors and Trainers.

Cost: $1,495.00
When: September 26–30
Where: Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center – Abingdon, VA

Registration and information:
Nick Safay email: energy@peopleinc.net
Tel: 276-619-2254.

Cancellation Policy: Registration is required. Full refund is available only if cancellations are made 7 days prior to training start date.