Green Workforce Course Descriptions

Unless otherwise noted, all courses take place at
the Solar One Lab at 10-15 43rd Avenue in Long Island City, Queens.

Building Performance Basics (aka Weatherization)
Building Analyst
Green Construction Skills, Basic Building Maintenance and Custodial Services
Commercial and Multifamily Basic Electrical and Plumbing Retrofitting
Solar Photovoltaic Installation
Energy Auditing Basics
EERE Core Course
Additional Courses

Building Performance Basics (aka Weatherization)

Course Schedule
5 Days, 35 hours total
M-F, 7 hours per day, 9 am – 4 pm

Prerequisites
None

Course Description
Introduces participants to basic concepts and practices of energy efficiency, including methods for calculating heat loss and building air flow standards in existing buildings, and techniques for retrofitting buildings to increase energy efficiency. Students learn knowledge and skills to perform residential retrofits and weatherization measures, including the following:

• Understanding the relationship between all systems of a house and health effects
• Safety, comfort and efficiency
• Building science fundamentals
• energy conservation strategies
• Repairing and replacing doors and windows
• Experience with cellulose wall-insulation
• Experience with fiberglass pipe insulation
• Weather-stripping
• Caulking

Note
Meets Building Performance Institute (BPI) crew installations standards. However, Solar One currently awards a certificate of completion by Solar One, and not BPI Installer Crew and Crew Chief Certifications. Intensive class based instruction is coupled with field site experience at the Community Environmental Center. The field site component is a fully integrated aspect of the Solar One Green Sector Job training program in Building Performance for both Basic Building performance and Building Analyst courses.

Certificate
Solar One Certificate of Completion

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Building Analyst

Course Schedule
5 Days, 35 hours total
M-F, 7 hours per day, 9 am – 4 pm

Prerequisites
Prior successful enrollment in Building Performance Basics required for admission.

Course Description
Participants learn knowledge and skills to perform whole house energy audits, including the following:

• Understanding the relationship between all systems of a house and health effects
• Safety, comfort and efficiency
• Building science fundamentals
• Energy conservation strategies
• Heat loss calculations
• Blower door testing
• Experience with cellulose wall-insulation
• Experience with fiberglass pipe insulation
• Weather-stripping
• Caulking
• Pre-audit data collection

Note
Complies with BPI standards for residential focused Building Performance and Weatherization (aka “retrofitting”), and is meant to train home performance professionals. Intensive class based instruction is coupled with field site experience at the Community Environmental Center. The field site component is a fully integrated aspect of the Solar One Green Sector Job training program in Building Performance for both Basic Building performance and Building Analyst courses.

Certificate
Solar One Certificate of completion and/or Building Analyst BPI National Certificate.

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Green Construction Skills, Basic Building Maintenance and Custodial Services

Course Schedule
10 Days, 70 hours total
M-F, 7 hours/day, 9 am – 4 pm

Prerequisite
Participants must be able to climb on ladders, work in confined and cramped quarters, lift up to 50 pounds, handle cleaning supplies and building materials, and follow detailed instructions.

Course Description
This course trains participants to help building owners and managers establish and maintain a good indoor environment. This course features both classroom and hands-on activities, and participants learn: Green Construction skills; OSHA 10 related sustainable products; basic electricity and plumbing; renovation, repair and painting; building maintenance; and custodial services using environmentally safe products. Participants are expected to attend every class and pay close attention.

Course material includes:

• Classroom and hands on carpentry overview
• Framing and construction
• Drywall & taping
• Green buildings
• Lead LCR-I Lead Certified Renovator training
• Plumbing overview
• Hands-on plumbing
• Electrical overview
• Wiring
• Working with lighting
• Green cleaning products
• Cleaning techniques
• General course review

Certificate
Solar One Completion in Building Maintenance and Custodial Services, OSHA 10, EPA LCR (Lead Certified Renovator) Certificate

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Commercial and Multifamily Basic Electrical and Plumbing Retrofitting

Course Schedule
5 Days, 35 hours total
M-F, 7 hours/day, 9 am – 4 pm

Prerequisites
Participants must also be able to climb on scaffolding and ladders, work in quarters that are confined and cramped, lift up to 50 pounds, and follow detailed instructions. Participants cannot be color blind, as wiring is generally color-coded.

Course Description
Participants learns to work on crews delivering lighting and plumbing retrofitting services for commercial and multifamily buildings. This course features both classroom and hands-on activities. Because the course is short and focused, participants must be able to attend every class and pay close attention.

Covers basic electrical and plumbing retrofitting using energy and resource efficient products, to include:

• Lighting Orientation
• Electrical Safety and Basic Electrical Wiring (Classroom and Hands On)
• Electrical Project Planning & Prep (Classroom and Hands On)
• Specific Electrical Retrofitting Activities (Hands On)
• Plumbing Overview (Classroom and Hands On)

Certificate
Solar One Certificate of Completion in Basic Electrical and Plumbing Retrofitting

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Solar Photovoltaic Installation

Course Schedule
5 Days, 35 hours total
M-F, 7 hours/day, 9 am – 4 pm

Prerequisites
Participants must also be able to climb on scaffolding and ladders, work in quarters that are confined and cramped, lift up to 50 pounds, and follow detailed instructions.

Course Description
Teaches the science and mechanics of solar photovoltaic (PV) and solar thermal systems, providing students with hands-on installation training, and exposing them to current information on grid-interconnection, net-metering and rebates. This training results in workers with an entry level working knowledge of solar energy.

Participants learn a general Introduction to solar power systems with a focus on solar PV; grid system component fundamentals, structural design aspects, safety, installation, and maintenance of solar PV Systems.

Certificate
Solar One Certificate of Completion in Solar Installation*
*Please note that this course can meet requirements for a pre-certification entry-level solar installation course modeled on the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP)-entry level exam for students wishing to enroll in a community college level course at the Center for Sustainable Energy at Bronx Community College.

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Energy Auditing Basics

Course Schedule
10 Days, 70 hours total
M-F, 7 hours/day, 9 am – 4 pm

Prerequisites
None

Course Description
This course is a Solar One P3 Course that uses curriculum developed jointly by Solar One and Envirolution to train sales and auditing crew for commercial business Sales Auditor positions. The course teaches participants to assess and reduce the environmental impact of building energy usage through a focus on whole building energy systems tightly focused to train sales auditors auditing crew. There is a review and exam at the conclusion of each week.

Participants learn: principles of energy, appliances (elect & combust), lighting, cooling and refrigeration, heating, hot water, ventilation, envelope, and building performance basics.

Solar One provides the following equipment to teach the course(s):  Torpedo Level, Laser Tape Measure, Laser Thermometer, Smoke in a Can, Discriminator, Energy Monitor, Digital Camera, Clip Board, Regular Tape Measure, (Pocket) Knife Compass and Flashlight Set – FOG 1692Light Meter, Audit Kit Bag; Magnetic and Electronic/Dimmable Ballasts, Fixtures and Reflectors, CFLs, LED Exit Signs, Fluorescent T12, T8s and T5s, Occupancy Sensors.

Certificate
Solar One Certificate of Completion in Energy Auditing Basics

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EERE Core Course

Course Schedule
5 Days, 35 hours total
M-F, 7 hours/day, 9 am – 4 pm

Prerequisites None

Course Description
This course is intended to help participants assess the best possible training tracks and make informed choices about career directions they wish to pursue. Underlying areas for growth include reading, writing, presentation skills, math, communications (email, Google search, resume), and leadership and teamwork.

Participants learn: measurement exercises; energy units; group volume and area measurement exercises; dimensional analysis; BPI math; EE and RE job classifications; Electrical Theory for EE and PV; building based sustainability and new green construction; leadership and team building for EERE; policies and incentives; energy efficiency; policies and incentives; renewable energy; and assessment and wrap up.

Certificate
Solar One Certificate of Completion in EERE Core

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Additional Courses

These courses are taught by arrangement to enhance custom training arrays supporting new green construction, energy efficiency and renewable energy offerings.

Environmental Literacy- introduction for under-skilled and transitional workers to climate change and the emerging green economy.

Green Carpentry- introduction to the construction of homes through hands on experience with power and hand tools and common construction and basic math and measurements methods used in construction. Focus on green aspects, such as recycled content and regional sourcing, renewable materials, working with wood, recycled sheetrock, light metal framing, avoiding waste and reuse opportunities.

Green Electrical- introduction to basic principles of electricity and energy efficiency through Energy Star appliances and other equipment, occupancy sensors, thermostats and smart grid and meters. Electricity fundamentals include introduction to power, Ohms Law, Kw/Kwh, AC/ DC, batteries, inverters and transformers, circuits, wiring, disconnects, switches, parallel/ series circuits, grounding, generators, main panel/subpanel and electrical safety.

Green Plumbing- introduction to the fundamentals of plumbing and green plumbing components such as low flow systems, innovative water fixtures, water conservation and efficiency, pressure, flow rates, fluid dynamics, filtration pumps, holding tanks, and pressure tanks.

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