Wright College’s new 6-course, 21-credit hour Building Energy Technologies Certificate Program, accredited by the Illinois Community College Board, has been developed to provide a boost to skills and employability in the building construction trades, as well as an incentive for utilizing new energy technologies in construction projects throughout the State.

Many partners, including architecture and construction firms, organized labor, government agencies and elected representatives, energy, construction, and educational organizations have provided input on the curriculum development.

Energy efficient and self-sustaining buildings are no longer a curiosity. The number of “green” building starts in the Chicagoland area grows with each passing year. High energy costs, potential “sick-building” liabilities, environmental health and safety concerns, building security, changes to building and zoning code requirements, and long term resale and lease values have made such constructions commonplace. Our partners in this Program, including those who employ construction personnel, have indicated a real demand in the workplace for on-site construction professionals who know how to apply new energy technologies. Therefore, the courses have been structured to address concepts such as system design, implementation and operations, building commissioning, and renewable energy integration, to provide the background needed for the student.

The six courses in the curriculum are:
• Building Energy Systems Fundamentals: Basic Design and Operation
The basics of building envelopes, HVAC, lighting, insulation, glazing, plumbing and electrical systems, construction materials, and environment. Incorporates blueprint and design fundamentals. Focuses on construction engineering concepts. Introduces LEED® and Energy Star® , environmental, health and safety principles, and their regulatory implications. Provides an overview of energy use and efficiency in structures and why it matters.

• Technical Aspects of Renewable & Alternative Energy Sources
An introductory course on the principles and installation of renewable and alternative energy tech-nologies. Distinguishes between sources in large-scale, industrial / commercial settings and those intended for smaller structures. Covers the utilization of renewable sources (solar, wind, geothermal, etc.) as well as alternatives in building operations (microturbines, fuel cells, combined heat and power). Designed to prepare students for a career in the application of these technologies in building construction and retrofits. Up to 5 off-campus visits to alternative energy installations to be scheduled.

• Building Operator Certification 1: Building Systems Maintenance
Comprised of seven energy efficiency topics in building operations and maintenance. BOC is a professional development program in the energy and resource efficient operation of buildings to qualify operations and maintenance staff for certification.

• Residential Building Energy & Environmental Systems
Details energy systems and energy efficiency technologies utilized in single- and multi-family residential building types. Covers systems design and installation in both new construction and retrofit projects. Introduces field auditing techniques, environmental impacts (indoor air quality, asbestos, lead, voc’s, radon, waste disposal issues, etc.), worker health & safety considerations, Energy Star® certification, building commissioning procedures, and local regulatory requirements. An off-site visit to a residential “green” building / construction site will be scheduled as part of this course.

• Commercial, Industrial, and High-Rise Energy & Environmental Systems
Covers the types of energy systems and energy efficiency technologies in use in commercial, industrial, and high-rise buildings. Includes design, installation, testing, assessment, and operation of technologies in these structures, and details the integration of system control components. Also encompasses a synopsis of environmental, health & safety for construction and post-construction activities, Energy Star®, LEED certification, other pertinent programs and regulatory aspects. An off-site visit to an institutional “green” building/construction site will be scheduled as part of this course.

• Building Operator Certification 2: Equipment Troubleshooting/Maintenance
A second tier course comprised of four (4) core classes in maintenance, operation, and diagnostics of electrical and HVAC systems, and two of four possible electives in system specialty topics. BOC is a professional development program in the energy and resource efficient operation of buildings to qualify operations and maintenance staff for certification.

Classes needed to complete the six-course, 21-credit hours Building Energy Technology Certificate program are offered two per semester for three consecutive terms (excluding summer). The classes are held on weekday evenings starting at 6:00 pm on either a Monday-Wednesday or a Tuesday-Thursday schedule, to accommodate both our working students and our instructors, who are all distinguished leaders in the construction, design and energy contracting fields.

For Program Information Contact:

    Dr. Victoria Cooper – Director                            David R. Inman – Project Manager
Environmental Technology Program     - or-      Building Energy Technologies Project
773-481-8610                                                            773-481-8477
vcooper@ccc.edu                                                  dinman@ccc.edu