13 Hour Oregon Construction Contractor CE Package

Designing and building homes where HVAC ducts and air handlers are located inside conditioned spaces can reduce energy use by 15 to 20%, compared to typical HVAC installations. Building with ducts inside improves occupant comfort and can also reduce construction costs, if skillfully implemented.

In this course you will learn how to

• Describe the benefits of building homes with ducts inside
  
• Identify which members of the design and construction team need to be involved
  
• Evaluate six different design approaches to building ducts inside
  
• Explain general principles and best practices for each approach
  
• Access additional resources to help contractors and designers implement ducts inside
  

Course Completion Instructions

This on-demand training consists of 23 videos that users can start or stop at their own pace and easily resume the course at another time.  There are no quizzes or final exams. A certificate awarding CCB continuing education will be issued when the course is completed.

Experience this in-field virtual site tour of a NeighborWorks Boise high performance home with features that provide greater energy, water, and resource efficiency and create an overall healthier living environment. Participants will learn how affordable homes can meet ENERGY STAR New Homes, RESNET HERS Rating, Solar Ready, and EPA Indoor AirPlus standards, and how these cost savings serve as a benefit for the homeowner.

Learn from Bud Compher, CEO of affordable housing provider NeighborWorks Boise, and instructor, Bruce Sullivan of Base Zero LLC, how collaboration across industry partners and subcontractors helped create cohesive community building and performance-tested energy efficient building practices. This training helps demonstrate the value of working with an energy rater and HVAC subcontractor early in the construction process to utilize energy modeling and help ensure building tightness and HVAC optimization. Other advanced project features highlighted in this training include:

• Advanced building envelope and insulation
  
• High-efficiency H/AC system (Mitsubishi ducted heat pump at 9.65 HSPF/16 SEER)
  
• Ducts located inside conditioned space using horizontal ducting approach
  
• Foundation considerations and approaches within a flood zone
  
• Supporting prospective homebuyers with education and counseling, financial guidance, and lending opportunities  
  

Course Completion Instructions

This on-demand training consists of 20 videos that users can start or stop at their own pace and easily resume the course at another time.  There are no quizzes or final exams. A certificate awarding CCB continuing education will be issued when the course is completed.

Experience this in-field virtual site tour of a Noyes Development high performance single-family spec home with features that provide greater energy, water, and resource efficiency and create an overall healthier living environment. Participants will learn how this project achieved Earth Advantage Platinum + Zero Energy, Energy Trust of Oregon EPS & Solar Ready standards, and how these cost savings serve as a benefit for the homeowner.

Participants will hear from Mike Frey, Vice President of Noyes Development Co., and Stephen Aiguier, Founder and President of Green Hammer, as they explore the under-construction details that go into outstanding 'Zero Energy Ready' performance homes.

This site visit takes place at a Noyes Development subdivision where all homes are 'Zero Energy Ready' certified thanks to construction approaches and systems that significantly reduce power demands and allow rooftop solar PV to supply all the energy that will be needed for the homes.

This project features several highly efficient and healthy home characteristics, including:

• Advanced building envelope and air tightness (1.3 ACH, super insulation, raised heal truss, advanced framing)
• High efficiency mechanical systems (11 HSPF ducted heat pump, .96 tankless water heater)
• Horizontal duct system located within the conditioned space
• Super windows (.24 u-value, fourth surface low-e coating)
• Healthy home features (balanced ventilation, MERV 13 filters, garage exhaust fan, low VOC, green label carpets)
• Durability aspects (rain-screen wall system, enhanced flashing details, cement siding, insulated doors)
• Water conservation measures (efficient toilets/faucets, ENERGY STAR appliances, smart irrigation)

Course Completion Information

This online course is divided into 24 parts. Each chapter contains a video that must be watched from start to finish before the next section can be accessed. There are no quizzes or final exams. A certificate awarding CCB continuing education will be issued when the course is completed.

Join BetterBuiltNW and Earth Advantage and learn the field-proven primary options for balanced and filtered ventilation in high performance homes. 

The attention on indoor air quality is higher than ever before with homeowners confronting wildfire smoke, viruses, and a greater awareness of healthy indoor environments and overall personal well-being. As this takes on greater importance, consumers are increasingly asking builders about ventilation and filtration when searching for homes. There are several balanced ventilation systems and approaches to consider, and builders will need to decide which provides the best solution for their projects and customers. In this course we'll identify effective balanced ventilation approaches and explore advanced filters and filtration options.

Course Completion Instructions

This on-demand training consists of 6 videos that users can start or stop at their own pace and easily resume the course at another time.  There are no quizzes or final exams. A certificate awarding CCB continuing education will be issued when the course is completed.

This 1-hour training covering the spectrum of Good, Better & Best practices when designing and QC’ing heat recovery ventilator (HRV) / energy recovery ventilator (ERV) systems.

Join this session and hear from in-the-field experts as they exchange ideas and drill down into the everyday implications and opportunities that all building professionals need to know when overseeing the proper design and installation of ERV & HRV balanced ventilation systems.  

Presenters will discuss the practical and necessary solutions that will help you ensure these systems are designed, installed and performing as expected, as well as provide insights to help you streamline your design and building practices to ensure efficient, effective ventilation systems.  

Hear from EA’s Senior Manager of Green Building Technical Services, Waylon White, and Green Hammer’s Director of Operations and Sustainability, Alex Boetzel, as they each bring their unique backgrounds to the discussion: Waylon has extensive in-the-field knowledge of the types of barriers and solutions that builders face on a daily basis when pursuing Earth Advantage Home Certification, and Alex has developed an impressive quality control system for ventilation system design, installation and commissioning on Green Hammer projects.  

As energy codes advance across the Northwest, requirements to install higher performing balanced and properly distributed HVAC systems inside the conditioned spaces are leading builders and tradespeople to evaluate new ERV & HRV equipment, designs and installation strategies. Benefit from this info that will help you meet new codes and build homes that will improve the comfort, healthy indoor air, and energy efficiency.

Course Completion Instructions

This on-demand training consists of 9 videos that users can start or stop at their own pace and easily resume the course at another time.  There are no quizzes or final exams. A certificate awarding CCB continuing education will be issued when the course is completed.

About the Instructors

Alexander Boetzel is the Director of Operations + Sustainability at Green Hammer. With over 25 years experience in construction and building science, Alex is a Certified Passive House Consultant and has consulted on multiple Living Building Challenge and dozens of LEED, Passivhaus, high-performance and green residential projects in the US as well as in Europe. He plans and executes Green Hammer’s innovation concepts, technical training, including building envelope and HVAC, and ensures quality control of envelope, energy, and water systems in design, construction, and commissioning.

Waylon White is the Senior Manager of Green Building Technical Services at Earth Advantage and has over 20 years of construction experience with a wide variety of building types and a sharp focus on high performance design and construction. At EA, Waylon has been instrumental in refining and delivering Earth Advantage’s New Home, Multifamily, and LEED certification programs since 2013. Before joining the Earth Advantage team, Waylon was a residential energy auditor and weatherization contractor in and around the Portland metro area for several years.

Join BetterBuiltNW and Earth Advantage to learn about the different use cases for HRVs/ERVs and how to navigate the strategies and pitfalls to help ensure an effective installation.

Among home builders and designers seeking airtight performance with balanced ventilation, many have decided to go with either a heat recovery ventilator (HRV) or energy recovery ventilator (ERV). Increasing code standards for ventilation will likely result in more HRV/ERV installations, and with any new technology or approach, this can lead to installation errors or inefficiencies. Learn how to design an effective HRV or ERV system and understand the key installation details to ensure effective system operation.

Course Completion Instructions

This on-demand training consists of 6 videos that users can start or stop at their own pace and easily resume the course at another time.  There are no quizzes or final exams. A certificate awarding CCB continuing education will be issued when the course is completed.

Join Earth Advantage & BetterBuiltNW to explore the fundamental laws that govern the dynamic flows within a building in order to understand the interconnectedness of house systems.

Attendees will hear different approaches and best practices for managing thermal, air, and moisture flows that affect the performance and indoor air quality in a home. You'll also analyze the field-proven benefits of different advanced insulation and air sealing options, and review moisture management strategies to gain an understanding of how to integrate these building envelope details into plans and specifications.

Explore how properly designing and constructing a building's envelope (or thermal and moisture barrier) is essential for a comfortable, healthy, durable, and energy-efficient home.

Gain these building science fundamentals that are necessary tools to use when making design, construction and operation decisions that affect the long term resiliency of projects.

Course Completion Instructions

This on-demand training consists of 12 videos that users can start or stop at their own pace and easily resume the course at another time.  There are no quizzes or final exams. A certificate awarding CCB continuing education will be issued when the course is completed.

Introduction to the Instructor 

Stephen founded Green Hammer in 2002, evolving the business into a full service design-build firm committed to advancing the highest standards for green building. An SHP, Certified Passive House Consultant (CPHC), and building science expert, he has been a pioneer of Oregon’s green building movement and has been involved with many of the nation's highest scoring LEED Platinum Homes and first residential and commercial Passive House buildings in the Pacific NW. Stephen has been invited to speak at every major green building conference across the country and he has taught the SHP course annually since 2010.

The three online training modules in this course will provide you with an opportunity to learn the Top-10 "Good, Better, & Best" practices being used today to build energy efficient, comfortable, and durable homes: 

• Module 1 - Housing Market Trends & Building Science
• Module 2 - High Performance Walls & Design
• Module 3 - Mechanical Systems & Energy Efficiency Programs
  

Course Completion Instructions

Participants are recommended to complete all three modules sequentially. The on-demand, self-paced online training format consists of a series of 3-5 minute videos divided into sections. Users can start or stop their viewing at their own pace and easily resume the course at another time. Short quiz questions and activities will help you incorporate content covered in the videos. 

A continuing education certificate of attendance and credits will be provided to participants who fully complete the 3-hour training. 

Join Earth Advantage and BetterBuiltNW for this 1-hour training and gain valuable info on the latest developments and construction approaches to Zero Energy (ZE) & Zero Energy Ready (ZER) construction in the NW region. This course was initially delivered live by Ryan Shanahan, previously the Zero Energy Certification Manager with Earth Advantage and presently the Zero Energy Retrofits Manager at Birdsmouth Design-Build.

Zero Energy can be defined as:    

A home that generates as much energy on site as it uses over the course of a year, making it essentially require zero energy.    

A rapidly increasing number of architects and builders in Oregon & Washington are ahead of the curve and building homes to Zero Energy (ZE) and Zero Energy Ready (ZER) standards, and have been doing so for many years. The question is, how can this be achieved cost effectively?

Advanced heat pump technology, lighting, and solar PV options are challenging the old zero energy paradigm of investments in air sealing, insulation, and expensive window upgrades. This new development has fundamentally changed the way builders and homeowners design and construct zero energy homes, making the potential for widespread adoption within reach. Help educate your clients on what will really help them save energy versus what might drive the cost of construction out of reach.

Attendees of this class will benefit from learning about:  

• How to achieve ZE & ZER construction using the most cost-effective approaches available
• Spotlights on spec builders who are achieving ZE & ZER in today’s market
• Different interpretations of ZE & ZER
• Primary ZE & ZER certifications programs available in the region
• Additional training opportunities on advanced home design and construction

Join us for this training as we discuss what it takes to achieve ZE & ZER, the homeowner benefits it provides, and how professionals are achieving this standard across the Northwest.

Course Completion Instructions

This on-demand training consists of a series of 5-10 minute videos that users can start or stop at their own pace and easily resume the course at another time.  There are no quizzes or final exams. A certificate awarding CCB continuing education will be issued when the course is completed.

About The Instructor

Ryan Shanahan is the Zero Energy Retrofits Manager for Birdsmouth Design-Build and the host of The Retrofit Podcast powered by Green Building Advisor. He is a passionate advocate for energy efficiency, electrification, renewable energy, and low carbon lifestyles. He worked in the new construction field for 13 years as a Green Building Consultant for Earth Advantage. He is a Certified Passive House Consultant, and was the PHIUS+ Rater for many Passive House firsts in Oregon. Ryan holds a Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Design from Boston Architectural College.