How can geothermal heat pumps help to address the broad issue of climate change? Instructor John Manning, PE, and LEED AP, is uniquely qualified to lead a discussion on this very topic - he spent the past 25 years in the geothermal heat pump industry and is a presenter for Al Gore's 'The Climate Project'. Mr. Manning's presentation outlines the important role geothermal systems can play to minimize a building's energy consumption and carbon footprint.

The purpose of this 5-hour interactive online course is to present analysis techniques that enable the designer to understand, before the building is designed, how the building is likely to use energy, so that appropriate architectural design strategies for daylighting and passive solar heating and cooling can be a basic and integral part of the initial design idea. Topics covered in this course include Climate as a Context, Program and Use, Form and Envelope, Combining Climate, Program and Form, and Electric and Hot Water Loads. Each section includes techniques that help the designer define the context of the problem by understanding the sun, wind, and light resources of a particular site and climate.

This course contains downloadable PDF files which require Adobe Acrobat.

This course includes a multiple-choice test at the end of each section. You must have Flash Player Version 7 or higher to view some parts of this course. We also recommend you view this course in Internet Explorer.

Geothermal energy is renewable, reliable, clean, flexible and domestic. The U.S. currently produces more geothermal electricity than any other country [comprising some 32 percent of the world total]. This 2-hour interactive online course covers the fundamentals of geothermal energy including where and how geothermal resources are currently used. The course also takes a look at some of the future of clean energy production.

You must have Flash Player Version 7 or higher to view some parts of this course. We also recommend you view this course in Internet Explorer.

There will be a multiple-choice quiz at the end of this course.

Our understanding of the structure and dynamics of planet Earth has gone through a revolution. This 4-hour online course covers the concepts, language and fundamentals of the theory of Plate Tectonics. Learn (or review) the history, concepts, measurements and vocabulary of plate tectonics and the thermal, chemical and physical reality of what it means to live on a dynamic earth.

There will be a multiple-choice quiz at the end of this course.

Hear from Gary Phetteplace, an impressive PE, PhD, and consulting engineer, on the fundamentals of geothermal system technology; learn about:

• How heat pumps work
• Ground as a heat source and sink
• System types
• Case studies
• Design issues
• Expected performance
• The economics of a system

This 2-hour interactive online course is an overview of geothermal heat pump systems. The course covers the basics of how a heat pump works and the specific differences between an air source heat pump and a geothermal heat pump. The benefits of using geothermal are discussed as well as the costs including installation costs, energy cost, and maintenance costs. Issues such as how to select the most appropriate antifreeze solution are discussed along with the merits of each type of loop system likely to be used in a geothermal application.

There is a test included at the end of this course to assess the student's understanding of the material. You must have Flash Player Version 7 or higher to view some parts of this course. We also recommend you view this course in Internet Explorer.

Brownfield is used to describe land that is abandoned or underused out of concern that the land is contaminated. There are a variety of estimates that claim there are anywhere from 450,000 brownfields to over 5 million acres of abandoned properties throughout the US alone. These properties are sited in every metropolitan city in the U.S. as well as in rural America creating major urban infill opportunities. This 2-hour interactive online course gives you a better understanding of what brownfield is, where it came from, where it still exists and with the help of USGBC and LEED, the multitude of Federal, State and local initiatives that surround brownfield redevelopment.

While there is strong evidence that green building has great environmental and social benefits, there is still consistent resistance, both inside and outside the green community, because of the lack of accurate and reliable financial and economic information to make the case for building green. This 2-hour interactive online course uncovers the truths associated with LEED and the green building market. The Economics of Green Building is an 'in depth' study of the perceived and actual costs associated with green building. It provides an overview of many federal, state and local tax credits available, life cycle cost analysis and business incentives to go green.

There is consensus among the majority of scientists that the climate of the earth is changing in the direction of higher temperatures and that some of the change is anthropomorphic (caused by human activity). This course is intended to address that portion of the human contribution to climate change that is related to energy use in buildings.

At the conclusion of the course the student should be able to understand the ways buildings use energy and how buildings can be designed for high energy performance. He or she should be aware of activities and plans for improving building designs in the future. The successful student will have an understanding of the requirements of the Energy and Atmosphere portion of the LEED New Construction (NC) Rating System, Version 2009.

This 3-hour interactive online course describes the indoor environment quality (IEQ) of buildings and the variables that regulate it. It gives background information for the variables and their effect on people and for the design of buildings and systems to create a safe, healthy and productive environment. The course goes on to list the credits offered for optimizing the indoor conditions by the USGBC LEED®NC rating system and the requirements for achieving the credits.

The course covers all of the major ways of thinking about sustainable design. We will use an Integral lens to view SD from four fundamental perspectives: Technology, Ecology, Art, and Culture. We will also examine the four major contemporary worldviews on SD: Traditional, Modern, Post-modern, and Integral. In doing so, the Integral approach offers the designer the potential for using a better map of the SD terrain.

In this 1-hour interactive online course, we discuss the concept of sustainability and the need for ways to rate the sustainability of a building design. In addition, the course describes three rating systems developed by the US Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and the goals each strives to achieve: LEED for New Construction (NC), LEED for Existing Buildings (EB) and LEED for Commercial Interiors (CI).

The course also outlines for a prospective candidate the process of becoming a LEED Accredited Professional and finally, compares other green building rating systems to the USGBC system.

Materials with low environmental impact that contribute to the creation of healthful, energy efficient buildings both now and in the future have the affect of moving our system of construction toward a condition of sustainability. This 3-hour interactive course is intended to be an introduction to the study of those materials and techniques that are both ecologically efficient and ecologically effective.

Topics covered include: life-cycle analysis and defining characteristics of sustainable materials, environmental, economic, cultural, and aesthetic benefits, selection and analysis techniques, design for material and building reuse, construction waste management, regional and renewable resources, certified wood, and an overview of LEED MR (materials and resources) credits.

This 1-hour interactive online course provides students with the conceptual foundation necessary for exploring many aspects of environmentally progressive site design. Aspects of site sustainability covered in the course include water, solar environment, natural ventilation, transportation, and civic patterns. Each is considered at a variety of scales ranging from the individual parcel to the neighborhood and placed within larger regional and global contexts. In this way, students are equipped to immediately begin making ecologically informed decisions about the site design of their projects, while simultaneously preparing themselves for further, more detailed study of various issues related to site sustainability.

This 2-hour interactive online course also introduces the consequences of conflicts between current development practices and these water systems and emerging developments practices that work better with, and have a lower-impact on watershed systems. Brief overviews of the LEED WE ratings and low-impact practices including water conservation and recycling, stormwater, water harvesting are included to help orient professionals to practices they may wish to learn more about. Lastly, the course wraps up with some examples of how strategies introduced in the lesson can contribute to and express the natural, cultural, social, and aesthetic character of places

This 1-hour online course reviews greening issues for the healthcare marketplace. It covers how to select products for sustainable design, maintenance and follow-up after the building is completed, sources for data and factual information, studies that have been completed, and the relationship between green products and other healthcare issues, such as infection control, perceptions, use of research data, and initial costs versus operating costs. The discussion touches on BEES 3.0, LEED and other green programs and standards. The course also looks at the characteristics of specific products including rubber flooring, linoleum, cork flooring, and vinyl.

This course includes a test at the end.

This 1-hour interactive online course begins with a discussion regarding ways that sustainability concerns are changing the lowest initial-cost design philosophy that has been prevalent in the American construction industry.

It outlines key architectural decisions related to EIFS, and illustrates how architects can incorporate EIFS into building designs that maximize aesthetic value, building longevity, sustainability, LEED ratings and cost-effectiveness.

With the dwindling supply of energy resources and new efficiency demands placed on the existing building stock, many owners of historic buildings and their architects are assessing the ability of these buildings to conserve energy with an eye to improving thermal performance. This 1-hour interactive online course has been developed to assist those persons attempting energy conservation measures and weatherization improvements such as adding insulation and storm windows or caulking of exterior building joints. In historic buildings, many measures can result in the inappropriate alteration of important architectural features, or, perhaps even worse, cause serious damage to the historic building materials through unwanted chemical reactions or moisture caused deterioration. This brief recommends measures that will achieve the greatest energy savings with the least alteration to the historic buildings, while using materials that do not cause damage and that represent sound economic investments.

Have you ever wondered what all the fuss is about concerning Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs)? This interactive online course sheds light on what is rapidly becoming a hot trend in both commercial and residential building. ICFs are lightweight “building blocks” composed of polystyrene panels that are connected to each other with polypropylene cross ties. Once they are stacked and aligned, they are filled with concrete and steel reinforcement, creating homes and buildings that are strong, safe, energy efficient, clean, quiet and comfortable. ICFs contribute significantly toward the United States Green Building Councils “LEED” program, as well as the National Association of Home Builders “National Green Building Standard” for both residential and commercial structures. This course gives you an overview of the basics for building with ICFs.

This comprehensive Interior Design and Construction LEED exam preparation subscription includes access to the following online resources and practice materials for 1 year.

The concept of “whole building design” starts with viewing buildings as integrated systems instead of a series of independent components, and revolves around designing energy efficient buildings. Incorporating this perspective into the designing, planning, and building stages can lead to the end result of a home or building that is more energy efficient, with little or no additional capital cost. This one hour online course focuses on some of the building techniques used in whole building design, including:

• Passive solar energy
• Photovoltaic systems
• Trombe panels
• Shading/Overhangs
• Window glazing options
• Natural Ventilation

This course includes a multiple choice quiz at the end of each section.

In this 7-hour online anytime class you will learn about the LEED for Green Building Building Design + Construction Rating System. This class will help prepare you for the LEED AP Building Design + Construction exam.

'Go Green!' This statement has become very popular over the past few years. You have seen it in advertisements, on shopping bags, on television, and in a wide variety of other sources. People have developed a strong awareness of how they are impacting the world. With the increasing concern about the environment, energy conservation and potential global warming, the push for green design and construction has grown dramatically in the last couple years. Along with this drive, there has been a desire to create agencies and accreditation programs that support and govern green building.

This 1-hour interactive online course introduces you to green building and green certification programs, including LEED. The course begins with a look at what green is, why it is popular, and what impacts it has on the environment. It then moves into how the AIA standard forms provide for sustainable design issues. It wraps up by taking a close look at the USGBC's LEED Certification and Accreditation process.

In this 8-hour online anytime class you will learn about green building and LEED fundamentals. All topics are geared toward understanding the core concepts of LEED and preparing you for the LEED Green Associate exam and for part one of the new two part LEED AP exam. Participants will receive training on the concepts that are fundamental to the LEED Rating Systems and will learn successful green building strategies. The training series concludes with an overview of recommended study methods, exam-taking skills and practice questions for the LEED Green Associate exam.

This class will qualify you to take the LEED Green Associate Exam.

• Instant access once you place your order
• 700 exceptionally realistic practice exam questions
• Take your practice tests as many times as you like for 60 days (60 days starts when you first use the practice tests, not when you purchase them)
• All your completed practice test scores and answers are stored for future review
• Questions and answers always appear in random order so you never see the same test in the same order
• Detailed score report helps you save time by targeting areas where you need improvement
• Difficult questions include explanations why the right answer is right and why the other choices are wrong
• Documentation references show you exactly where to look to study topics in detail
• Request a demo of the tests here.

This comprehensive New Homes LEED exam preparation subscription includes access to the following online resources and practice materials for 1 year.

As part of the landscape, a shelter must exist harmoniously with the land and ecosystem by adapting to natural processes without interrupting them. Unfortunately, the way shelters and human settlements have evolved has helped contribute to the environmental crises we are currently experiencing - global warming, urban heat islands, and ground and surface water degradation. This 3-hour interactive online course discusses how we can make shelters a natural part of the ecological system by implementing planning and designing techniques, using earth sheltering, and conserving energy with solar power.

There is a test included at the end of each section of this course. You must have Flash Player Version 7 or higher to view some parts of this course. We also recommend you view this course in Internet Explorer.

Shelters today are heated and cooled with mechanical systems fueled with nonrenewable resources, including coal, oil, and natural gas. As fossil fuels dwindle and the carbon dioxide that results from their combustion is added to the overabundance of carbon dioxide in the air, we are compelled to seek alternatives to energy-intensive active heating and cooling systems. This 2-hour interactive online course introduces terms and processes that will enable you to begin incorporating passive solar energy use into shelter design. The process of using surface reflectivity is discussed as a means of reducing energy use in residential shelters. This course wraps up with a discussion of indoor air quality and how to reduce exposure to harmful toxins by using plants.

There is a test included at the end of each section of this course. You must have Flash Player Version 7 or higher to view some parts of this course. We also recommend you view this course in Internet Explorer.

Green Building is rapidly becoming mainstream, mostly due to increasing environmental concerns, a desire to develop healthier structures, and increasing regulation from the permitting authorities. This 4-hour interactive online course starts by debunking many green building myths and then moves into a comprehensive discussion of its elements. The course takes a close look at green building in relation to many aspects of design and construction including issues dealing with sites, landscaping, foundations, frames, exterior finishes, plumbing, appliances, insulation, ventilation, windows, finishes, and flooring. The course wraps up with information on testing, certification, and accreditation, including a look at the LEED program and the NAHB Green Home Certification Program.

Solar energy is an abundant and underutilized energy source in the West. Solar conditions are optimal in the Desert Southwest and, given the geographic and climatic conditions, potentially the best in the world. In addition, these areas of premium, excellent, and good solar resources are located near major metropolitan areas. This 5-hour interactive online course discusses the different types of solar generating technologies and their potential for producing clean, renewable, affordable energy in the West.

This 2-hour interactive online course is intended to help building designers understand how the use of masonry materials is considered sustainable or green. The course looks briefly at some of the history of masonry usage, the attributes of masonry as a building component, and the basic construction of masonry. The course introduces some of the basic tenets of sustainability, specifically how it relates to the design and construction industry, and includes a comparison of these characteristics with the requirements of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Program. The course provides a simple set of recommendations on accepting masonry as the material of choice for construction and tips on how to include the aspects of sustainability into construction documents.

There is a multiple-choice test at the end of each section. You must have Flash Player Version 7 or higher to view some parts of this course. We also recommend you view this course in Internet Explorer.

This 3-hour online course is intended to help building designers understand what is required to define a material as sustainable or green. The course looks briefly at the various characteristics that are part of these definitions, and considers how some of these characteristics may be at conflict with one another. Several material examples are reviewed to see how they comply with some of these characteristics. The course includes a comparison of these characteristics with the requirements of the certified building programs, specifically the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design(LEED) Program. The course also identifies available resource materials that can be used to help with these material evaluations. These resources are available via the Internet or other locations and include software programs available for use as an aid in the design and selection of sustainable building projects and their materials.

A test has been provided at the end of each section.

Brick masonry brings numerous advantages to projects where sustainable design is a key project requirement. Brick has traditionally been used in buildings intended for long-term use; its longevity and ease-of-maintenance suits owners and designers who weigh lifecycle cost advantages as part of their design strategy. Brick masonry contributes to sustainable design through many other of its characteristics as well.

In addition to categorizing brick masonry in relation to USGBC LEED®-NC and LEED for Homes categories, this 1-hour online interactive course explains key concepts from other industry sustainability rating systems, including the NAHB Green Home Building Standard and the Athena life-cycle assessment program.

How does the 50 degree earth heat my building to 70 degrees? Geothermal heat pumps are not magic, but they seem like it sometimes. John Manning, PE, LEED AP, draws on his 25 years of experience in the geothermal industry to demystify this extraordinarily simple and efficient technology. This course helps you explain how heat pumps work in language people can understand - a very useful skill for building professionals.

CleanEdison provides LEED Project experience which allows anyone who qualifies and has an interest in Green Buildings the chance to work on an actual LEED Project.

These classes will qualify you to take the LEED Specialty Exams.

The Building Analyst Quick Start Program (58 or more instructional hours) followed by BPI Field Training (8 hours) and BPI proctored Building Analyst Certification Written and Field Exams

This program is designed for those interested in working toward BPI (Building Performance Institute) Building Analyst Certification in partnership with Clean Edison. It covers everything you need to know to keep your customer's homes functioning at the very peak of performance.

Want to get started in solar, but don't have the time to travel? This eight hour interactive online course will equip you with the technical expertise you need to successfully implement solar projects with absolute finesse.