The eLearning Center for Gatlin Education Services

Overview

Infiltration in commercial buildings can have many negative consequences, including reduced thermal comfort, interference with the proper operation of mechanical ventilation systems, degraded indoor air quality, moisture damage of building envelope components, and increased energy consumption. The objective of the study used for this course was to investigate the impact of envelope airtightness on the energy consumption of typical commercial buildings in the U.S. Despite common assumptions that envelope air leakage is not significant in office and other commercial buildings, measurements have shown that these buildings are subject to larger infiltration rates than commonly believed (Persily 1998, Proskiw and Phillips 2001).

In this course, the student will learn about the importance of improving the building envelope construction to provide better airtightness. The student will learn both theory and practical applications regarding building envelope construction importance.

The student is expected to read and review the material contained in Investigation of the Impact of Commercial Building Envelope Airtightness of HVAC Use, National Institute of Technologies - NISTIR 7238 - June 2005.

The student must take a multiple-choice quiz consisting of sixteen (16) questions at the end of this course to obtain PDH credits.

Specific Knowledge or Skill Attained

This course teaches the following specific knowledge and skills:

  · Building descriptions - retail, offices, apartments
  · Airflow models
  · Thermal properties, setpoints and schedules
  · Energy uses and scalar ratios
  · Targeted air leakage rates

State Board Acceptance

This course can be used by professional engineers to fulfill PDH requirements mandated by state and provincial licensing boards. Decatur Professional Development is an approved provider of continuing education in all states that pre-approve course providers. In all other states that mandate continuing education for engineers, it is the individual engineer's responsibility to determine the suitability of activities for PDH credit. The state boards typically accept online* courses that cover technical, managerial** or ethical content and which are relevant to the practice of engineering. The course must have a clear purpose or objective with a content that will maintain, improve or expand the skills and knowledge of the licensee's field of practice. For questions about your mandatory PDH requirements, visit the website of your state licensing board.

*Online courses are accepted by all state licensing boards that mandate continuing education. Other than New York (which limits online courses to 18 PDH) and Iowa (which limits online courses to 6 PDH), there are no limits placed by other states on the number of hours that can be earned through online continuing education. Consult with your state licensing board if you have any questions about the acceptability of online courses.

**The New York State Board of Engineers does not accept general office management courses, but will accept project management courses that are offered by an approved provider and that are technical in nature and contribute to the engineer's professional practice.