ATLANTA— For a more sustainable world, high performance is demanded of buildings. The same applies to continuing education.

Two courses related to high-performance building design are being offered as part of ASHRAE Learning Institute’s (ALI) spring online series. Twelve online instructor-led short courses run from late March through early May and are available to those interested in expanding their knowledge of the HVAC industry and keeping up to date with the latest technology and their applications. Many popular courses are offered, several of which include updated material.

Basics of High Performance Building Design, taking place April 27, focuses on the basic application of ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2010, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, and ANSI/ASHRAE/USGBC/IES Standard 189.1-2009, Standard for the Design of High-Performance, Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, to achieve high-performance building design. The course focuses on the differences in purpose and requirements between Standards 189.1 and 90.1.  

“The Basics of High Performance Building Design course will help you earn the ‘three greens’,” instructor Tom Lawrence, Ph.D., P.E., University of Georgia, said. “First, you will be helping the planet stay green by reducing the energy, water and materials required to build and operate a facility.  Second, you will be left with a facility that will save you ‘green’ due to lower operating costs and more efficient operations.  Finally, you will have a building that will leave its neighboring buildings ‘green with envy’ when they know that they have a lower market value compared to their high performance neighbor.”

Advanced High Performance Building Design, May 4, focuses on advanced concepts involved in applying Standards 90.1 and 189.1 to achieve high-performance building design. More emphasis is placed on case studies to move beyond the minimum requirements of these standards.  

“In many instances, building design objectives tend to regard minimum code requirements as a ceiling of quality rather than a minimum requirement,” instructor Jeff Ross-Bain, P.E., ASHRAE-Certified Building Energy Modeling Professional, Ross-Bain Green Buildings, LLC, said. “However, the development of high-performance green building methods, strategies and technologies has given designers the tools to reach for energy efficiency levels in buildings that exceed these minimum requirements and, in fact, are beginning to approach net-zero-energy building status. In order to advance the performance of buildings, it is essential that the engineering community rethink ‘business as usual’ and begin to maximize the performance of buildings – beyond the codes. We have tools, resources and real-world examples available to help us achieve those goals. The advanced energy design course will give the attendees an insight into ways in which these principals can be integrated into practice.”

Courses and dates are:

• Using Standard 90.1 to Meet LEED® Requirements, March 28

• Fundamental Requirements of ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2010, Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality, March 30

• Application of ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2010: Multiple Spaces Equations, April 6

• The Commissioning Process and Guideline 0, The Commissioning Process (co-sponsored with the Building Commissioning Authority, Illuminating Engineering Society of North America and the National Environmental Balancing Bureau), April 11

• Avoiding IAQ Problems Using ASHRAE's New IAQ Guide, April 13

• Understanding Standard 189.1 for High Performance Green Buildings, April 18

• District Cooling & Heating Systems: Central Plants, April 20

• Understanding Air-to-Air Energy Recovery Technologies and Applications, April 25 

• Basics of High Performance Building Design, April 27

• Complying with Standard 90.1-2010 HVAC/Mechanical,  May 2

• Advanced High Performance Building Design, May 4

• Complying with Standard 90.1-2010 Envelope/Lighting, May 11

The three-hour courses are taught in real-time, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. EDT. Either three professional development hours or American Institute of 

Architects learning units or 0.3 continuing education units are available for each course. 

Those who sign up for courses before March 18 receive a reduced registration fee. A 20 percent discount is also available to participants who register for courses with related topics.

A full list of courses and registration information can be found at www.ashrae.org/onlinecourses.  

ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is an international organization of some 50,000 persons. ASHRAE fulfills its mission of advancing heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration to serve humanity and promote a sustainable world through research, standards writing, publishing and continuing education.