Building Science Principles
On-Line Course and Exam

Ask yourself the following questions:

•     Are you considering a career in green buildings, sustainability, or energy efficiency?

•     Do you already work in the building trades industry?

•     Do you conduct home inspections? appraisals?  manage property?

•     Do you own a home or are you considering purchasing one?

•     Do you work in a business where you get questions about energy audits and/or energy efficiency?

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If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, then basic building science knowledge is critical to your success.

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Building science demonstrates how various systems interact within a building and how these systems affect overall building performance. Understanding the relationships between the building envelope, heating, A/C, insulation, mechanical ventilation, lighting, appliances and other systems of the building will enable you to assist yourself and others. Learn how these systems affect the comfort, health, and safety of building occupants and the durability of the building. Discover why improving energy efficiency in every built environment should be the first step before engaging with solar, geothermal, or other renewable energy improvements.

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Who should register for this Certificate of Knowledge?

Building Trade Professionals: Build Trust, Improve Your Bottom Line, and Be Able to Speak to Consumers

The knowledge you’ll acquire when earning this certificate will allow you to educate your customers about potential building performance problems.

• Weatherization Contractors

• Facility Managers, Building Owners

• Construction Companies, Building Trades, Remodelers

• Energy-related product manufacturers and their distributors and sales reps

• Insulation/ HVAC/ window sales reps and installers

• Solar, geothermal heat pump and other renewable energy system sales reps and installers

• Non-hands-on employees of performance contractors, including sales reps and administrative personnel

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Students: Launch Your Career in Energy Efficiency and Building Sustainability

If you’re interested in green buildings, sustainable design, and energy efficiency and looking for a career, the BSP is for you.

Earning the Building Science Principles certificate proves your worth to potential employers and helps prepare you for internships and other work. This certificate demonstrates your knowledge of energy efficiency and the importance of building science.

• Community college students interested in a career in the building trades

• Vocational/technical trade students

• Secondary school students interested in environmental sustainability

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Property Managers, Home Inspectors, Appraisers, Realtors, Interior Designers: Get the Knowledge to Help Your Clients

Are you a property manager or home inspector who needs to identify potential building performance problems in buildings? Are you an appraiser or financial officer who needs to value green features of a home? Perhaps you’re a realtor who wants to be able to find, understand, and market homes with sustainable features. The BSP is for you.

• Property Managers

• Home inspectors

• Appraisers

• Realtors

• Mortgage and energy efficiency financing officers

 

Policy and Program Managers: Improve Your Results and Reduce Risk

You shape the policies and programs that impact the performance of buildings and the comfort, health, and safety of occupants. Whether you’re a state regulator, a government or utility program manager, or a contract administrator, you need to understand the building science behind the policies you promote. Make more informed decisions and reduce your program’s risk when you know how the building works as a system.

• Federal, state and local government energy office and call center personnel

• Managers of state, local or utility home energy efficiency incentive programs

• Contract administrators of incentive programs

• Government regulators of incentive programs

How Do I Get Started?

• Registration:  Registration for the course is managed on the AAEE website.  Click here to begin registration.

• Training: On-line Training is offered through the Canvas Learning Management System.  You will need to sign-up as a student with Canvas to create your student account (at no cost).  The on-line, self-paced course, along with the Reference Guide (available in digital format or printed) will help you gain the knowledge you need to prepare for the 100-question online exam. 

  • The on-line course consists of 6 sections patterned after the 6 chapters of the reference guide.  There are 60 short videos (3-5min) with a quiz following the video.  There is a final quiz following each chapter, and a comprehensive test at the end of the course.

  • You will then take the BSP exam to receive the Certificate of Knowledge.  

• Cost: Choose from a digital or print edition of the BSP Reference Guide and take your exam online.

  • Web-Based, On-line Digital Course, plus Reference Guide (digital or printed) and On-line BSP exam - $399

  • NOTE:  For 2020 only, the first 50 persons to register for the course will be granted a 50% discount - $199.50

  • NOTE:  Digital Reference Guide is NOT mobile-friendly; you will need computer access only

  • NOTE: Candidates who fail to pass the exam and wish to re-take it must pay the $99 exam fee again

• Scheduling: Because the exam is an online knowledge-based exam, it may be taken at any time from a computer connected to the internet. Following registration for the on-line course, Candidates have one year to complete the course and exam. A BPI Proctor is not required to be present or record the BSP exam session.