Virginia Energy Efficiency 16 PDH Discount Package 3

This online engineering PDH course provides an overview of wind turbines and presents the basic features, components, types and operating principles of the most commonly used wind turbines in the industry.

Wind is a form of solar energy caused by a combination of three concurrent events: the sun unevenly heating the atmosphere, irregularities of the earth's surface, and the rotation of the earth. The terms "wind energy" and "wind power" both describe the process by which the wind is used to generate mechanical power or electricity. This mechanical power can be used for specific tasks (such as grinding grain or pumping water) or a generator can convert this mechanical power into electricity.

Wind turbines work on a simple principle: instead of using electricity to make wind—like a fan—wind turbines use wind to make electricity. Wind turns the propeller-like blades of a turbine around a rotor, which spins a generator, which creates electricity.

This 1 PDH online course is applicable to mechanical and electrical engineers and energy specialists who are interested in learning more about wind turbines and their basic operating principles.

This online engineering PDH course provides Licensed Professionals (LPs) with step-by-step instructions on how to correctly verify the reported data of applications and assess indoor environmental quality of U.S. buildings.

Energy use in commercial buildings accounts for nearly 20% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions at a cost of more than $100 billion per year. Through ENERGY STAR®, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) works with owners and managers of our nation’s commercial buildings to help them strategically manage their facilities’ energy performance, cut energy use, lower utility bills, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

More than a dozen types of commercial buildings can earn EPA’s mark of superior energy efficiency – the ENERGY STAR, which is recognized by 90% of American consumers. Commercial buildings that earn the ENERGY STAR must perform in the top 25% of buildings nationwide compared to similar buildings, and their performance must be verified by a licensed professional.

The role of the LP is to verify that all energy use is accounted for accurately, the building characteristics have been properly reported, and indoor environmental quality has not been compromised in pursuit of energy conservation. By verifying the completeness and correctness of the application submitted to the EPA, the LP helps to ensure the integrity of the ENERGY STAR certification.

This online engineering PDH course will investigate green roofs as an approach to control stormwater discharge and pollutant content.  This course provides the data and background municipalities and private entities need to move forward with decisions to implement green roofs as a stormwater control technology, or best management practice (BMP).

Urban development has led to large areas of impervious surfaces such as parking lots and building roofs. Runoff from these areas is causing problems for many urban and suburban communities. Not only is total volume of wet weather flow (WWF) increased, but peak flow rates are also increased. Implementation of traditional stormwater BMPs in urban areas may not be practical in all circumstances due to limited available surface area and other concerns. Green roofs have been suggested as a means to reduce the stormwater impacts of development because they have been shown to both detain and retain stormwater. The purpose of this study is to quantify runoff reductions resulting from the use of extensive green roof systems.

This online engineering PDH course presents the technical, economic, and feasibility assessment for converting to all-electric heating solutions.

Electrification of building loads presents a significant opportunity to reduce site-level greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, especially when combined with renewable and zero-carbon electricity resources. Electrification involves the conversion of a building system that would traditionally use fossil fuels (such as, natural gas, fuel oil, or propane) to the use of electrical power, which could be a key strategy in decarbonization. The course focuses on electrification and decarbonization of space heating and water heating loads using electric heat pump systems.

This 1 PDH online course is applicable to mechanical, energy, and facility engineers as well as other technical professionals interested in learning about electrification and decarbonization of space and water heating loads using electric heat pump systems.

This online PDH course presents the basics of motor and drive systems and briefly describes important terms, relationships, and system design considerations. It also provides a roadmap for finding opportunities to improve motor performance, as well as exploring the economics of motor systems.

Electric motors, taken together, make up the single largest end use of electricity in the United States. In the U.S. manufacturing sector, electric motors used for machine drives such as pumps, conveyors, compressors, fans, mixers, grinders, and other materials handling or processing equipment account for about 54% of electricity consumption.

To achieve cost-effective operation and maintenance of a motor and drive system, operators must pay attention to the entire system as well as to its individual components. Often, when investigating efficiency opportunities, operators are so focused on the immediate demands of this equipment that they overlook the bigger picture, which includes the ways in which system parameters affect all the equipment.