Basic Level
The house works as a system made up of different construction components and assemblies that are affected by heat, moisture and air flows. Take a deeper dive into the components and dynamics of the building envelope.
Course Overview
Envelope Fundamentals focuses on how the building envelope affects the comfort, health and safety of the people who use the building.
The condition of the building envelope - the foundation, walls, floors, windows, doors, and ceiling or roof that enclose the conditioned space of the house - affects everything from occupant health to structural safety. How a building envelope behaves, or performs, impacts energy efficiency, durability, comfort and indoor air quality.
Anyone in the home renovation or new construction industry can benefit from BHE’s cheap and cheerful online training. Envelope Fundamentals is especially good for insulation installers. Learn on your own time!
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Important Details
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Envelope Fundamentals (EF) takes 12-18 hours to complete (including reviews, quizzes, etc.)
- The course consists of 7 modules. There is a review and a quiz at the end of each module
- Each module includes a downloadable study guide
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After you complete all 7 modules you can take the final test (you may only take once)
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A grade of at least 70% earns you a Certificate of Achievement.
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Like all BHE courses, you have access for 12 months
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The course is best viewed on a laptop or desktop. It works on tablets, but it’s hard to see all the detail on a phone!
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Sales within Canada are subject to GST/HST
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Download course outline
If you are registering a group of 2-5, receive 20% off by using the discount code EFGROUP20 at checkout. For larger groups please go to our on-demand course plans.
Modules
Introduction
- House as a System
- Healthy Indoor Environment
- Building Envelope
Module 1: House As A System
- Heat Flow
- Air Flow
- Moisture Flow
Module 2: Indoor Air Quality
- Sources
- Symptoms
- Solutions
Module 3: Healthy Housing
- Materials
- Combustion Spillage
- Radon
Module 4: Ventilation Requirements
- Why Ventilate?
- Ventilation Standards
- Systems
Module 5: Fundamentals of Air Sealing
- Purpose of Air Sealing
- Types of Barriers
- Approaches
- Air Sealing Materials
Module 6: Strategies for Air Sealing
- Air Sealing Issues
- Foundations
- Walls & Floors
- Ceilings & Roofs
Module 7: Fundamentals of Insulation
- Properties of Insulation
- R-value
- Insulation Materials
Learning Objectives
After completing this course, you will be able to:
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Apply the House as a System Concept
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Interpret the role of sustainable development in construction
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Explain how building science affects building durability and occupant comfort
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Categorize the signs, symptoms and solutions for good indoor air quality
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Recognize building envelope details and how they control or contribute to heat, air, and moisture flows
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Discuss, at a high level, the properties and features of residential mechanical systems
Credit Values
Completing this course qualifies you for:
BC Housing: 16 CPDs
NOTE: You may submit Construction Technology or Envelope Fundamentals for CPD; however, you may not submit both, since Envelope Fundamentals is a subset of Construction Technology.
BPI: 16 CEUs