TRAINING PILOT PROGRAM (CBO)

The Training Program for Commercial Building Operators is a project sponsored by the Department of Energy (DoE). Universidad del Turabo got a grant from this agency to design, develop and Implement a training that equip participants such as professionals and workers (displaced or unemployed) with the necessary skills to enter the commercial building green energy (net-zero-energy building) job market in various areas such as: energy supply, advanced technologies, emission reduction, maintaining and servicing integrated building technologies, and increasing energy efficiencies of commercial or residential buildings. 

The training is addressed to supervisors and personnel in charge of the maintenance of facilities. The Training Program for Commercial Building Operators will consist of nine (9) modules:

Module Hours Topic
A 40 Fundamental computers, electricity and math concepts
B 20 Introduction to energy efficiency in commercial buildings
C 20 Measuring and benchmarking energy performance
D 60 Introduction to advanced technology systems
E 20 Typical least cost operational adjustments to improve energy efficiency
F 20 Building and energy performance awareness program
G 20 Improving integration of building systems
H 20 Best practices maintenance of building systems and components
I 20 Final Project
Total 240  

Modules Description:

Module A: Fundamental computers, electricity and math concepts (40 Hours)

Description: This module intends to provide the participant with baseline knowledge tools, and pre-requisites necessary to continue with the balance course. The program proposes giving participants a pre-test before starting the training that will demonstrate the basic concept knowledge of each participant. A curriculum will be developed for 40 lecture hours distributed in five 8-hour sessions that will include computer laboratory hour requirements, testing material, and mathematics and basic electricity homework. No field practices will be developed for this first introductory module.

Module B: Introduction to energy efficiency in commercial buildings (20 Hours)

Description: Since most existing buildings are not energy efficient, this module will be developed to equip participants with a broad understanding of the benefits of energy efficiency, onsite generation and transmission systems, energy use patterns, equipment types, energy efficient improvements, and retrofit technologies valuing and accounting. A 20-hour lecture curriculum will be developed distributed in five 4-hour sessions, as well as the corresponding online curriculum and instructional videos. No laboratories or field practices will be developed for this module. A final exam will be developed for this module.

Module C: Measuring and Benchmarking Energy Performance (20 Hours)

Description: This module is tailored to help participants acquire the skills and techniques required to measure and benchmark energy performance components, systems and whole structures or complexes, in order to operate and maintain facilities. The module will provide the students with five (5) 3-hour lectures and two 2.5-hour laboratory and hands on practice sessions. These later sessions will use measuring instrumentation and benchmarking tools. A final exam will be developed for this module.

Module D: Introduction to Advanced Technology Systems (60 Hours)

Description: This module will introduce students to current and more energy efficient building systems. The module will provide the students with ten, 4-hour lectures; and, five 4-hour laboratories and hands on practice sessions in heating, cooling, refrigeration, ventilation, moisture control, hot water, lighting, sensors and energy management systems and online testing. A final exam will be developed for this module

Module E: Typical least cost operational adjustments to improve energy efficiency (20 Hours)

Description: This module will help participants understand how to streamline existing systems by adjusting parameters in order to obtain the desired outputs while being as energy efficient as possible. The module will consist of five, 3-hour lectures and two, 2.5-hour laboratories and hands on practice sessions regarding various building energy systems parameters and monitoring systems outputs. A final exam will be developed for this module.

Module F: Building an energy performance awareness program (20 Hours)

Description: This module will focus on the teaching the participant how to create a program to maximize the energy performance by creating awareness on energy efficient practices. The module will provide participants with five, 3-hour lectures, and two, 2.5-hour workshops. A final exam will be developed for this module.

Module G: Improving integration of building systems(20 Hours)

Description: This module will focus on the fundamentals of computer simulated design to analyze building components and systems and learn how to integrate them, so that the overall building performance is optimized. The systems integration approach enables advanced technologies to function more efficiently while still meeting the challenging reliability and cost requirements for buildings. Used in retrofit application, these technologies provide one of the best opportunities to increase energy efficiency in existing buildings. The module will provide participants with five, 3-hour lectures, and two, 2.5-hour laboratories and hands on practice sessions, regarding Building Integration Systems. A final exam will be developed for this module.

Module H: Best practices maintenance of building systems and components (20 Hours)

Description: This module will teach participants the fundamentals of correct maintenance procedures and quality assurance techniques for sensors and energy management systems; preventive maintenance; predictive maintenance; and component failure analysis for building energy systems. The module will be designed to provide five, 4–hour lectures. No laboratories or field practices will be developed for this module. Homework exercises and testing material will be designed. A final exam will be developed for this module.

Module I: Final Project (20 Hours)

Description: This module will require that each participant finish and present a group project that can be either a design, or an implementation that will enable the instructor and the student to implement and measure the acquired knowledge. In addition to providing the participant with the opportunity to work as part of a team and to experience the feeling of a real life project, this is a methodological component that will encourage the participant to research and combine practical skills, conceptual knowledge, problem solving/critical thinking skills, and communication skills. After the final project presentation students will also take a Final Exam covering all the CBO training modules.
UT and GTKS both have agreed to pilot test the training program before it is formally delivered. The following table presents the pilot training proposed locations and duration.