Basics of Building Decarbonization

In Basics of Building Decarbonization, you'll learn ...

• The sources and drivers of greenhouse gas emissions associated with residential and commercial buildings.
• The classification and quantification of building-related greenhouse gas emissions, with emphasis on Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions.
• The role of energy efficiency, electrification, and renewable energy in reducing building carbon emissions.
• How to evaluate and apply practical, cost-conscious strategies for decarbonizing existing buildings.

Overview

Preview a portion of this course before purchasing it.

Credit: 2 PDH

Length: 30 pages

Basics of Building Decarbonization is a concise course designed to be a good starting point for design professionals, building owners, and operational personnel who would like to learn more about how to decarbonize buildings. Decarbonization, which means to reduce the use of fossil fuels, has become more popular in recent years due to governmental, institutional, and corporate goals to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which are primarily from carbon dioxide released through combustion of fossil fuels.

This course will help you understand how to reduce building-related GHG emissions, which are primarily produced from burning fossil fuels on-site for space and water heating and indirectly from using fossil-fuel derived electricity. It will describe the background of GHG emissions, the different kinds of emissions, and how to account for these emissions. It will describe different strategies for reducing Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG Emissions, and their cost implications as well. The course will also discuss benchmarking, energy efficiency, renewable energy, electrical infrastructure, and electric vehicles.

The course details important aspects of building design, particularly mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, and how their equipment can be decarbonized effectively and operated efficiently. Because electric vehicles are an effective way to decarbonize transport, the course covers types of electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) and electrical vehicle charging infrastructure.

The course will primarily focus on reducing carbon emissions in existing buildings, since new buildings are covered by the latest building codes and energy standards. It will focus on concepts and strategies relevant for buildings in the United States but may be helpful for those in other locations as well. It will focus mainly on decarbonizing existing residential and commercial buildings, although its strategies to decarbonize industrial processes or other types of buildings may be helpful as well.

Specific Knowledge or Skill Obtained

This course teaches the following specific knowledge and skills:

• The historical context of fossil fuel use and its relationship to modern greenhouse gas emissions in the built environment
• The differences between Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 emissions and their relevance to building decarbonization efforts
• The principles of hydrocarbon combustion, carbon intensity, and heating value as they relate to fuel selection
• The comparison of fossil fuels and electricity based on efficiency, emissions, and operational characteristics
• The concept of energy efficiency and coefficient of performance as applied to HVAC and plumbing systems
• The use of heating and cooling loads, degree days, and energy demand in evaluating building performance
• The process of benchmarking building energy use and emissions using metrics such as Energy Use Intensity
• The financial considerations associated with decarbonization projects, including rebates, tax credits, and lifecycle cost impacts
• The application of building-level decarbonization strategies for HVAC, domestic hot water, and electrical systems
• How to plan for electrical infrastructure upgrades and electric vehicle charging in support of broader building decarbonization goals

Certificate of Completion

You will be able to immediately print a certificate of completion after passing a multiple-choice quiz consisting of 15 questions. PDH credits are not awarded until the course is completed and quiz is passed.