We offer a wide variety of credentials and courses, ranging from Microcredentials to Advanced Certificates and individual courses on Net Zero Energy and Passive House construction, Zero Carbon, Energy Modelling and Energy Management, including Building Controls and Building Retrofits.
There are many options available to learn with us.
Apply to a Program
Take a program in energy management through one of our certificate programs. To complete the program, your application must be accepted and you must complete core courses.
The Building Controls and Energy Management Advanced Certificate was developed in partnership with industry to meet the growing need for individuals with both energy management and building controls expertise. The aim of this program is to supply industry with graduates who can use controls and building automation systems to improve energy efficiency. This includes integration of this knowledge in all phases of a building’s life: sustainable design, construction, commissioning, and ongoing operation.
Learn more about the Building Controls and Energy Management Program.
Community energy management spans the traditional silos of current and long-range planning, policy, operations, engineering, transportation, finance, and others. This interdisciplinary sequence of six online courses provides a unique opportunity to refresh disciplines that you are already familiar with by viewing them through an energy lens while introducing new tools and concepts.
Learn more about the Community Energy Management Program.
The Sustainable Energy Management Advanced Certificate is designed to support employment opportunities in the emerging field of sustainable energy management, with focus on the energy demands of commercial, institutional, industrial and community facilities.
Learn more about the Sustainable Energy Management Program.
Complete a Microcredential
Microcredentials are short, for-credit, modular programs or courses that help you quickly gain new industry skills and knowledge. They are flexible and do not require acceptance to complete the microcredential. Assessment in an integral component of these competency-based learning experiences, which can be combined towards credit for more comprehensive programs.
The Essentials Net-Zero and Passive House Construction microcredential is for individuals who want to gain the skills and knowledge to construct high-performance buildings to meet the BC Energy Step Code, Net-Zero Energy, and Passive House standards.
This microcredential is designed to be taken across 2 terms and completed within 8 months. Courses are flexibly designed to be delivered online with virtual live sessions and independent work on a varied schedule of weekday afternoons and evenings.
Learn more about the Essentials Net-Zero and Passive House Construction microcredential.
| Course | Course Name | CPD INFORMATION |
| XZEB 1001 | Fundamentals of Zero Energy/Emissions and Passive House Buildings |
|
| XZEB 1120* | Airtightness and Low-TEDI Enclosures of Zero Energy/Emissions and Passive House Buildings |
|
| XZEB 1130** | Airtightness and Low-TEDI Enclosures Lab for Zero Energy/Emissions and Passive House Buildings
Optional course – ZEB Envelope Specialist Badge |
|
| XZEB 1140** | Introduction to Residential Mechanical Systems for Zero Energy/Emissions and Passive House Buildings |
|
| XZEB 1150** | Introduction to Solar Photovoltaic & Electrical Systems for Zero Energy & Passive House Homes |
|
| Total Hours |
84 | |
| + Optional Course Hours |
108 |
* Pre-requisite: XZEB 1001
** Pre-requisites: XZEB 1001 and 1120
The Supervising Net-Zero and Passive House Construction microcredential is for individuals in the construction industry or those who have recently completed a related construction program and seek to gain the skills, knowledge, and tools unique to supervising construction on Net-Zero, Net-Zero-Ready, or Passive House construction projects.
This microcredential is designed to be taken across 2 terms and completed within 8 months. Courses are flexibly designed to be delivered online with virtual live sessions and independent work on a varied schedule of weekday afternoons and evenings.
Learn more about the Supervising Net-Zero and Passive House Construction microcredential.
| Course | Course Name | CPD INFORMATION |
| XZEB 1001 | Fundamentals of Zero Energy/Emissions and Passive House Buildings |
|
| XZEB 1120* | Airtightness and Low-TEDI Enclosures of Zero Energy/Emissions and Passive House Buildings |
|
| XZEB 1130** | Airtightness and Low-TEDI Enclosures Lab for Zero Energy/Emissions and Passive House Buildings
Optional course – ZEB Envelope Specialist Badge |
|
| XZEB 1146** | Mechanical and Electrical Essentials for Zero Energy/Emissions and Passive House Buildings |
|
| XZEB 1171*** | Site Supervision of Zero Energy/Emissions and Passive House Construction |
|
| XZEB 1173**** | Applied Project for Site Supervision of Zero Energy/Emissions and Passive House Construction |
|
| Total Hours |
108 | |
| + Optional Course Hours |
132 |
The schedule is designed to take the courses in order by pre-requisite.
* Pre-requisite: XZEB 1001
** Pre-requisite: XZEB 1001 and 1120
*** Pre-requisite: XZEB 1001, 1120, and 1146
**** Pre-requisite: XZEB 1001, 1120, 1146, and 1171 (or be currently enrolled)
The Whole-Building Life Cycle Assessment Professional microcredential provides the knowledge and skills needed to effectively use LCA in design decisions for works of construction. Developed in partnership with the Athena Sustainable Materials Institute, this microcredential consists of four courses delivered online by experienced LCA professionals.
The course delivery is a majority independent work and virtual live lectures. This microcredential is designed to be taken across two terms and completed within eight months.
Learn more about the Whole-Building Life Cycle Assessment Professional microcredential.
| Course | Course Name | CPD INFORMATION |
| XZEB 1160 | Introduction to Embodied Carbon & Whole-Building Life Cycle Assessments |
|
| XZEB 1165* | Whole-Building Life Cycle Assessments Using Impact Estimator for Buildings |
|
| XZEB 1166** | Advanced Topics in Whole-Building Life Cycle Assessment |
|
| XZEB 1169*** | Whole-Building Life Cycle Assessment Final Project |
|
| Total Hours |
90 |
The schedule is designed to take the courses in order by pre-requisite.
* Pre-requisite: XZEB 1160
** Pre-requisites: XZEB 1160 and 1165
*** Pre-requisites: XZEB 1160, 1165, and 1166
Take a Course
Do you need CPD credits, or want to learn without the need of a credential? Take an individual course.
This course covers the fundamentals of for zero energy/emissions and Passive House buildings, with focus on wood-frame construction. The course will help learners develop their knowledge of international, national and provincial zero energy/emissions buildings codes and standards. Students will also develop an understanding of zero energy/emissions buildings principles, science, systems, materials and cost. The course presents multiple case studies and provides a strong foundation for subsequent zero energy/emissions building courses.
Learn more about or register for XZEB 1001.
This course focuses on an integrated approach to residential HVAC mechanical equipment to meet national and provincial zero energy (BC Energy Step Code) requirements and Passive House standards. The course will help learners understand the best practices from the design to verification of HVAC systems in residential projects. Through case studies and industry experts, learners will recognize the unintended consequences of poorly selected, designed, installed, and verified systems and practices for planning, coordinating, and verifying mechanical HVAC systems to ensure project performance and owner satisfaction.
Learn more about or register for XZEB 1140.
The course introduces practical skills and provides hands-on experiences required for single-family residential air source heat pump installation. The instructor will demonstrate techniques for quality installation and students will learn by working with live and simulated equipment. This course is offered in the BCIT High-Performance Building Lab which hosts two different central heat pumps, a dual fuel system, and a multi-zone heat pump with a wall-mounted mini split, a slim duct indoor unit, a ceiling cassette, and a vertical central air handling unit. Students will develop an understanding of how the quality of a heat pump installation affects its performance.
The course builds on the experience and theoretical knowledge of residential HVAC contractors, who are predominantly plumbers, gas fitters, and sheet metal workers.
Learn more about or register for XZEB 1143.
This introductory course focuses on integrated solar photovoltaic (PV) and electrical systems in Zero Energy or Passive House homes. The course will outline the decision-making for planning, designing, and constructing/renovating a Zero Energy home with integrated solar PV and electrical systems. It applies “lessons learned” from case studies of Zero Energy homes equipped with solar PV technology. Key topics include critical elements of a design-build process, pre-design considerations and requirements, future-proofing for new technologies and electrical circuit load capacity, equipment and monitoring options, and hand-off best practices.
Learn more about or register for XZEB 1150.
This introductory course is for architects, home designers and builders, energy advisors and energy modellers, engineers, policymakers, and other professionals who will influence or perform whole-building Life Cycle Assessments (LCA’s). Minimal prior knowledge is required other than a basic understanding of buildings, material quantities in buildings, and construction materials. The course equips participants with the knowledge and skills to properly and effectively use LCA in designing buildings. Proper modelling and reporting of a building are critical in making important design or policy decisions to achieve the desired environmental performance.
Learn more about or register for XZEB 1160.
This course introduces the fundamentals of Deep Energy/Emissions Deep Retrofits, with a focus on single-family and small multi-family buildings. The course will clarify the context for, and help learners develop their knowledge of various types of Deep Retrofits. International retrofit standards such as the Passive House EnerPHit and Living Future Institute Zero Carbon will also be introduced. Students will develop an understanding of various options available to assess an existing building for its Deep Retrofit potential. Students will also be introduced to elements of behavioural economics that may influence homeowners’ decisions during a Deep Retrofit journey. The course provides a strong foundation for other Deep Retrofit courses, including a future course on planning and executing Deep Retrofit plans.
Learn more or register for XZEB 1180.
This course introduces the principles, procedures and benefits of energy modelling to enable building professionals to usefully and efficiently incorporate energy modelling into the design process.
Learn more about or register for CESA 7100.