Our Courses
Whether you are a seasoned contractor or new to the world of home performance, Southface’s BPI trainings are designed to provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to assess and improve existing homes for health, safety, and energy efficiency. These trainings prepare you to successfully challenge the written and field exams (included) necessary to achieve certification by the Building Performance Institute.
Established in 1999 by the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association and Southface, EarthCraft is a green building certification program that serves Georgia, Virginia, Tennessee, Alabama, South Carolina and North Carolina. By addressing the factors that impact homes in this region, including high heat, humidity and temperature swings, EarthCraft serves as a blueprint for energy, water and resource-efficient single-family homes, multifamily structures, renovation projects, community developments and light-commercial buildings. To date, more than 40,000 EarthCraft homes, multifamily units and commercial buildings have been certified.
All new homes pursuing the ENERGY STAR for Homes qualification will be required to meet the ENERGY STAR Version 3 (v3) standard. Southface's two-day ENERGY STAR for Homes v3 training will cover a range of topics that HERS raters and field inspectors will need to know to qualify homes under ENERGY STAR Version 3, including the ENERGY STAR Reference Design Home, Benchmark Home/Size Adjustment Factor, as well as technical details for completing the required ENERGY STAR Inspection Checklists (Rater Design Review Checklist, Rater Field Checklist, HVAC Design Report, HVAC Commissioning Checklist, and Water Management System Builder Requirements). ENERGY STAR Version 3 training will count towards RESNET required Professional Development credit and will conclude with the required ENERGY STAR exam for HERS Raters and Field Inspectors.
The Residential Energy Services Network or RESNET® is a recognized national standards-making body for building energy efficiency rating and certification systems in the United States involving; a consensus based standard development and amendment process, transparent review and adoption process, and formal public review and comment process.Testimonials
"As always I had another great experience recently at SWEET Center. The people of Southface are the best of the best, always helpful, courteous and professional. And the SWEET Center has one of the best setups for training in the business. With your help I nailed the field exam and I'm good to go for three more years."
- Donny Barber
"Thank you Southface... you made our lives easier! Every interaction with staff was professional, accommodating and supportive of our program goals. The instructors were consistently informative and engaging."
- Chris Burgess, Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
"Southface has been able to give several certifications to setup a successful business and gives a constant means of progression when it comes to building science and energy efficiency. My business is successful because of Southface."
- Jack Wynn, Southern Home Energy Solutions
UPCOMING COURSES
Duct & Envelope Tightness Verification
EarthCraft House Builder
Your support enables Southface to launch and lead important initiatives across the sustainability spectrum—bold programs made possible through the generosity of our donors. Become a member today!
