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Building Operator Certification

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BUILDING OPERATOR CERTIFICATION TRAINING
FOR NYC PUBLIC SCHOOL CUSTODIAL ENGINEERS
TWO COURSE SEQUENCE

Building Systems: An Energy & Operations Perspective (Weeks 1-15)
Principles of Energy Management and Green Building Practices (Weeks 16-30)

SYLLABUS

OVERVIEW COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Introduction to building systems, especially as related to energy use and the quality of the indoor environment. Focus on equipment and system functions, thermal comfort, lighting and air quality, understanding of building loads and their implications for optimized building control. Class and facility-based practical projects emphasize system observations, documentation, and testing for operational assessment and improvement. Use of EnergyStar Portfolio Manager and associated tools are emphasized for improved management of energy and water.

INSTRUCTIONAL TEAM
Project Director: Patrick Dail, CUNY School of Professional Studies
Lead Instructor: Peter J. Weisner, CEM, LEED GA
Instructors: Peter M. Gorry, RPA / Asit Patel, CEM / Robert Bryce, RA
Instructional Supervisor: Michael Bobker, MS, CEM, Director CUNY Building Performance Lab
Office Hours: instructors will be available by appointment after classes (lunch and end of day)

TEXTS: IUOE Indoor Air Quality Solutions for Stationary Engineers
Herzog, Peter Energy Efficient Operation of Commercial Buildings
BOC Handbooks - 105, 107
FEMP O&M Best Practices, release 3.0 http://www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/pdfs/omguide_complete.pdf

OVERALL COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES
The course’s learning objectives focus on the ability of building operators to pro-actively manage energy, water and indoor environmental quality within a planned maintenance framework.

Understand building mechanical and electrical systems, configurations and operating conditions and their implications for energy and indoor environmental quality (IEQ).
Identify, plan and implement improvements in operations and maintenance, especially as they relate to energy and the indoor environment.
Participate and communicate effectively in organizational processes for physical plant performance planning and improvements
Work quantitatively with energy and water data, system performance indicators and measures of IEQ.
Manage IAQ practices and conditions
Use on-line and web-based tools and resources

More specific Learning Objectives are associated with each section of the course and each class session.

CERTIFICATION: Building Operator Certification – Level 1
This 30 week, two-course sequence satisfies the training requirement of the nationally recognized BOC-Level 1.

REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING

Practical Projects (2)
Exams (6)
Attendance & Participation

40% (P = satisfactory work as evaluated by instructors)
45% (P = 60%)
15% (80% attendance is required minimum)

ASSIGNMENTS
Reading assignments should be completed for the class with which they are listed. The reading shown, for example, for week 2 should be completed before the week 2 class session. The instructor will be assuming that you have read the material.

Practicum Projects Two practical projects are required; one project for each 15-week course. Development of schematics and building data collection are emphasized; full detail of project requirements is provided separately. The projects should be based on the building with which the student is directly involved. A progress submission on the project is due at the end of every course module, ie – every 5th week.

Hand-held Instruments and Data-loggers will be demonstrated and used in class. They are available for loan for use in your facility in connection with your projects. Instruments must be signed out from the program office and must be returned and checked back in to the program office no more than two weeks from sign-out. DO NOT loan instruments to others; the person signing out an instrument will be held responsible for it.

CLASS SLIDES Slides used in classes are to help you follow the lectures. They provide an outline and key points but do not contain everything that may be discussed in class. The slides will be available to you on the class website.

WEEKLY TOPICS AND READING ASSIGNMENTS (30 weeks)

wk	Topic	In-class	Reading
BUILDING SYSTEMS: AN ENERGY AND OPERATIONS PERSPECTIVE
A	SUSTAINABLE HIGH PERFORMANCE FACILITIES Maintaining the Learning Environment
1	Course Intro and Overview	Dimensions of Building Performance & Why They Matter
2	Site Conditions and Mapping	Identifying and documenting building and site conditions. Measurements with handheld instruments. Surveys Exercise: site sketch with measurement and conditions notes	BOC 105 Handbook - pages 1 to 16 Herzog Chapter 1,2 US EPA IAQ Tools for Schools, http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/student_performance/index.html See BOC website: “Indoor Air Quality” http://www.opt-osfns.org/dsf/reference/boc/links.html
3	Dimensions of Sustainability: Measuring Performance	Working with rating systems, benchmarking and baselines of building performance Exercise: Water Efficiency, calculating end-use and calibrating against meter readings Demonstration: Data Loggers – video	BOC Handbook 105 – page 38 to 79, focusing on Water Efficiency and IEQ Alliance for Water Efficiency – K-12 Schools Introduction www.allianceforwaterefficiency.org/Schools_K_-_12.aspx
4	Planned Maintenance	Maintenance approaches & techniques — Exercise/Discussion: Group review of Projects in context of annual planning – improvements in energy, heating, water, IE	IUOE text, Indoor Air Quality Solutions — Chapter 10 Recommended: FEMP Chapters 5, 6 http://www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/pdfs/OM_5.pdf http://www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/pdfs/OM_6.pdf
5	School Designs & New Technologies	What to expect in HVAC, lighting, and renewable energy systems. How solar energy systems work. Section Exam Progress Project due	SBCIC pages 45 - 66 (see Schools Resources Bibliography for weblink) www.smartstructuresdist.com/highperformance.pdf
B	LIGHTING AND ELECTRIC POWER
6	Lighting Technology and Control	Technology basics and energy Exercise: Fixture wattage and spreadsheet lighting schedule	FEMP 9.12, pages 9.135 to 9.145 http://www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/pdfs/OM_9.pdf
7	Lighting Quality and Maintenance	Recognizing key elements for visual comfort, satisfaction and productivity Exercise: Light level measurement Exercise: Light level measurement	FEMP 9.12, pages 9.146 to 9.160 http://www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/pdfs/OM_9.pdf
8	The Building Electrical System	Basic electrical characteristics and typical system components, layouts and preventive maintenance. Exercise: Electric System Schematic + PM	BOC 107 Handbook
9	Motors, On-site Generation and Demand Mgt	Exercise: Group review of project work Motor construction and maintenance, on-site generation and managing peak demand. Exercise: Considering what causes peaks and what can be controlled	FEMP 9.10 pages 9.109 to 9.118 http://www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/pdfs/OM_9.pdf
10	Refrigeration & Air Conditioning	Fundamental refrigeration principles and energy–related maintenance for common equipment Section Exam Progress Project due	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vapor-compression_refrigeration
C	HEATING & VENTILATION
11	Loads and Building Dynamics	How equipment is sized, how buildings respond and implications for operations Exercise/Discussion: How do you determine your start-up and shut-down?	No reading assignment. Advise you get a jump on considering your project.
12	Boilers and Efficiency	Key drivers of central plant efficiency Exercise: boiler room visit with survey form	FEMP 9.2, pages 9.3 to 9.30 http://www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/pdfs/OM_9.pdf (in the pdf, on the left column, click on "9.2 Boilers")
13	Heating Distribution:	Managing distribution, even when not all the controls are working Exercise: steam distribution schematic (2nd boiler room visit)	IUOE chapter 8 FEMP 9.3, pages 9.34 to 9.47 http://www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/pdfs/OM_9.pdf (in the pdf, on the left column, click on "9.3 Steam Traps")
14	Controls	Control basics, terminology, principles. Sequences of Operation. Working with pneumatics and with DDC. Exercise: Group review of projects.	IUOE chapter 12, 13 Recommended: FEMP 9.11 http://www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/pdfs/OM_9.pdf
15	Ventilation and Air Distribution Systems	How is ventilation air provided? What kinds of systems and quantities? Exercise: ventilation air quantity Section Exam Course Project due	IUOE chapter 7 & 11
PRINCIPLES OF ENERGY MANAGEMENT AND GREEN BUILDING PRACTICES
A	MAINTENANCE FOR INDOOR AIR AND ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
16	Indoor Air Quality	Sources and pathways. IAQ criteria, standards and regulations. Exercise: readings, project and survey	IUOE IAQ textbook Chapters 5, 7 & 11; IAQ Tools for Schools – Articles 1 to 5
17	IAQ Measurements	What kinds of practices and measurements to maintain good IAQ and to troubleshoot? Exercise: CO2 and other measurements	IUOE IAQ textbook Chapters 2, 3, 6 & 9; Recommended NECHPS O&M Guide pp 57-64 (see Schools Resources Bibliography for weblink)
18	IAQ / IEQ Protocols	Documentation and communication Exercise: IAQ Case Studies Exercise: Group review of projects	IUOE IAQ textbook Chapters 1, 4, 5 & 15
19	Maintenance Management	Are we good maintenance managers? Exercise: Planning preventive maintenance with lists and spreadsheets Exercise: self-assessment using CIBSE tool	IUOE IAQ textbook Chapter 10; FEMP chapters 5 & 6
20	PM Targets for Improvement	What might realistic PM improvement targets look like? Exercise: integrating PM targets into the Annual Plan process Section Exam Progress Project due	Study for exam!
B	ENERGY DATA, BENCHMARKING, AND ANALYTICS
21	Energy sources & units	Working with energy data Exercise: fuel-to-btu conversion and creating benchmarks	Herzog chapters 1,2,3 FEMP chapter 8 Download Project 2B – Spreadsheet BTU
22	Performance Benchmarking	How ESPM benchmarking works. Exercise: interpreting normalized data Exercise: ESPM computer lab	ESPM website: Overview, Benchmarking Starter, Source Energy, How the Rating System Works www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=evaluate_performance.bus_portfoliomanager
23	Load Profiles & Trends	What are load profiles and what can we tell from them over time? Exercise: ESPM computer lab	Herzog chapters 4, 5
24	System Level Energy Usage	Calculating consumption of systems and major equipment Exercise: end-use allocation	Herzog chapters 4, 5 + Appendix B
25	Energy Improvement Targets	What we can see about opportunities. Exercise: end-use allocation Section Exam Progress Project due	Herzog chapter 6 Sample O&M Improvement Plan
C	ENERGY IMPROVEMENT PROCESSES Energy Audits, Capital Projects & Retro-Commissioning
26	Energy Audits — Purpose, process, and calculations	Purpose, process and calculation procedures of the energy audit Demo: Audit calculations	IUOE Energy Conservation Manual chapter 7 Comprehensive Energy Audit Comprehensive Energy Audit - SUMMARY
27	Characterizing RCx and ECM projects	Qualitative condition descriptions and basic quantification Exercise: Boiler and heating improvement	Herzog chapters 6 and 7 Practical Project 2C – Cost Estimator
28	Reading and using the energy audit report	Steps and tips on using a full audit report. Exercise: Goals from O&M and energy audit reports for goals into Annual Plan	Sample energy audit Practical Project 2-C, blank form
29	Accepting Capital Projects	Exercise: Group review of Projects Operating Manuals and energy specs. Exercise: what you will look for in energy project hand-off
30	Closing Class	Have we become better maintenance managers? Section Exam Course Project due


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