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Curated Programs HVAC Technician

HVAC Technicians that install and maintain HVAC systems.  These technicians perform HVAC design, customer interactions, HVAC installation, and HVAC maintenance.

Building Science Education curriculum relevant to HVAC technicians is provided below. Building science fundamentals are covered in Heat Transfer, Control Layers, and HVAC - Overview. Information on modern heat pump concepts including variable speed heat pumps, smart diagnostic tools, and cold climate heat pumps. Additional topics cover lighting, appliances, and miscellaneous electric loads, and indoor air quality.

This curriculum is recommended for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers, US Department of Labor SOC 49-9021.00.

Heat Transfer (Level 2)

Remember

  • Remember the essential concepts of heat movement

  • Remember the three heat transfer mechanisms

Understand

  • Understand the basic principles of conduction and the relationship between U-value and R-value
  • Understand the basic principles of convection heat transfer

  • Understand the basic principles of radiation heat transfer

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Control Layers (Level 1)

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HVAC - Overview (Level 2)

Remember

  • List the various types of heating and cooling systems

  • Remember types of efficiency ratings for HVAC Systems

Understand

  • Describe a balanced HVAC System

  • Understand the effects of HVAC system sizing

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HVAC - Introduction to Heat Pumps (Level 2)

Remember

  • Describe what an air source heat pump is and what it can be used for.
  • Remember key terms related to sizing and design of heat pumps.
  • Know the customer benefits of ASHPs.

Understand

  • Understand how a heat pump moves heat.
  • Understand the different types of heat pumps.
  • What are the different heat pump options when looking for alternatives for homes that are currently heated by a gas furnace or boiler?
  • Understand the market trends for heat pumps and the benefits of switching to heat pumps in existing homes.
  • Understand the business case for ASHP installation services.
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HVAC - Smart Diagnostic Tools

Remember

  • Know the impact of quality HVAC installation.
  • Understand aspects of quality HVAC installation and how smart tools can be applied.

Understand

  • Know the definition of smart diagnostic tools and their components.

Apply

  • Understand an example of how smart diagnostic tools can be applied to the task of charging refrigerant.
  • Understand how smart diagnostic tools can be applied to commissioning.
  • Understand how smart diagnostic tools can be applied to troubleshooting and diagnostics.
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HVAC - Electrical Panel Assessment (Level 2)

Remember

  • What are electrical panels and what role do they play in switching from fossil fuel to electric heat pump heating?

Understand

  • Know how to determine a home’s electrical panel size.

  • What are the components in a typical electrical panel?

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HVAC - Thermostats for Heat Pumps and Dual-Fuel Heat Pumps (Level 2)

Remember

  • Learn what a thermostat is and what it does.

Understand

  • Understand why smart thermostat control is important for heat pumps.
  • Understand when different components of dual fuel systems should operate.
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HVAC - Combustion Safety (Level 2)

Remember

  • What is combustion safety, and what are three good practices to ensure combustion safety for gas-fired natural draft appliances?
  • Know the widely adopted fuel gas codes.
  • Define key combustion safety terms and know the different categories of vented gas-fired appliances.

Understand

  • Understand the main approaches to evaluating combustion safety.
  • Understand the harmful effects of CO spillage and what can be done to prevent backdrafting of CO.
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HVAC - Duct Leakage Testing (Level 1)

Remember

  • What is duct leakage testing, who performs the test, and why is it useful?
  • Understand key terms used with duct leakage testing.
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HVAC - Business Development (Level 1)

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HVAC - Preventative Maintenance

Remember

  • What is preventative maintenance, and who is responsible for this type of maintenance?
  • Understand key terms relevant for preventative maintenance of HVAC systems.
  • Understand the type of problems a technician may encounter when assessing HVAC system maintenance.

Understand

  • Understand the general steps for HVAC contractors carrying out maintenance inspections for HVAC Systems.
  • Understand the general steps for HVAC contractors carrying out cleaning restoration for HVAC systems.
  • Understand how a homeowner can perform preventative maintenance on a ductless air source heat pump.

Apply

  • Understand the inspection and maintenance tasks for different heat pump HVAC systems and their components.
  • Understand how to perform standardized cleaning on HVAC systems and ductwork.
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Lighting, Appliances, and Miscellaneous Loads (Level 1)

Remember

  • Define incandescent, compact fluorescent lamps (CFL), light-emitting diode (LED), and lighting power density in the context of building energy systems.

  • Define plug load, miscellaneous loads, smart grid, and parasitic load in the context of building energy systems.

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Indoor Air Quality (Level 2)

Remember

  • Identify pollutants that can impact indoor air quality

  • Identify which energy improvement measures can impact indoor air quality

Understand

  • Consequences of elevated levels of indoor pollutants
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