Renewable-Sustainable Energy Center: The future of our natural resources will depend on new and renewable strategies for maintaining our world. The sessions in this series will build competencies for individuals to bring advanced skills of communication, HVAC, OSHA Safety Certification combined with new skills on alternative fuels, residential and commercial wind generators, solar panels for electric and hot water and geo thermal ground water heating and cooling systems. The competencies and certification for a residential energy auditor will also be available in this program.
Stackables
Some components of these short-term hour-based programs can be converted to credits towards Central Lakes College's certificate programs.
Oral Communication Skills 4 hours $115 per person
• Verbal and Nonverbal Communication
• Asking good questions
• Effective listening skills
• Meetings and group dynamics
• Body language
• Telephone Skills
Written Communication Skills 4 hours $115 per person
• Review of Grammar and Usage
• Review the Mechanics of a Sentence
• Review of Spelling
• Review of Diction
• Summary - Putting it all together
Business Etiquette/Ethics 4 hours $115 per person
• Explore methods of dealing with angry customers, clients or coworkers
• Review strategies for coping with anger
• Practice a model of conflict resolution
• Customer Service
• Generational Challenges
Basic Computer Skills 8 hours $ 239 per person
• Using and changing the Windows desktop
• Downloading software from the internet
• File hierarchy and saving files word processing
• Database and presentation software to create and format documents
• Basics of a network for the office and across the internet
• The use of email; how to attach documents and organize tasks
• Connecting to and using the internet
• How to prevent identity theft when using computers and the internet
Technical Math 16 hours $299 per person
• Numerical properties
• Percent calculations
• Calculator usage
• Problem-solving & Estimation
• Data Conversions
• Real Number System
• Geometry
• Ratios and Proportions
• Statistics and Trigonometry
Theory of Renewable-Sustainable Energy Alternatives 32 hours $499 per person
• Challenges and Efficiencies
• Local Codes
• Site Planning
• Pre-Inspection of Property
• Grid Connection Availability
• Investment Pay-back
• Time Use Rates
Welding 48 hours $499 per person
• Safety issues of welding
• Metallurgy
• Oxy Fuel
• ARC
• MIG/TIG
• Plasma cutting
Intro. To Bio-Mass/Alternative Fuels 32 hours $499 per person
• Introduction to Biomass: From Potential Raw
• Vital Terms for Biomass
• Materials to End Products and Resulting Impacts
• Renewable Energy Resources
• Alternative Fuels vs. Gasoline:
• What is Ethanol and How Does It Make a Car Run?
• Grain, Oil and Field Crops
• Biomass Laboratories
• Investigating Issues Related to Fossil Fuel
• Utilization and Alternative Energy Sources
• Bio-fuel and the Future
• Intro to Methane Digesters (landfills & farm)
Intro. To Wind Generators and Turbines – Plan, Install and Maintenance 32 hours $499 per person
• System Sizing
• Site Analysis
• Hardware Specification
• Installation and Safety
• Commercially available residential wind generators, how they work, and the advantages and disadvantages of each.
• Estimate electrical production of a wind system given the parameters of the site, tower and turbine.
Intro. To Solar Panel Electric and Hot Water – Plan, Install and Maintenance 32 hours $499 per person
• Solar Electric (PV) Technology
• Site Assessment and System Design
• Choosing a Solar Contractor
• Installing a System
• State and Federal Incentives
• Maintenance and Operation of System Passive Solar Water Heaters
• Drain Back Systems
• Antifreeze Systems and Photovoltaic Powered Systems
• Solar Collectors
• Mounting Systems
• Pumps, Blowers and Controls
• Storage Tanks
• Heat Exchangers
• Code Compliance
• System Sizing and Solar Collector Performance in a Variety of Climates
Intro. To Geo. Thermal Ground Water Heating/Cooling 32 hours $499 per person
• Heat Exchanger Systems for Surface Water (ponds and lakes)
• Weighing positives and negative aspects of each earth coupling method
• Design considerations for geothermal wells in bedrock vs. shallow sand & gravel wells
• What makes one well more efficient than another for thermal transfer?
• Common Misconceptions about the Geothermal Earth Coupling
• Ground Source Heat Pumps
• Explanation of Terminology (geo-exchange, geothermal, ground source, BTUs, tons etc.)
• How the heat exchange process works for heating and cooling
• What happens to the heat transferred underground – are there any risks?
• How to measure the efficiency of Geothermal Systems
• Primary differences between geothermal and traditional HVAC applications
• Geo-exchange well construction for thermal efficiency and environmental protection
• The basis for selecting installation materials (well casing, grout, propylene glycol, methyl alcohol
• How does a ground source heat pump well differ from a drinking water well?
• Common problems that can result from installation errors
Residential Energy Auditor Certification 40 hours / Dunwoody Institute $775 per person
The Residential Energy Auditor program is suited for employees or individuals who are performing or interested in utility sponsored residential energy conservation audits and working with the low-income weatherization program. A competency examination will be included with the cost of registration. Successfully passing the examination will allow students to demonstrate that they meet the State of Minnesota's minimum qualifications for residential energy auditors.
• The Principles of Energy
• Energy and the Building Shell
• Air Leakage
• Insulation
• Windows and Doors
• Heating
• Cooling
• Water Heating
• Lighting & Appliances
• Health & Safety
H.V.A.C.
These are all separate, independent courses and one can take one or the other or all, as needed. The certificate for the first one is an E.P.A. (Environmental Protection Agency) certificate and once you have that you are OK to proceed with refrigerant recovery and recycling, (requires that all persons who maintain, service, repair, or dispose of appliances and certain vehicles that contain regulated refrigerants be certified in proper refrigerant handling techniques).
EPA Certificate Section 608 of the Federal Clean Air Act - 8 hours $349 per person
1. Ozone Depletion
2. Clean Air Act and Montreal Protocol
3. Section 608 Regulations
4. Substitute Refrigerants and oils
5. Refrigeration
6. Recovery Techniques
7. Dehydration Evacuation
8. Safety & Shipping
Other H.V.A.C Options
• Troubleshooting and Repair on Water Softeners 4 hours $179 per person
• Warm Furnace and Duct Design 10 hours $370 per person
• Radiant Floor Heat 7 hours $325 per person
• Troubleshooting and Changing from Pneumatic Controls to Direct Digital Controls 4 hours $179 per person
Introduction to Basic Electrical Theory and Construction Electrical 32 hours $799 per person
• Introduction to NEC Codes
• Introduction to OHM’s Law, Capacitive and Inductive Circuits
• Atomic Structure of Electricity, Complex and Simple Circuits
• Preparation and Procedures to Install, Maintain and Repair Electrical Systems Related to Lighting, Heating, Cooling and other Required Electrical Powered Systems for Residential and Commercial Structures
• To Identify Power Demand and Usage
10 Hour OSHA Construction Safety Certification 10 hours $229 per person
• Overview of OSHA
• Tips on how to locate specific OSHA regulations
• Basic electrical safety
• Fall protection.
• Scaffolding,
• Excavations,
• Stairways & Ladders
• PPE
• Tools & Equipment
*All classes are based on a minimum of 6 students.
