Building Science Institute 1 of 7 Schools In U. S. Expected To Receive Special Weatherization Accre

May 18, 2012 - PRLog -- Over the past two years, Building Science Institute, Inc. (BSI) has distinguished itself as a leading provider of quality authorized educational programs and certification courses for energy and construction professionals. But one of the Chicago-based nonprofit group’s proudest distinctions is also its biggest recent news: BSI was just named one of only seven entities in the country to be accepted into a pilot program for weatherization accreditation by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC).

Previously, an ANSI-accredited curriculum didn’t exist for weatherization (the process of making existing homes more energy efficient). BSI became the first educational provider in the U.S. to ever submit a weatherization program to ANSI for accreditation. BSI is hopeful its weatherization curriculum will be approved for accreditation by late summer, after ANSI reviews BSI’s application and curriculum details.

“We expect by August to be fully accredited by ANSI and also meet IREC standards, which means we’ll be the only one in the country to have earned those two distinctions,” said Bob Chomko, BSI president, board member and Hinsdale resident. “This would be a great achievement for BSI and a boon to industry professionals in the Chicagoland area who want to take advantage of a local educational resource that can properly instruct them in weatherization.”

The publication “ANSI Congressional Standards Update” is a monthly electronic newsletter designed to provide members of Congress and their staff with timely information on key standards and conformity assessment issues that impact the global competitiveness of U.S. business and the U.S. quality of life. Because of this reliance upon ANSI it is expected that future weatherization training funded directly or indirectly with federal funds will seek curricula that is ANSI-IREC accredited.

Timothy Heppner, BSI director of education and board member, said BSI created its weatherization courses In order to provide a way for inner city residents to follow a path for careers in the green economy.  By providing a 2 step curricula the students may strive for higher higher career goals first through the Weatherization Specialist of Convective Loss and then on to the Supervisor level.

For the past two years, BSI has been teaching the same two weatherization specialist courses that it submitted in its application for accreditation to ANSI: one for beginners and one to train supervisors. Chomko, Heppner and others designed their weatherization curriculum to specifically address convective heat loss, which accounts for typically up to 40 percent of heat loss in the home.

“Convective heat loss is the low hanging fruit in terms of weatherization,” Chomko said. “You can put in the most efficient furnace available on the market, but if you’re still blowing out air in overlooked infiltration points like leaky windows and doors, you’re still loosing the same amount of energy through convection.   You first must address convective heat loss (air infiltration) and secondly you must manage radiant energy.

BSI students who complete a 40-hour training course learn to become experts in proper air sealing, mitigating heat loss, increasing energy efficiency and improving indoor air quality.

“We demonstrate how to operate a blower door, identify areas of convective heat flow, and calculate interior volume to evaluate a home’s fresh air ventilation,” said Heppner. “Students also learn about principles of energy, convective, conductive and radiant heat loss, proper sealing of insulation, windows and doors, the building shell, air leakage, minimum ventilation and more.”

BSI’s weatherization curriculum was developed while working with the City of Chicago and its Greencorps Chicago program, which provides the funding for economically disadvantaged citizens to complete training classes in diverse environmental trades.

“We owe our appreciation to Mayor Emanuel and Greencorps Chicago, which helped us fine-tune our curriculum,” Chomko said.

BSI also offers courses and custom curriculum that can help a student become a certified RESNET (Residential Energy Services Network) home energy rater, achieve BPI (Building Performance Institute) building analyst status, or earn continuing education credits in a specialized field.

“We’ve gathered an excellent team of acclaimed trainers and highly credentialed educators who are renowned innovators and leaders in their respective areas of specialization,” said Heppner. “Our instructors have garnered many years of experience in the field and the classroom, and they’re committed to working closely with students as they enhance their skills and apply new tools and techniques to their trades.”

BSI classes are taught at the Chicago Center for Green Technology (www.chicagogreentech.org), located at 445 N. Sacramento Blvd. in Chicago. For more information on any of the programs or courses offered by BSI, Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation, visit www.buildingscience.pro.