Building Controls & Energy Management, Advanced Certificate, Part-time

Program Overview

The Advanced Certificate in Building Controls & Energy Management program equips learners with the knowledge and skills to optimize building energy efficiency through live lectures, self-guided learning, and practical projects. Graduates are prepared for careers in various industries, including engineering, energy management, and facility operations, where they can implement energy-saving strategies and improve building performance.

Program Outline

Outline:

Program Content and Structure

The program uses live, web-based lectures and self-guided learning as the primary method to develop the knowledge and applied skills of the learners. Learning methodologies will also include case studies, project work, group collaboration, and student presentations.

Course Schedule

Year 1

• Fall Term: CESA 5100 - Energy Basics, CESA 5320 - Energy Systems & Controls
• Winter Term: CESA 5420 - Building System Integration and Analytics, CESA 5500 - Codes and Standards
• Spring Term: CESA 5620 - Commissioning and Optimization, CESA 5700 - Decision Making

Year 2

• Fall Term: CESA 5800 - Change Management, CESA 5820 - Controls and Operations Management
• Winter Term: CESA 5920 - Controls Project

Individual Modules with Descriptions

CESA 5100 - Energy Basics

This course presents an overview of various energy uses, sources, and cost structures, as well as strategies to reduce energy consumption and costs. Conventional and renewable energy sources are discussed. Strategies for energy conservation, fuel switching, and changing to passive systems are examined. Behavioural changes as a conservation strategy are introduced. The rationale for sustainable energy management within existing buildings is explored.

CESA 5320 - Energy Systems & Controls

This course provides an overview of best practices for energy efficient control strategies in building systems. The course will include controls strategies for HVAC, Pumping, Low Voltage Lighting, and security systems. Control strategies will include variable flow air and water strategies, heating and cooling lockouts, real-time demand and occupancy-based control, predictive algorithms, load-based control, intelligent response, and dynamic reset. Students will explore the energy impacts of these strategies to prioritize alternative controls approaches. The course will also provide a general introduction to and overview of all topics in the BCIT Controls and Energy Management Program.

CESA 5420 - Building System Integration and Analytics

This course presents an overview of building automation systems, communication protocols, system integration, and data analytics as it relates to the role of energy management professionals. Topics include identifying different industry-standard communication protocols and normalizing data so it can be analyzed by software. The course will cover Industry-standard automation protocols and standards such as BACnet, LonWorks, Modbus, Haystack, and CoBe and will have students identify what role they play in today's building automation industry. The course will cover The Internet of Things (IoT) as well as practical use cases to understand how this might affect the future of DDC controls. Students will learn how to integrate to various data sources, pull the data into a common platform, give the data metadata so it is meaningful to software, and then run analytics on that data to identify potential areas of optimization.

CESA 5500 - Codes and Standards

This course presents an overview of various energy policies, laws, codes, standards, and building rating systems for existing buildings, including the Model National Energy Code of Canada, ASHRAE Standards 90.1, BC Energy Code, Vancouver Energy Bylaw, and LEEDTM Building Rating Systems. The course also introduces energy requirements, targets, and performance measures currently mandated or suggested as best practices, as well as upcoming further reduction requirements.

CESA 5620 - Commissioning and Optimization

This course will build upon the introductory concepts presented in CESA 5320 - Energy Systems and Controls to provide students with information on how to create an optimized control system with more complex control strategies. From these learnings, the student will be able to design an optimal control system, creating a complete controls package such as a detailed points list, sequence of operation, alarm and trend schedules, and integration schedules. This package will cover content that can be used in a new construction project or retrofitting an existing system. Students will be able to identify a direct digital control (DDC) package that meets all the requirements of the specifications. Students will review detailed DDC submittals and create a deficiency list if required. Students will then theoretically work through the process of commissioning a new system or retro-commissioning an existing system during which the student will verify if the DDC systems meet all the requirements of the specifications and if it is commissioned properly.

CESA 5700 - Decision Making

This course presents an overview of various decision-making tools and methodologies. Performance indicators examined include direct and indirect financial costs and benefits, and non-monetary costs and benefits. Emphasis is placed on full life cycle costing, assessment, and energy analysis.

CESA 5800 - Change Management

This is an introduction to organizational behaviour and change management concepts, including group effects, motivators, and communication techniques, that can be used to facilitate organizational change, with a focus on energy management. John P. Kotter's eight-stage process to leading successful change is examined, along with the eight errors that are common to unsuccessful change efforts. Kotter's framework is further explored through the fable "Our Iceberg Is Melting," which he co-wrote with Holger Rathgeber. Doug McKenzie-Mohr's community-based social marketing principles to foster sustainable behaviour change are probed and then applied to the development of a comprehensive behavioural change campaign on the topic of energy conservation or waste reduction.

CESA 5820 - Controls and Operations Management

This course presents the actions, policies, strategies, and management systems required by day-to-day operations of buildings through the integration of building controls. This course gives a full understanding of operating and maintaining a building automation system and using that system to improve the ongoing energy efficiency of facilities operations.

CESA 5920 - Controls Project

This course is the final project course for the Controls and Energy Management Program. Students will apply the knowledge they have learned of building energy efficiency, automation systems, commissioning, and data analytics to propose solutions to optimize the system operation of a real building. Students will work in groups for this project to assess a building and determine controls-related performance improvement measures. The deliverable for this course is a report that presents the findings of the assessment, budget, and recommendations of improvement strategies, including anticipated cost savings.

Careers:

Job Opportunities

There is a strong demand in industry for people with the skills that the Advanced Certificate in Building Controls & Energy Management will develop. Many industry partners have stated that their company has difficulty finding people with both building controls and energy management skills. Industry believes that there is demand for graduates with the BCEM credential's profile. Current job titles of people typically working in this emerging field that could benefit from this program are:

• Engineers, P.Eng.
(Mechanical, Control Systems Designer)
• Power Engineers (Control Technicians, Facility Managers)
• Controls Contractors
• Energy Managers
• Facility Operators
• Energy Modellers
• Analytics Specialists
• Systems Integrator (Manager of Integration, System Integration Operator)
• Trades
• Commissioning Agents
• Building Operators
• Sustainability Managers
• Engineering Technologists
• Vendors or suppliers of automation equipment

Employment Destinations

To date, there is no job title that reflects the uniqueness of this emerging field. Potential employment areas for graduates of this program are:

• Engineering Design Firms
• Engineering Commissioning Firms
• Energy Management Jobs
• Facilities Management and Operations Companies
• Construction Companies
• Real Estate and Property Management Companies
• Controls Companies