Pacific Energy Center: Free Education for the win

Everybody in life is different.   Lots of people are going back to school right now. For me, I think that going to grad school at this point would be "throwing money at the problem."  I feel like I haven't gotten my "return on investment" for my undergraduate degree so I can't talk myself into grad school just yet.  Also, when I started undergrad I "knew" I wanted to be a computer engineer, I realized that I should be a electrical/field engineer which is how I finished. I have no idea what to study in grad school.

Last year this time I was in Laney's Green Jobs program, free tuition.  Now I'm still in a few classes there, auditting but most of my new knowledge comes from the PEC, Pacific Gas and Electric's Pacific Energy Center.  They have classes, 99% of which are free 1 day classes on a variety of topics.
So far I've taken: 

1. Energy Audit Skills: Tools, Data Collection Techniques, & Calculations 
2. Integrating Energy Efficiency & Renewables in Home Retrofits
3. Climate Based Daylighting & Analysis
4. EnergyPro Nonresidential Software for Beginners
5. Energy Auditing Techniques for Small & Medium Commercial Facilities (3day class)
6. Photovoltaic (PV) Site Analysis and System Sizing

In the next 90 days I'll be taking:


EnergyPro Nonresidential Software - Advanced
Inspecting Photovoltaic (PV) Systems for Code Compliance 
Sketch Up Software for Solar Geometry
Smart Grid Fundamentals


They have a system where some classes qualify for Architects and they give "participation certificates" no matter what, so I think it's a good resume builder too.  I'll try to start talking more about these awesome classes. 

BPI Building Analyst, almost there!

So I spent most of February working, going to school, and turning another year older. I've been taking a class at Laney College to prepare for the  building Performance Institute Building Analyst exam.  I've only been learning this for about a year but I will admit the concepts were pretty straight-forward.

Of course this all sounds well and good until you sit for the 100 question test that you have 2 hours to finish.  It was a little more difficult than I'd imagined and I was a little concerned I'd be on the "line" of passing.

Fortunately I did better than I expected, my personal favourite accomplishments  include

• Concepts of Building Science 97%
• Analyzing/Optimizing Building Systems 100%
• Measurement and Verification of Building Performance 88%

So I passed!  Now all there is the field exam that I have in 1 week.  I've been studying and working on a "script".  Basically on the field exam we have to audit a house in about 2 hours, remembering all the important things like "Combustible Appliance Zone " Draft and Spillage test and the Blower Door test. It's actually a lot of things to do in 2 hours and it's where a whole lot of people fail the overall test.  To add to my nerves the instructor I work for at Laney is going to be my proctor. You know, the person who hired me to be his assistant for "Building Science" classes and work in the Enviromental Controls Technology (HVAC) department. No pressure there!

So to help me study for the written exam I made some flashcards on Quizlet.com so if any of you are studying for it, maybe it will help you too.

Choose a Study ModeScatterLearnFlashcards

Study these flash cards

Till next time,
Jasmine DK