Building Performance Training
- Live Training Events
Drop in on free events with expert instructors offering continuing education and certifications
- Passive House Education
Become a certified professional. Designer and trade cohorts available throughout the year
- High Performance Fundamentals
Advance your career in construction or design on your schedule
- Earn While You Learn
Get paid for HPWH installs with hands-on SunWork training
- On-Demand Training
Watch trainings on building science, energy code, and more, on your own schedule
Build your business and energize your career!
Building Performance Training is a workforce development program for current and prospective building professionals in design, construction, real estate, and beyond. Training is focused on energy efficiency, high performance building and electrification.
Our free training events help you:
- Keep up with industry trends
- Gain new skills
- Fulfill continuing education units
- Earn certifications
- Add value for your customers
Passive house education
The Passive House design standard is changing the way we look at buildings.
By optimizing the building envelope, insulation, and mechanical systems, Passive House buildings can reduce energy use by up to 90%, while maximizing comfort, resilience, and affordability.
Get certified as a Passive House Designer, Consultant, or Tradesperson. Cohorts are typically available quarterly for designers and consultants, and once in the fall for contractors.
Not ready to get certified, but want to learn more? Check our Events Calendar for webinars on Passive House offered throughout the year.
High Performance Fundamentals Certification
3C-REN developed our High Performance Fundamentals in response to the particular needs of the tri-county region’s climate conditions and building stock.
This six-course series prepares construction professionals for a new way of building that is more energy efficient and climate resilient.
On-Demand Certification Course
The High Performance fundamentals is now 100% online, in an on-demand format. Take the course at your own pace, at any time and location that works for you. When you’re done, you’ll receive a certificate identifying you as a 3C-REN trained High Performance Building Professional.
Earn While You Learn: Heat Pump Water Heater Installations
3C-REN has partnered with Sunwork Renewable Energy Projects to bring hands-on heat pump water heater (HPWH) installation training to our region.
Earn up to $599 while working alongside a skilled contractor to install a heat pump water heater.
- Participants in this initiative:
- Receive hands-on training, installing a heat pump water heater
- Learn about the equipment, sizing, siting, and installation best practices
- Distinguish plumbing and electrical differences between HPWHs and traditional gas equipment.
This partnership prioritizes workforce development for decarbonization on the Central Coast. Contractor experience installing HPWHs is limited despite their many benefits. A HPWH significantly reduces a home’s carbon footprint and can be cheaper to operate. The technology is simple and efficient: heat from the air is applied to the water in the tank, making them up to 4x more efficient than conventional gas water heaters. This initiative aims to build local contractor expertise through hands-on learning.
Get started! Fill out the interest form to be notified when an installation is scheduled in your area.
Education for the Future Workforce
Bring a free guest speaker to your classroom to help younger generations explore opportunities in sustainable design and construction. 3C-REN speakers are professionals with backgrounds in green building who cover topics such as:
- Green Building 101
- Pathways for Sustainability Careers
- Green Building in Practice
- Introduction to Zero Net Carbon Design
- Fuel Switching: HVAC and Domestic Hot Water
Events Calendar
Psychology of The Electrification Sale: Part 2
Register Event Description Get ready to sell! In this 2-part webinar series, Electrify My Home will equip salespeople, service technicians, business owners, CSRs, and anyone selling home services projects with […]
Clean Energy Homes: How Realtors earn stellar referrals while boosting profits
Register Event Description Class #3 in the 3-Course series for agents Realtors will learn new routes to increased profits as they guide clients to homes that are often superior on […]
High-Performance Homes: Valuation 2
Register Event Description Advancing appraiser training, this class builds on the content of courses 1 & 2, recommended as prerequisites. How & Why: We’ll examine the details of a new […]
All Electric Retrofit with Electric Panel Constraints
Register Event Description The building industry will need to electrify buildings at a fast pace if cities and counties are to meet their goals for reducing Carbon emissions. One of […]
Health and Resilience of Clean Energy Homes
Register Event Description Homeowner interest in our capacity to maintain healthy indoor air quality and increase resilience has skyrocketed since COVID and the proliferation of wildfires. Concerns around the ability […]
Become a Participating Contractor
3C-REN’s Home Energy Savings program offers contractors flexibility by paying incentives for actual metered kWh and therm savings. Rather than a restrictive list of measures and incentives, the program pays you to meet your customers’ energy savings or electrification needs.