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
Next Generation Passive Solar
Register Event Description We all learned the principles of passive solar design in school – south facing orientation, strategic windows, thermal mass, etc., but the old rules don’t apply in the same way. Modern buildings should still incorporate passive strategies, including daylight and ventilation, but they need a new spin on the implementation to account […]
Passive Design/Build Boot Camp with Emu Passive – Hands On Training and Exam (FREE!)
Museum of Ventura County 100 E Main Street, Ventura, CA, United StatesApply Here 3C-REN is offering a hands-on Certified Passive House Tradesperson Training and Exam through industry leading provider Emu Passive FREE (normally a $2,490 value) to tradespeople who are residents of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura County. Find more details about the Certified Passive House Tradesperson hands-on training and exam by visiting the […]
Certified Passive House Designer/Consultant (CPHD) Pacific Fall Hybrid Cohort
Apply Here 3C-REN is pleased to offer The Passive House Network's (PHN's) Certified Passive House Designer/ Consultant hybrid cohort. This training is available at no cost to residents and those who work in the counties of Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo. The CPHD course is the premier Passive House professional training for architects, […]
Earn While You Learn: Heat Pump Water Heater Installation
Lompoc; Location provided upon confirmation Lompoc, California, United StatesInterest Form Event Description 3C-REN has partnered with SunWork Renewable Energy Projects to offer hands-on heat pump water heater (HPWH) installation training opportunities to licensed contractors and employees of licensed contractors. Participants will earn $300 while they learn about the equipment, sizing, siting, and installation best practices as they work alongside a skilled installer. We have 2 […]
Solar PV: Technology and Valuation
Register Event Description Class #1 in the 3-Course series for agents and appraisers. Appraisers and Realtors will advance their credibility and competency to better serve their clients with solar-powered homes. Newly constructed homes have been required to have solar as of 2020 and existing home installations remain on an ongoing upward trend. How much value […]
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.