Building Performance Training
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, and add value for your customers.
High Performance Fundamentals Certification
Earn a 3C-REN Certification upon completing 3C-REN’s High-Performance Fundamentals Series. This series is designed for new, aspiring, and current building professionals to understand the basics of building science.
In each training, expert instructors will focus on industry best practices and new building technologies that are better for owners, better for the environment, and better for your work as building professionals.
Class 1:
High Performance Buildings and Careers
Class 2:
The Role of Building Science in High Performance Buildings
Class 3:
Enclosure Best Practices: Roofs, Walls and Floors
Class 4:
Heat Pump Fundamentals: Space Conditioning & Water Heating
Class 5:
Water Heating Distribution Best Practices
Class 6:
Home Assessments for Decarbonization
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
Training Calendar
Unitary versus Split Heat Pump Water Heating Systems
Register Event Description This course introduces the key differences between unitary and split heat pump water heater systems, with a focus on what they are, what they do, and how they can be used in new or retrofit building applications. Participants will gain a practical understanding of the advantages, challenges, and considerations for selecting the […]
Enclosure in Detail
Register Event Description Passive House is an enclosure-first approach that empowers architectural design to drive comfort, resilience, health, and efficiency outcomes. The Passive House enclosure is fundamental to overall building performance optimization. We’ll look at the elements of high-performance enclosure design and construction, the order of priorities, the strategies, systems, components, and details required. From cold […]
Regenerative Design in Practice
Register Event Description California’s carbon reduction goals reach beyond energy performance to include equity, natural solutions for carbon sequestration, and conservation of resources. Using the Living Building Challenge and local examples, we’ll explore the exciting potential for regenerative design. Learning Objectives Be able to differentiate regenerative vs. sustainable, in standards and certifications Understand net positive […]
Multifamily: Energy Code Implementation Series, with 2025 Code Updates
Register Event Description As the 2022 energy code wraps up its final year, and the 2025 code emerges, we see the trends of building electrification, healthier indoor air quality and improved resiliency continue to permeate the code’s evolution. This series focuses on current best practices for implementation of energy strategies, as well as what’s around […]
What Energy Consultants Need to Know About QII
Register Event Description This course will cover what Energy Consultants need to know about Quality Insulation Installation (QII) to best help their clients meet the Title 24 Energy Code. QII is much more than just doing a good job installing insulation. It requires pre-planning and a lot of coordination between multiple trades. This class will […]
More Than One Brand In The Hand: Application Specific HPWH Design
Register Event Description As California accelerates its push toward electrification, heat pump water heaters (HPWHs) are playing a critical role in driving efficient and clean water heating solutions. However, not all HPWHs are created equal—and not every brand is suited for every home. This webinar equips participants with the knowledge to make smart, scenario-specific choices […]
Next Generation Passive Solar
CEC's Environmental Hub 1219 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA, United StatesRegister Enjoy food, drinks, and great company at the third event in our High-Performance Happy Hour Series! Whether you're a homeowner, architect, or simply curious about high-performance design, join us to dive into the next generation of passive solar design principles. Event Description We all learned the principles of passive solar design in school – […]
Continuing Education and Certifications
Most 3C-REN trainings offer continuing education learning units and/or certifications, such as:
Certifications Offered:
Learning Units Offered:
