Sustainable Energy Action Committee > Clean Energy Clearinghouse

Clean Energy Educational Resources

No matter where you find yourself in your career, all clean energy stakeholders—including authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs), fire departments, clean energy contractors, manufacturers and suppliers, electric utilities, building owners, facility managers, and others—benefit from current and timely information related to renewable energy developments. This Clean Energy Clearinghouse offers access to free educational resources and CEU bearing courses to make sure you have the information you need, when you need it. 

Please note: You may have to scroll down on some CEU bearing course links in order to access all relevant information.

EMPOWERED Solutions Clean Energy Question of the Week

Check out this week’s question and answer below. Come back each Monday to explore something new about distributed energy resources. Read previous questions and answers about solar, storage, electric vehicles, and efficient building technology here.

a
Can air source heat pumps really work in cold climates?

Air source heat pumps play a huge part in the effort to decarbonize our buildings. Heat pumps offer an energy-efficient alternative to furnaces and air conditioners, and they can be powered by clean electric energy. But because they work by extracting heat from the cool outdoors to the inside of the house, many people think that the technology cannot work in very cold conditions. Luckily, the truth is in fact the opposite: a heat pump can efficiently work well even in sub zero temperatures! Some heat pumps designed to work in the cold climates now can handle -15° to -30° F.

Learn More:

Discover how air source heat pumps are transforming buildings in cold climates, including multifamily and commercial buildings with this recorded webinar: Cold Climate Air Source Heat Pumps—Efficacy and Building Readiness.

For technical details, take this free course from Slipstream, which has been monitoring heat pumps in cold climates like Wisconsin: Advancements in air source heat pump technology. 

Category: High Performance Buildings
Did you find this FAQ helpful?
0
0

Latest Resource:

Webinar Recordings:

Resources for First Responders:

Training Solutions from EMPOWERED Partner: Southface Institute

  • Model Codes and Distributed Energy Resources (Free CEU Online Course). Model codes set the standards for buildings and infrastructure. They are key to understanding distributed energy resources (DERs; solar panels, electric vehicles, and home weatherization, etc.) that consumers use to generate and manage energy on site.
  • Utilities, DERs, and Interconnection (Interactive PDF; Article). In this course, learn about the role of distributed energy resources (DERs) in the energy sector and interconnected processes with utilities. Homeowners, government officials, developers, and other community members can benefit from understanding the changing dynamics between utilities and (DERs) on the customer end of utility transmission and distribution systems.
  • High Performance Building Solutions: HVAC and Mechanical Code Training (Free CEU Online Course). Code officials must understand high-performance HVAC and mechanical systems to effectively address issues with inconsistent code compliance that occur when these systems are renovated or replaced. Learn how to select and assess proper installation and verification of HVAC and mechanical systems prior to adding other distributed energy resources.
  • High Performance Building Solutions: Building Envelope Code Training (Free CEU Online Course). Use of distributed energy resources (DERs) is growing in small to mid-sized commercial buildings, driven by incentives like the Inflation Reduction Act. Architects and code officials must know the fundamentals of design, specification, and verification of high-performance building envelopes. This training will comprehensively address commercial high-performance building envelopes, including benefits and key code considerations.

Solar (PV)

Energy Storage

High Performance Buildings

Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment

Two people examine building plans.

Permitting and Inspection

CEU-Bearing Training Opportunities

Want to Get the Latest Updates on Clean Energy Resources?

To receive email updates about this project, including alerts when new educational resources are released, sign up below.

Bookmark this page and check back frequently. It will be continuously updated and we hope it will become your go-to place to learn about clean energy technologies, how to ensure safe operation of equipment and systems, associated safe work practices, and applicable codes. 

Need more information, have questions, feedback, or suggestions for future resources? Contact us at [email protected].

The Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) in partnership with the International Code Council, International Association of Electrical Inspectors, National Association of State Fire Marshals, Slipstream, Florida Solar Energy Center, South-Central Partnership for Energy Efficiency as a Resource, Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance, Southwest Energy Efficiency Project, Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, New Buildings Institute, Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships, Southface Institute, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory assembled these resources to provide you with up-to-date, reliable, vetted information and training related to existing and emerging technologies.