When it comes to learning, some people often overlook their preferred learning style in favor of superficial factors that seemingly appeal to them. Cost, schedule, and simplicity are often the most valued features that a person considers when trying to purchase something – let alone education. Ironically, placing value on these superficial features often causes a person to sacrifice the ultimate goal, which is learning! Let’s take a moment to talk about why the “learn-by-doing” strategy is the most effective way to enhance your skill set, especially when it comes to BPI field training.

Who Needs BPI Training?

In the home performance industry, you have a series of contractors who specialize in various components throughout the home – windows, lighting, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, etc. More and more homeowners are not only seeking general improvements to the old equipment in their homes but also seeking options to save energy (and money). What they’re looking for is an all-around home performance contractor who can identify problems throughout the house, make recommendations, and provide corrective action. These customers are not looking for a series of specialists to employ. This is why contractors from a variety of backgrounds are seeking BPI training and certification – so they can be the one-stop-shop solution.

How to Learn About Home Energy Efficiency

Contractors who genuinely want to grow their skills and expand their business prefer BPI training over another way of learning. BPI training emphasizes the importance of the “house-as-a-system” mentality, which means that all the components in the home are interconnected and that a technician must be knowledgeable about how they all work. Sure, a contractor could go the cheap route and buy a book to read. In the interest of time, a contractor could try to challenge the BPI Certification written exam. Both of those options would be pretty simple – but will the contractor actually learn the skills and proper technique to perform home energy audits and feel confident about using those skills in the field?

Why Hands-On Field Training is the Best Way to Learn

The best way to learn about home energy auditing is by doing it! By participating in a live BPI training course, you gain valuable hands-on experience with concepts that you’ll use in the field. What we mean by hands-on experience is real time to learn how to use diagnostic equipment, such as a blower door and duct blaster, and practice using those tools to diagnose air leakage in the home. This type of job training addresses every learning style – visual, auditory, verbal, kinetic, logical, social, and solitary – so everybody walks away having learned new skills. There are components within the 5-day BPI training course that enables participants to flex their skills in each of these areas.

Whether you decide to participate in the “theory” part of training via a live classroom environment or an online webinar, it is imperative that you participate in live, hands-on training to gain exposure to the energy auditing equipment. We strongly believe that home performance professionals – that is, the people responsible for the health and wellbeing of home occupants – should have experience working with the job tools and practicing home energy audit procedures. BPI training is the best outlet for acquiring this knowledge and experience.

During our BPI training courses, you’ll acquire the following hands-on skills:

• Measuring air leakage with a blower door and manometer
• Measuring duct leakage with a duct blaster and manometer
• Testing the draft and spillage of gases from old HVAC equipment using a combustible gas leak detector
• Determining the presence of poisonous carbon monoxide with a CO analyzer
• Overall familiarity with home elements, ranging from insulation to windows and lighting

Due to the hands-on nature of home energy auditing, it’s important for contractors to seek appropriate training. You would be doing yourself (and your customers) a disservice by shying away from hands-on field training. In addition to gaining relevant skills, you also have the opportunity to ask questions in real time with your experienced energy auditing instructor as well as network with technicians in your area. The proficiency you demonstrate during hands-on field training directly leads to your success on the BPI Certification field exam, so why not participate in an engaging environment and learn by doing?

At Everblue, we provide all the energy auditing equipment for our students. As one of our BPI training participants, you also gain access to exclusive equipment discounts from leading manufacturers, such as The Energy Conservatory.

Add home energy auditing to your business offerings today! We offer BPI Certification training in a number of locations across the country. Give us a call at (800) 460-2575 or start a live chat with us to discuss the training options nearest you.