Training Courses
We offer regular training courses for each of our main programs—ESP-r, Merit, HEM and EnTrak—and for other programs on request. These courses usually take the form of 2 or 3-day hands-on sessions held either at ESRU's premises or at the trainees' workplace. The usual fee for such a course is £500 for a 3-day course, £340 for a 2-day course, £170 for a 1-day course or £85 for a half-day course. Here are our accommodation suggestions. Planned (and recent) courses include:
| ESP-r | Introductory course: |
| EnTrak | |
| Merit | |
| Radiance | |
| HEM | Introductory course: |
| Passive House Designer | Two week course leading to exam accredited by PHI: |
| THERM | Thermal bridge modelling: |
| SAP | Standard Assessment Procedure - UK domestic compliance and EPC software: |
Please use the link to the online shop to register where indicated. For other courses, please email us with your selection(s).
This
event will take place at the premises of ESRU within the
University of
Strathclyde. The outline for the introductory course is:
The workshop will be fast-paced and interactive and delegates should find a wealth of productive techniques and tips from experts to do simulation quicker, cheaper, and better. Workshops run from 9h00 to 17h00 with tea and lunch breaks.
If you want to bring along your own laptop for use during the course, please let us know so we can determine if it is compatible.
If you have a particular simulation project in mind, bring details and we might just use it during the course!
ESP-r developers' conference and workshop (Images from Aug 2003)
The 3rd developers' conference will take place at the premises of ESRU within the University of Strathclyde. Since switching to the GPL distribution and development licence for ESP-r, there has been a growing number of individuals and organisations who have downloaded the source code and are making use of the system in their business and research. With this expanding user community comes an increasing demand to evolve the system. This event will bring current and potential developers together for a conference aiming to further the co-operative evolution of ESP-r. The event content follows.
Day 1 Topics
- Introduction and Review
- Development Issues
- Interface
- Solar and glazing
Day 2 Topics
- Mainstreaming advanced features
- Validation and accreditation
- Improving information retrieval
- Source code control
- Wrap up, outcomes and actions
This event will take place in the premises of ESRU (3rd floor of the James Weir building). The course outline is a focus on advanced airflow modelling on the first day and building-integrated renewables on the 2nd day, but the emphasis within the course can be varied according to the wishes of the participants.
1st day: Advanced Airflow
* Review of recent changes
* Air flow networks and their control
* Adding resolution via CFD domains
2nd day: Building-integrated renewables
* Modelling of passive and active (PV) systems
* Modelling of wind turbines
* Electrical networks
* Modelling of solar thermal systems
The course will be interactive and delegates should find plenty of opportunity to explore the specific topics and modelling methods in some detail. The course will run from 9h00 to 17h00 each day, with tea and lunch breaks.
Prerequisites
ESP-r runs primarily on Unix/Linux computers and delegates should be familiar with basic operating system commands (even for those running ESP-r under the Cygwin environment on a Windows PC or under OS X on a Mac). You should also be familiar with the basic use of ESP-r and hopefully have participated in a previous introductory course. If you have a particular simulation project in mind, bring details and we might be able to use it during the course.
This event will take place in the premises of ESRU (3rd floor of the James Weir building). This advanced course deals with Indoor Air Quality topics such as mass flow networks, computational fluid dynamics and contaminant tracking, including associated control (e.g. C02 control). Existing models will be used to explore a range of IAQ issues at different levels of resolution. Participants will create networks and domains of moderate complexity, assess the performance predictions and adapt their models as required. Participants are expected to have some background in IAQ issues as well as a basic working knowledge of ESP-r.
The course will be interactive and delegates should find plenty of opportunity to explore the specific topics and modelling methods in some detail. The course will run from 9h00 to 17h00 each day, with tea and lunch breaks.
Prerequisites
ESP-r runs primarily on Unix/Linux computers and delegates should be familiar with basic operating system commands (even for those running ESP-r under the Cygwin environment on a Windows PC or under OS X on a Mac). You should also be familiar with the basic use of ESP-r and hopefully have participated in a previous introductory course. If you have a particular simulation project in mind, bring details and we might be able to use it during the course.
This event will take place in the premises of ESRU (3rd floor of the James Weir building). This course will focus on the transition between ideal representations of environmental systems to detailed component based models. It will explore a range of existing models, including control issues, interpretation of performance predictions and QA. Participants are expected to have a working knowledge of ESP-r and the use of ideal control.
The course will be interactive and delegates should find plenty of opportunity to explore the specific topics and modelling methods in some detail. The course will run from 9h00 to 17h00 each day, with tea and lunch breaks.
Prerequisites
ESP-r runs primarily on Unix/Linux computers and delegates should be familiar with basic operating system commands (even for those running ESP-r under the Cygwin environment on a Windows PC or under OS X on a Mac). You should also be familiar with the basic use of ESP-r and hopefully have participated in a previous introductory course.
This one-day event will take place in the premises of ESRU (3rd floor of the James Weir building).
The focus of this course is on the use of ESP-r by practitioners, for those with some experience of ESP-r and for those without prior knowledge. The focus is on capability and productivity i.e. to allow users to do simulation quicker, cheaper, and better. The course will cover techniques to speed up model creation, QA checks that can be carried out on the model, aspects of results analysis that can aid in interpreting building performance, and setting up "what if" studies. The following topics will be included:
* Design questions that can be answered with simulation
* Skills development
* Critical QA
* Tackling complex projects
* Session for managers of simulation projects: how simulation can be embedded within design practice
* Increased model resolution.
The course will run from 9h00 to 17h00 with tea and lunch breaks. Time will be available for exploration of a range of models as well as for general discussion about simulation.
Prerequisites
ESP-r runs primarily on Unix/Linux computers and delegates should be familiar with basic operating system commands (even for those running ESP-r under the Cygwin environment on a Windows PC or under OS X on a Mac). You should also be familiar with the basic use of ESP-r and hopefully have participated in a previous introductory course. If you have a particular simulation project in mind, bring details and we might be able to use it during the course.
This one-day event will take place in the premises of ESRU (3rd floor of the James Weir building).
This workshop focuses on topics related to the quality assurance of simulation models, such as:
* techniques for generating models that support rapid understanding by other members of a design team;
* techniques for a model author and QA person to work together;
* exercises in 'spot what is wrong with this model'.
ESP-r and TRNSYS will be used for this workshop, but the topic and the approaches taken are generic and should apply to a range of tools and project types.
The course will run from 9h00 to 17h00 with tea and lunch breaks. Time will be available for exploration of a range of models as well as for general discussion about simulation.
Prerequisites
You should be familiar with the basic use of simulation programs.
This one-day event will take place in the premises of ESRU (3rd floor of the James Weir building).
This workshop focuses on topics related to the modelling of control in simulation models, and will cover control of:
* the building - including lighting control, blind system control, and idealised heating, cooling and ventilation control;
* air flow;
* HVAC systems.
ESP-r will be used for this course.
The course will run from 9h00 to 17h00 with tea and lunch breaks. Time will be available for exploration of a range of models as well as for general discussion about simulation.
Prerequisites
You should be familiar with the basic use of ESP-r and hopefully have participated in a previous introductory course. If you have a particular simulation project in mind, bring details and we might be able to use it during the course.
This one-day event will take place in the premises of ESRU (3rd floor of the James Weir building).
The workshop is an intense, fast paced exploration of air flow networks within the ESP-r suite of simulation tools. If you want to get up to speed with the design of flow networks that work first-time and you want to scale your networks to address realistic problems of inter-zone flow and controls then this this is the workshop for you. Included in the course will be a review of flow components, setting up models and networks, control of flow components and explorations of performance predictions as well as critical hints on working practices.
The course will run from 9h00 to 17h00 with tea and lunch breaks. Time will be available for exploration of a range of models as well as for general discussion about simulation.
Prerequisites
Prior experience with ESP-r. Participants are expected to have read chapter 11 of the ESP-r Cookbook. Workshop will have a mix of computers with ESP-r installed and installers will be sent to participants who want to bring their own laptops (Linux, Mac OSX, Windows XP, Cygwin emulation on Windows)
This one-day event will take place in the premises of ESRU and will cover the following topics.
- features of MERIT and demonstration of some example applications;
- specifying weather and demand/supply/auxiliary power profiles;
- renewable energy component models;
- matching thermal/electricity demands from RE and CHP components;
- imposing demand management and control;
- results analysis, manipulation and interpretation;
- example application: low carbon community action planning;
- future development intentions.
Prerequisites
Computers will be provided. Alternatively users can bring their own laptops.
For over 10 years the Passive House Standards have been adopted for many building types - both new build and renovations - and interest is rapidly increasing worldwide. The supply chain has matured and a wide range of Passive House Standard products are available.
In order to promote adoption of this advanced standard and ensure that it is implemented with correct quality, the EU funded the CEPH project to deliver robust training and certification for Passive House Designers across EU member states.
The course and exam in English will be delivered in Glasgow by the University of Strathclyde supported by Passive House experts. The course provides advanced training for architects and designers already experienced in energy optimised construction and renovation. On passing the exam individuals are registered by the Passive House Institute and can use associated materials to market their services.
The course includes 80 detailed topics covering: The heat-insulating building shell, Construction heat bridges, Passive House windows, Air-tightness and Blower Door Test (workshop), Thermography (workshop), Ventilation, Summer comfort, Utilisation of residual heat, Quality Assurance of heating and ventilation, Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) with a range of buildings and your own project, Passive House factor 10 renovations, Non-residential Passive Haus, Profitability and Loan program calculations, Tendering and awarding contracts, Construction Supervision and Quality Assurance, Customer support.
Users will be required to bring a laptop with Passive House Planning Package PHPP 2007 installed.
Costs are £1650 for the complete training course and £280 for the exam (plus VAT). A course discount of £150 is available for RIAS/RIBA/SESG members. For other sources of funding, please visit Sust (for example the Low Carbon Skills Fund).
Course will run from 0830 – 1700 on all days.
For information and to register, please email Sabeeta Ghauri.
THERM: Determination of Thermal Bridging Psi Values for Use in Building Design and Energy Performance Software
This course is complementary to the Certified European Passive House Designer course which immediately precedes it. However, it is not necessary to have completed this course to benefit from the Thermal Bridging workshop.
The workshop will involve the use of
THERM which is a free tool to calculate two dimensional heat transfer, developed at Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratories, USA. The workshop will follow recommendations set out in BRE 497
Conventions for calculating linear thermal transmittance and temperature factors and also other supplementary documentation.
The workshop will be fast and interactive and will enable delegates to evaluate any two dimensional thermal
bridges in order to generate linear thermal transmittance or psi values for use in further heat loss calculation algorithms.
No previous knowledge of the software is required.
Delegates may bring along laptops with or without the software preinstalled.
Desktop machines will be available to delegates without laptops.
Programme:
SAP: Standard Assessment Procedure - UK domestic building compliance and EPC software
The Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) is the UK government’s method of enabling domestic buildings to be assessed for compliance with Building Standards and issue of EPCs.
Our 2 day interactive training course on the use of SAP covers definitions, calculations and outputs of SAP. Learning is through a mix of presentations, group exercises, demonstrations and discussions, and self-assessment exercises. The first day covers the Building Standards and the parameters required to describe dwelling geometry and constructions. The second day covers the dwelling heating, hot water and ventilation systems and also the use of calculation software. The impact of different options on the calculation results is discussed throughout the course.
The course will run from 9am to 5pm on both days. Lunch and refreshments will be provided.