• Benefits of a Heat Pump

  • more efficient technology:
    • up to 300X more efficient than electric baseboards
    • up to 50% more efficient than a typical window air conditioner unit
  • reduced greenhouse gas emissions
  • reduced environmental impact

Heat Pump Industry Training Resources

• Training Courses on Low-Carbon, High Effiency Homes and Heat Pumps Offered in BC for New and Retrofit Contractors

  These courses aim to develop and improve the skills necessary for the shift towards building electrification. These focus on best practices for heat pump installation, consumer satisfaction, and energy efficient homes. Contractors can register and learn more by clicking on the course names below, or download a resource sheet here. (Date last updated March 2022).

  COURSE NAME	INSTITUTE*	COST	LEARNING OBJECTIVES	DETAILS
  Heat Pump Installer Training Course	BC Hydro Powersmart FortisBC	Free for PRC or HPCN	Gain the skills to install indoor and outdoor heat pump units in a safe and effective manner, including some common residential insulation products Building science principles and best practices for heat pumps	Online 7 modules
  Basic Understanding of a Passive House Building	PHC	$50.00	Gain a basic understanding of the core principles of Passive House design standards and meeting provincial energy efficiency regulations	Online Self-paced 5 hours
  BC Energy Step Code for Builders and Energy Advisors	CHBA-BC	$499.00	Understand the BC Energy Step Code specifications Identify performance metrics, administrative steps, and design considerations required when building a Step Code compliant home	Online Self-paced 5 hours
  Energy Management Professional	CIET	$595.00–$695.00	Cover technical matters of energy consuming systems and opportunities for energy savings Discuss central elements for energy efficiency, and how to set and reach efficiency goals	Online 3 days
  Municipal Heat Pump Certification (Hydronic)	TECA	$795.00–$975.00	Cover various heat pump designs involving air-to-air or water-to-water heat pumps Learn to properly size and operate heat pumps and use them in a hydronic heating or cooling system	Online 24 hours
  Net Zero Energy Construction	BCIT	$1,014.79 plus BCIT tuition fees	Gain an understanding of building science, design, and construction strategies for zero energy buildings and best practices Design or build to the BC Energy Step Code, Net-Zero Energy, or Passive House standards	Online 48 hours
  Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Mechanic Foundation	TRU	$607.00 per month (~$3,642.00 for 25 weeks)	Course for an entry-level position as an apprentice in refrigeration sector Foundational knowledge in refrigeration to understand how heat pumps work, with a section of the course providing an overview of heat pumps Refrigeration theory such as heat transfer, temperature pressure conversions and calculations, components, and practical applications	In-person (Kamloops) 25 weeks Full-time studies

  *LEGEND:
  BCIT - British Columbia Institute of Technology
  CHBA-BC - Canadian Home Builders Association of BC
  CIET - Canadian Institute for Energy Training
  PHC - Passive House Canada
  TECA - Thermal Environmental Comfort Association
  TRU - Thompson Rivers University

• Required Courses for HVAC Professionals to Join the Home Performance Contractors Network (HPCN)

  The HPCN is an online database of qualified retrofit contractors made to further capacity building in British Columbia for high performance homes. HVAC companies applying must complete both of HPSC’s courses and two courses offered by either TECA or HRAI for a total of four courses. More information on the HPCN and how to join can be found here. For course details, click on a course name below, or download a resource sheet here. (Date last updated March 2022).

  COURSE NAME	INSTITUTE*	COST	LEARNING OBJECTIVES	DETAILS
  Retrofitting with a House-as-a-System Approach	HPSC	$200.00	Introduction to the ‘House-as-a-System’ approach to retrofitting Identify and solve common home issues with energy retrofits Focus is on practical examples and scenarios	Online Self-paced 3 hours
  Quality Installation of Forced-Air Furnaces and Air Source Heat Pump Retrofits in BC	HPSC	$1,500.00 Free for contractors applying to HPCN	Evaluate existing HVAC systems and optimize the performance of replacement systems Best practices for quality installation of furnaces and air-source heat pumps in residential retrofits Consumer education to support system use and maintenance	Online Self-paced 30 hours
  Principles of Residential Ventilation	HRAI	$865.00	Proper equipment sizing and installation for ventilation system design and distribution Learn how to  determine ventilation and exhaust inlet requirements and meet code specifications	Online 2 days
  Residential Heat Loss & Heat Gain Calculations	HRAI	$1,240.00	Basic principles of building science and heat loss/heat gain calculations Learn how to determine thermal resistance	Online 4 days
  Heat Loss / Heat Gain	TECA	$199.00–$299.00 (In-person) $335.00–$385.00 (Online)	Perform accurate code-compliant heat loss/heat gain calculations Elaborates on dynamic heat loss and heat gain Covers room-by-room and whole building heat loss and heat gain calculations	Online - 3 days In-person (Surrey) - 1 day
  Principles of Moving Air	TECA	$400.00–$500.00 (In-person) $559.00–$659.00 (Online)	In-depth look at how air moves through a system Installation of ducting and air filters How to develop quiet and effcient systems Understand the relationships between pressure, pressure drop, volume, velocity, and power	Online - 3 days In-person (Surrey) - 2 days

  *LEGEND:
  HPSC - Home Performance Stakeholders Council
  HRAI - Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada
  TECA - Thermal Environmental Comfort Association

• Free-to-Access Training Guides on Heat Pump Best Practices and Technologies for New and Retrofit Contractors and Installers

  These resources aim to develop and improve the skills necessary for the shift towards building electrification. These focus on best practices for heat pump installation, maintenance, and system selection. Click on the titles below to access these free training guides, or download a resource sheet here. (Date last updated March 2022).

  TITLE	PUBLISHER(S)	CONTENTS	DETAILS
  Home Performance Stakeholders Council Fact Sheets	Home Performance Stakeholders Council	Central ducted air-source heat pump fact sheet Ductless air-source heat pump fact sheet	2021 2 pages
  Energy STAR Fact Sheets	Natural Resources Canada, Energy STAR	Heat pump water heater sales and buying guides Central ducted air-source heat pump fact sheet Ductless mini-split heat pump fact sheet	2021 2 pages
  Heating and Cooling with a Heat Pump	Natural Resources Canada, Energy STAR	Covers the various types and operations of heat pump systems Factors involved in choosing, installing, operating, and maintaining heat pumps	2021 HTML (web-only)
  Best Practices for Installing Ductless Heating and Cooling Systems	Northwest Energy Effiiency Alliance	Best practices for the installation of ductless heating and cooling systems How installers can provide quality service to homeowners	2016 2 pages
  Guide to Installing Air-Source Heat Pumps in Cold Climates	Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships	Best practices and requirements for high quality air-source heat  pump installation in cold climates How to educate homeowners on system set up and maintenance	2020 4 pages
  Cold Climate Ductless Heat Pump Specification and Recommendations	Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance	How to optimize performance and comfort in existing homes with cold climate air-source heat pumps How to get the best performance and longevity in cold climate ductless heat pumps	2020 8 pages
  Guide to Sizing & Selecting Air-Source Heat Pumps in Cold Climates	Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships	Proper sizing and system selection of heat pumps for cold climates How to maintain high efficiency and high-performance levels How to provide quality service and increase customer satisfaction	2020 7 pages
  Air-Source Heat Pump Sizing and Selection Guide	Natural Resources Canada, Canmet Energy	How to properly select and size air-source heat pumps for Canadian climates Best installation practices for new and existing residential homes	2021 62 pages
  Heat Pump Best Practices Installation Guide for Existing Homes	ICF Canada, FRESCo, Home Performance Stakeholders Council	Best practices for heat pump installation, system design, commissioning, and maintenance Educate homeowners on proper operation and care of heat pumps Common installation challenges and possible solutions	2019 51 pages