Mass. offers energy efficiency course

BOSTON – Massachusetts announced last week a program to train builders to use thermal imaging-enhanced building assessments to boost the energy efficiency of Bay State homes.
The Mass. Department of Energy Resources will organize the program known as “Smart Building: High Performance Homes” and backed by a $350,000 federal grant.
“These training courses will educate a new cohort of building professionals who are knowledgeable about how to maximize energy efficiency and minimize energy costs in communities across the state,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Richard K. Sullivan Jr. “The energy assessments will help business and residents make informed decisions about how to reduce their energy use and associated costs.”
The Smart Building program covers best practices in energy efficiency. In addition to training in thermal imaging, the course also touches on the Stretch Code, an optional energy efficiency code adopted in 67 communities – representing more than 2.4 million people, about 39 percent of the state’s population.
Training is provided by the Center for Ecological Technology located in Pittsfield, Mass., and Northampton, Mass., and by the Commonwealth Services Group located in Westborough, Mass.
More information about the training, including a schedule, is available at www.cetonline.org.