BOZEMAN –Montana State University’s Weatherization Training Center and MSU Extension Housing and Environmental Health will present a three-day workshop on fundamentals of solar heating system design and installation Nov. 1-3 at the Montana Weatherization Training Center, or MWTC, located at 751 Osterman Dr., Unit 101.

 

The 16-hour workshop will take place from 8 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

 

Training will include basic information needed to navigate a solar heating installation for individuals who are new to the workforce, changing careers or preparing for a do-it-yourself project and looking to expand their practical knowledge.

 

Workshop topics will focus on domestic solar hot water systems and will cover various applications of solar heating options commercially available to homeowners and contractors. Participants will learn how to site and size a system based on solar fundamentals and will explore system components, types, and designs, as well as best practices regarding installation, maintenance and troubleshooting. Innovations and advancements in solar heating technology will also be discussed. The workshop will culminate with a hands-on installation of a functioning system.

 

The workshop is designed to prepare students for the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners solar heating associate exam. The MWTC is a registered NABCEP associate exam provider and can administer the exam to students who wish to sit for it upon completion of the course. The associate exam is offered either on-site via pencil and paper or off-site through an independent computer-based testing center.

 

The instructor will be Todd Hoitsma, owner of Liquid Solar Systems, a small Bozeman-based business specializing in efficient and renewable solar heating systems for residential and commercial applications. Hoitsma has focused on improving and simplifying solar water heating design, radiant heat systems and systems that integrate both throughout his career.

 

The course fee is $50, which is a reduced price available through grant funds from the Environmental Protection Agency's Pollution Prevention grant. Students who wish to take the NABCEP solar heating associate exam are responsible for an additional $125 fee. Details regarding exam testing will be discussed during the workshop.

 

For more information on the workshop and to RSVP, contact Jerrod Bley, Montana Weatherization Training Center, at 406-586-0050 or jerrod.bley@montana.edu.

 

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This story is available on the Web at: http://www.montana.edu/news/17168