Residential trainings offer opportunities to learn about energy efficiency and best building practices for newly built and existing homes. Trainings range from orientations and new technology webinars to online courses that help you increase your marketability and meet Energy Trust requirements. Find training details and opportunities from more than 15 industry organizations on our Training & Education calendar.

Energy Trust’s Business Development Fund offers reimbursement to help offset the cost of pre-approved training. For more information on reimbursement, contact the Home Retrofit trade ally coordinator at 1.866.365.3526.

ACCA HVAC Manuals J & D: An overview of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) Manuals J & D. Manual J covers residential load calculations for HVAC systems while Manual D covers residential duct systems.

An Introduction to the New A2L Refrigerants: This training covers the changes and impacts of the 2025 A2L refrigerant requirements.

Better Built NW HVAC Sizing Tool Overview: Participants learn how to use the free BetterBuiltNW HVAC Sizing Tool by calculating the heating and cooling loads of a home and how to select the proper HVAC equipment.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Quality Install Tool Overview: Participants learn how to use PNNL’s Quality Install Tool, an open-source app designed to simplify, standardize, and expedite the creation of high-quality documentation for contractors.

Most Common Corrective Actions of 2024: This training discusses the most common corrective actions encountered by the Residential Home Retrofit program in 2024 with a focus on the specifications and best practices for the impacted measures.

Visit the following websites for more information about Energy Trust training for required certifications:

• Building Performance Institute (BPI)
• Oregon Department of Energy Tax Credit-Certified HVAC Technicians
• Northwest ENERGY STAR Home Verifier
• CheckMe!^® certification

Energy Trust worked with Advanced Energy, a nationally recognized leader in home performance training and consulting, to provide a support package of tools for contractors to support quality management operations. Follow the links below to download documents and resources that you can apply to improve quality, reduce costs and prevent defects.

1. 1. 1. Calculate the Cost of Poor Quality
         • 1.1 Cost of Poor Quality Intro (PDF)
         • 1.2 Cost Areas of Doing Business Template (Excel)
         • 1.3 Cost of Poor Quality Example & Template (Excel)
      2. Collect Data on Defects
         • 2.1 Event Log Examples & Template (Excel)
         • 2.2 Tally Sheet Examples & Template (Excel)
      3. Find Root Cause of Defects
         • 3.1 Five Why’s Example (PDF)
         • 3.2 Fish Bone Diagram Example (PDF)
         • 3.3 Fish Bone Diagram Template (DOC)
      4. Standardize Your Process
         • • 4.1 Five S Methodology (DOC)

         To improve standardization, use the complete measure checklists published above in the Technical Specifications section.

      5. Document with a Quality Management Plan
         • 5.1 Quality Management Plan template (PDF)
         • 5.2 Quality Management Plan FAQ (PDF)
      6. Establish a Culture of Quality
         • 6.1 Success Through Quality Management (PDF)
         • 6.2 Common Language (PDF)
         • 6.3 Culture and the Quality Management System (PDF)
         • 6.4 Loyalty Leadership (PDF)
         • 6.5 Blame-Free agreement (PDF)
         • 6.6 Understanding Mistakes and Error (PDF)
         • 6.7 Improvement in the Workplace (PDF)
         • 6.8 5W2H Problem Solving worksheet (PDF)
         • 6.9 Visual Management (PDF)
      7. Provide Tools for Crews
         • 7.1 Intro (PDF)
         • 7.2 Duct Repair (PDF)
         • 7.3 Air Sealing (PDF)
         • 7.4 Prep & Insulation (PDF)
      8. Job worksheet tools
         • 8.1 Job Instruction Breakdown (JIB) sheet template (DOC)
         • 8.2 Job Method Improvement Worksheet template (DOC)

Disclaimer: These tools are for illustrative purposes only and do not always align with the Home Retrofit Specifications Manual.

Utilize the complete measure checklists posted above in the technical specifications section for step-by-step job breakdowns.

Neither Energy Trust nor any program implementation contractors or sponsors bear responsibility or accept any liability for the final construction, its compliance with any relevant codes, or its ultimate performance.