LaHouse is a research-based showcase of solutions for sustainable, high performance housing for the southern region climate and conditions. The mission of LaHouse is to shape the future with homes that offer more comfort, durability, value, convenience, environmental quality, safety and better health with less energy, water, pollution, waste, damage and loss. Photo by Linda Foster Benedict

News Release Distributed 04/13/15

BATON ROUGE, La. – Two new classes for contractors and code verifiers to help homes achieve provisions of Louisiana’s new residential building energy code will be offered April 28-30 at the LSU AgCenter’s LaHouse Resource Center.

HVAC for Home Performance will be held April 28-30 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Duct and Envelope Tightness (DET) Verifier certification will be held April 29-30.

Those who satisfactorily complete the two-day DET training and written and field exams will be designated Southface Energy Institute certified DET verifiers qualified to perform the diagnostic testing now required for new homes by the 2009 IRC energy chapter. LaHouse is an authorized provider for Southface DET training and certification, said Claudette Hanks Reichel, LSU AgCenter extension housing specialist.

The three-day HVAC class includes DET training and certification testing plus insights into building science concepts key to prevent, diagnose and solve heating, cooling and ventilation problems, Reichel said. Lessons include best practice methods and alternatives; how energy-efficient homes impact Manual J, D and S or H HVAC design; crucial air sealing techniques to achieve the code air tightness; and duct testing provisions.

DET certification is especially beneficial to HVAC contractors because it provides more duct leakage code compliance options not available to those certified only in using duct test equipment for total leakage measurements. DET verifiers can do both total leakage and leakage to outside tests, Reichel said.

DET and HVAC completers are listed on the LaHouse website www.lsuagcenter.com/LaHouse to help code officials and contractors find and identify qualified providers.

Registration, course fees and further information about the classes are available at www.lsuagcenter.com/LaHouse (Seminars and Events page). Participants will receive a detailed handbook, online tutorials, interactive instruction and hands-on practice, as well as the DET written and field tests included in the last half day. The classes, taught by LaHouse building science educators, also qualify for CEU hours for Louisiana residential contractors, Reichel said.