New Monthly Feature - Webcasts Podcasts and Webinars Training for Professionals

Because of the importance of getting solid information and continuing education, B.F. Environmental Consultants will be providing information on webinars and webcasts that are critical to environmental professionals and professional in the areas of water treatment, design, building, engineering, alternative energy,  and environmental management.  The following is a partial listing of our available webcasts:

Commercial Solar Power Systems 
Fossil fuels won’t last forever and using them often pollutes our world. Solar energy is renewable; it’s clean; it’s free. You can lead the way to a future where solar energy power systems provide electricity in clean, efficient ways.


Design of Water Efficient Buildings This interactive webcast will discuss approaches for conserving water including water efficient building technologies, simple systems for recycling and reusing water on site, and how to drastically decrease the demands on shared supplies. This course will also discuss the many great environmental and economic benefits to water efficient buildings. We will conclude with details on LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) criteria for water efficiency, plus additional case study examples on innovations in wastewater treatment and reuse.

Post Disaster Recovery and Reconstruction
Post-disaster redevelopment is essential to create (or recreate) a disaster-resilient community. In this Webcast, we will provide you with disaster recovery information. You will get strategies for economic rebound, housing recovery, health and social services, infrastructure, land use, and environmental restoration.

Introduction to Wetlands
This interactive webcast will provide a basic understanding of wetland ecology, types, functions and management. We will discuss the economic, environmental, and social importance of wetlands. This course emphasizes wetland ecology, wildlife needs, enhancement of wetland functions, wetland determination, design and implementation, management, and monitoring considerations. 


Petroleum and Natural Gas: Mud Logging Sensors and Modern EDR Systems 
Technology advances with the passage of time. The existence of portable and digital processors provides proof of this advancement in technology. There is a rising demand for enhanced equipment such as geo-pressure control and administration, contributing to the need for an additional degree of drilling machinery monitoring or observing, mud circulation pressure, volume, and flow ratio sensors. This course discusses drilling data monitoring and drilling data analysis, the types of recorders used to monitor, rotary system management and circulating system management, and properties of mud.

Downcycle, Upcycle, Precycle, and Recycle: Waste Prevention and Reuse Webcast
This interactive webcast explores the concepts of downcycling, upcycling, precycling, and recycling. In an era of resource conservation, the idea of reuse is paramount to meeting sustainability goals. We will introduce green-minded professionals to the concepts of downcycling (reclaiming), upcycling (refashioning), precycling (reducing waste), and recycling (reuse). We will focus on the environmental, economic, and social benefits of these four types of waste prevention. In addition, we will look at the relationship between waste reuse and technological advancement. 

Irrigation Practices for Commercial and Residential SitesThis Webcast is a full-spectrum discussion of irrigation practices. We'll start with history, discuss fundamentals, move on to proper design, and finish with alternative approaches to traditional irrigation methods. You'll receive valuable information on effective, efficient irrigation methodology for all residential and commercial needs.

Over 30 other webcasts currently available

Webinars - Scheduled (November and December 2013)

November 7, 2013  HVAC Systems Controls - November 7, 2013 - 12 pm to 3 pm.
Webinar will cover essential information regarding the control systems utilized with HVAC systems. After an introduction to controls, the webinar will cover numerous related topics, including control strategies, types of control systems, sensors, controlled devices, and various controllers. The webinar will focus primarily on equipment involved in temperature, humidity and air flow. 

November 14, 2013- Transit-Oriented Development- November 14, 2013, 12 pm - 3 pm EST
This three-hour webinar introduces the concept of Transit Oriented Development (TOD), which is a walkable, high-density, compact, mixed-use form of development typically focused within close proximity of a transit station. Course focuses on TOD social, economic, and environmental implications in terms of transit ridership, property values, congestion relief, pollution reduction, community place making, and other aspects of transportation and urban policy. Course addresses potential negative consequences of TOD including trampling neighborhood character, gentrification, and increasing urban sprawl. Course concludes with snapshots of successful TOD case studies.  (New Webinar)

November 21, 2013 - Emergency Electric Power, November 21, 2013, 12pm-2pm EST
Webinar covers information regarding emergency electric power- primarily with respect to emergency and standby internal combustion diesel engine-generators. This webinar is an introduction to emergency and standby power systems and includes a review of practical applications.

December 19, 2013 - HVAC Design, Thursday, December 19, 2013, 1pm-4pm EST
Webinar will cover essential design information related to HVAC systems. Typical HVAC equipment and systems are covered, including key control concepts that provide reliable system operation. Webinar will be comprehensive in nature, reviewing most common types of air handling systems utilized today. 

More
Online Training Courses
LEED AP / Green AssociateTraining Courses (Credential Maintenance)

Graywater Systems: An Excellent Way to Save Water

Graywater Systems: An Excellent Way to Save Water

Article Prepared by: Julie Bowen [julie@palatino.org]

With fall comes a change of season, renewed academic year and a series of environmental events and conferences that help to promote a conscientious attitude towards increasing the use of sustainable resources. With much-anticipated events like the National Protect Your Groundwater Day held on September 10 which will feature an informative live webinar, more and more people are looking for alternatives to guaranteeing the protection and monitoring of earth’s most precious resource. Yet pure, filtered water isn’t the only resource which needs to be considered in the wake of creating sustainable futures. The truth is that there is a way to use and reuse water which isn’t required for drinking, washing, or cooking, and more and more businesses and private homes are looking into it. It’s called graywater.

What is Graywater?

Ever wondered what happens to the water you use to brush teeth, shower and clean clothes? “Graywater” is classified as the “wastewater” which is left over from these activities, and is either diverted into a separate tank or pipeline for immediate use (the eco-friendly graywater system) or sent to a waste filtration center where it is separated from “blackwater” which contains human fecal matter. When the graywater is filtered, it is often disposed of in rivers and oceans. In turn, “whitewater” – pure drinking water – continues to be used for functions like watering lawns, taking up 50 – 80% of the wastewater being washed away in the average household, according to Oasis Design.

The Benefits

Understandably, there are several ways in which graywater can be put to better use which has a positive environmental impact on both a large and individual scale. Overall, implementing a graywater system can:

• Utilize recycling and filtration of water resources within the home and beyond
• Significantly reduce the amount of water sources from rivers and aquifers
• Reduce the impact of filtration processes, such as energy use and chemical contamination
• Add nutrients to topsoil resulting in increased plant growth, as well as allow freshwater sources to fully replenish and reclaim their nutrients
• Reduce pollution from septic and treatment plants
• Allow groundwater and surface water recharge, as well as increase their quality through the natural purification process which is preferable to manufactured treatments
• Save a considerable sum of costs not only through recycling water, but raising less demand for filtration infrastructures, and enabling those costs to go towards other environmental projects

Given the huge ecological and economical benefits, graywater systems are becoming more integrated into the restructuring of business locations and are essential prerequisites for new ones in Europe and North America. But it’s not just businesses which are seeing the benefits of graywater systems; individual homes and eco-projects have begun a wide movement which is gaining popularity throughout North America; currently, there are approximately 8 million graywater systems in the United States alone.

While facing restrictions in some states such as Colorado, further study of graywater systems has led to some easing of these regulations while maintaining a sturdy health and safety criteria, and most risks can be minimized by ensuring that fecal and toxic substances do not enter the water and that it is used immediately before bacteria has a chance to flourish. For places experiencing a surge in population which do not have the same kind of access to freshwater resources such as the South West, gray water systems could prove to be a very cost-effective model for implementation.

A Brief Guide to How Graywater Systems Work

There are a variety of ways in which graywater systems function from collecting rainwater via strategic run-offs or containers, to the more sophisticated systems which help to filter out the water and return it to the ecosystem. Some industrial systems even use the force of flowing graywater to heat whitewater, known as graywater heat recovery or hot water heat recycling. For home use, it usually requires a cleaning tank and a control mechanism which can detect whether or not the water has been stored too long thereby flushing it away, while in more sophisticated systems it uses settling tanks and sand filters for the removal of solids and pathogens. It can also be distributed not only back to toilet cisterns for flushing, but also for irrigation which can be installed manually.

A Few Things to Factor In

It’s always a good idea to check the requirements for installing graywater systems which vary from state to state, as well as taking into consideration the health of the surrounding ecosystem. It’s also important to consider how much the installation can cost, which ranges from the hundreds to the thousands, depending upon the complexity and breadth of the system.

Although the return on the money is huge, the most important aspect is the reusing and recycling of the water itself, which in turn will benefit the environment as more nutrients and less contaminants are redistributed back into the soil. This also results in an improvement in the health of plants, wildlife, and people, who are able to enjoy water which has not been over-sterilized with harmful quantities of chemicals such as chlorine and fluoride. In 2009, the New York Times released an article detailing some of the health conditions of people affected by legal yet harmful chemicals found in water used for filtration. Not only does this present a risk to the health of individual people, but it places urban areas – which deal with high quantities of waste thus increasing the need for filtration – as high risk areas which are more subject to higher insurance premiums. As it turns out, the zip code – as well as condition, age, gender and other factors – is just as much a component of finding efficient coverage. By minimizing the use of chemicals in filtration through various means which include the use of graywater systems, the effects on health is reduced, thus the coverage required to treat them on a small to larger scale has a chance of regulating itself.

Other Resources

There is a vast plethora of information on the web spanning numerous regions across the globe, including charity programs in Africa to DIY-style graywater installations in Australia. Build It Solar is an excellent source which lists several websites – including Greywater Action – which covers a whole range of DIY projects and more, as well as explaining the intricacies of each system and how it can be implemented.

There are several different ways to reuse graywater, and most of these can be simply done in any household as long as the incentive is there. Its growing popularity, safe measure under regulation, large savings and most importantly, highly-beneficial impact on the ecosystem, are just a few reasons why rethinking what goes down the drain is one of the best ways to promote a cleaner, healthier future for everyone.

Local Links
Onsite Management of Wastewater in Pennsylvania

LEED and Green Building Design and Training

LEED AP and Green Associate Training Certification Programs

B.F. Environmental Consultants Inc. of Dallas, Pennsylvania  offers LEED Training, LEED Certification Exam, Solar and Wind Training, and BPI Energy Auditor Courses and more.  We have collaborated with online training centers to make available quality distance learning courses in alternative and renewable energy, alternative energy training, energy efficiency, Green Building Design, LEED AP, LEED Training Courses, and Sustainability Analysis. This program is part of our workforce development, green career training programs, and our licensed professional training programs.


Prepare for both parts of LEED AP Building Design and Construction exam (Green Associate and the specialty exam) with this all-inclusive certificate and test prep bundle. Begin by learning the foundation of knowledge that you need to prepare for the LEED AP Building Design and Construction exam with 25 hours of online instruction designed and developed in coordination with the University of Tennessee. Then build your LEED AP exam readiness with a 1-year subscription to LEED Green Associate and Building Design and Construction exam study materials and simulated test questions.


Building Design and Construction & Green Associate Downloadable Study Guide (PDF)

Practice Exam Simulator & Online Terms Quiz

Flashcards (electronic and printable)

Helpful Study Resources

Design high performance buildings, reduce your impact on the environment, and prepare for the LEED Exam! This University of Tennessee Online Certificate is developed to deepen your knowledge of the LEED measurement system, broaden your sustainable design skills, start you thinking about green strategies, and put you on the path to integral thinking. It gives a comprehensive review of the exam point categories on the LEED AP Exam and is designed to enhance your knowledge, skills and leadership in LEED concepts and sustainable design.

LEED, Green Associate, and Sustainability Training
http://www.bfenvironmental.com/leedtrain.php

Green Building Design
http://www.bfenvironmental.com/GreenBuild.php

Building Performance Institue BPI Training, Energy Auditor, LEED AP Green Associate Sustainability Certification

Energy Auditor Training + BPI Certification Exams - Green Building LEED Sustainability


Energy Auditor Training + BPI Certification Exams

Sustainable Energy Engineer and Entrepreneur with more than thirty-two (32) years experience in energy engineering, technical training, consulting, project management; residential housing, construction and finance; and network design and implementation. His recent focus has been on sustainable energy; certifying ENERGY STAR Homes, providing BPI training services, alternative energy projects, and performing residential and small commercial energy audits.

The goal of this course is to prepare you for the BPI Building Analyst Written and Field Certification Exams. There is a lot of material for you to learn, including building science concepts, how to perform inspections, operate various test equipment, perform calculations and interpret results so that you can make recommendations regarding actions that can be taken to improve the energy efficiency, health and safety of a building.

This course teaches students the fundamentals of building science, important safety checks, and how to perform full residential energy audits. Four days of intense training are split between three days in the classroom and a full day of hands-on field training. BPI Building Analyst Certification tests (both written and field) are included. Students have the option of completing the course and taking the exams all in the same week, or returning at a later date to complete the exams. Class size is limited to 15 because one-on-one interaction with the instructor is critical. Students completing this course often become energy auditors, HERS raters, and home performance contractors.

Hands-on field training for doing energy audits and home performance contracting
• Full set of books and training materials
• Five days learning from an expert with real-world experience
• Pre-course assignments to get you ready for class - available immediately when you enroll
• BPI certification exams included (written and field)
• Breakfast & lunch on each of the training days


Please take care of all of the above preparation prior to class week. One of the best things you can do prior to an exam is to get a good night’s rest.



For access to this course go to
https://www.heatspring.com/?id=building_performance_training
use promo code "bfenviro"- for a discount



For other training programs to to
http://www.bfenvironmental.com/certified.php

LEED Training, Green Building, and Sustainability - Go To
http://www.bfenvironmental.com/GreenBuild.php

Energy Auditor Training + BPI Certification Exams - Green Building LEED Sustainability

Energy Auditor Training + BPI Certification Exams

BPI Building Analyst Certification course May 24-28. Sustainable Energy Engineer and Entrepreneur with more than thirty-two (32) years experience in energy engineering, technical training, consulting, project management; residential housing, construction and finance; and network design and implementation. His recent focus has been on sustainable energy; certifying ENERGY STAR Homes, providing BPI training services, alternative energy projects, and performing residential and small commercial energy audits.

The goal of this course is to prepare you for the BPI Building Analyst Written and Field Certification Exams. There is a lot of material for you to learn, including building science concepts, how to perform inspections, operate various test equipment, perform calculations and interpret results so that you can make recommendations regarding actions that can be taken to improve the energy efficiency, health and safety of a building.

You are being sent the book “Residential Energy” by John Krigger and Chris Dorsi. Please read the Introduction and Chapters 1-10 prior to class. Also familiarize yourself with the Appendices. I will be spending about a day and a half reviewing the key concepts in this book. The better you know this material the sooner we can get to the BPI Technical Standard and hands-on activities with the test equipment that you will need to show proficiency with during the Field Exam. You are also being provided with the BPI Building Analyst Technical Standard, and documents that detail the information that you will be tested on during the written and field exams, which you should review prior to class.

Please take care of all of the above preparation prior to class week. One of the best things you can do prior to an exam is to get a good night’s rest.

For access to this course go to
https://www.heatspring.com/?id=building_performance_training
use promo code "bfenviro"- for a discount

For other training programs to to
http://www.bfenvironmental.com/certified.php

LEED Training, Green Building, and Sustainability - Go To
http://www.bfenvironmental.com/GreenBuild.php