Trust for Conservation Innovation

The Building Codes Assistance Project (BCAP) at the Trust for Conservation Innovation (TCI – now renamed “Multiplier”) partnered with the Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE) to develop and deliver solar training workshops and reference materials to teach building design professionals (individuals involved professionally in architecture or building engineering) about the benefits and technical requirements of incorporating photovoltaics into their building designs. The goal of the project was to eliminate barriers to widespread solar acceptance and support strong growth in the solar sector. These workshops were delivered to design professionals in twenty-two cities, representing a range of small to large design firms. Participants were given pre- and post-training evaluations to gauge effectiveness of the training, and a three-month follow-up survey was used to study whether these workshops assisted in increasing the probability that a designer would incorporate photovoltaics into their building designs. This project produced a trained, experienced, and enthusiastic network of solar trainers and trained almost 600 design professionals. Project also created multiple long-lasting resources to help architects and engineers add solar expertise to their list of qualifications. This includes a full, online training course available long-term for continuing education credit from AIA University. The program was endorsed by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and ASHRAE, the project partners. The trainings were accepted for continuing education credits from the International Codes Council, the AIA and the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).