HVAC and Sustainable Energy is a three-year program of study designed to provide the necessary knowledge and skills for entry level career and college pathways in the foundations of Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning, and Green Energy Applications. The curriculum includes concepts in Photovoltaics, Solar Water Heating, Wind turbines, and Building Weatherization. Successful program completers will find these vast fields are growing and will continue to grow to meet global energy needs. The education and employment preparation in the fields of HVAC, Green Energy, and Weatherization will prepare students to provide installs, perform service, and create sustainable or green solutions.

The first year of HVAC and Sustainable Energy is focused on safety, knowledge, and skillsets to apply numerous tools and materials to the building structure. This includes the foundations of electric and includes learning activities such as measuring, soldering, brazing, flaring, gas piping, ductwork, and wiring as well as application to the building structure. This application includes problem solving procedures such as pressure/leak testing and electrical diagnosis.

The second year moves into working on, installing, designing, and diagnosing furnaces and air conditioning systems. This covers refrigerants cycles, pressure temperature measurements and charging, sequence of operation, furnace ignition assemblies, heat loads, controls, and troubleshooting. The students will experience an introduction to solar water heating systems. During this year the students will also be engaged in testing to receive the field required gas line certification.

The third year we continue to work with refrigeration cycles as we move on to heat pumps, geothermal units, and dual fuel heating and cooling systems. During this year we integrate our green and sustainable components into our whole building designs to handle needed heat, heat removal, and electrical loads. This will include hot water solar systems, ventilation, photovoltaics, wind turbines, building weatherization, as well as other sustainable solutions. During this year the students will be engaged in testing to receive the EPA mandated Universal Refrigerant 608 Certification, Puron Refrigerant Certification and the Flexible Gas Line Certification. Program completers are primed to grow with valuable knowledge, skillsets, and certifications for success in a number of college and career pathways.


  • Course Name: HVAC-R
  • Course Length: 3 Year Program
  • Course Department: CTE - Career Technical Education

Course Syllabus