BPI HEP Energy Auditor study plan

Explain how heat, air, and moisture move through a building envelope and list the three heat-transfer mechanisms with a home example of each

Define the building science terms pressure boundary, thermal boundary, and air barrier, and state where each typically sits in a house assembly

Describe how stack effect, wind, and mechanical systems drive pressure differences and explain how each affects infiltration

Identify the components of the house-as-a-system model and predict how a change in one component alters the others

Compute U-factors from R-values and calculate conductive heat loss through a wall or ceiling assembly for a stated indoor-outdoor temperature difference

Interpret R-value, U-factor, and thermal bridging when comparing insulation strategies, including common framing effects

Explain the physics of air leakage, vapor diffusion, and bulk water entry and rank them by typical moisture risk

Describe combustion safety fundamentals including spillage, backdrafting, and the role of the CAZ in a home

Explain how HVAC distribution, duct location, and equipment sizing interact with envelope performance

List the standard data collected during a walk-through audit and state why each item matters to the analysis

Describe the purpose and procedure of a blower door test, including setup, baseline readings, and the meaning of CFM50 and ACH50

Explain how to convert a blower door result to a natural infiltration estimate and state the assumptions involved

Describe how to perform and interpret a zonal pressure test and a duct leakage test

Explain the purpose, procedure, and interpretation of infrared thermography under appropriate conditions

Describe combustion safety testing including draft measurement and CO testing, and state when a condition requires immediate action

Interpret indoor air quality and moisture measurements, including relative humidity and surface temperature readings

Explain how an energy model is built from audit inputs and which inputs most influence predicted savings

Distinguish baseline modeling from improvement modeling and describe how each measure is evaluated

Calculate simple payback and explain the limits of payback as a prioritization metric

Rank a set of candidate improvements by savings, cost, risk, and interaction effects, and justify the ordering

Evaluate measure interactions such as tightening a house before or after combustion appliance work and sizing changes

Describe how to translate model output into a scope of work with clear, verifiable line items

Identify the standards and reference frameworks that govern audit practice and work scope language

Draft client-facing explanations of technical findings in plain language without overstating certainty

Explain how to present findings, limitations, and expected savings honestly and document assumptions in writing

Describe how to handle a client who wants a measure that the analysis does not support, and outline the conversation

Identify common health, safety, and liability issues that must be flagged regardless of the client's priorities

Describe how to structure a final audit report so it is usable by a contractor and understandable by an occupant

Retrieve key formulas, definitions, and diagnostic thresholds from memory under timed conditions

Diagnose weak domains from practice results and rework the specific missed concepts

Explain the full audit workflow end to end from intake through final report in a timed written response

Practice justifying prioritization decisions in short written answers that cite data rather than opinion