FREE RESOURCES TO IMPROVE YOUR SMART BUILDINGS SKILLS

 

SBA-resources

 

 

Resources for BAS Professionals

 

We at Smart Buildings Academy are committed to you becoming the best darn Smart Buildings professional you can be. Even if you never purchase a single training program from us! To help you achieve that we regularly release BAS minicourses, webinars, guides, and blog posts to help advance you in your building automation career.

Unlike traditional marketing fluff, these are full minicourses and intensive guides that will leave you educated on the material. These free building automation training programs come with a workbook that will guide you through the lessons.

Thanks for being here!

 

-Phil Zito, President and CEO, Smart Buildings Academy

 

 

FREE ONLINE SKILL ASSESSMENTS

Are you tired of making training decisions in the dark? Do you find yourself wishing you had an impartial ranking of your employees' skillset? With our FREE online skill assessment you will:

  • Identify the strengths and weaknesses of your employees
  • Validate the performance of your team against our database of 20,000+  assessment results
  • Uncover gaps in your team's skills and learn how to fix them so you can increase your opportunity to grow your revenue

Join companies like Trane Technologies, Albireo Energy, Climatec, Sunbelt Controls, and more by assessing your team right now, for free.

Schedule A Free Online Skill Assessment

MINICOURSES

 

BAS Fund Mini-1

 


In this course, you'll learn the fundamentals of building automation systems by gaining expertise in the supervisory layer and its core components. You'll become proficient in field controllers, learning how to control HVAC, power, lighting, and security systems with precision. Additionally, you'll acquire a deep understanding of the input and output layers, ensuring optimal integration and performance. Finally, you'll explore the server layer, discovering the essential features of servers and the distinctions between 4-tier and 3-tier controller architectures to elevate your technical expertise.

 

START THE COURSE

HVAC 101 Mini-1

 


In this course, you'll gain a solid understanding of the essentials of HVAC systems. You will learn how to optimize Variable Air Volume (VAV) boxes and Fan Coil Units for efficient airflow and temperature control, navigate the complexities of air handlers and cooling systems, and understand the fundamentals of chilled and heating water systems. Additionally, you'll explore the intricacies of air-cooled and water-cooled chillers to ensure optimal cooling performance.

 

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IT Fund Mini-1

 


In this course, you'll gain essential IT concepts crucial for BAS success. You'll learn about the role of computers and IT in managing building automation systems, including servers, network topologies, and security. Additionally, you'll navigate the functions of routers, switches, and firewalls, ensuring seamless BAS network connectivity. You'll also dive into computing devices, hardware, and IP addressing, equipping you with the knowledge to maintain efficient and secure BAS networks.

 

START THE COURSE

BAS Installer Mini-1

 


In this course, you'll learn critical electrical safety procedures, including Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) and hazard risk categories, ensuring your safety while working with electricity. You'll understand the fundamentals of voltage, current, and resistance, applying Ohm's Law to effectively troubleshoot and manage electrical systems. Additionally, you'll differentiate between AC and DC circuits, gaining insight into series and parallel configurations for optimal BAS performance. Finally, you'll learn to optimize input and output integration, enhancing the efficiency and functionality of your building automation system.
 
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BAS Operator Mini-1

 


In this course, you'll gain expertise in the essential types of BAS documentation—manufacturer, project submittal, and O&M—to streamline project management and ensure reliable system records. You'll also learn to manage BAS overrides effectively, maintaining system integrity and operational efficiency. Additionally, you'll excel in alarm management, improving system responsiveness for quick issue resolution. Finally, you'll gain a comprehensive understanding of the key systems within a BAS, enabling you to optimize building operations from a central location.

 

start the course

SBA Managers Workshop

 


THE MANAGER'S WORKSHOP

Become A Better Manager

 

Learn the essentials of management in just 4 days (or less) with Smart Buildings Academy's Manager's Workshop. In this recorded series, we discuss what you need to know to become a better manager—trust us, you don't want to miss out!

 

This series is self-paced; here's the breakdown:

Session 1: Cashflow & Sales

Session 2: Team Structure & Role Tasking

Session 3: Forecasting & Backlog Management

Session 4: Talent Development & Management

 

GET ACCESS

WEBINARS

STRUCTURING YOUR BAS TEAM FOR SUCCESS (1)

CONTROL ENGINEERING (1)

 

BUILDING AUTOMATION CAREERS 101 (1)

 

ESTIMATING FOR BUILDING AUTOMATION

 

Troubleshooting webinar - narrow

 

PROJECT MANAGMENT FOR BUILDING AUTOMATION-1

 

INTEGRATION FOR BUILDING AUTOMATION-1

 

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ip-controls-webinar300

 

basics-of-bas-programming-webinar

 

creating-design-submittals-from-scratch

 

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IAQ FOR BUILDING AUTOMATION-1

 

Smart Buildings Academy Podcast

Formerly the Building Automation Monthly Podcast

16 min read

SBA 464: ChatGPT Use Cases for BAS

Episode Description:

In episode 464 of the Smart Buildings Academy Podcast, you'll explore the game-changing ways...
14 min read

SBA 463: 5 Strategies to Improve Your Facility’s Operations

Episode Description:

In episode 463 of the Smart Buildings Academy Podcast, you'll discover how to transform your...
3 min read

SBA 462: 5 Strategies to Reduce Your Facility’s Energy Consumption

Episode Description:

In this episode of the Smart Buildings Academy Podcast, Phil Zito discusses five practical...

SEE ALL PODCASTS

GUIDES

bas-bootcamp


In BAS Bootcamp you will find a list of videos that you can use to get up to speed on building automation.

50 min read
The Ultimate Guide to Building Automation Systems

BEMS, BMS, BAS, EMCS, and this list goes on and on. Welcome to the acronym-filled wasteland know as building automation. You may...

22 min read
The Definitive Guide to BACnet

BACnet confuses a lot of folks and if you feel confused that's ok. We created this guide to solve that problem.

This guide will:

13 min read
The Ultimate Guide to Tridium N4

Well, folks, it's time. Time for me to update one of my most popular posts. A lot has happened since I wrote my two-part series...

64 min read
The Ultimate Guide to Building Automation Protocols

When I was a tech I realized there was not a good source of information on common protocols. That's why I created this guide....

46 min read
The Ultimate Guide to Building Automation Programming

This post will teach you how to program a Building Automation System. But not in the way you think…

Of all the topics I’ve...

25 min read
The Complete Guide to Building Automation Acronyms

"Do you have a list of building automation abbreviations" is a common request we get here at Smart Buildings Academy.

This guide...

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The SBA Blog

3 min read
Redlines vs As Builts - Are They the Same?

Redlines vs. as builts: Two things that seem to be exactly the same but are they?

What are Redlines? Redlines are, quite simply, original...

5 min read
What is the OSI Model

You most likely found my blog through Google Images looking for the OSI Model, after you are done reading through this article be sure to...

20 min read
BACnet IP vs MS/TP

Hey folks, Phil Zito here and welcome back!  Today, we are going to be discussing BACnet IP versus BACnet MS/TP

You know, I was in our...

24 min read
Understanding How BACnet Really Works

Hey folks, Phil Zito here and welcome back. In this post, we are going to be going through how BACnet really works. We're going to dive...

3 min read
Learn Series: How Floating Control Works

Welcome to the fourth Learn Series article!

This series is a blast and I am having a ton of fun providing valuable content for you to take...

2 min read
What are MEP Plans

What are MEP plans? Chances are if you've been in the building automation industry for any period of time you've seen mechanical,...

SEE ALL BLOGS

 

REACH OUT

Questions about Smart Buildings Academy, our courses, or the Building Automation Monthly podcast?

We love hearing from you, please reach out today.

800-484-0113

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