Overview
Residential buildings account for a large share of energy use and carbon emissions, making deep energy retrofits a key strategy for creating healthier, more efficient, and climate-resilient homes. For professionals involved in improving existing homes, understanding how building systems interact is critical to making effective retrofit decisions.
In the Residential Deep Energy Retrofit Certificate, you'll explore the principles, strategies, and evaluation methods used to improve the performance of existing homes. Topics include building science, indoor environmental quality, carbon measurement, home performance evaluation, and integrated retrofit planning. As you progress through the program, you'll examine how building envelope, mechanical, electrical, and renewable energy systems work together to support high-performance residential retrofits.
The program includes four online courses that combine self-directed learning with scheduled virtual group sessions, followed by a final in-person, lab-based course. Through guided exercises, interactive assignments, case studies, and hands-on learning experiences, you'll apply concepts to real-world residential retrofit scenarios and explore tools and approaches used throughout the assessment and planning process.
By the end of the program, you'll be better prepared to evaluate existing homes, assess retrofit opportunities, and contribute to integrated retrofit planning. This foundation can help you support residential retrofit projects, balance performance goals, project costs, and homeowner priorities, and contribute to solutions that improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.
This program is ideal if you:
- work in residential construction, renovation, design, energy advising, or related fields and want to build residential deep energy retrofit expertise
- are preparing to lead or manage residential retrofit projects from initial assessment through implementation
- want practical experience evaluating homes, selecting retrofit strategies, and supporting quality project outcomes
- aspire to roles such as Residential Deep Energy Retrofit Planner, Site Manager, Energy Advisor, or Home Inspector.
Meet our subject matter expert and instructor: Benjamin Hildebrandt
Ben Hildebrandt brings over a decade of experience in building science and sustainable construction. A graduate of SAIT’s Architectural Technologies program, he has worked extensively as a building envelope consultant on various residential and commercial remediation and new construction projects across Alberta.
At SAIT’s Green Building Technology Access Centre, Benjamin leads applied building science research and has led the development of the High Performance Residential Design and Construction and Residential Deep Energy Retrofit programs. His teaching emphasizes real-world learning, using practical examples and industry insights to prepare students for success in high-performance building and retrofit practices.
To be successful in this program, we recommend that you have:
- a high school diploma, post-secondary technical diploma or degree, skilled trades training, or industry certification; and
- current or previous experience in residential construction.
Experience or education in architecture, engineering or related technical fields is also beneficial.
Upon successful completion of this program, you'll be able to:
- develop deep energy retrofit strategies by integrating building science principles, house-as-a-system considerations, and climate resilience factors to meet net-zero emission goals and homeowner objectives
- conduct evaluations of existing residential buildings to determine deep energy retrofit feasibility, analyzing homeowner motivations, building performance potential, carbon implications, and cost-benefit relationships
- create integrated retrofit plans that coordinate building envelope upgrades (walls, foundations, roofs), mechanical and electrical system improvements, and renewable energy integration while balancing performance, cost optimization, and homeowner priorities
- demonstrate proficiency in deep energy retrofit principles through hands-on learning experiences, case study analysis, and practical application of assessment tools, construction techniques, and performance evaluation.
Introducing SAIT's Residential Deep Energy Retrofit Program
Program outline
To earn this certificate, you must complete the five mandatory courses below. Start with SNRG 004 Residential Building Science Fundamentals, then take the remaining courses as listed.
Required courses & electives
How to apply for this certificate
Once you have registered for any course offered in this certificate, you will be automatically eligible to complete the certificate. You will have up to three years to complete this program. You may track your progression by signing in to your Continuing Education student account.
Certifications and professional designations
Upon successful completion of all the required courses in this certificate program, you’ll receive an electronically issued SAIT Certificate of Completion and transcript. For each SAIT Micro-credential earned, you'll also receive a shareable digital badge.
Costs
This program consists of five mandatory courses with varying fees. Please review the individual course pages for this certificate to determine costs and to learn more about additional learning materials, including textbooks.
Financial support
Financial opportunities are available to help pay for your course fees. Learn more about how to reduce your education or training costs with available awards, bursaries, loans and grants, including the Canada Alberta Productivity Grant.
Careers and opportunities
With the knowledge and skills gained in this program, you'll be positioned to explore opportunities related to residential building performance, retrofit planning, and deep energy retrofits.
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SAIT is located on the traditional territories of the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot) and the people of Treaty 7 which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, the Kainai, the Tsuut’ina and the Îyârhe Nakoda of Bearspaw, Chiniki and Goodstoney.
We are situated in an area the Blackfoot tribes traditionally called Moh’kinsstis, where the Bow River meets the Elbow River. We now call it the city of Calgary, which is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta.