Fully online technical training designed around real industry demand, so you can specialize at your own pace.
10/31/2026
Start Date
1 month
Duration
100
Total Hours
6 Modules
Program
Duration
Total Hours
Program
Start Date
ICTESS’s Course in Professional HVAC Calculation Software trains technicians and engineers in the advanced use of the computer tools applied to the design and sizing of HVAC systems. The program covers the industry’s leading reference software: HAP and Trace 700, along with IES Virtual Environment (IES VE) for detailed building energy simulation and COMcheck for code compliance verification.
You will learn the professional workflows used by specialized engineering firms: thermal modeling of buildings, defining design conditions to code, calculating thermal loads with dynamic methods, technically selecting equipment through performance-curve analysis, designing air and hydronic distribution networks, and generating technical documentation automatically. The course includes a Capstone Project in which you will apply everything you learn to a complete HVAC installation project.
The professional HVAC industry increasingly demands precision in system calculations. Today’s projects require dynamic thermal load studies, energy efficiency analysis under ASHRAE 90.1 and the IECC, and technical documentation that meets permitting requirements. Employers need professionals who master standard calculation tools and produce rigorous, defensible project documentation.
The training covers HAP by Carrier, IES Virtual Environment, and COMcheck for energy code compliance, culminating in a Capstone Project in which you will develop a complete HVAC project with all the technical documentation required for a professional permitting package.
This course qualifies you for specialized technical roles at engineering firms, installation companies, energy efficiency consultancies, and technical departments at equipment manufacturers. You can work as an HVAC design engineer, calculation technician at an engineering firm, building energy analyst, or technical proposal lead at a company in the industry.
The training prepares you to execute every phase of system calculation: building thermal models with realistic occupancy and usage conditions, calculating heating and cooling loads using dynamic hourly methods, sizing equipment through performance-curve analysis, and designing distribution networks balanced for both airflow and hydronics.
You will also gain skills to generate automated technical documentation, verify compliance with ASHRAE 90.1, the IECC, and the IMC, run comparative technical and economic studies, and defend projects before permitting authorities. The hands-on approach with real industry software lets you join HVAC project teams immediately.
Study from anywhere with no commuting required. Balance your technical specialization with your current professional career.
Organize your studies around your own schedule. Move through the modules whenever suits you best and reinforce what you need.
Learn HAP, IES VE, COMcheck, and Trace 700, the same calculation tools engineering firms use on real projects.
Technical video lessons, up-to-date downloadable materials, forums with specialized tutors, and hands-on HVAC calculation exercises.
With ICTESS, you receive specialized technical training focused on professional practice and designed to help you master the calculation tools that HVAC engineering firms demand. Learn with up-to-date methodology and real industry software.
What you'll achieve
Model buildings in HVAC calculation software, defining envelopes, partitions, occupancy schedules, lighting, and equipment according to professional methodology.
Calculate heating and cooling thermal loads using dynamic hourly methods, applying local climate design conditions and IMC, ASHRAE 90.1, and IECC criteria.
Select HVAC equipment by analyzing performance curves, operating points, and SEER2 and HSPF2 seasonal efficiency ratings against calculated demand.
Size air and hydronic distribution networks, optimizing pressure drop, flow velocities, and circuit balancing to SMACNA duct design standards and ASHRAE 90.1.
Generate professional technical documentation by automatically exporting calculation reports, schematic diagrams, and installation drawings from the software.
The HVAC industry is being reshaped by the energy efficiency requirements of ASHRAE 90.1 and the IECC, along with evolving IMC mechanical code provisions. HVAC projects increasingly require detailed technical studies, dynamic hourly calculations, zone-by-zone demand analysis, and code verification through simulation software. This shift is driving growing demand for technicians who specialize in professional calculation software.
A Shortage of Professionals With Advanced Software Skills: Many technicians and engineers in the field understand HVAC fundamentals but lack specific training in the software tools used by leading engineering firms. Companies report difficulty finding professionals who are operational in tools like HAP, Trace 700, or IES VE from day one.
Increasingly Strict Code Requirements: US energy codes require technical justification through officially recognized compliance software, such as COMcheck for commercial projects and REScheck for residential projects. The ability to produce energy compliance documentation, verify ASHRAE 90.1 and IECC compliance, and generate automated technical reports has become an essential skill for HVAC designers.
A Lasting Competitive Advantage: Specializing in HVAC calculation software is an investment with immediate returns, since these technical skills transfer across companies and projects, and demand will keep growing with the industry’s shift toward net-zero energy buildings.
Completing the Course in Professional HVAC Calculation Software positions you as a technical specialist in an area with high demand for qualified professionals. HVAC installations make up a significant share of engineering firm workloads, and proficiency in professional calculation software is an increasingly common requirement.
Immediate Differentiation in Hiring: Certified proficiency with HAP, IES VE, and energy code compliance tools sets you apart from candidates with only theoretical knowledge. Employers prioritize candidates who can join real projects without an internal training period on these specific tools.
Productivity From Day One: Mastering the software’s workflows lets you produce complete projects independently, from initial modeling through final documentation ready for permitting. This operational capability multiplies your value on engineering teams where deadlines are critical.
Versatility Across Project Types: The skills you gain apply to residential, commercial, and industrial projects, as well as energy certification work on existing buildings, significantly broadening your professional scope in the field.
Recognized Professional Certification: The ICTESS Professional Certificate validates your specialization in HVAC calculation software, confirming specific technical skills that engineering firms, installers, and consultancies in the HVAC industry demand.
This course is designed for professionals and technicians who want to specialize in calculation software for HVAC and ventilation projects. Recommended profiles include:
Program details
The Capstone Project is the culminating stage of the program and represents the practical integration of every technical skill developed throughout the course. It consists of developing a complete, real HVAC project, from building modeling through the generation of permit-ready technical documentation, applying the professional methodologies and calculation software used at engineering firms in the field.
The project includes the geometric and constructive modeling of the selected building with envelope definitions from a materials catalog, configuring design conditions by climate zone and usage profile, and calculating heating and cooling thermal loads through hourly simulation. You will select equipment technically by analyzing manufacturer catalogs, size the air or hydronic distribution network with pressure drop calculations, and verify code compliance under ASHRAE 90.1 and the IMC.
The project also includes generating automated calculation reports, schematic diagrams, and installation drawings exported from the software. The final documentation must meet the technical level and professional format required for permit submittal, demonstrating your ability to produce complete technical documentation suitable for review by permitting authorities or integration into an engineering firm’s project workflow.
ICTESS’s Course in Professional HVAC Calculation Software includes hands-on training with the industry’s standard technical tools: HAP (Hourly Analysis Program) by Carrier for load calculations and equipment selection, IES Virtual Environment (IES VE) for detailed building energy simulation and system sizing, Trace 700 by Trane for building energy analysis, and COMcheck for demonstrating compliance with US commercial energy codes. You will learn to use these platforms through real practical cases, mastering everything from building modeling to exporting technical reports and drawings. Certified proficiency with these programs is a common requirement in hiring processes at HVAC-focused engineering firms.
Holding an engineering degree is not required to take this course. It is designed for engineers as well as HVAC technicians, construction managers, and professionals with demonstrable experience in the field. Prior knowledge of HVAC fundamentals, basic thermodynamics, and familiarity with technical drawings is recommended. The material assumes you can interpret HVAC system schematics, work with thermal capacity units, and use manufacturer technical catalogs. If you have technical training in energy, construction, or building systems, you will be able to follow the program without difficulty.
The ICTESS Professional Certificate validates your technical specialization in HVAC calculation software and is recognized by employers in the field as high-level supplementary training. While it is not an accredited academic degree, the certificate documents specific, highly sought-after technical skills: building modeling for thermal calculations, system sizing with professional software, equipment selection based on technical and economic criteria, and generating permit-ready documentation. Many engineering and installation companies value this hands-on training as a complement to a base degree, since it demonstrates immediate operational readiness with the tools used on their daily projects.
This Course in Professional HVAC Calculation Software stands out for its exclusive focus on the software tools used on real engineering projects. While many HVAC courses cover thermodynamic theory, codes, or physical equipment installation, this program focuses specifically on operational mastery of the software that engineering firms use to calculate and document projects. You will not just learn theoretical load concepts. You will run complete calculations in HAP, IES VE, and COMcheck, producing technical reports and drawings like the ones submitted for permitting. This hands-on focus on professional tools is exactly what employers look for when hiring HVAC designers who are operational from day one.
