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
The Course in Solar Thermal for DHW from ICTESS is built to train specialists in the design, sizing, and installation of solar thermal systems for domestic hot water production. The program covers every component of a solar thermal installation: solar collectors, storage systems, hydronic circuits, and control and regulation devices.
You will learn the technical calculations needed to size a system against a building’s energy demand: DHW consumption estimates, solar fraction calculation, collector selection by area and orientation, storage tank and heat exchanger sizing, and differential control configuration. The course includes a Capstone Project in which you apply everything to the complete design of a solar thermal DHW installation.
Solar thermal systems are increasingly recognized under US energy codes such as the IECC and ASHRAE 90.1, and required or incentivized in some states and jurisdictions as part of new construction and major-renovation energy standards. That regulatory landscape generates steady demand for technical professionals able to design, size, and maintain solar thermal installations that meet applicable performance targets.
The purpose of the course is to train professionals able to develop complete solar thermal DHW projects. You will learn to calculate energy demand by building type and climate zone, select and size solar collectors, design primary and secondary hydronic circuits, specify storage and heat exchange systems, and configure controls and freeze protection.
The training includes the professional software used in the sector for the calculation and documentation of solar thermal installations (T*SOL, GetSolar, F-Chart) and closes with a Capstone Project in which you develop a complete design applying every competency acquired across the technical modules.
The course qualifies you for specialized technical roles at installation companies, building engineering firms, architecture practices, and the maintenance departments of residential and commercial buildings. You will be ready to work as a solar thermal technician, renewable DHW project lead, systems calculator, or preventive maintenance technician for solar systems.
The program prepares you to manage complete projects from design through commissioning: running energy demand studies based on the building’s occupancy and use, sizing installations to the applicable energy and mechanical codes (IECC, IMC, ASHRAE 90.1), producing technical reports and schematic diagrams, supervising installation work, and performing functional testing and startup.
You will also build the skills to carry out preventive and corrective maintenance, diagnose faults in hydronic circuits and control systems, verify performance through production data analysis, and propose efficiency improvements on existing installations. The practical focus lets you apply what you learn to live projects right away.
Study from anywhere with no commuting, fitting your technical specialization around the job you already have.
Organize your study around your own availability. Move through the modules when it suits you and go back over whatever you need to reinforce.
Learn T*SOL and F-Chart, the same calculation tools installers and engineering firms use on their projects.
Technical video lessons, updated downloadable materials, forums with specialized instructors, and practical exercises.
With ICTESS you get specialized technical training, built around professional practice and designed so you master the competencies the solar thermal installation market is actually hiring for. Learn with an up-to-date methodology and real calculation tools.
What you'll achieve
Size solar thermal DHW installations under the applicable energy and mechanical codes, calculating energy demand, solar fraction, and collector area by climate zone.
Select and specify solar collectors, storage tanks, and heat exchangers under technical and economic criteria, analyzing efficiency, thermal losses, and material compatibility.
Design primary and secondary hydronic circuits with pump, valve, and expansion tank selection, and freeze protection through glycol or automatic drainback.
Configure differential control systems and regulation devices to optimize system performance and guarantee protection against overheating and Legionella (per ASHRAE Standard 188 risk-management principles).
Operate professional software (T*SOL, GetSolar, F-Chart) to model installations, document code compliance, and produce the technical documentation for solar DHW projects.
The solar thermal installation sector maintains a steady flow of work as more states and jurisdictions incorporate renewable and solar-ready provisions into their building energy codes. Where those requirements apply, new construction and major renovations must account for a portion of DHW demand through solar contribution, creating an ongoing pipeline of projects that need specialized technicians.
Shortage of qualified technicians in the sector: Many plumbing and HVAC contractors have no staff with specific solar thermal training. The ability to calculate, size, and document installations to current code is a differentiating skill that many professionals in the trade lack, which creates openings for specialists.
Increasingly demanding codes: Successive updates to the IECC and ASHRAE 90.1 have progressively raised building energy efficiency standards and, in some jurisdictions, solar contribution requirements. Mastering current codes and approved calculation methodologies positions you as an up-to-date professional able to meet the latest standards.
A competitive edge at installation companies: Specialized solar thermal training sets you apart from generalist plumbing or HVAC technicians. Mastering energy demand calculations, collector sizing, hydronic circuit design, and compliance software makes you a valuable hire for companies looking to widen their service offering.
Access to specialized technical roles: You can move into positions such as solar thermal technician, DHW project calculator, renewable systems maintenance lead, or commissioning technician. Specializing in solar thermal complements plumbing and HVAC backgrounds, widening your opportunities across the installation trades considerably.
Command of the required calculation tools: Proficiency with industry-standard sizing and compliance software sets you apart in hiring processes, since these tools are essential for filing projects with the AHJ, and practical command of them is a requirement at many installation companies.
Ability to develop complete projects: You will gain the skills to manage every phase of a solar thermal installation, from the demand study through preventive maintenance, letting you take on higher-level technical responsibility and work on residential and commercial building projects.
Recognized professional certification: The ICTESS professional certificate documents your technical specialization in solar thermal DHW systems, strengthening your position in the job market and validating your competencies before companies in the installation sector.
This course is designed for professionals and technicians looking to specialize in the design, installation, and maintenance of solar thermal systems for domestic hot water production. Recommended profiles include:
Program details
The Capstone Project is the culminating stage of the training and represents the practical integration of every technical competency developed during the program. It consists of the complete development of a solar thermal DHW installation, from demand analysis through the preventive maintenance specification, applying the professional methodologies and calculation tools used in the industry.
The project is built on a representative building (multifamily residential, hotel, sports facility, or similar) where you calculate the DHW energy demand by occupancy and use, determine the applicable solar contribution target, and size the complete installation. You will select the solar collectors with justified area, orientation, and tilt, design the storage system with the right volume and configuration, specify heat exchangers and circulation pumps with pressure drop calculations, and define the differential control system with freeze and Legionella protection.
The work also includes the installation’s schematic diagram, the specification of safety and expansion devices, the hydronic circuit design with compatible materials, and the preventive maintenance plan. The final documentation must be delivered at the technical level and professional format demanded by permit submittals, including compliance documentation produced with approved software, demonstrating your ability to prepare a complete technical package that meets the sector’s permitting requirements.
The Course in Solar Thermal for DHW from ICTESS includes hands-on training with the industry-standard technical tools: T*SOL, professional dynamic simulation software for the design and optimization of solar thermal installations; GetSolar, a calculation tool used by installers and engineering firms for rapid system sizing; and F-Chart, the reference application for the sizing and compliance documentation that project filings require. You will learn these platforms through real case studies, covering everything from entering climate and demand data to generating the technical reports and compliance certificates that go into a project submittal.
A license is not required to take the course, though prior technical training in plumbing, HVAC, electrical work, or related installation trades is recommended. The course is designed both for working professionals who want to specialize and for technicians and graduates seeking specific solar thermal skills. The content includes sizing calculations and hydronic circuit design, so a working knowledge of hydronics, thermodynamics, and technical drawings is essential. To practice professionally as an installer, you will need to meet the licensing requirements your state or jurisdiction sets.
The ICTESS Professional Certificate documents your specialized technical training in solar thermal DHW systems and is recognized by companies in the sector as evidence of specific competencies. That said, filing an installation with the AHJ requires the seal of a licensed design professional (engineer, architect, or technician with the corresponding authority). What the course gives you is command of the sizing software and calculation methodologies needed to prepare the technical documentation that the responsible professional then signs. Many installation companies value this training highly because it lets their technical staff put together a full project package to professional standards.
This Course in Solar Thermal for DHW stands out for its exclusive focus on thermal installations and its technical depth in sizing calculations. Where many solar courses center on photovoltaics or give general renewable energy knowledge, this program deals only with solar thermal systems for DHW production, at the level of detail an installation technician actually needs. The content includes real energy demand calculations to code, collector sizing with efficiency and loss analysis, complete hydronic circuit design with pump and heat exchanger selection, and differential control configuration. It also includes practical training with the compliance software required for project filings, which generalist courses rarely cover.
