City & Guilds 2399 Environmental Technology Courses (York)

As the necessity for renewable and alternative sources of energy grow, City & Guilds have designed the 2399 Environmental Technology course to enable candidates to gain accreditation in a number of Environmental Technologies, including Photovoltaic (PV), Solar Hot Water, Heat Pumps, Rain water harvesting and Grey water recycling

With alternative energy sources being a high priority on the Government’s schedule, the demand for installation on the above technologies is growing and with it, the demand for highly skilled and qualified individuals who can install and maintain these systems.   With the introduction of Feed in Tariffs and the increase in demand of alternative sources of energy, there has never been a better time to participate in the Renewable Technology revolution.

So why choose the City & Guilds 2399?

SummitSkills, the Sector Skill Council for the built environment are recommending that in the future, MCS registered companies should employ installers who have passed training that is recognised by the QCF scheme and is mapped to the National Occupational Standards. At the moment the 2399 is one of only a few qualifications that are already mapped across.

How does a QCF qualification work?

The QCF is the new government framework which sets out how all regulated vocational qualifications are structured, titled and quality assured. It is replacing the existing National Qualifications Framework across England, Wales and Northern Ireland - which is set to close for registrations at the end of 2010.  It provides more flexible routes to gaining full qualifications and enables progression to be achieved in smaller steps through the accumulation of credit.
Basically you build up credits to form a completed qualification or unit.

The 2399 qualification covers four Renewable technologies as follows:  Solar Photovoltaic (PV); Solar Thermal; Heat Pumps – each of these are acceptable for MCS accreditation.

The qualifications are as follows:

Solar Photovoltaic (PV) made up as follows:

• City & Guilds Level 3 Award in understand the Fundamental Principles and Requirements of Environmental Technology Systems 2399-01 (2 credits)

This unit enables learners to develop a fundamental knowledge of micro-renewable energy and water conservation technologies, including Solar Thermal (Hot Water); Solar PV; Heat Pumps (Ground and Air); Micro wind; Biomass; Micro-hydro; micro-combined heat and power; rain water and grey water harvesting.  On completion of this qualification, the learner will know the fundamental working principles of micro-renewable energy; requirements of building location/features; know the regulatory requirements and know the typical advantages and disadvantages associated with micro-renewable energy and water conservation technologies.

Prerequisite entry requirements
There are no formal prerequisites for this qualification.

• City & Guilds Level 3 Award in the Installation and Maintenance of Small Scale Solar PV Systems (10 Credits) covering:
  Health & Safety; Regulations & standards; planning, preparation of installation and maintenance of PV systems

Prerequisite entry requirements
An NVQ Level 3 in Electrical Installation or equivalent and 17th Edition Wiring Regulations

Solar Thermal Hot Water – made up as follows:

• City & Guilds Level 3 Award in understand the Fundamental Principles and Requirements of Environmental Technology Systems 2399-01 (2 credits)

This unit enables learners to develop a fundamental knowledge of micro-renewable energy and water conservation technologies, including Solar Thermal (Hot Water), Solar PV, Heat Pumps (Ground and Air), Micro wind, Biomass, Micro-hydro, micro-combined heat and power, rain and grey water harvesting.  On completion of this qualification, the learner will know the fundamental working principles of micro-renewable energy, requirements of building location/features, know the regulatory requirements and know the typical advantages and disadvantages associated with micro-renewable energy and water conservation technologies.

Prerequisite entry requirements
There are no formal prerequisites for this qualification.

• City & Guilds Level 3 Award in the Installation and Maintenance of Solar Thermal Hot Water Systems (10 credits) covering:
  Health & Safety; Regulations/standards; requirements, planning and preparation for installation and maintenance of Solar Thermal Hot Water Systems

Prerequisite entry requirements
NVQ Level 2/3 in Plumbing or Heating & Ventilating or Oil Fired Technical Services or Gas Installation and Maintenance or equivalent certificate providing evidence of competence (these qualifications should include certification in Water Regulations/ Water Byelaws, Unvented Hot Water, Energy Efficiency)

Heat Pumps made up as follows:

• City & Guilds Level 3 Award in understand the Fundamental Principles and Requirements of Environmental Technology Systems 2399-01 (2 credits)

This unit enables learners to develop a fundamental knowledge of micro-renewable energy and water conservation technologies, including Solar Thermal (Hot Water); Solar PV; Heat Pumps (Ground and Air); Micro wind; Biomass; Micro-hydro; micro-combined heat and power; rain and grey water harvesting.  On completion of this qualification, the learner will know the fundamental working principles of micro-renewable energy; requirements of building location/features; know the regulatory requirements and know the typical advantages and disadvantages associated with micro-renewable energy and water conservation technologies.

Prerequisite entry requirements
There are no formal prerequisites for this qualification.

• City & Guilds Level 3 Award in the Installation and Maintenance of Heat Pumps Systems (10 credits)  (non-refrigerant circuits) covering:
  Health & Safety; Regulations/standards; requirements, planning and preparation for installation and maintenance  of Heat Pump systems

Prerequisite entry requirements
NVQ Level 2/3 in Plumbing or Heating & Ventilating or Oil Fired Technical Services or Gas Installation and Maintenance or equivalent certificate providing evidence of competence (these qualifications should include certification in Water Regulations/ Water Byelaws, Energy Efficiency)

Water Harvesting - made up as follows:

• City & Guilds Level 3 Award in understand the Fundamental Principles and Requirements of Environmental Technology Systems 2399-01 (2 credits)

This unit enables learners to develop a fundamental knowledge of micro-renewable energy and water conservation technologies, including Solar Thermal (Hot Water); Solar PV; Heat Pumps (Ground and Air); Micro wind; Biomass; Micro-hydro; micro-combined heat and power; rain and grey water harvesting.  On completion of this qualification, the learner will know the fundamental working principles of micro-renewable energy; requirements of building location/features; know the regulatory requirements and know the typical advantages and disadvantages associated with micro-renewable energy and water conservation technologies.

Prerequisite entry requirements
There are no formal prerequisites for this qualification.

• City & Guilds Level 3 Award in the Installation and Maintenance of Water Harvesting and Re- use systems (10 credits) covering:
  Health & Safety; Regulations/standards; requirements, planning and preparation for installation and maintenance of Water Harvesting Systems

Prerequisite entry requirements
NVQ Level 2/3 in Plumbing or Heating & Ventilating or Oil Fired Technical Services or Gas Installation and Maintenance or equivalent certificate providing evidence of competence (these qualifications should include certification in Water Regulations/ Water Byelaws)

Course content for the four separate technolgoies include the following:

Solar PV Tehcnology

Health & Safety; Regulations/standards, A, C & D C circuits, PV system components, conversion efficiencies, design principles, preparatory work required for PV installation, layouts and requirements of PV module arrays, D C and A C circuit installation layouts; PV protection techniques and components, test and commissioning PV systems, requirements of hand over PV systems
Plan and prepare the installation of PV systems; install PV components; inspect and test new PV installations; commission PV installations; hand over PV installations

Solar Thermal Hot Water Tehcnology

Health & Safety; Regulations/standards, requirements for types and layouts of hot water systems; components used; types and key operating principles; system component selection and sizing; selection, size and position components; measure performance; preparatory work; connect system collector circuits; install solar collector arrays; install system pipework; test and commission systems; hand over
Plan and prepare for installation; install system components; test and commission active system; hand over active system                                                                                                                                                                  Requirements for routine service and maintenance of active systems; diagnose faults in systems; rectify faults in systems; undertake routine service; undertake fault diagnosis; undertake fault rectification

Heat Pump Technology

Health & Safety; Regulations/standards; purpose and operation characteristics; different types of heat pump arrangements; fundamental principles of heat pump selection and design; design principles; layouts of open-loop circuits; design consideration and principles; preparatory work; requirements to install and test systems; plan and prepare installation, install, test and commission ground and air source installation; hand over
Requirements for non-refrigerant circuit routine service and maintenance; diagnose faults; rectify faults; undertake routine service and maintenance of air and ground source systems; undertake diagnosis work; undertake fault rectification work

Rain and Grey Water Harvesting Technolgoy

Health & Safety; Regulations/standards, types and layouts; purpose of components; information requirements on selection and sizing; fundamental techniques on selection and sizing; options and requirements for the treatment of water; preparatory work required; installing reuse storage tanks; installing pipework; test and commission systems installations; handover
Plan and prepare for installation; install components; test and commission system; handover 
Rrequirements for the routine service; diagnose faults; rectify system
Undertake: routine service; fault diagnosis; fault rectification

City & Guilds 2399 Environmental Technology Courses FAQs:

Course times: 9am until 4.30pm with 1 hour for lunch
Course duration: 5 days
Payment: £200 deposit with balance in first day of course  

Q - Do I need any qualifications to attend this course?

A - Yes please see course content for details. 

Q - How do I get more information about the City & Guilds 2399 course?

A - Call us on 0845 2600 966 or request a brochure pack.

Q - How do I book a place on the City & Guilds 2399 course?

A - Book online for your chosen date or call us on 0845 2600 966.

Q - Is there any funding available for this course?

A - Yes, please see the funding page for further information as eligibility criteria must be met.

A - We expect to train people from all over the UK for the City & Guilds 2399 course; York, Leeds, Newcastle, Barnsley, Hull, Sheffield, Manchester, Scunthorpe, Nottingham, Chesterfield, Stockport, Liverpool, Bolton, Oldham, Warrington, Huddersfield, Dewsbury, Halifax, Harrogate, Derby, Middlesbrough, Sunderland, Darlington, Rotherham, Doncaster, Nottingham, Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, East Yorkshire, Humberside, Grimsby, Cleveland, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, Lincoln, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Northern England, Midlands, Birmingham, West Midlands; will be from national plumbing and heating companies, self-employed plumbers, builders, gas engineers, solar electrical engineers and renewable energy engineers, London, South East, Bristol, Birmingham, UK.