The Radiant Professionals Alliance will present four online educational courses taught by experts in the radiant and hydronics industry beginning Aug. 31. The RPA University courses are: “Fundamentals of Radiant Design”; “Advanced Radiant Design”; “Solar Approaches to Radiant Heating”; and “Residential Hydronic Heating.” RPA is partnering with online learning resource HeatSpring and BNP Media. Continuing education credits are available on all the courses.

  • “Fundamentals of Radiant Design” will start Aug. 31 and run through Oct. 9. Class instructor is Dave Yates, owner of plumbing-and-heating contracting company F.W. Behler in York, Pa. Yates will help students understand how and why radiant heating works; how to design and install high-quality systems; and how to integrate radiant heating into indoor and outdoor environments.
  • “Solar Approaches to Radiant Heating” begins Sept. 14 and runs through Oct. 23. The instructor is Vaughan Woodruff, owner of Insource Renewables, a solar consulting firm in Pittsfield, Maine. Designed for experienced professionals, this class will teach the latest and most advanced concepts for integrating solar energy with radiant heating systems.
  • “Advanced Radiant Design” also will begin Sept. 14 and run through Oct. 23. RPA Executive Director Mark Eatherton will teach the class, which will delve into the engineering aspects of tube length, tube center density, tube size, flow-rate requirements, fluid densities, heat-loss requirements, and other factors affecting hydronic radiant heating and snow-melt systems. The course has been developed with a designer and a contractor’s abilities in mind.
  • “Residential Hydronic Heating” will begin Oct. 12 and run through Nov. 20. PM columnist Ray Wohlfarth will teach the course, which will give designers, installers and technicians a solid foundation of knowledge of residential systems. Wohlfarth is president of manufacturers rep firm Fire & Ice Heating and Cooling in Pittsburgh.

More details on all the courses, including tuition, are available at www.heatspring.com/courses. The courses are designated as the RPA University College of Hydronic Knowledge.