In today's world, the intersection of building design, energy efficiency and occupant health has never been more critical. The Healthy and Efficient Buildings Graduate Certificate at Portland State University prepares you for a rewarding career at the forefront of this emerging field, equipping you with the skills to design, analyze and manage buildings that are sustainable and health-promoting.
Led by experienced instructors who are both academic experts and industry practitioners, the program will help you develop new competencies in building science, indoor air quality, energy modeling and sustainable design. This 16-credit program is designed with working professionals in mind, offering flexibility and practical, project-based learning experiences.
Graduates of this certificate program are in high demand, with many finding employment in top-tier engineering firms, utilities and sustainability-focused organizations across the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
About the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science
The Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science includes five departments, 84 full-time faculty and more than 3,000 students. We offer academic programs that provide transformative opportunities within the classroom and beyond. If you join our college, you'll be connected to Portland's leading tech companies providing opportunities for internships, mentoring, networking, and long term careers. Our faculty offer research opportunities that allow for collaborative or individual study, culturing creativity and innovation. If you want to push what’s possible, in Portland and far beyond, accelerate your career with a graduate degree from the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science.
- Industry Connections: Engage with case studies, research opportunities and projects that connect you directly with leading companies in building science and sustainability.
- Cutting-edge skillset: Develop expertise in state-of-the-art energy modeling tools, indoor air quality analysis and advanced building system design.
- Sustainability driven approach: Gain perspectives to lead building projects that are both energy efficient and health promoting, preparing you to meet critical climate and wellness goals.
- Faculty with real expertise: Learn from faculty who blend industry experience with pioneering research in building science and indoor environmental quality.
- Applied learning experiences: Go beyond the classroom with hands-on projects and opportunities to engage with Portland's thriving green building industry.
What professionals are saying about the program:
"We look for engineering graduate students that have a head start in the building sciences, HVAC, renewable power systems, sustainable building designs, energy modeling and comfort modeling. A solid understanding of building systems, energy use and indoor environmental quality (light, sound and air) is essential to our success. PAE has many PSU students among our ranks. The quality of building science programs is growing and our hope is PSU will be able to keep up with the growing demand of the building industry."
Nick Collins, Principal with PAE
Our graduates serve in a variety of roles in companies and organizations around the region. Their fields include:
- Building systems engineering
- Indoor air quality consulting
- Energy modeling and analysis
- Sustainable building design
- HVAC system design and controls
- Green building policy and regulation
- Building performance assessment