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EDWartens UK

Free course · Building automation

Building Management Systems (BMS): HVAC Control, BACnet and Building Automation

Free BMS course for engineers moving into buildings: HVAC control, BACnet, point lists, commissioning. Learning is free; the certificate is optional and paid.

See the modules

Free to learn. Verifiable certificate £19 when you pass the final exam (optional, VAT included).

Level
Beginner
Modules
13
Video
20 hours
Price
Free

Outcome

What you will be able to do

Describe a BMS architecture from field devices to servers, choose sensors, actuators and controllers for HVAC, lighting, fire and security integration, read and design an I/O point list, explain BACnet, Modbus, LonWorks and KNX, write control sequences for AHUs, chillers, boilers and pumps, configure graphics, trends, schedules and alarms, plan testing, commissioning and handover, and read and write BACnet points with Python.

  • Explain BMS architecture, components and field devices
  • Design I/O point lists and choose protocols
  • Write sequences of operation for AHUs, chillers, boilers and pumps
  • Integrate lighting, security, fire and energy systems
  • Design DDC panels, graphics, trends, schedules and alarms
  • Commission a BMS and read and write BACnet with Python

Software

Python 3 with BAC0 for the BACnet modules (free); any BMS front end is optional.

Hardware

None required. A BACnet/IP simulator or a small DDC controller helps with the Python modules.

Syllabus

13 modules

Each module has video lessons, notes and a short quiz. The final exam closes the course.

  1. 1What a BMS Is: Overview, Components and Architecture4 lessons
  2. 2Sensors, Actuators, Controllers and Point Lists3 lessonsLab
  3. 3Communication Protocols and Networking2 lessonsLab
  4. 4HVAC Control Applications: AHU, VAV and FCU, Chiller, Cooling Tower and Boiler7 lessonsLab
  5. 5Pumps, Tanks and Hot Water Applications7 lessonsLab
  6. 6Lighting, Security, Fire, Energy and Water Integration5 lessons
  7. 7DDC Panels, Wiring and Control Logic3 lessonsLab
  8. 8The Front End: Graphics, Trends, Schedules, Alarms and Users4 lessonsLab
  9. 9Testing, Commissioning, Validation, Handover and Integration4 lessons
  10. 10BACnet with Python: Discovery, Read and Write8 lessons
  11. 11BACnet Logging, Edge Apps and BACnet Servers8 lessons
  12. 12Case Studies, Efficiency, Fault Detection and Careers5 lessons
  13. 13Final Assessment1 lesson

How it works

How this course works

  1. Watch the video lessonsOne module at a time, at your own pace.
  2. Take the module quizA short quiz at the end of each module shows what stuck.
  3. Keep your notesWrite in My notes beside each module and ask the trainer if you are stuck.
  4. Practise in the labOptionalTry a task from the module in the EDWartens Lab, in your browser.
  5. Sit the final examPass it once you have been through the modules.
  6. Certificate, if you want oneOptionalPaid, and only after you pass. Anyone can check it online.

EDWartens Lab

Practise this in the EDWartens Lab

Write and test the same ladder logic in the Lab's PLC simulator, go online and force inputs. The Lab uses a vendor-neutral editor, so brand software stays in the course.

Works alongside Building Management Systems (BMS): HVAC Control, BACnet and Building Automation. The Lab is plc programming practice in your browser: no install, no hardware, free to use. Sign in as a learner and it opens with your account.

Open the free lab See the Lab
PLC programming: Program a PLC, see it run.

Levels to try with this course

Optional. Skip it whenever you like: it never blocks your progress or your certificate.

Why practise in a lab

Technical work is judged on what you can do: wiring, commissioning, finding a fault. Doing a task yourself teaches more than watching it a second time, and a lab lets you try it safely before you meet real equipment. It does not replace working on real hardware.

  • Practise safely, so a mistake costs nothing.
  • The lab checks your work like a site test, so you know when it is right.
  • Free, in your browser, with nothing to install.

Certificate

An optional certificate when you pass

Learning is free. Pass the final exam and you can have a certificate for £19, including VAT, with a number employers can check online. It records that you completed a free online course; it is not a regulated qualification or a CPD certificate.

  • Your name, the course, its study time and your final exam score
  • A unique certificate number and a QR code to its verification page
  • Issued by Wartens Ltd; add it to your LinkedIn profile in one click
  • Pay now or after you pass: it is issued the moment you pass the final

How the certificate works

Sample certificate for Building Management Systems (BMS): HVAC Control, BACnet and Building Automation

Credits

Who made the lessons

The video lessons belong to their creators. EDWartens wrote the study plan, notes, quizzes and the final exam.

Questions

About this course

What is BACnet?
BACnet is the open data communication standard that lets building automation devices from different manufacturers work together. BACnet International describes it as the global data communication standard for building automation and control networks, maintained by the ASHRAE committee SSPC 135; it is published as ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 135 and by ISO as ISO 16484-5. The course explains BACnet and then has you read and write BACnet points with Python.
What is KNX?
KNX is an open international standard for home and building control, widely used for devices such as lighting, blinds and heating controls. The KNX Association says buyers can choose from over 8,000 certified products from more than 500 manufacturers. The course covers BACnet, Modbus, LonWorks and KNX so you can tell which one a project is using and why.
Which BMS brands does this cover?
The concepts apply to Honeywell, Siemens Desigo, Johnson Controls Metasys, Schneider EcoStruxure, Trane and Distech; the Python modules use open BACnet.
Do I need to know Python?
No. The BACnet modules start from installing Python and explain each construct as it is used.
Is HVAC knowledge required?
No. The HVAC applications module explains each plant item before its control.
Is the course really free?
Yes. Every module, practice task and assessment. You create an account so your progress is saved and the assessments can be marked. The certificate is the only paid item, and only if you want it.
What certificate do I get, and is it a vendor qualification?
An EDWartens Certificate of Completion, issued when you pass the final assessment, with a verification code anyone can check. It is not a vendor credential and is never described as one.
Who made the video lessons?
The creators named in the Credits block at the foot of this page, on their own YouTube channels. EDWartens did not make the videos and the creators are not affiliated with EDWartens. What EDWartens wrote is the study plan, the notes, the practice tasks and the assessments.
How long does the course take?
Plan on about 20 hours in all, including the video lessons, notes and practice tasks. It is self-paced, so you work through the thirteen modules at your own speed.

Building services engineer

Take it with

See the whole path

The Professional Module is five live days of Siemens PLC, HMI and SCADA with an instructor, then a resume session and a CPD certificate.

See the Professional Module