Online course for contractors

Stop airtightness being a last-minute crisis.

A self-paced online training course for contractors and site teams. Learn how to plan airtightness early, manage interfaces between trades, avoid predictable fails, and push back with real arguments when the design or programme makes the target unachievable.




Self-paced Short lessons Downloadable templates Replay anytime
Main contractors Site managers + foremen Envelope trades Mechanical / electrical interfaces Green Star / high performance projects

What you’ll be able to do after the course

  • Define the test boundary (so everyone stops guessing).
  • Build a hold-point plan that prevents “we can’t access that anymore”.
  • Run quick site QA checks that catch failures early.
  • Triage leaks fast when things are going sideways (big leaks first).
  • Use a “push-back kit” when the target is unachievable due to design/programme flaws.

Designed for contractors: practical, repeatable, and focused on avoiding rework and delays.

Why contractors keep getting stitched up

The boundary isn’t clearly defined

If the test line is vague, the result is arbitrary. Then it turns into finger-pointing.

Interfaces have no owner

Roof-to-wall, facade edges, slab junctions, risers, plant rooms — leakage lives in the gaps between scopes.

Testing happens too late

If the first pressure check is at the end, failure means ripping out finished work. That’s not a plan.

Details aren’t buildable or inspectable

“Just seal it” is not a detail. Airtightness needs access to install and access to verify.

What’s inside the online course

1
Boundary in plain EnglishConditioned zones, buffers, risers, plant rooms. How to mark the boundary so the team builds the same line.
2
Sequencing + hold pointsWhere access disappears, when to inspect, and how to stage checks so airtightness isn’t a surprise.
3
Interfaces that actually matterRoof/wall, wall/slab, facade edges, parapets, windows. What fails, why it fails, and what good looks like.
4
Penetrations done properlyDucts, trays, pipes, conduits. Grouping strategy, sealing strategy, and temporary sealing for staged checks.
5
Pre-test readinessA simple checklist to prevent wasted test days and avoidable fails.
6
Troubleshooting + triageFind the big leaks first, fix what moves the number, and know when it’s a design issue.

Included: the contractor “Push-Back Kit”

Tools and wording to push back early, calmly, and with facts — when the job is being set up to fail.

When a target is genuinely not achievable

Boundary not defined • Details not buildable/inspectable • Permanent openings/systems can’t be sealed • Fire/seismic/services conflict unresolved • Programme leaves no remediation window • Target specified without enabling scope.

Downloadable templates included

Airtightness RFI template • Constraint register • “Ready to test” checklist • Responsibility matrix • Variation trigger wording • Toolbox talk outline.

Who it’s for

Main contractors

Reduce programme risk and avoid late-stage rework by managing airtightness as a normal scope.

Site managers + foremen

Get a practical checklist approach that works under real site pressure.

Envelope trades

Learn the interface points where your work gets blamed (and how to protect it).

Services trades

Stop penetrations turning into the reason the building fails the test.

FAQ

How long does it take?

It’s self-paced. Most teams get through it in short sessions and come back to the templates during the build.

Is this just theory?

No. It’s built around real construction sequences, trade interfaces, and typical failure modes.

Do we need to know standards?

No. The course translates testing expectations into buildable actions, hold points, and practical QA.

What if the target is genuinely unachievable?

You’ll learn how to identify design and programme constraints early and push back with clear arguments and templates.

Make passing the test the boring part of the job.

Short lessons, practical templates, and a repeatable process contractors can actually use.




What’s included

Online training + downloadable templates + checklists + defect examples + push-back kit.

Provider: BEO Buildingscience

Sign up now
Sign up here