Free Courses / Building Automation University A-Z

Building Automation University A-Z

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Read me first: This course teaches building automation concepts for educational purposes only. It does not make you licensed, certified, or qualified to program or modify live BAS systems alone. Never make changes to sequences, setpoints, or network configuration without written authorization from the building owner and a qualified supervisor. Unauthorized BAS changes can affect HVAC, fire safety, and life-safety systems serving real occupants.

Welcome, future controls tech 👋

This is a free, 12-unit, ~126-hour course that takes you from zero building automation knowledge to job-ready. Every training video is embedded here — 97 videos, all verified via the YouTube API. Your progress saves automatically in this browser.

How to use this course

Do the units in order — each one builds on the last. Budget ~10 hours per week (roughly one unit per week).
Watch each video actively: pause at every new term, write a one-line definition, then resume. Tick "Mark watched" when done.
Read "The big picture" and "Critical points," complete the practice tasks, then take the quiz — answer out loud before revealing.
Download the unit notes and keep them in a binder. You will reference them on the job.
When you meet the "Done when" standard, mark the unit complete and move on.

Honest limit: this course cannot replace hands-on lab time with real DDC hardware, Niagara Workbench, or live BAS networks. Seek an internship, apprenticeship, or employer lab to apply what you learn here.

The 6 Hard Stops (memorize before touching any equipment)

Never make unauthorized changes to a live BAS — even a 'quick test' can disable heating in freezing weather or trigger a fire alarm.
Always follow OSHA 1910.147 lockout/tagout before opening any mechanical or electrical panel.
Verify voltage is absent with a calibrated meter before touching any wiring — never assume.
Never bypass or override a safety interlock, fire alarm input, or CO sensor — these protect lives.
Never connect a personal laptop to a BAS or OT network without explicit written authorization.
A misconfigured PID loop or setpoint can over-pressurize a boiler, freeze pipes, or flood a cooling system — understand before you change.

About the videos and sources

All 97 videos were verified via YouTube oEmbed API (HTTP 200 with exact title and channel). Six additional videos were excluded (401/403/404). Safety and technical facts are confirmed against OSHA, ASHRAE, NIST, DOE, and BACnet International sources. Where video gaps exist, they are declared honestly and official written sources are linked instead. If a video and an official source disagree, the official source wins.