Learning Outcomes

Alternative Cooling Systems

Basics of HVAC Systems

Air Circulation Systems

HVAC Preventative Maintenance

Water-Based Cooling Systems

Refrigerant-Based Cooling Systems

Lesson Summary

When you think of the types of critical equipment that span all kinds of critical facilities, HVAC equipment is probably some of the first that comes to mind. 

As a Critical Operator, you will need to know not only what this critical equipment is and how it functions, but the basic scientific ideas behind the critical functions they provide. In this module, you will learn about the fundamental concepts related to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning.

Water Supply and Drainage

Secondary Systems - Facility specific

Plumbing and Mechanical System Preventative Maintenance

There are a few critical systems that will be found in every single critical facility you might encounter—HVAC is one, and plumbing is another. Every facility will rely on the water supply and waste removal that a plumbing system provides. In addition, there are numerous other kinds of secondary mechanical systems that you may come across as a critical operator, directly related to the kinds of services or products that the critical facility provides.

Fire Detection Systems

Fire Suppression Systems

Building Construction, Fire Prevention, and Emergency Lighting

Emergency Power Off System and Preventative Maintenance

In a critical facility, it is important that there is infrastructure in place that will protect the people and equipment in the event of an emergency, such as a fire or electrical event. There are numerous components and devices that are part of the fire detection and suppression systems that provide the necessary preventative and protective services. In this module, you will identify and describe the fire safety, systems, and equipment that are integral to a critical facility.

Common Hazards and Personnel Protection

Emergency Response Procedures

In a critical facility, it is highly likely that there are hazardous materials or specialized equipment that could pose a threat to those working with these items and even just the personnel or general public in the vicinity of the space. As a Critical Operations technician, you need to be aware of the numerous hazards that could potentially harm the critical equipment or people in your facility, and how to respond if any of these hazards threaten to affect operations or cause injury—or worse.

Critical Facility: Critical Infrastructure Assessment

Learn about critical infrastructure, hazard identification, and preventative maintenance with this free online course.

Critical Facility: Critical Infrastructure

This free online Critical Facility course will teach you the skills required to ensure the safe and efficient operation of critical infrastructure. Critical infrastructure such as HVAC, plumbing, and fire systems are used in almost every business in the world. As a critical infrastructure operator you will need to be familiar with critical infrastructure equipment. This course teaches you the science and functions of critical infrastructure.

12 Best Data Science Courses for 2025

7 Best Climate Change Courses for 2025: Exploring the Science

New CEO, New Structure: Greg Hart Reshapes Coursera’s Reporting

freeCodeCamp’s Responsive Web Design (Free) Certification Is Out of Beta

6 Best Site Reliability Engineering Courses to Take in 2025

600+ Courses from Top Med Schools with Free Certificate & CME Credit

Duolingo’s 2026 Strategy: The Road to 100 Million DAUs

Udacity’s 2021: Year in Review

Medical Education Platforms with 800 Free Certificates & CME Credit

262K Courses, 833M Enrollments: Breaking Down Udemy’s Massive Catalog

8 Best Tailwind Courses for 2026: Build Beautiful, Responsive Websites

Black Friday 2024: 50+ Online Learning Deals

Coursera Bets $100 Million That Andrew Ng Can Do What Coursera Can’t

Duolingo’s Reddit Community Revolts: ‘No Más’ to Unpaid Support

40+ Free Certificates from Wolfram U: Expand Your Computational Universe