Construction Specifications Canada
Construction Specifications Canada strives to educate, connect and lead the design and construction community to achieve excellence in project delivery.
Exterior cladding must be long lasting, maintenance-free, and aesthetically pleasing to meet the design demands of property and homeowners. An innovative composite cladding solution, developed with a patented technology that incorporates glass-reinforced polymers and graphite-infused polystyrene, meets and exceeds these requirements. This course describes the design challenges property and homeowners often face when selecting cladding, and it offers a solution. Performance characteristics such as thermal resistance, wind load resistance, and fire ratings are discussed. Installation techniques and a case study are also examined.
https://redirect.aecdaily.com/s993236/www.aecdaily.com/course/1010166
This course contains sustainable design information. See the course details page for more information.
This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.
Birds, bird droppings, and nesting materials can detract from buildings' architectural features; more importantly, they can negatively impact the environment by creating health and safety risks. Eliminating a bird problem requires a strategic combination of preventive measures and proven bird control products. This course explores the characteristics of common birds, bird problem assessment, and the solutions designed to deter the roosting and nesting of pest birds.
https://redirect.aecdaily.com/s2451/www.aecdaily.com/course/923199
This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.
When installing precast concrete, it is important to plan for and know how to overcome numerous site challenges. If not dealt with properly, these challenges can prevent a project from passing inspection and can result in installation problems, moving and cracking of pavers, and safety hazards to pedestrians. This course addresses the most frequently asked questions regarding on-site paving issues to facilitate a successful installation for a variety of applications.
https://redirect.aecdaily.com/s456403/www.aecdaily.com/course/966262
This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.
Insulated vinyl siding, known as insulated siding, is an exterior cladding that combines the protection and low maintenance of traditional vinyl siding with the energy efficiency of EPS foam. The composite results in an improvement in performance and aesthetics. This course discusses the benefits associated with installing insulated siding on new and renovation residential construction projects, and the range of architectural styles that can be achieved with the breadth of design and color options available.
https://redirect.aecdaily.com/s12394/www.aecdaily.com/course/866725
This course contains sustainable design information. See the course details page for more information.
This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.
This course introduces accessibility from Canadian and US perspectives. It covers a few specific technical accessibility requirements and compares the differences when referencing Canadian or US design standards, such as the National Building Code of Canada (Canada's Model Code) or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (the United States accessibility regulation), while reinforcing the intent of good design that is not always outlined by a code or standard. The seven principles of universal design are also discussed.
https://redirect.aecdaily.com/s932109/www.aecdaily.com/course/932135
This course contains sustainable design information. See the course details page for more information.
This course contains accessible design information. See the course details page for more information.
This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click here to view the details.
In order to download this course, a USD $35.00 fee must be paid.
This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.
Outdoor living space has become an important residential design consideration in the last several years. Decks create welcoming spaces to relax and entertain with family and friends, and a well-built deck can add more living space and value to a home. This course discusses deck surfaces, maintenance, and costs and explores porcelain tile as an alternative to wood and composite deck surfaces that is well suited to exterior environments. Also discussed is how porcelain tile can be used with a new pultruded fiberglass and composite underlayment, called structural ribbed self-supporting boards, and the sustainable features of this technology.
https://redirect.aecdaily.com/s13907/www.aecdaily.com/course/975033
This course contains sustainable design information. See the course details page for more information.
This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click here to view the details.
This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.
Coatings are about more than a building’s appearance; they play a vital role in preserving the architectural elements of the façade. This course explains coating chemistries and manufacturing, as well as the role they play in sustainability. The course also offers a detailed look at industry standards and tests that result in coating performance metrics. Specifying the correct coating for a given application can dramatically improve a building’s appearance and its cradle-to-cradle environmental footprint.
https://redirect.aecdaily.com/s890069/www.aecdaily.com/course/902019
This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.
Concrete-faced insulated products are composite prefinished panels that are used to construct walls and roofing assemblies to maximize the energy efficiency, durability, and performance of a building envelope. This course discusses the design criteria used in designing energy-efficient buildings using concrete-faced continuous insulation systems for low-slope roofing, walls, and foundations. The functional and physical features of protective membrane roof (PMR) systems, concrete-faced insulated panels for walls and foundations, and concrete structural insulated panels (CSIPs) are evaluated.
https://redirect.aecdaily.com/s13907/www.aecdaily.com/course/903646
This course contains sustainable design information. See the course details page for more information.
This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to all state and local government agencies, commercial facilities, and public entities that have “places of public accommodation.” Presented in this course are the fundamentals of what accessibility means in terms of architectural door hardware specification. Topics include available hardware technology, the criteria for interior and perimeter access, and the codes and guidelines pertaining to the ADA requirements that affect door hardware selection.
https://redirect.aecdaily.com/s831648/www.aecdaily.com/course/849407
This course contains accessible design information. See the course details page for more information.
This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click here to view the details.
This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.
As some of the earliest building materials, masonry and concrete have been used for their durability and strength. However, masonry architecture, both historical and contemporary, has been left vulnerable to water—the single most damaging element to masonry in our environment. This course identifies common water-related problems for masonry and concrete, describes protective treatments that increase masonry durability, and explains the process for safely selecting and applying a protective treatment.
https://redirect.aecdaily.com/s10541/www.aecdaily.com/course/895029
This course contains sustainable design information. See the course details page for more information.
This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.
Surface preparation is critical for high-performing, long-lasting flooring. Learn about the latest innovations and installation techniques in surface preparation that prevent floor damage while mitigating moisture and noise.
https://redirect.aecdaily.com/s2580/www.aecdaily.com/course/1067126
This course contains sustainable design information. See the course details page for more information.
This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click here to view the details.
This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.
Adding small pockets of luxury to a home has become commonplace in spaces like the kitchen and bathroom. Personal saunas are a natural extension to this way of thinking, supporting an owner’s health and relaxation. This course looks at the wide variety of heat bathing options: sauna, infrared, and steam, with a focus on how to both select a product and implement heat bathing in residential and commercial projects.
https://redirect.aecdaily.com/s627723/www.aecdaily.com/course/890449
This course contains sustainable design information. See the course details page for more information.
This course contains accessible design information. See the course details page for more information.
This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click here to view the details.
This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.
Today—as climate change, population growth, and record droughts present an unprecedented strain on our water supply—conservation technology is building awareness to the importance of having the most water efficient fixtures in a home or business. This course recognizes the flush toilet as one of the biggest users of water and discusses how toilet design is pushing flush technology to develop ways for homes and commercial buildings to conserve water without sacrificing the performance of the toilet. Industry testing protocols and the water-saving capabilities of different technologies are evaluated.
https://redirect.aecdaily.com/s10412/www.aecdaily.com/course/781762
This course contains sustainable design information. See the course details page for more information.
This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click here to view the details.
This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.
Due to their durability, low operational cost, and sustainability, metal roofs are gaining popularity in both commercial and residential markets. Owner expectations for this product family have increased as well and now include heightened aesthetics and long-term performance. While metal roofing systems are certainly up to these challenges, when they fail, the results are costly. Consequently, it is imperative designers have full knowledge of metal roof design and detailing. This course covers the top ten problems metal roof designers face and describes how these problems can be prevented through proper design.
https://redirect.aecdaily.com/s9525/www.aecdaily.com/course/946893
This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.
Net zero energy ready buildings are a popular topic in today's world of climate change. This course explores how energy efficiency has expanded toward exterior wall assemblies, where thermal bridging and thermally broken subframing systems are becoming the new norm.
https://redirect.aecdaily.com/s988795/www.aecdaily.com/course/999840
This course contains sustainable design information. See the course details page for more information.
This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click here to view the details.
This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.
The choice of flooring is an important consideration in museums; their popularity brings a high volume of foot traffic, and museum spaces have a wide range of flooring needs. This course discusses how recycled rubber flooring is a good choice for museums because of its sustainability, durability, low maintenance requirements, performance attributes, and wide variety of design options.
https://redirect.aecdaily.com/s17445/www.aecdaily.com/course/1053011
This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click here to view the details.
This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.
Custom window products include a range of products, from truly one-of-a-kind fabrications to customizable components. This course takes a detailed look at what design options are available to the architect in premium and luxury window products. Installation and performance issues pertaining to large window combinations are also discussed, as well as recommended solutions and mitigation strategies for structural and water infiltration challenges.
https://redirect.aecdaily.com/s15106/www.aecdaily.com/course/916187
This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click here to view the details.
This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.
Energy creation, distribution, and consumption are all in a period of transition. Understanding this transition and its benefits is critical to sustainable transitional energy planning (STEP). This course reviews the nature of the transition, the forces driving it, emerging energy systems and sources, and international and national examples. It details the process required for STEP and provides a comprehensive overview of the many renewable energy options now viable for community energy systems. It concludes with a series of illustrated sample plans and projects.
https://redirect.aecdaily.com/s18122/www.aecdaily.com/course/1037314
This course contains sustainable design information. See the course details page for more information.
This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.
There is no substitute for the natural beauty of newly installed tropical hardwood, but keeping it looking great and achieving the desired performance over time require careful attention to detail. Choosing the best hardwood species and specifying the appropriate fastening and finishing systems will ensure an aesthetically pleasing, low-maintenance, and successful design in terms of installation, performance, and appearance. This course discusses wood species specification, installation techniques, and finishing methods for tropical hardwoods in conventional and sustainable buildings. As well, international programs that are used to successfully determine sustainability are examined.
https://redirect.aecdaily.com/s743103/www.aecdaily.com/course/968006
This course contains sustainable design information. See the course details page for more information.
This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click here to view the details.
This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.
A high-performance building must address four major environmental loads: water, air, vapor, and thermal. The location of the required control layers is critical to effective envelope design. This course explores perfect/universal wall design and the use of single-component insulated metal panels (IMPs) to provide all four control layers. Presented here are discussions on the building envelope, rainscreens, perfect wall design, and IMPs, and more specifically, how to incorporate IMPs into engineered façade systems.
https://redirect.aecdaily.com/s9727/www.aecdaily.com/course/846064
This course contains sustainable design information. See the course details page for more information.
This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.
Outdoor cooking has come a long way in recent years, from simple stone or brick “grills” to luxury outdoor kitchens that allow families to entertain and cook with the comfort and convenience of the indoor kitchen. This course discusses the fundamental design and planning strategies for outdoor kitchens, environmental and construction considerations, and an overview of the outdoor kitchen products available on the market today. The course concludes with a short question and answer section.
https://redirect.aecdaily.com/s845857/www.aecdaily.com/course/951577
This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click here to view the details.
This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.
Within building spaces, noise can be reduced by using materials or assemblies that isolate sound or mitigate its transmission. To do this, it is important to understand how sound moves through building materials and partitions and the impact of sound mitigation products. In this course, we look at the basics of sound as well as techniques and products to prevent sound transmission.
https://redirect.aecdaily.com/s405633/www.aecdaily.com/course/928589
This course contains sustainable design information. See the course details page for more information.
This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click here to view the details.
This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.
Wet areas in healthcare facilities pose numerous challenges when it comes to designing an environment that is safe for patients and staff. As specialized rooms are being replaced with functional spaces covering a range of mental and physical health concerns, it is important to consider universal design. This course explores how to create spaces that work for all and how to create environments that are durable, hygienic, and ligature and slip resistant.
https://redirect.aecdaily.com/s795432/www.aecdaily.com/course/1049130
This course contains accessible design information. See the course details page for more information.
This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click here to view the details.
This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.
For the typical homeowner, choosing exterior color can be a daunting task; however, there is guidance available to help choose color palettes that complement the exterior of the home. This course presents the FRESH approach: a strategic method used for the selection of colors for the exterior of buildings. The course focuses on both residential and commercial design considerations and details the steps to follow in the color selection process to achieve a harmonious design.
https://redirect.aecdaily.com/s424571/www.aecdaily.com/course/1000126
This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.
Stairs are an essential component of a movement and wayfinding strategy in a structure and a primary means of egress, exit, and floor-to-floor access in the event of a fire or emergency for buildings with multiple floors or a change in rise. This course discusses stair and egress system design and evaluates why the design and fabrication of pre-engineered steel stairs create safe stair environments that comply with building codes.
https://redirect.aecdaily.com/s549530/www.aecdaily.com/course/563571
This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click here to view the details.
This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.
