Sustainable Design Courses

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Displaying 1 - 25 of 400 results.

FIRST [1-25] [26-50] [51-75] [76-100] [101-125] NEXT LAST

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    The implementation of synthetic surfacing for leisure and performance applications is rapidly growing. Artificial materials such as synthetic turf (grass), synthetic green walls, and poured-in-place and court surfacing often outperform their natural counterparts. Additionally, increased safety standards and design expectations have accelerated innovation in the materials available to designers. This course outlines synthetic surfacing options and examines synthetic turf systems, detailing their design considerations, performance features, sustainability and health benefits, and associated return on investment (ROI).

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Quartz surfacing is a man-made material consisting of up to 93% natural quartz crystal. In this course, you will discover the other components behind the beauty, durability, and flexibility of this surfacing material. You will see the composition, production, and quality assurance processes that go into making the material and the resultant attributes and capabilities, as well as the installation basics of quartz surfacing materials.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Polyisocyanurate (polyiso) insulation is one of North America’s most widely used, readily available, and cost-effective insulation products. While polyiso is currently most commonly known for its use on roofs and walls, this course focuses on the many benefits of using it in below-grade installations in order to meet energy codes, maximize the building foundation’s thermal performance, and extend the overall life of the structure. The course explores the requirements for three primary characteristics of any below-grade insulation—thermal performance, water absorption, and load capacity—and describes how polyiso meets or exceeds those requirements and protects the foundation waterproofing system.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Dual-flush wall-mounted toilets help create modern, stylish bathrooms that strike a balance between sustainable water efficiency, flexible design, and space savings. This course compares this style with other traditional types of toilets, discusses how wall-mounted toilets benefit commercial and residential users, and explains how they satisfy the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other accessibility and building code requirements.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Concrete products such as precast pieces, pavers, and terrazzo have long provided builders with a flexible range of options for their projects. Beyond their versatility, these concrete products are highly sustainable, thanks to their ability to be recycled, low carbon footprint, and long life span.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Throughout history, concrete mixes and carved natural stone have combined to create substance, beauty, and longevity in our architecture. Glass fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC) was created to ensure that the attributes of concrete and stone continue to be enjoyed but with efficiency in the application that is expected in today's world of design. This course covers the creation of GFRC, its components, fabrication, applications, and design capabilities. It compares GFRC to other types of architectural concrete and presents GFRC performance and sustainable design advantages.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Not only is standing seam metal roofing (SSMR) robust and durable, but the seam itself also provides a convenient anchorage point for the mounting of rooftop equipment. This course reviews the features and advantages of SSMR in terms of durability and sustainability, and the appropriate attachment solutions for mounting equipment. The course focuses on nonpenetrating roof seam clamps and design considerations for their use with snow retention and solar panel systems.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    The building envelope is the physical separator between the conditioned and unconditioned environment of a building and provides resistance to air, water, heat, light, and noise transfer. As a thermal barrier, spray polyurethane foam (SPF) offers numerous opportunities to contribute to building envelope performance and indoor air quality in several project types. This course presents the sustainable aspects of SPF, SPF fire and strength testing, and the benefits of SPF in below- and above-grade and rooftop applications.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Universal hot water availability is generally taken for granted. At a time when energy prices and sources, environmental concerns, and water shortages are increasing in significance, it is important to produce hot water in a manner that addresses all these issues. This course explains how electric tankless water heaters (ETWHs) do this while also improving health and safety conditions and reducing costs. The examination includes detailed descriptions of many types of ETWHs and the basic calculations and selection criteria for the most suitable system.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Metal roofing offers longevity, durability, and visual appeal. Today, a range of color and finish options are available that afford specifiers broad design flexibility. This course explores key solar reflectance and sustainability considerations when evaluating metal roofing colors and how selection relates to requirements in codes and green building programs such as LEED® v4.1 Building Design and Construction, Sustainable SITES Initiative® v2, and the WELL Building Standard™ version 2. Case studies demonstrate how metal roofing colors have been used to meet design and sustainability objectives.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Concrete is an essential part of modern buildings. As net zero energy buildings become more common, it is crucial to find ways to reduce concrete’s carbon footprint without losing the performance characteristics that make it valuable to the building team. This course explains the sources of concrete’s carbon footprint and explores strategies for reducing embodied carbon and operational carbon in precast sandwich wall panels and insulated architectural cladding.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Urban warming negatively impacts human health and quality of life, energy use, air quality, social equity, and economic prosperity. This course describes how solar reflective cool roof and wall materials help protect individuals and communities from the impacts of extreme heat and discusses the factors that influence energy savings and performance. The course also notes various climate resilience initiatives, green building programs, and energy codes that require or promote the use of cool roofs or walls and concludes by explaining the important role of third-party product ratings and the educational resources available online.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    The beautiful gray patina of zinc architectural metal has graced the rooftops of buildings in Europe for hundreds of years. This course examines the sustainable characteristics of zinc as a roofing material, including its 100% recyclability, zero VOC requirement, and low embodied energy production process. The life cycle analysis of zinc is examined, as is zinc’s long-term service life. Various types of roof and wall applications are also discussed.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Biophilic design is a methodology for designing buildings and landscapes that improve human health and well-being while fostering a deeper appreciation for the natural world. This course provides an overview of biophilic design and its frameworks and how it can help projects earn certification through LEED® v4.1 Building Design and Construction (BD+C): New Construction, WELL Building Standard™ version 2, Sustainable SITES Initiative® v2, and the Living Building Challenge (LBC).

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    An energy recovery ventilator (ERV) system provides occupants with filtered, balanced, and tempered air within their living space. Airborne contaminants can be greatly reduced with ERV systems. This course provides knowledge about the need, use, design, and installation of ERVs in the modern dwelling unit and when retrofitting existing structures. The course also addresses the environmental advantages of sustainable and healthy solutions for indoor air quality.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour, 15 minutes ) 

    Selecting flooring is an important decision, but equal emphasis should be placed on proper surface preparation to avoid costly flooring failures. This course reviews best practices for a typical hardwood flooring installation and discusses the innovative options that consolidate products and steps, saving time and money while enhancing certain performance characteristics.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    The 2022 Inflation Reduction Act shines a light on how low-carbon building material selection is one of the keys to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the US. High-performance, sustainable products and thoughtful assemblies designed with the building life cycle in mind are critical to the future of our sustainable communities. This course provides a look at how low-carbon and sustainability considerations are activated from product to building design. Factors impacting a sustainable building life cycle are discussed to help architects and owners with building performance that meets the design intent not just on paper but also in use.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Accommodating an aging population in multistory homes means finding ways to simplify access to all levels. As residential elevators continue to decrease in cost, they are being considered as the most effective solution to offer safety, comfort, and convenience to the homeowner. This course reviews all considerations needed for the installation of a residential elevator including preplanning, locating, power and structural requirements, and code considerations.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Building science experts acknowledge the need for drainage in both vertical and horizontal applications in order to eliminate moisture issues and extend the life of the building. This course examines foundation wall, green roof, and plaza deck applications and discusses the factors that impact drainage, including soil permeability, saturation, land cover, and loading. Flow rate standards are discussed, and drainage composite mat installation is explained.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Solid surface is a popular material choice due to its beauty, durability, and ease of cleaning. Selecting a solid surface depends on the manufacturing process, the raw materials involved, and the material’s sustainability. This course examines solid surface as a decorative material, discusses its characteristics and attributes, and compares it with other hard surface materials

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Redwood Timbers are a safe, strong, and sustainable option for exterior and interior building projects where natural wood is desired. This course provides an overview of the properties of Redwood Timbers including insulation properties, grades, dimensions, fasteners, finishing options, and strength. It concludes with numerous case studies exploring the use of Redwood Timbers for post and beam construction, decorative elements, deck posts, and outdoor living structures.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Architects and other design professionals have a critical role to play in reducing global greenhouse gas emissions through building design and product selection. The urgent need to reduce both operational and embodied carbon means that building designers must be familiar with transparency documents that facilitate low-carbon product selection. In this course, we review the types of carbon of concern, transparency documents that provide critical information, and tools for sourcing embodied carbon information. We also look at the contribution of insulated metal panels to both low embodied and low operational carbon buildings.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Lack of secure bicycle parking and storage is one of the top barriers to increased bicycle ridership. However, there is much more to selecting functional and appropriate bike storage than installing a few racks at the building sidewalk. This course examines best practices for bicycle racks and shelters for indoor and outdoor bicycle parking and storage, including typical municipal guidelines and regulations, incentives, guidance on shelters, and rack planning and design.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour, 15 minutes ) 

    As part of a well-designed rainscreen system, single-skin metal panels offer unique aesthetic options combined with the assurance that the building envelope will withstand the effects of long-term exposure to the elements. This course compares common cladding types; presents single-skin metal panel materials, coatings, finishes, and design options; and examines using single-skin metal panels with a single-component barrier wall to form a complete rainscreen assembly. This course is one of two identical courses titled Single-Skin Metal Panel Building Envelope Solutions . You will receive credit for taking only one of these courses.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour, 30 minutes ) 

    The parking component of a development is typically considered a “necessity,” but have you considered how much the first and last impressions count? This course shows how automated technology turns parking into an all-around winning proposition through increased ROI, unsurpassed safety for drivers and vehicles, sustainable design with a drastically reduced environmental footprint, and a premium valet experience.

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Displaying 1 - 25 of 400 results.

FIRST [1-25] [26-50] [51-75] [76-100] [101-125] NEXT LAST