Building Knowledge and Connections
Building Knowledge and Connections
Stairs are an important component in buildings, facilitating traffic flow and serving as a means of egress in emergencies. They can also pose a safety risk if not designed and outfitted properly. In this course, we address the safety aspects of stair design and specification, providing an overview of anti-slip products for new and existing stairway...
Architectural railing systems offer safety, durability, strength, and design flexibility for a variety of indoor and outdoor applications. This course provides an overview of the important factors that need to be considered when selecting and specifying a railing system for a commercial or residential building project. Topics include materials and ...
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This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click here to view the details.
This course reviews the importance of weather-resistive barriers (WRBs): why they are critical and the technology considerations specifiers should use when evaluating WRB’s performance. It will also outline several of the most important building code and industry requirements related to air barriers and what they mean....
Commercial building interiors see all kinds of wear and tear on a daily basis. Various forms of wall protection can combat this wear and tear to help extend the longevity of a space, maintain a clean look, and cut down on maintenance costs. This course discusses the different wall protection products available, how to identify which wall protection...
View the Construction Specialties Course Library
This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click here to view the details.
Uncorrected thermal bridging can account for 20–70% of heat flow through a building's envelope. Improving details to mitigate both point and linear thermal bridges will significantly improve energy performance. This course reviews types of thermal bridges, examines how they appear in codes and standards, and explores some mitigation concepts and ...
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Sound abatement products are not just a building owner and occupant preference; minimum sound abatement ratings are required by many local building codes for multi-story residential, commercial, and multi-purpose buildings. Following an introduction to the basics of sound, this course presents a summary of the most common sound control methods, wit...
This course defines the latest code and testing requirements for water, air, and fire considerations in exterior wall assemblies. Participants will learn the various options for water and air control while exploring various wall assembly designs. In addition, participants will be introduced to building science analysis tools to recognize the impact...
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The design of laser-cut steel, thermally broken windows and doors was fueled by the need to produce a steel window and door that would meet the ever increasingly stringent energy efficiency building codes of today and tomorrow, while not losing any of the “classic-timeless” aesthetics that steel windows and doors have become known for. This cou...
The facade is one of the most significant contributors to the energy consumption and comfort parameters of any building. This course explores high-performance building envelopes and the use of advanced insulated metal panel systems featuring integrated daylighting and ventilation components that combine to provide weathertightness and maximum therm...
It is imperative to have a dependable, well-designed fire protection system that helps save lives and property. This course is designed to advance awareness and understanding about the wide range of components, functionality, and benefits of today’s most innovative standpipe fire systems and how to select the optimal system for your design based ...
View the Zurn | Elkay | Hadrian | World Dryer | Wilkins Course Library
This course reviews the evolution of accessible restrooms and the recent, sudden prominence of universal (or adult) changing tables. We’ll examine how new changes to both the International Building Code® and statewide legislation affect public restroom design, and the profound impact universal changing tables can have on the lives of people with...
This is a condensed version of the 2-hour course ECH-BIM-1901: Masonry Solutions for BIM. Masonry construction presents a myriad of challenges for specifiers – especially those who are less familiar with masonry construction methods, performance standards and assembly detailing. A new wave of BIM modeling tools seeks to bridge the gap between the...
Modern building envelope assemblies need to deliver a wide range of benefits – from protecting against severe weather to reducing energy waste to improving occupant well-being and comfort. Each component of the envelope has an important role to play, including the insulation. This presentation introduces the key benefits and attributes of polyiso...
View the PIMA - Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association Course Library
PIMA - Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association
When designing the building enclosure from the substrate to the cladding, architects and designers face a host of challenges, from energy code and NFPA 285 fire testing compliance, to ensuring aesthetically pleasing façade design. This course, featuring a panel of four different industry experts, explains design trade-off complexities and strategi...
The key to an energy-efficient metal building is the implementation of a continuous insulation system that virtually eliminates thermal bridging and prevents condensation. This course discusses how using thermal spacer blocks and metal building insulation in the building envelope increases energy performance, protects against condensation, and meet...
The planet is currently in a water scarcity crisis, which is significantly affected by toilet water usage. This course examines the current plumbing codes, standards, and regulations that address toilet water usage, the need for and benefits of going beyond current standards, and the goals of a variety of beyond-the-code voluntary standards and rat...
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This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click here to view the details.
This short version course introduces attendees to the basic materials and equipment used to create spray polyurethane foam. It will also discuss the safety aspect related to spray foam in terms of its application as well as its proper use to ensure code compliance. Lastly, it discusses the different kinds of spray foam commonly used and which mater...
This course provides an overview of the industry standards and code references for flashing materials used in the installation of windows and doors. The code-referenced material standards for window and door flashings are summarized and compared, and the standard installation practices developed by the three main fenestration industry organizations...
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Conventional building practice consists of single functional materials combined to serve the building design needs. For example, an air barrier is a distinct and separate layer, and water resistive barrier is often a separate layer. New designs concepts where multiple functionality, such as air and water barriers, can be met at the same layer per b...
View the DuPont Performance Building Solutions Course Library
There are a multitude of building envelope products used and a variety of methods taken for achieving energy and building code requirements. Understanding the different roles a product plays in the envelope simplifies its design. In this course, we take a look at the code requirements for buildings classified as IBC Types I–IV, paths to achieving...
View the PIMA - Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association Course Library
PIMA - Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association
The 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) fundamentally shifts how the thermal performance of building enclosures is designed and evaluated. In the 2024 IECC Chapter 4 Commercial Energy Efficiency, compliance now requires design teams to account for linear and point thermal bridging, as does ASHRAE 90.1-2022, which is incorporated by r...
With limited exceptions, the International Building Code® (IBC®) requires testing and compliance with NFPA 285 for exterior wall assemblies of buildings of Types I, II, III, and IV construction containing foam plastic insulation. This course examines three methods for demonstrating that an exterior wall assembly design complies with NFPA 285, inc...
View the North American Modern Building Alliance Course Library
Bathing facility code compliance does not have to result in an institutional look. Assisted living and healthcare facilities, hospitality installations, universities, multifamily buildings, and large commercial projects all have unique demands, and most require barrier-free, ADA, UFAS, ANSI, California Title 24, or Massachusetts compliant bathing a...
View the Bestbath Course Library
This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click here to view the details.
When daylighting a space, there are endless ways to go about it. With the power of daylight simulation, you can make informed decisions about material selections, placement and opening sizes, as well as building geometries. Modeling allows you to compare multiple designs to see how they will perform, while verifying light levels, potential glare an...
Vinyl is strong and resistant to moisture and abrasion, and therefore is the most widely used plastic for building and construction. This course presents vinyl flooring, its manufacturing process, testing standards, and performance characteristics. The course discusses the environmental impacts of vinyl flooring throughout its lifespan and its cont...