Course will cover where FRT wood is specified in the codes, definition of FRT wood, and the use of coatings as an equivalent solution to FRT wood in various construction types....
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....
Insulated metal panels (IMPs) are lightweight composite exterior wall and roof panels with superior insulating properties. Commercial and industrial buildings benefit from their energy efficient insulation, lightweight construction, durability, and cost-effective, timely installation. This course discusses IMPs in terms of their design options, appropriate support structure, installation, function, code compliance, and warranties....
Locating mechanical and electrical equipment on a roof is often necessary for space and efficiency in a building design. However, it can be challenging to provide a means for safe maintenance access while preserving the roof membrane and structural integrity and not interfering with other rooftop equipment. This course presents the components that comprise rooftop support systems designed to solve these challenges, as well as system design considerations and compliance with the International Building Code® (IBC®) and the International Mechanical Code® (IMC®)....
This presentation focuses on Florida's wind design requirements for commercial low-slope roofing. The presentation covers new building code requirements, ASCE 7, future tornado wind design requirements and agency approvals for wind uplift resistance for low-slope roofing....
Join us for our webinar series with a focus on retrofit projects. The design challenges facing architects and builders when renovating older buildings are considerable, from increasing energy efficiency to navigating inherited structural and building code changes. Kalwall is a lightweight, rapidly installed and beautiful solution for bringing old buildings into the modern, daylit, era. Learn more about how Kalwall can help you accomplish a retrofit on budget and on schedule....
Magnesium oxide (MgO) products are panelized construction products that can be used as a direct replacement for other panels, such as gypsum, plywood, and OSB. This course aims to provide insight into MgO products, equipping building professionals with the knowledge and tools to select and specify them correctly, which in turn impacts occupant safety. We will also explore their performance characteristics, features, and purported issues, as well as relevant building code provisions and the evaluation process required for product compliance. Finally, we’ll look at the types of testing data for building materials and the importance of using certified products to ensure occupants’ life safety....
View the NEXGEN Building Products Course Library
This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click here to view the details.
The purpose of this session will focus on what an engineered façade system should provide. Project teams are seeking a complete single-source system from the studs to exterior finish. We will discuss types of testing and approvals Façade systems offer to meet national and international building codes such as FM, NFPA, and others. Further discussion will be on performance warranties for leakage, system integrity, material performance similar to a roofing warranty. From the designer’s role, where you place the insulation and how do you attach the cladding can be the most critical decision when working with a building façade. We will explore both questions from a building science perspective to give clarity and certainty this is done properly....
Attic ventilation is an important component in proper structural design. By encouraging airflow, attic ventilation plays a key role in maintaining structural integrity, ensuring roof component durability, providing a healthy indoor environment, and minimizing energy consumption. Additionally, proper attic ventilation hinders or prevents mold growth, reduces interior pollutants, and acts as a pivotal fire prevention tool. This course looks at how attic ventilation systems work, the benefits they provide, and the associated building codes and regulations....
As third-party firestop inspections become more common—and are required by the International Building Code (IBC) for specific building types—construction professionals must understand what inspectors are looking for and how to prepare. This one-hour course explains the purpose and process of firestop special inspections, detailing how UL systems, tested assemblies, and ASTM field standards (E2174 and E2393) are used to verify compliance. Participants will learn how inspectors document findings, common issues that lead to deficiencies, and how proactive coordination and accurate submittals can prevent costly rework. The session also covers International Firestop Council (IFC) guidance for maintaining consistency and quality across inspection programs, helping attendees ensure that passive fire protection systems perform as designed....
This program is designed to provide the design community with an understanding of how energy efficiency impacts water management in wall systems and how to address the control layers of the envelope. The presentation will cover building science, code for bulk water, air, thermal, and vapor, and practical solutions for WRBs, drainage, and flashing....
View the DuPont Performance Building Solutions Course Library
Wind forces always influence building design and detailing. This course focuses on one particular force, wind uplift, and its influence on roof paving system design and selection. It examines how wind loads and building configuration affect the design of roof paving systems; the codes, regulations, and calculation approaches that inform and control such designs; and the various options designers can use to design safe, appealing outdoor roof paving systems that will withstand even the strongest winds....
Having up-to-date specifications starts with understanding what is in the building code. This course reviews the requirements that cold-formed steel framing must meet to be compliant to the 2024 International Building Code. It covers the standards for manufacturing tolerances, minimum thickness and protective coatings. Participants will also review fire-rated partitions....
This course discusses the code requirements for thermal and ignition barriers for spray polyurethane foam, the testing required, code requirements for vapor retarders depending on climate zone, and how these coatings are installed....
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....
Understanding building physics is critical to proper building envelope design. Examined here are practical concepts for the building designer, including how cladding systems perform across different climate zones and applications. Environmental control layers and hygrothermal loads are reviewed, as is the concept of perfect/universal wall design. The course focuses on how single-component insulated metal panels (IMPs) function as a perfect/universal wall, simplifying wall system design and installation....
This course examines the role of access doors and panels in building design. It covers their functions, material options, and performance requirements. Topics include resistance to fire, sound, and moisture, as well as durability, code compliance, and integration with surrounding finishes. The course also presents best practices for specifying and installing access components that support safety, accessibility, and design continuity across a range of project types....
View the Best Access Doors Course Library
This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click here to view the details.
Modern roof systems and envelope assemblies (both commercial and residential) may 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 building envelope has an important role to play, including the insulation layer. This presentation introduces the key benefits and attributes of polyiso roof insulation products, polyiso continuous insulation products used for above grade wall assemblies and below grade applications, and continuous insulation products used as part of residential envelope assemblies (steep slope roofs, above grade walls, and below grade foundation). Topics covered include: • Designing building and energy code-compliant roof assemblies and commercial and residential envelope assemblies. • Solving performance challenges like ponding water on roofs. • Solving performance challenges like thermal bridging and managing the threat of moisture and air intrusion in commercial and residential building envelope assemblies. • Reducing the environmental impacts of buildings with roof systems and envelope assemblies that contain polyiso insulation products....
View the PIMA - Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association Course Library
PIMA - Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association
Rooftop HVAC equipment, waste receptacles, and other necessary but unsightly equipment are common in today’s commercial industries. Rooftop and ground screening can provide a solution for meeting code requirements while improving building aesthetics. In addition, screens may improve a property’s safety and security and establish privacy boundaries. This course offers an in-depth discussion of rooftop and ground screening, the various ways to screen, and considerations when selecting a screen. Different installation techniques and comparative characteristics of traditional screening methods versus unit-attached and modular screening methods are also discussed....
View the CityScapes Architectural Innovations Course Library
Security entrance control is essential to manage the flow of visitor and authorized user traffic through secured or restricted areas. A wide range of products with multiple types of technologies are available, and a host of buzz words describing their operation abound in this industry. Join us as we journey through the range of products, their operation, the level of security they provide, and both building code and ADA compliance. Security entrance control enhances the safety and peace-of-mind for of employees, residents, passengers, customers, visitors, etc. by providing automatic security screening of those who try to enter and exit the secured space. This secured space may be a campus, an entire building, or designated area within the building. Security entrance control occurs at office and residential buildings, healthcare facilities, entertainment complexes, transportation facilities, campuses, shopping locations, and anywhere that people enter and exit. The security entrance combined with credentialing equipment and software that limits use to only authorized personnel, make for a seamless passage into a secure area. Not only do security entrances control access and/or egress, they provide a visual presence that serves as a deterrent. SECURITY IS A MUST IN TODAY’S WORLD....
The federal government, more and more states and local jurisdictions are enacting regulations and building codes mandating the installation of solar PV or solar-ready design on new building construction. This will result in an accelerated growth of rooftop solar with an intent to reduce costs and maximize the energy output of solar installations. The key to complying with solar mandates is mastering solar and building integration. This means considering the roof and solar as a single system, as well as non-traditional design elements focused on the anticipation of rooftop solar installations. All structural analysis must include all the system elements and full load path, including solar mounting systems and roof structures. And finally, a look at case studies, storms and testing....
Residential building envelope assemblies need to deliver a wide range of benefits – from reducing energy waste to maintaining occupant comfort to providing critical shelter during severe weather events. Each component of the envelope has an important role to play, including the insulation. This presentation introduces the key benefits and attributes of polyiso continuous insulation products used as part of residential envelope assemblies. This includes serving as the insulation layer in steep slope roofs, above grade walls, and below grade foundation assemblies. Topics include designing building and energy code-compliant residential envelope assemblies, solving performance challenges like reducing thermal-bridging and managing the threat of moisture intrusion, as well as reducing the environmental impacts of buildings with assemblies that contain polyiso continuous insulation products....
View the PIMA - Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association Course Library
PIMA - Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association
This presentation includes information on continuous insulation performance and specific detail on polyisocyanurate insulation, an overview of the history of foam plastic insulation in the building codes, and a detailed review of the 2021 International Building Code’s fire safety requirements for the use of polyisocyanurate insulation in exterior walls of commercial buildings (Construction Types I-IV), including the NFPA 285 fire test standard....
View the PIMA - Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association Course Library
PIMA - Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association
With the global rise in natural disasters and the increasing need for sustainable environments, resiliency has become a necessity in the design and building industries. This course provides an overview of resilient design, how it relates to building codes and standards, and the role it plays in ensuring the safety and sustainability of the built environment. It examines the role masonry construction plays in meeting resilient design goals and the inherent properties of masonry that make it resilient and provides examples and case studies of resilient design strategies....
View the Concrete Masonry & Hardscapes Association (CMHA) Course Library
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....
