The delivery of water can raise a variety of design issues and opportunities. This course discusses how the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design apply to plumbing products, including faucets, flush valves, toilets, and shower enclosures, and addresses key considerations for creating ADA-compliant restrooms, baths, and kitchens. It also illustrates how all structures, including residences, can benefit from elements of universal design and accessibility features that make a space safer and easier for people of all ages and abilities.

There are some complex issues involved in achieving ADA-compliant designs in all types of building construction. In terms of bathroom design, it is important to comprehend the ADA standards in order to minimize the risk of injury and to ensure end user comfort and ease of use. This course covers ADA-compliant design requirements for shower compartments and lavatory tops using solid surface materials—from planning and design to installation.

This course focuses on barrier free shower design and installation. Following a brief review of the reasons, benefits, and legal requirements for barrier free showers it summarizes the features and attributes of shower assemblies, relevant industry standards, waterproofing membranes and drains, best practices, installation methodology, installation tips and techniques, and walk/roll in showers. It includes a review of the design considerations and advice for the creation of perfectly performing showers which follow the latest design trends.

Restroom facilities should provide easy access and use for all users, regardless of ability. It is becoming increasingly important to know the tools needed to properly plan an accessible restroom that will meet the requirements of the ADA and other standards. This course will explore how accessibility standards accommodate a wide range of users, including how to design lavatories, toilet compartments, bathing facilities, and their accessories to meet accessibility requirements.

 This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click to view details.

“Sustainable” design isn’t just “environmental.” It’s design that works for and contributes to the health and welfare of all individuals as well as the planet, now and in the future. This course looks at hand dryers as part of sustainably designed restrooms, and discusses how air knife hand dryers benefit the environment through energy-efficiency, resource conservation, and waste reduction, and benefit all members of society by meeting ADA requirements and Universal Design principles.

 This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click to view details.

Most of us don’t plan our environments to accommodate unforeseen changes in ability or even age-related limitations. But when change occurs, our environments can hinder our day-to-day living. Universal design adds value regardless of where people are in their lives and allows people with a range of abilities to live in comfort. In this course, we’ll look the guiding principles of Universal Design and some innovative and highly functional kitchen and bath solutions.

Demographic and societal trends have an influence on bath design. This course examines their influence and the efficient water delivery solutions available to meet the trends, address the aesthetic and personal needs of all users, and contribute to the sustainable built environment.

Not only are we living longer, but senior citizens are the fastest growing segment of the world’s population. The aging population faces problems with declining vision related to disease as well as growing older. This course discusses changes in color perception among the elderly and explains how appropriate color use and application of low- or no-VOC, durable, high-quality paint facilitates quality of life in all environments for the aging.

 This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click to view details.

Most of us don’t plan our environments to accommodate unforeseen changes in ability or even age-related limitations. But when change occurs, our environments can hinder our day-to-day living. Universal design adds value regardless of where people are in their lives and allows people with a range of abilities to live in comfort. In this course, we’ll look the guiding principles of Universal Design and some innovative and highly functional kitchen and bath solutions.

 This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click to view details.

The design of public rest rooms is essential to the success and function of all building projects. Among the most important design criteria are public health, privacy, safety, and welfare. In this course, we’ll take a look at what goes into planning a washroom that meets all these needs, looking at fixture counts, code requirements, accessibility and selecting suitable partitions that meet these and sustainability requirements.

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.

Good restroom design includes regard for user experience, environmental impact, and cost over time. Hand drying fixtures are a necessary element of this design process. In this course, we will review how new hand drying technologies can address hygiene, dry time, sound level, and accessibility concerns of a restroom project. We will also discuss why it is vital to specify hand dryers with optimum energy and cost efficiencies.

 This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click to view details.

Sustainable restroom design can address the global concerns of water shortages and the impacts of the building sector on our environment. This program identifies the newest technologies in high-efficiency restroom fixtures including how to choose water-saving products and the practical, economic, and environmental benefits of high-speed, energy-efficient hand dryers versus paper towels. Also included is an in-depth analysis of how these products earn points toward LEED® v4 credits and other green building standards to comply with new, best practices in green building.

Advances in technology are no longer confined to communications or transportation; they have spilled over into our homes, in appliances, fixtures, and water delivery. Today's water delivery innovations improve functionality, and are changing the way people interact with their faucets. This course addresses the types of water delivery solutions in the kitchen and bathroom, and outlines three design considerations for selecting a water delivery option.

Wood is both beautiful and practical but lacks long term durability when used outdoors. Modified woods change the material properties of the wood at the molecular level to improve its weathering capabilities. This course discusses one type of modification; acetylation. We discuss the process, its impact on wood performance, the life cycle impact of acetylated wood and how and where this type of wood can be used.

 This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click to view details.

There is an almost limitless variety of forms an aluminum extrusion can take, and design flexibility allows a great deal of functionality to be designed into extruded components. This course discusses the characteristics, technical information, and benefits of aluminum extrusions used as a building material, with a focus on whole building design, sustainability, and application possibilities.

 This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click to view details.

Provides an overview of the key reasons to apply a primer to every surface before painting a topcoat. Surface preparation, typical primer applications, stain-blocking and functionally specific primers are discussed.

For those who desire the look and feel of granite, but are concerned about its drawbacks, engineered quartz may be the solution. Harder and stronger than granite, engineered quartz offers a design aesthetic that is different from other surfacing materials. This course provides an overview of the characteristics, features, and benefits of engineered quartz surfaces, as well as a discussion on the related green certification programs.

Provides an overview of antimicrobial additives that help protect products from degradation caused by microbes, with discussions on types of microorganisms and the array of products that can benefit from antimicrobials.

 This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click to view details.

Architectural resin panels are engineered to suit the demands of a wide array of interior and exterior applications and offer almost unlimited combinations of color, pattern, and design. This course presents the features and options that allow resin panels to meet design requirements for both function and beauty, and discusses how resin panels may play a role in projects seeking LEED®, Living Building Challenge®, or WELL Building Standard® certification.

 This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click to view details.

Artisanal handcrafted fixtures and furnishings are not only unique, functional, and aesthetically appealing, they can establish a sense of connection with the maker. Many artisanal handcrafted products are made using traditional techniques that have been passed down over time, often from generation to generation. This course illustrates the value of bridging cultures, combing artisan heritage with innovative design, and investing in the craftsmanship of kitchen and bath furniture made by hand with sustainable and reclaimed materials.

 This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click to view details.

The cleanliness of a hotel guestroom bathroom directly impacts a hotel’s profitability, by its influence on customer satisfaction and hotel image. Designers should not only consider aesthetics but also the selection of finishes and fixtures that allow for faster, more cost effective sanitation. This course examines the role of clean hotel bathrooms in hotel profitability, customer satisfaction, and public health. Potential modes and threats of infection are discussed and strategies suggested for selecting fixtures that improve sanitation and minimize labor.

 This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click to view details.

Animals, plants, and microbes are engineers of what works and lasts on earth. Biomimicry is a practice in which nature's designs, patterns, and strategies are examined to find sustainable solutions to our technical and design problems. This course discusses how applying the concepts of biomimicry can better connect our designs and buildings with nature and examines the relationship between nature's solutions to light, heat, and glare control and today's shading design principles.

 This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click to view details.

The recent shift towards protecting the environment has also brought about a better understanding of our innate need to reconnect with our natural surroundings. This is known as biophilia. In this course, we will examine the elements of biophilic design and how to implement biophilic design strategies, known to improve physical and mental well-being of occupants. The use of resilient flooring in commercial applications offers an opportunity to implement biophilic design.

 This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click to view details.

It is well known that color in the built environment has an impact on the perception of space and our behavior in a space. Designers must understand color to create an ambiance or style and to influence spatial use and perception. In this course we will look at how color is perceived and processed, its emotional impact, how it interacts with light and finally, provide tips for implementing color in the built environment.