Commercial rolling service doors offer high performance solutions for demanding areas. Used both internally and externally, these doors provide excellent thermal insulation, strength, and durability in challenging environments. This course examines the characteristics of rolling service doors, fire doors, grilles, and shutters. Door operation, parts, fire code requirements, and wind load information are also discussed.

Moss is the oldest plant on earth. A living, self-contained moss wall comprises 100% live moss plants that have an innate ability to cleanse the air while enhancing the visual aspects of an interior environment. This course discusses the impact living plant walls can have on the interior environment, explores the attributes of moss plants, and explains how live moss walls may be used to incorporate biophilia into interior spaces.

Prerequisites: No

Course Level: Introductory

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

The spread of smoke in mid- and high-rise building fires is recognized as a major threat to the safety of the building occupants and responding fire personnel and the effectiveness of firefighting operations. This course explains how smoke migrates in a multistory building fire and discusses how building codes have evolved to address this danger and why they mandate smoke containment in specific areas of a structure. Product applications and assemblies designed to meet building code requirements and limit vertical smoke migration via elevator hoistways and lobbies are examined.

Prerequisites: No

Course Level: Introductory

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

Specifying door products that are durable enough to withstand the rigorous demands of high-traffic applications in the healthcare and hospitality industries is crucial to the long-term success of each installation. This course reviews traditional doorway materials and doorway protection options, and provides design solutions that utilize engineered polyethylene terephthalate (PETG) components that extend the life of the door assembly and minimize health and safety issues for the building occupants.

Prerequisites: No

Course Level: Introductory

Thermally controlled environments such as cold storage freezers and coolers, and food processing and packaging facilities take many different forms. Their performance and functionality depend on their project-specific requirements and can be affected by the conditions the materials and systems are subjected to. This course discusses how insulated metal panels (IMPs) perform the necessary functions to provide an effective energy-efficient building envelope and why they are suitable for use within temperature-controlled hygienic environments—where performance is critical.

Operable wall systems integrate the indoors and outdoors and define interior spaces, providing flexibility and additional usable area without increasing a building’s footprint. Occupants benefit from expansive daylighting and views as well as quick access to fresh air. This course describes the types of operable wall systems, how they contribute to sustainable design, and the various options and considerations for selecting the correct system.

Prerequisites: No

Course Level: Introductory

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

Understanding how insulated metal panels comply with fire safety regulations under the code is critical to their proper use in creating highly energy-efficient and sustainable buildings. This course takes a relatively complex subject and addresses the most important fire safety aspects to allow building designers to make an informed decision on the use of these popular cladding systems. Also reviewed are how these products have been addressed in the development of the International Building Code and the various third-party product listings, evaluation reports, and engineering judgements used to show compliance.

Prerequisites: No

Course Level: Introductory

When the asphalt fumes, open flame, and kettles that accompany hot-applied roofing are not permissible, cold-applied roofing is an option. There are a variety of types of cold-applied roofing that offer easy portability of materials to the roof, smaller roofing crews, ease of application, and a low-VOC option. In this course, we focus on the adhesive application of modified bitumen membranes using bituminous cold-process adhesives, the adhesive types, their components and characteristics, application methods, and design and use considerations.

Millennials, sometimes known as Gen Y, account for nearly 75 million people in the US, ranging from 18 to 34 years of age. They are creative and technologically savvy and can be described as a “green” generation, concerned about the environment and sustainability. The purpose of this course is to better understand the millennial demographic and their ever-increasing impact on the growing multifamily market.

Prerequisites: No

Course Level: Introductory

The importance of handwashing in regard to personal health is well understood, and most people feel they know how to do it properly. However, the places where and methods by which hands are washed are not always as healthy and safe as they should or appear to be. This course outlines the proper handwashing techniques, especially for healthcare and food preparation contexts; explains how germs, viruses, and bacteria are spread and where sanitation problems with sinks may reside; and describes how to select and specify the most appropriate washup, infection prevention, and scrub sinks, countertops, and fitments.

Prerequisites: No

Course Level: Introductory

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

Without light, an object, or a viewer, we do not have color. In fact, the way we perceive and view color is impacted by light, both natural and artificial. This course delves into the properties of color and light. The program includes discussions on types of lighting, metamerism, color rendering index (CRI), and light reflectance value (LRV) and how they affect design choices.

The inherent properties of concrete masonry, including strength, durability, and fire safety, have been well documented, though a perception of high cost persists. However, due to significant changes to codes and standards that have increased the flexibility of concrete masonry systems, these systems offer cost-effective solutions. This course reviews changes to ASTM C90 and the masonry design standard and includes a discussion on the benefits and opportunities these new requirements bring.

Prerequisites: No

Course Level: Basic

ACM/MCM cladding meets design criteria not physically or economically possible with other building façade materials. This course describes the continuous manufacturing process that results in extremely flat and strong panels and reviews fabrication, installation, and attachment techniques. Fire performance testing and ACM/MCM’s sustainability benefits are reviewed, and a wide array of coating and finishing options are presented.

Prerequisites: No

Course Level: Introductory

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 and its manufacturing process, testing standards, and performance characteristics. The course discusses the environmental impacts of vinyl flooring throughout its life span and its contributions to meeting green building codes and standards.

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

Beneficial acoustic environments are especially important in healthcare facilities as inappropriate acoustics can be damaging to patients and stressful and tiring to staff. Because a beneficial acoustic environment plays an important role in supporting health, safety, and well-being for all occupants, acoustic issues are now a key component of healthcare design guidelines. This course explores the impacts of acoustics on healthcare, outlines the relevant acoustic standards and guidelines, and describes the methods by which designers can address the issues and improve healthcare facility conditions for patients, families, and healthcare workers.

Prerequisites: No

Course Level: Introductory

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

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.

Prerequisites: None

Course Level: Introductory

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

Today’s consumers demand much of plumbing products, expecting them to be durable, environmentally friendly, safe, ADA compliant, and easy to install, clean, maintain, and use. This course reviews the options and features of an array of restroom plumbing products and drains, examining how they not only meet functional and performance requirements but also how they add style and character to a design.

Vacuum insulation panels (VIPs) offer higher thermal resistance per unit thickness than traditional insulation materials. This means a building envelope can meet the effective R-values for enclosures required by the energy codes without having to increase the thickness of the walls, roof, or floors. This course discusses how VIPs work, why they are effective, and the impact the properties of the materials used to construct a VIP can have on its performance. VIP installations and the latest developments in VIP technology are reviewed to illustrate the advantages of using VIPs as thermal insulation in the design of energy-efficient buildings.

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.

Prerequisites: No

Course Level: Introductory

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

Siding adds to the attractiveness of a residence while protecting the home from damage by the elements. Options for siding and trim encompass a variety of materials, including engineered wood, natural wood, fiber cement, and vinyl. This course reviews the features, performance characteristics, styles, and installation considerations of engineered wood siding and trim products.

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

It is an expectation that today’s buildings have to be more than just aesthetically pleasing: they have to provide measurable environmental benefits. This course outlines how insulated concrete forms (ICFs) help meet sustainable design objectives and examines the advantages that ICFs and ICF technology have over conventional construction materials for building envelopes in all building types.

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

Moisture infiltration through a building envelope can cause widespread damage to building elements and construction materials. In some cases, it can threaten or destroy a building’s structural integrity. The components of today’s waterproofing systems for above- and below-grade floors and walls or plaza decks are designed to work together to provide tight, durable, and complete protection against not just water but also all other environmental contaminants. This course discusses the fundamentals of waterproofing design, the types of materials used, and the considerations for selecting a waterproofing system to meet the requirements of a building project.

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 here to view the details...

Properly designed ventilation is a key component of a heathy roof environment and exterior building envelope. A balanced intake and exhaust system will ensure the attic space is not retaining excess moisture that could result in damage to the roof decking material, excess mold and mildew growth, ice dams causing shingle damage, algae growth, and water or mold stains on the interior ceiling and walls. Additionally, proper ventilation in the exterior building envelope can help prevent premature deterioration of the siding and roof covering materials. This course explains the fundamentals of attic and envelope ventilation and highlights the importance of a balanced system, identifies the many venting options available, and discusses various ventilation case studies.

Bamboo, with its superior strength, light weight, ease of use, and ability to be regrown quickly, has been utilized as a construction material in its natural state for many centuries. More recently, it has been combined with other elements to create improved materials such as bamboo fiber composite decking and fencing. This course, illustrated with harsh climate installations from around the world, explains this advancement, the products now available, and how to certify, specify, install, and maintain them.

Prerequisites: No

Course Level: Introductory