Sustainable Design Courses

Click here for information on the AEC Daily Sustainability Rating System.

Displaying 101 - 125 of 402 results.

FIRST PREV [51-75] [76-100] [101-125] [126-150] [151-175] NEXT LAST

  • ( ~ 1 hour, 15 minutes ) 

    Today’s buildings are evolving from independently functioning structures to intelligent buildings that interact with occupants and surrounding buildings. This trend has impacted the design, operation, and maintenance of data centers around the globe due to the increased demand for data and digital communication and has resulted in more high-performance data centers. This presentation addresses the specific needs of data centers and presents high-performance design solutions that support sustainable design.

  • ( ~ 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.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Daylight is an essential part of our health and well-being, but it needs management. Shading strives to maximize daylight without compromising building occupant comfort and well-being. This course explores the role daylight has within the built environment and its impact on occupants and energy usage, with a focus on how to better specify shadecloth based on factors such as project type, solar optical properties, shadecloth composition, and environmental factors.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    While providing fresh air intake and exhaust, reducing noise, and keeping out unwanted water and debris, louvers can also provide architectural style to a building design. This course discusses the aesthetics, performance, and weather resistance features of a variety of louver designs from the basic to the extreme. A discussion about the industry standards and test protocols for louver performance is included.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Cellulose insulation has been used successfully by builders and designers for hundreds of years to provide comfort and warmth. Today, builders and designers also consider sustainability principles, climate change, occupant health and wellness issues, energy conservation, and carbon sequestration. Advanced cellulose insulation addresses all those areas as well. This course explains its environmental benefits, including its carbon capture ability, how it improves occupant health and well-being, and its numerous high-performance thermal, acoustic, and fire-resistant attributes.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Water is one of our most valuable resources, yet many states suffer water shortages due to preventable problems such as overuse and leakages. This course discusses the increased need for water conservation and examines the requirements in CALGreen and the LEED® v4.1, Green Globes®, and BREEAM In-Use green building rating systems. The EPA’s WaterSense® initiative is also discussed, along with case studies explaining the benefits of concealed toilet systems and their contribution to water conservation. This course is one of two identical courses titled Water Conservation: Initiatives and Standards . You will receive credit for taking only one of these courses.

  • ( ~ 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

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Ventilation grilles influence HVAC system performance but can pose aesthetic challenges for designers. Custom grilles made with modern fabrication techniques employ a variety of materials and finishes to create solutions that enhance and fully integrate with architectural interiors. This course discusses the basic mechanics of effective air distribution in buildings, performance characteristics of grilles, grille types, and custom design options.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    The strength, versatility, local availability, and ease of use of concrete help make it the most consumed manufactured substance in the world. Concrete also offers sustainability and resilience benefits: a long lifespan, low maintenance needs, durability against natural disasters, high-albedo surfaces, smoother and stiffer pavement, carbon sequestration capabilities, and increased building energy efficiency. This course describes some of the new technologies that continue to evolve to produce concrete with the same performance and benefits as traditional concrete but with a lower carbon footprint. Also discussed is how to specify low-carbon concrete using EPDs, a carbon budget, and performance-based specifications and how it can contribute to the Building Design and Construction rating systems of LEED® v4.1 and the upcoming LEED v5.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Green facades can contribute to building energy efficiency, durability, aesthetic value, sustainability, and cost effectiveness in the performance of ecological system services. This course examines the considerations required for successful green facade installations and includes discussions on system selection, design, plant selection, maintenance, and client/owner education.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    This course delves into the increasing and expanding role of outdoor living and its importance in households, businesses, and communities. Reviewed are the styles and specification considerations of aluminum shading products. The focus is pergolas and cabanas made with dual-walled aluminum louvers that seal completely to block rain and snow and complement any architectural style.

  • ( ~ 2 hours, 30 minutes ) 

    The magnitude and negative impacts of solid waste have become increasingly apparent, especially in regard to plastics and their presence in the oceans. As a result, there have been many approaches to rethinking what constitutes waste and how it can be avoided or used/managed in a more sustainable manner. This course explores these emerging approaches to waste management planning and illustrates them with current examples of solid waste management plans and initiatives from various countries around the globe. In the first part of this course, we’ll dig into the impact of our growing waste problem and some methods for rethinking this waste. In the second, we’ll provide guidance for the design of a sustainable community waste management plan.

  • ( ~ 1 hour, 15 minutes ) 

    Energy codes at the federal, state, and local levels increasingly focus on reducing energy consumption, saving consumers money, and reducing CO2 emissions. Whether new or recently updated, energy codes play an essential role in the buildings we design, build, and ultimately live, work, and play in. This course examines the lighting requirements and provisions of ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2019 and the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code ® , with a focus on plug and lighting control strategies for energy efficiency.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    In today’s building designs, considering the environmental impact of construction projects is of utmost importance. As a result, factors such as durability, installation speed, cost reduction, and long-term value have become crucial aspects of building designs. This course addresses these concerns in the context of nonresidential building renovations, focusing specifically on using state-of-the-art acoustical ceiling coatings as an alternative to removal and replacement with new materials. The course also examines how acoustical ceiling coatings may apply to several credits and features in the LEED® v4.1 Building Design and Construction rating system and the WELL Building Standard™ version 2.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    High-performance, fully composite insulated wall panels deliver all the benefits of factory precasting with load-bearing and energy efficiency performance from the lightest, thinnest panels possible. This course describes the makeup and cost efficiencies of composite precast panels, their benefits when made with carbon fiber grid shear trusses, and considerations for selecting among the insulation options. The majority of the course focuses on case studies of successful precast enclosure projects in a wide variety of building types across a range of markets.

  • ( ~ 1 hour, 30 minutes ) 

    The principles, tools, and techniques for sustainable community planning (SCP) outlined in Part 1 of this course have evolved into various approaches to the actual implementation of SCP around the world. These approaches have been developed in response to local context and in communities ranging in size and form from large cities to small ecovillages and housing clusters. Part 2 of this course describes a number of these approaches for both land and water and also suggests a means of integrating them into a single, comprehensive planning model. The course concludes with case studies of a range of built sustainable community examples and planning exercises and includes some of the lessons learned.

  • ( ~ 1 hour, 15 minutes ) 

    The trend toward more sustainable, healthy, and energy-conserving enclosures has brought building science and moisture management to the forefront of daily conversation for professionals in the construction industry. In this course, we delve into the science behind current practices and explore the role of building envelopes, optimal wall assemblies, and enclosures in vapor, water, air, and thermal control.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    The popularity of thin gauged porcelain tile has soared because of its large slab size, beauty, durability, sustainability, and versatility. These tiles are suitable for many environments, especially hospitality, institutional, and office applications. This course explores their many uses, their economic and environmental benefits, and proper installation techniques.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Terrazzo is versatile and durable, comes in a range of colors, and has multiple applications. It can be used in interiors and exteriors and, depending on the manufacturing process, can be customized to fit complex geometries. In this course, we discuss different applications of precast, cementitious, and epoxy terrazzo and the installation requirements, as well as the ability to customize these products to fit different design requirements.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Kitchen and bathroom sinks serve as both functional necessities and design focal points, seamlessly integrating into a variety of architectural styles and design visions. Participants will explore sink materials and design considerations to enhance safety, sustainability, accessibility, and user experience. The course provides an overview of commercial and residential applications and trends and strategies for incorporating sinks into building design.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Noise pollution is excessive environmental noise that disrupts the activity or balance of human life. As urban environments have become increasingly dense, the noise problem has magnified, negatively impacting mental and physical health. Sound is everywhere, but it can be controlled with architectural solutions. This course provides a refresher on the basic science of acoustics and how sound interacts with our surroundings. From there, the course explores various architectural solutions, the technology behind them, and how they are successfully integrated into buildings to reduce noise. Discussion of installation applications addresses sound control options for retrofits and new construction.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    As more companies invest in solar to generate clean power for their operations, meet environmental goals, or save money on electrical bills, architects and building owners may need to be prepared to accommodate rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems in both existing and new buildings. This course provides an introduction to rooftop PV systems, including a discussion of modules, components, and attachments, and best practices for a durable roof and PV system.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    This course explores some of the tools at the core of sustainable facility management and how they can enhance indoor environmental quality, reduce environmental impact, and improve occupant well-being. It reviews how operational strategies can support organizational performance and talent attraction and retention in a changing workplace landscape. The course examines emerging trends, new tools and practices, and shifts in certification frameworks such as the LEED® v5 Operations and Maintenance and Building Design and Construction rating systems and the WELL Building Standard™ version 2 that reflect the growing demand for measurable performance and decarbonization efforts.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Natural stone pathways offer functional, sustainable solutions that maximize user enjoyment of outdoor spaces without compromising aesthetics. This course reviews pathway material options in terms of durability, appearance, and financial and environmental costs and benefits. The focus is on three natural stone pathway mixes, designed to meet the permeability, erosion resistance, accessibility, traffic level, and installation and maintenance requirements of any project. Also reviewed are how these materials may contribute toward credits in the LEED® v5 Building Design and Construction and Sustainable SITES Initiative® (SITES®) v2 rating systems.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Today’s sectional overhead doors are more sophisticated than ever. Options include high-strength glazing for security and insulated steel sections for increased energy efficiency and durability. Code requirements for safety in high wind-load areas, impact resistance to hurricanes, and reductions in air transmission have led to improvements in door technology and hardware. This course examines a range of safety and security options for architects to consider when designing and specifying sectional overhead doors.

Displaying 101 - 125 of 402 results.

FIRST PREV [51-75] [76-100] [101-125] [126-150] [151-175] NEXT LAST