Sustainable Design Courses

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Displaying 376 - 400 of 463 results.

FIRST PREV [326-350] [351-375] [376-400] [401-425] [426-450] NEXT LAST

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    When building professionals gather, as they often do these days, to confer under the banner of ESG, the E tends to get the lion's share of the airtime. After all, there is a direct and readily understandable connection between buildings and environmental sustainability, and many of us have devoted significant time and effort to educating ourselves in best practices around this important facet of professional practice. But what about the S? How do those of us engaged in the business of the built environment drive bona fide social impact through the work we do? In fact, there are numerous paths available, and arguably, real social equity is reliant on a foundation of safe and stable housing as much as any other factor. During this webinar, we will explore needs and solutions in the realm of housing affordability and access while specifically touching on both our existing housing stock and impact-focused strategies for bringing new housing online.

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  • ( ~ 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.

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  • ( ~ 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.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    The surface coating is the first line of defense in prepainted metal, and one of the most important elements to consider as part of a metal purchase. Selecting the right coating, finish, and paint system can affect product lifespan, energy efficiency, and aesthetic appeal. This course discusses the composition of prepainted metal, its application and performance, and examines the building and environmental factors that may influence the type of paint system specified.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Terracotta rainscreen cladding systems enhance building envelope performance through improved moisture management, reflected in the WELL Building Standard™ version 2, as well as through energy efficiency, structural integrity, and durability. The course examines the manufacturing of terracotta cladding, highlighting responsible clay sourcing and postextraction site reclamation, and discusses performance, aesthetics, and sustainability benefits, including how terracotta cladding can contribute to meeting the requirements of LEED® v5 Building Design and Construction (BD+C): New Construction. Additional topics include system color, layout, and wall assembly options, best installation practices, and industry standards and tests.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Lighting controls allow homeowners to adjust lamps and light fixtures from anywhere in the home without special wiring or expensive master controllers. Lighting controls can be integrated into a home for single-room, multiroom, whole-house, or automated systems. This course discusses the role of lighting in design and occupant comfort and then outlines how lighting controls can benefit occupant behavior, health, and productivity and the appeal and performance of the home, especially regarding energy efficiency.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour, 15 minutes ) 

    This course is designed to educate and raise awareness among landscapers and architects to assist them in making correct turfgrass selections for their projects. The focus is on warm-season sod turfgrasses suited for the southern and midsection tiers of the United States. The selection criteria and best practices for sodding and maintaining turfgrass are reviewed, along with an introduction to proprietary cultivars designed to offer improved aesthetics, greater tolerances, and fewer inputs.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    With office vacancies rising amid changes in technology and the growth of working from home during the COVID pandemic, the practice of converting office buildings into residential spaces such as apartments, condominiums, and hotels has been embraced by communities and all levels of government as a solution to the housing crisis. This course examines the factors behind these conversions, with emphasis on the use of in-wall toilet systems as a solution to design, economic, and sustainability concerns.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    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.

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  • ( ~ 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

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Exterior wall systems are the dividing line between the exterior and the interior and must address several fundamental performance goals of the building envelope. This course reviews traditional rainscreen design and examines why, with its single-component construction, an insulated composite backup wall system is a vast improvement over traditional multicomponent building technology.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    With the advent of “cool” single-ply roofs featuring heat-reflective exterior surfaces and the use of mechanical attachment, new questions have emerged concerning the internal forces at play within the roofing system, especially in regard to vapor movement and the potential for moisture condensation within the roof. This course reviews the fundamentals of vapor movement in roofing systems, current roof condensation research and the tools available to assess roof condensation. It also provides the building design professional with strategies to deal effectively with moisture movement within the roofing system.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    One of the more complicated issues today in building science is addressing moisture movement, since moisture can penetrate a building in several different ways and result in material degradation, air quality issues, and failure of the building enclosure. This course examines the ways moisture can enter a structure and discusses the role of different moisture control layers that, when correctly placed and installed, can prevent unwanted moisture infiltration.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    With the increasing prominence of glass in new buildings and retrofits, the use of window film can raise the style, performance, and safety of today’s building projects. This course examines the use of various types of window film (decorative, solar control, and safety/security) and their role in improving occupant comfort and safety, lowering energy costs, and enhancing privacy.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Waterproof, fireproof, nonporous, and eco-friendly natural slate has great value as a building material, particularly given its ability to protect structures for generations. This course reviews the characteristics and properties of slate, presents some of the many design options, and provides guidance on sourcing and specification. The sustainability benefits of roofing slate are also discussed, from its extraction and low-impact processing to its strength and enduring properties in all weather conditions.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Throughout history, concrete mixes and carved natural stone have combined to create substance, beauty, and longevity in our architecture. Glass fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC) was created to ensure that the attributes of concrete and stone continue to be enjoyed but with efficiency in the application that is expected in today's world of design. This course covers the creation of GFRC, its components, fabrication, applications, and design capabilities. It compares GFRC to other types of architectural concrete and presents GFRC performance and sustainable design advantages.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Today—as climate change, population growth, and record droughts present an unprecedented strain on our water supply—conservation technology is building awareness to the importance of having the most water efficient fixtures in a home or business. This course recognizes the flush toilet as one of the biggest users of water and discusses how toilet design is pushing flush technology to develop ways for homes and commercial buildings to conserve water without sacrificing the performance of the toilet. Industry testing protocols and the water-saving capabilities of different technologies are evaluated.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Meeting the ventilation requirements of ASHRAE 62.2 and maintaining an energy efficient home means balancing the need for fresh outdoor air and the energy needed to condition it. In this course we will examine the ventilation requirements in ASHRAE 62.2, discuss how they can be met, and look at some solutions for energy efficient ventilating.

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  • ( ~ 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.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour, 15 minutes ) 

    This course explores how airborne and structureborne noise affects building acoustics and impacts occupant focus, learning, healing, and overall well-being across offices, educational facilities, healthcare environments, and fitness spaces. Participants gain a foundational understanding of sound behavior, testing methods, and common misconceptions and learn how mass, resiliency, and decoupling are integrated into construction assemblies to achieve effective noise control and acoustic performance, in alignment with the LEED® v5 Building Design and Construction and Interior Design and Construction rating systems and the WELL Building Standard™ v2.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour, 15 minutes ) 

    Synthetic (artificial) grass or turf has improved steadily since its first installation half a century ago, and it is now a sophisticated surfacing system that can be customized to suit specific purposes. This course reviews that development and then focuses on the specifics of synthetic grass suitable for use on playgrounds. This focus includes a detailed examination of its construction, installation, and maintenance, and a number of sample installations.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    As concrete is a carbon-intensive building material, design and construction professionals are encouraged to make informed, low-carbon design decisions. This course explores the evolving path toward low-carbon concrete solutions. Discussions include mix design optimization and trade-offs, exposure class, benchmarks, environmental product declarations (EPDs), and potential contributions toward LEED® v5 Building Design and Construction credits. Structural design strategies, performance-based specifications, and project-level carbon budgets are presented as means to support project and sustainability goals and performance requirements.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    The look of wood adds warmth and aesthetic appeal to building designs that other materials, such as masonry, metals, and glass, cannot replicate. However, since natural wood may not be suitable for Class 1—3 commercial projects, innovative composite and synthetic materials have been developed to overcome the limitations of real wood. This course provides a comprehensive examination of eight wood-inspired design technologies that mimic the appearance of natural wood while meeting fire performance standards. The role of wood-plastic composite (WPC) hybrid products in fulfilling the requirements of the LEED® v5 Building Design and Construction (BD+C) rating system is also reviewed.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    The construction of residential and commercial buildings that use less energy to operate and are long lived is a key part of sustainable design. Insulated concrete forms (ICFs) provide the necessary U-factor, airtightness, resiliency, and durability for all building types. Insulated concrete forms in residential and commercial construction projects offer excellent thermal performance and reduced energy consumption and operating costs, while maintaining a very comfortable and healthy interior environment. This course examines the ICF wall, including materials and components, and discusses design considerations and construction.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    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® v4 BD+C, ID+C, and O+M; Living Building ChallengeSM v3.1; or WELL Building Standard® v1 certification.

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Displaying 376 - 400 of 463 results.

FIRST PREV [326-350] [351-375] [376-400] [401-425] [426-450] NEXT LAST