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 here to view the details...

There are many steps required to ensure a well thought out and complete construction project. This course examines procedures for inspection of permeable interlocking concrete pavement or PICP. It addresses preconstruction meeting details, requirements for submittals, and site inspection points from project start to completion. Various testing methods and inspection criteria are presented as well, and the importance of having an ICPI-trained contractor on the job site is discussed.

PICP plays a vital role in the urban restoration of natural hydrologic processes as it traps stormwater where it falls and slowly releases it into the ground. PICP is considered a best management practice by the Environmental Protection Agency and complies with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System regulations. But in order to be effective, PICP must be properly and regularly maintained. This course addresses inspections, test methods, equipment, repairs and reinstatement to ensure PICP continues to contribute to green infrastructure goals.

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

Single-skin metal siding can be used for a wide range of projects, from commercial buildings to educational, healthcare, residential, agricultural, and even high-end architectural designs. These siding panels can also contribute to green designs and certification programs. This course explores the different types of single-skin metal siding, specification details, and performance and design considerations.

Typically specified for pavements because of its strength, durability, and life-cycle value, concrete is increasingly being specified for a variety of exterior and interior projects because of its aesthetic potential. This course explores colored concrete including coloring methods, pigments, color consistency, and maintenance. It examines the specification considerations of cast-in-place and precast concrete and looks at a range of interior applications and concrete finishes.

Safety and security window films offer protection from a variety of events, from accidents and natural disasters, to break and entry and bomb blasts. This course examines safety and security window film and attachment systems, and includes discussions on the history of films and film classifications, the functional benefits and applications of window films and attachment systems, as well as relevant testing standards and specifications.

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

Originally developed to reduce solar heat gain from entering through a pane of glass, window films in today’s market provide UV protection, reduce glare, reduce fading, increase occupant comfort, offer safety and security, and yield energy savings. This course evaluates the performance of different types of solar control window films and offers daylighting strategies for commercial, retail, and residential building and architectural applications.

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

Considering that 90–95% of our time is spent indoors and that 28% of the energy demand in commercial buildings comes from lighting, proper daylighting strategies are more essential than ever. This course describes how to best harness the benefits of natural light without causing occupant discomfort, discusses how to calculate daylighting accurately, and presents case studies on the performance of daylight redirecting films.

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

Sometimes a design finish cannot be achieved within a certain budget or time frame. While not intended to be a substitute for real materials in every situation, architectural finishes mimic the aesthetics of natural and other materials. This course discusses the uses, manufacturing process, performance characteristics, selection considerations and proper installation techniques of architectural finishes.

Professional sports stadiums form large complexes with enormous impacts on the environment and local communities. Owners, architects, and operations managers can use this influence to generate a net positive effect on people, the natural environment, and the bottom line. In this video, the executives and consultants involved in the design and daily operation of Gillette Stadium and Mercedes-Benz Stadium discuss the challenges and opportunities of sustainable stadium design. Topics discussed include district energy generation, gray water treatment, evaluation and implementation of new technologies, partnering with local utilities, cost recovery, profitability, and community health.

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

Various control strategies are used to prevent rain from penetrating a building envelope and entering a building assembly. This course compares exterior wall metal cladding systems and takes an in-depth look at the design options, testing, specifications, environmental implications, and the detailing of single-skin metal panel systems as used in a pressure-equalized rainscreen (PER) application.

Electric heating systems have been in use for over a century, and in that period, they have significantly advanced in terms of their efficiency, cost effectiveness, safety, versatility, and appearance. Recently, electricity production itself has become more and more environmentally friendly and economically viable. This course explores how the wide range of contemporary electric heating options can efficiently and economically address virtually every heating need in every building type and thus capitalize on the steadily increasing benefits of electricity to create the most environmentally responsible and economically viable heating solutions.

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

The modern aesthetic of metal facades is in high demand for applications ranging from education, healthcare, and office to residential and multistory mixed use. Recent high-profile fires have reinforced the importance of choosing the right metal cladding system that meets thermal performance requirements while not compromising life safety. This course compares various core materials and focuses on what the code requires for metal cladding in terms of fire performance testing and results and includes case studies from fire events around the globe.

Interlocking concrete pavers (ICP) have the ability to spread applied loads via the interlock between each unit. This means that the surface does not respond structurally as single pavers but as a composite paved surface. This structural characteristic of ICP allows the design method for these pavements to be based on flexible pavement design. In this course, we examine the ASCE and ICPI structural design methods for ICP and review examples using different soil strengths/stiffnesses and traffic uses. Finally, we survey the design and construction support material and software available from the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute.

An efficient recycling program provides a range of benefits including the potential to save on monthly waste disposal fees. However, recycling programs can vary greatly; therefore, it is very important to analyze your clients’ requirements ahead of time to achieve the best results. This program reviews the purpose of recycling, steps on setting priorities and analyzing needs when setting up a recycling program, considerations for servicing workstations and public spaces, guidance on how to select the right containers, and other tips for improving sustainability efforts.

Prerequisites: No

Course Level: Basic

Resiliency is a growing necessity. It is important to understand the impacts on the built environment resulting from natural and manmade disasters and disturbances and to design for those impacts now. Presented in this course is an overview of the benefits of using steel doors as part of a resilient design strategy for applications requiring resistance to blasts, tornadoes, and ballistics.

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

Unwanted sound can become more than a mere annoyance. Excess noise has been found to increase stress and distraction, reduce learning and productivity, and even lead to hypertension and permanent hearing loss. This course presents an overview of how sound is described and measured and describes the many industrial and architectural products available to control noise in virtually any environment.

In this course, you will learn about strategies for supplying lab vacuum in STEM facilities. Relative strengths and weaknesses are considered. Emphasis is placed on the specification, design, and installation of local vacuum networks. Brief case studies are used to demonstrate the suitability of local vacuum networks for a wide range of project types—renovation and new construction; teaching labs and research labs; and single labs to entire lab buildings.

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

The facade is one of the most significant contributors to the energy consumption and comfort parameters of any building. This course explores high-performance building envelopes and the use of advanced insulated metal panel systems featuring integrated daylighting and ventilation components that combine to provide weathertightness and maximum thermal performance.

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

In recent years, the construction industry has adopted standards and practices to use more insulation in buildings. This has been driven by both government and private initiatives to improve building energy efficiency. High-performance insulation is crucial for the achievement of these objectives! This course discusses the physical and performance properties of polyisocyanurate (polyiso) foam board insulation—a commercially-established, cost effective technology that is very useful for the construction of more energy efficient buildings.

Problems associated with moisture in construction are common and wide-ranging—from mold and rot, to corrosion and degradation, to leakage and staining—and affect not just the durability, appearance, and functioning of the building, but also the health of the building’s occupants. This course addresses the materials and techniques that help to manage moisture in exterior walls and includes examples of common mistakes that lead to failures.

The popularity of bamboo products has soared due to their desirable aesthetic and unique, eco–friendly attributes. This course covers the history, uses, characteristics, and specification considerations of bamboo, including a discussion of the health advantages and green benefits of designing with bamboo products.

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

Recent changes in commercial wall assembly design have resulted in increased energy efficiency but also present new challenges to meeting building code fire safety provisions. The focus of this course is on air barrier membranes and the proper integration of these materials into fire-safe wall assemblies.

Prerequisites: No

Course Level: Introductory

The variety of paint products offered can be overwhelming. And with each variety of paint offering different properties that affect the outcome of a project, understanding what is in a can of paint is key to success. Reviewed in this course are the types of architectural paint, the components of paint, and proper surface preparation, as well as the causes of and solutions to common paint problems ranging from simple to complex.

Interlocking concrete pavements are appropriate for any application that requires paving, and durable, creative interlock begins with clear and technically accurate specifications. This presentation moves through every section of ICPI Tech Spec 9: Guide Specification for the Construction of Interlocking Concrete Pavement to show how quality assurance is achieved through specifications.