This course follows the growth of the IP through four stories of projects whose objectives were met or exceeded though the use of the IP. The projects range in age from 1993 to the present and in scope from a series of single-family homes and a freestanding rural structure to a multi-acre inner city mixed use redevelopment. The course will highlight the IP components employed while focusing on the more invisible benefits and the lessons learned from each of the IPs.

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

 In order to download this course, a USD $50.00 fee must be paid.

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.

Low Impact Development (LID) has several advantages over traditional stormwater management approaches. Since impervious pavement is the main source of stormwater runoff, LID strategies recommend permeable paving for hard surfaces. The course discusses LID, its goals and principles and how they are achieved. It provides an overview of permeable pavements, and more particularly, plastic permeable grid paver systems and how they support LID goals.

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

In this one-hour presentation, we explore how HVLS fans can contribute to LEED v4, increase thermal comfort, and provide a silent and elegant design strategy. We discuss how to save energy and improve indoor air quality for building occupants. Our team will explain how HVLS fans provide a creative design solution that effectively moves large amounts of air within occupied spaces to cool building occupants, maintain thermal comfort, and support ventilation strategies. Finally, we will review computational fluid dynamics to measure airflow performance and impact to a space and how this can contribute to LEED v4 certification.

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

Modern hydronic radiator systems are an energy efficient, healthy, and hygienic solution for residential and commercial applications. This course will discuss the principles of radiant heating, panel radiators, and how to size panel radiators for residential applications.

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

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.

Pest control is vital to protecting our quality of life, food and water sources, and environment. How pest control is achieved is just as vital to the long-term safety and sustainability of our health, buildings, and natural resources. This course discusses how integrated pest management (IPM) suppresses pest populations in effective, economical, and environmentally safe ways, and details how to establish an IPM plan for a facility, including LEED® building projects.

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

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, look at some solutions for energy efficient ventilating.

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

The roofing system can have a dramatic effect on the building’s life cycle and energy costs, as well as its overall appearance. This course explores stone coated steel roofing systems, and includes discussions on the installation methods used, testing and standards, and comparative characteristics and sustainable attributes of stone coated steel roofing versus traditional roofing materials.

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

Wood is the only carbon-negative, sustainable building product there is. Using more wood and wood-based products for interior and exterior applications can help to lower carbon emissions and combat climate change. This course discusses the benefits of using wood, identifies what sustainable hardwood species are the most abundant and where some of the best managed, certified hardwood forests are located, and compares the physical and performance properties of European beech to eight other temperate hardwoods.

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

Manufacturing companies are seeing an increased demand for product transparency. This course discusses what sustainability and Design for Environment are, how transparency documents are created, how they contribute to green building certification, and how investing in sustainability can produce process and operational efficiencies that benefit people, planet, and business.

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

Automated-shading systems are designed to maximize natural daylight, increase building energy efficiency, and ensure occupants have a comfortable environment with views to the outside. This course will explain how an automated shading system predicts, monitors, and responds to the daily microclimate surrounding a building to effectively manage daylight, solar-heat gain, occupant comfort levels, and energy use demands.

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

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.

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

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.

Public spaces can benefit from the addition of a fireplace and the inviting ambiance it offers. With the advent of new and innovative technologies, along with the ease of installation and maintenance, electric fireplaces can offer a safe, sustainable option. This course provides an overview of electric fireplaces, including their advantages in public space applications in terms of energy efficiency, heat control, and public health and safety.

Timber curtain wall systems in commercial applications are a beautiful alternative to standard aluminum storefront systems, offering durable, low-maintenance, aluminum or wood-capped exteriors with the warmth and richness of wood interiors. This course describes the design benefits, components, options, and installation of timber curtain walls. Also discussed is how this resource-responsible system can help satisfy LEED® credit requirements, meet energy-efficiency expectations, and maximize outdoor views while creating indoor spaces that are uniquely modern and comfortable.

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

The beautiful gray patina of zinc architectural metal has graced the rooftops of buildings in Europe for hundreds of years. This course examines the sustainable characteristics of zinc as a roofing material, including its 100% recyclability, zero VOC requirement, and low embodied energy production process. The life cycle analysis of zinc is examined, as is zinc’s long-term service life. Various types of roof and wall applications are also discussed.

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

Recycled rubber flooring is an environmentally responsible material that outlasts many types of traditional commercial flooring products when exposed to normal foot traffic stress. Interior and exterior recycled rubber surfacing products are explored in terms of their sustainable design benefits and applications. The program includes discussions on rubber manufacturing, post-consumer tires, and green building certification programs.

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

Vinyl plays a major role in the design and construction of modern buildings, and it contributes to sustainability, wellness and resilience of people and their communities. This course demonstrates the importance of achieving client performance goals using thoughtful, multi-attribute material selection criteria.

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

Healthy urban trees contribute not only to our environment; they also contribute to our communities. As we create metropolitan landscapes, we need to address the health and well-being of tree. This is crucial to the legacy that we pass on to future generations. This course examines the factors that affect the health of urban tree environments, including the climatic conditions of the project site, tree planting techniques, and the use of architectural hardscape amenities.

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

The magnitude and negative impacts of solid waste have become increasingly apparent, especially in regards to plastics and their presence in the oceans. As a result, there have been many approaches to rethinking what constitutes waste and how waste can be avoided, used, and/or 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 (SWM) plans and initiatives from various countries around the globe.

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

Obesity rates in the U.S. have reached epic numbers and correlate to significant health and economic impacts. Outdoor obstacle courses in public green spaces can provide appealing, effective, and free training equipment to the community to help increase physical activity. Review the theories of obstacle course training and guidelines for their design and installation.

Insulating concrete form (ICF) products use a cost-effective and robust structural material option (reinforced concrete) to turn a building envelope into a high performing thermal, moisture, and air enclosure, with disaster resistance and built-in compliance with energy code requirements. As a result of their performance, building owners can complete a whole structure with ICFs and reinforced concrete, including intermediate suspended floors, roof tops, and multi-story designs. This course examines the advancements in ICF technology and discusses the potential contribution held by ICFs to support improved sustainability and resilience.

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

With the increasing prominence of glass in new buildings and retrofit projects, 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.

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

To fully assess the benefits of spray foam and its importance to today’s building industry requires taking a closer look at one of the main goals of architects and building engineers—to create sustainable structures which allows maximum design creativity. With an ability to contour into any space or shape and adhere to any surface, spray foam allows such creativity. This course examines the performance properties spray foam products and discusses advanced design concepts using spray foam

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