Sustainable Design Courses

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

Displaying 1 - 25 of 460 results.

FIRST [1-25] [26-50] [51-75] [76-100] [101-125] NEXT LAST

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    This course discusses the design, sizing, and management of grease and oil interceptors, emphasizing performance optimization and environmental sustainability. Learners will review interceptor types, sizing methodologies, and code-compliant design while exploring advanced technologies for efficient maintenance and system monitoring.

  • ( ~ 1 hour, 15 minutes ) 

    Contrast therapy, the controlled use of heat and cold, has supported health, recovery, and wellness practices for centuries. This course examines the science, design, and construction of modern contrast therapy environments, including saunas, steam rooms, and cold rooms. It explains how temperature control, material specification, and system design influence safety, hygiene, and performance. The course also addresses how prefabricated systems improve installation efficiency, durability, and indoor environmental quality.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    When incorporating fire into design, the challenge is to integrate fire elements in ways that are safe, sustainable, and inspiring. This entails leveraging modern technologies that effectively control emissions, prevent hazards, and safeguard air quality. This course covers the specification, design, and installation considerations for custom commercial gas fireplaces with patented cool-touch technology, ensuring they align with the intended design and functionality across various industries.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Fenestration openings are a critical component of a building envelope, especially in present-day sustainable, energy-efficient buildings. Building envelopes play an important role in controlling the movement of heat, bulk water, and water vapor. Designing fenestration openings for buildings that use continuous exterior insulation has a significant role in reducing thermal bridging and thus conserving energy. This course reviews the impact of exterior insulation on fenestration installation design. The course also explores solutions for a wide variety of wall system variations.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Fire safety and suppression are essential design features for building projects. This course explores how innovative water mist fire suppression systems can enhance occupant safety in homes while preserving aesthetics and minimizing water damage. Key design principles of electronically controlled water mist systems are examined, and their installation and maintenance are described. Also discussed is guidance for dealing with code officials when using these systems as an alternative to traditional fire sprinklers.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    The primary objective when designing accessible spaces is to ensure that everyone can access all services and offerings provided by the built environment. This course outlines important lessons to help prevent noncompliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). By understanding the ADA’s key principles and requirements, designers and architects can create inclusive environments that accommodate individuals with disabilities while mitigating legal risks.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Synthetic or artificial grass bears virtually no resemblance to its early version produced over fifty years ago. The current product is much more aesthetically pleasing, safer, softer, and durable, made with environmentally friendly materials, highly customizable to suit many indoor and outdoor uses, and recyclable and nonflammable. This course details the many sustainable attributes of this material; its benefits, construction, and certifications; and numerous sample installations.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    The growing global population is creating an increased demand for resources. As a result, there is a need to replace fossil-based, nonrenewable building materials with more bio-based materials, such as bamboo. This course describes the properties of bamboo that make it a more sustainable choice, including its fast growth and CO2 saving and storing potential. It also discusses how active bamboo reforestation and the use of durable bamboo products can lead to CO2 reduction across many industries.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Architectural railing systems offer safety, durability, strength, and design flexibility for a variety of indoor and outdoor applications. This course provides an overview of the important factors that need to be considered when selecting and specifying a railing system for a commercial or residential building project. Topics include materials and finishes, fabrication and installation, and relevant building codes and standards.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    This course explores insulating concrete forms (ICFs) as part of a sustainable construction system by covering their benefits, applications, and design considerations. The course delves into the structural properties, energy efficiency, and environmental impact of ICFs. Also presented are best practices for integrating ICFs into various architectural projects and a concise overview of installation steps.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Rubber has been recycled for over a century and has been utilized in recycled rubber flooring (RRF) for more than 70 years, demonstrating its proven durability, resilience, and design flexibility. This course examines RRF as a sustainable material solution and its role in enhancing the performance of the built environment. Additionally, the course explains the rubber recycling and RRF manufacturing processes, along with the best practices for specification and installation. Also included is an overview of how RRF can contribute to credit requirements in the LEED® v5 Building Design and Construction (BD+C) and Interior Design and Construction (ID+C) rating systems and the WELL™ Building Standard v2.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Insulated vinyl siding, known as insulated siding, is an exterior cladding that combines the protection and low maintenance of traditional vinyl siding with the energy efficiency of EPS foam. The composite results in an improvement in performance and aesthetics. This course discusses the benefits associated with installing insulated siding on new and renovation residential construction projects, and the range of architectural styles that can be achieved with the breadth of design and color options available.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Ceilings are typically one of the largest uninterrupted surfaces in an interior environment, yet they are often underutilized as a design opportunity. This course explores how decorative ceiling tiles can dramatically influence perception, acoustics, occupant comfort, and overall user experience while also supporting performance requirements such as durability and moisture resistance. Participants will examine how the use of contemporary decorative ceiling tiles and wall panels allows designers to move beyond the trade-off between aesthetics and functionality. By examining real-world applications and examples, the course reviews the use of decorative tiles that accommodate acoustical integration, custom printing capabilities, restoration and replication applications, and methods for creating visually impactful yet cost-effective environments across commercial, institutional, hospitality, retail, and public spaces.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    This course examines how inclusive outdoor environments and well-designed site furnishings can promote health, safety, and well-being for all individuals. While everyone can benefit from being outdoors, many people experience exclusion due to design barriers in public spaces. Learners will explore strategies and furniture specifications, including layout and materials, that support accessible and inclusive design and contribute to LEED® v5 Building Design and Construction (BD+C), WELL Building Standard™ v2, and SITES® v2 goals. Case studies highlight real-world applications in communities, school campuses, and public spaces. 

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Electric vehicles (EVs) are rapidly becoming ubiquitous. To serve them sufficiently, there must be a massive expansion of car charging options, and that infers that planners and designers must create those options and opportunities now. This course examines the current trends in, and predictions for, EV chargers, the various types and their attributes, where and how they might be installed for maximum effectiveness, and the programs and incentives that apply to both EVs and their charger requirements.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Exterior shading devices offer a number of advantages that contribute to a more sustainable building, including minimizing cooling costs, reducing peak electricity demand, and controlling glare. These benefits result in greater occupant comfort and improved productivity. This course provides a review of exterior aluminum shading device systems, including the components, finishes, and design and engineering considerations, as well as a discussion of how shading strategies contribute to LEED® certification.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Insulated metal panels (IMPs) are lightweight composite exterior wall and roof panels with superior insulating properties. Commercial and industrial buildings benefit from their energy efficient insulation, lightweight construction, durability, and cost-effective, timely installation. This course discusses IMPs in terms of their design options, appropriate support structure, installation, function, code compliance, and warranties.

  • ( ~ 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.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Quartz surfacing is a man-made material consisting of up to 93% natural quartz crystal. In this course, you will discover the other components behind the beauty, durability, and flexibility of this surfacing material. You will see the composition, production, and quality assurance processes that go into making the material and the resultant attributes and capabilities, as well as the installation basics of quartz surfacing materials.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    As we become more aware of the levels of toxins in our environment, we are realizing that the quality of air inside our homes is just as important as the quality of air outside our homes. This course outlines why indoor air quality is so important to our health and describes how to improve indoor air quality by using a balanced ventilation system.

  • ( ~ 1 hour, 15 minutes ) 

    By design, automatic pedestrian doors provide easier, more convenient access than manual doors for a wide variety of building types, and their popularity in commercial design continues to grow. Reviewed in this course are the available options of automatic door solutions, including sliding, swinging, ICC/CCU, and revolving door systems. Also discussed are the code requirements and considerations relating to automatic doors for proper specification.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Learners will receive information about cast stone and how it is made, testing requirements, applications, design recommendations, and how it differs from related materials. Learners will describe appropriate specification, design details of cast stone for architectural applications, and how to determine quality cast stone production.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    This course introduces the learner to the benefits and design advantages of porcelain surface material for both indoor and outdoor use in residential and commercial projects. Since it is a relatively new material in the US, we will review its components and manufacture and how they result in a product with exceptional characteristics for human health and durability. We'll also show and discuss indoor and outdoor applications, the variations available for vertical and horizontal applications, and the many design options. Finally, we’ll help the learner understand what is needed to design with this material and how to work with a fabricator.

  • ( ~ 1 hour, 30 minutes ) 

    Healthcare environments require high-performance, durable, and sustainable materials to meet the ever-increasing demands for the health and safety of patients and staff. Vinyl provides a reliable and proven solution that supports infection control measures, the need for long-lasting products, and the replacement of infrastructure that supports health and wellness, clean water, reduced carbon footprint, and long product service life. Vinyl is a material of choice for interiors as well as the core and shell of healthcare buildings. Chemistry and formulations are part of successful product performance; utilizing life cycle approaches to product selection, meeting owner project requirements, and supporting criteria within green building certifications are all part of the vinyl story.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Cooktops are manufactured and classified by construction type and method of heat energy transfer. This course reviews the operation, control, performance, and efficiency of induction cooktops in comparison to their gas and electric counterparts, and shows how induction cooktops can be incorporated into any kitchen design in residential and specialty-commercial applications such as marine, mobile, military, academic, institutional, and hospitality.

Displaying 1 - 25 of 460 results.

FIRST [1-25] [26-50] [51-75] [76-100] [101-125] NEXT LAST