Building science experts have acknowledged the need for both drainage and ventilation in exterior wall systems in order to eliminate moisture issues and extend the life of buildings. This presentation reviews the concepts of rainscreen technology and the solutions for rainscreen compliance with a focus on engineered rainscreen drainage and ventilation mats used in direct applied and ventilated wall designs.

As some of the earliest building materials, masonry and concrete have been used for their durability and strength. However, masonry architecture, both historical and contemporary, has been left vulnerable to water—the single most damaging element to masonry in our environment. This course will identify common water-related problems for masonry and concrete, describe protective treatments and their benefits, and explain the process for selecting and applying a protective treatment.

Stairs are often a prominent feature or even the focal point of an architectural design project and play a vital role in creating an aesthetically pleasing interior atmosphere, or an exterior welcoming point to a residential, commercial, or industrial building. This course provides an overview of the many benefits of installing precast concrete stair treads and landings, how to detail and specify them, and how to address related building code, design, and construction requirements.

Prerequisites: No

Course Level: Introductory

Concrete is a popular, versatile, and durable construction material, and it has the potential to be very beautiful as well. Graphically imaged precast concrete is a creative, inspiring technology that can be used by architects and designers to create visually impactful building façades and other concrete surfaces. Discussed are the fabrication process, design possibilities, and budgeting considerations. Global case studies present a range of applications of both stock and unique designs.

In the wake of the green movement, combined with rising energy costs, building sustainability has become an important topic. This course reviews building practices that promote better building envelope design, the codes and standards that apply to energy efficiency, and the environmental advantages of using POLYISO continuous insulation in steel stud construction.

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

Concrete floors require protection. Choosing the right concrete floor coating system is essential to meeting the performance requirements of commercial, industrial, or residential environments. This course discusses the assessment and repair a concrete floor and specifies how to select a high performance coating system based on the conditions and requirements of a construction project.

In today’s market, designers are always looking for innovative products that are beautiful, versatile, and sustainable. Glass-quartz surfacing encompasses all of these characteristics. This course describes the importance of recycled content surfaces and their environmental significance including reducing the use of natural resources and improving indoor air quality. Traditional and recycled surfacing materials are compared, the sustainable manufacturing process is explained, and case studies are discussed.

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

With the relatively recent development of new products and procedures for polishing concrete, concrete floors have added aesthetic appeal to their list of impressive performance characteristics. This course will discuss improving and prolonging the performance of finished concrete floors by exploring the many benefits of concrete flooring, summarizing the procedure for creating concrete floors, explaining maintenance methods and spill removal, and explaining how a floor protection plan will aid in the prolonged service life of the floor.

Ultra-thin prestressed precast technology provides a versatile, lightweight panel that offers the strength and aesthetic versatility of concrete at a fraction of the weight. Reviewed in this course are the benefits, design and cost considerations, and the connection and fastening systems of prestressed precast panels in architectural applications.

There is a growing realization that the buildings we live and work in play an important role in the health and wellbeing of building occupants. Green building rating systems are starting to incorporate health and wellbeing criteria and this course will look specifically at how products and materials can help meet the health and wellbeing requirements across these systems.

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

Provides an overview of methods of reducing moisture intrusion in concrete and masonry walls with an emphasis on the role of sealers and coatings.

The inherent properties of concrete masonry, including strength, durability, and fire safety, have been well documented, though a perception of high cost persists. However, due to significant changes to codes and standards that have increased the flexibility of concrete masonry systems, these systems offer cost-effective solutions. This course reviews changes to ASTM C90 and the masonry design standard and includes a discussion on the benefits and opportunities these new requirements bring.

Prerequisites: No

Course Level: Basic

Indiana limestone is featured in many iconic buildings across North America. Limestone composite panels offer the same beauty and durability as solid stone in a lightweight product that gains flexural strength and impact resistance from its aluminum honeycomb core. This course presents an overview of limestone composite panels from fabrication to installation, and explores the benefits, testing, and applications of this cost-saving and versatile cladding option.

There are many important considerations and issues related to outdoor tile and stone surfacing installations. This course provides an overview of the causes of their frequent failures, a detailed description of a system which addresses those issues and avoids the failures, and case studies of successful system installations in various contexts.

Masonry is an ideal sustainable building construction material as it is extremely durable, recyclable, and reusable. It allows for extraordinary design versatility so it can meet both aesthetic and functional requirements. This course looks at the design elements, components, and construction techniques that characterize sustainable masonry cavity wall building envelopes.

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

Brick selection is essential to a project’s durability and appearance. Molded brick, with its rich textures, colors, and shapes, has a timeless appeal that enriches the exterior of commercial and residential buildings. In this presentation, molded brick is compared to extruded brick and the manufacturing process is outlined. ASTM standards, classifications, and specifications are discussed, as are molded brick shapes and the use of molded brick in wall details. Modern examples of molded brick use are provided.

Prerequisites: Introductory

Course Level: Basic

The construction of buildings that use less energy to operate and are long lived is a key part of sustainable design. Insulated concrete forms are one solution that provide the necessary U values, air tightness and durability. In this course, we will delve into the ICF wall, types and components and look at design considerations and construction.

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

Homeowners are looking for alternatives to traditional cladding materials that are affordable and long-lasting, and require little or no upkeep. Advances in technology and manufacturing techniques mean cellular PVC cladding products can meet all of these requirements without sacrificing aesthetics. This course reviews the benefits of cellular PVC as a cladding material and discusses how cellular PVC R&R prefinished shingles can provide the look and feel of wood shingles with an extended level of durability and low maintenance.

The concept of stabilized earth structures has been around for centuries. Historically, grass mats, straw, and branches have been used to stabilize soil. Now, soil reinforcement utilizes technologically advanced geosynthetic materials to secure earth in retaining walls, bridge abutments, and many other applications. This course reviews the basic concepts about segmental retaining wall systems, focusing on geogrid reinforcement applications, site conditions, and the construction sequence. Key success factors are also discussed.

Concrete is often the substrate for both new and existing floors. Transforming the surface into a finished floor is far more sustainable than consuming additional flooring materials, adhesives, and transportation-related energy to install a floor covering. This course discusses the stages and options of the concrete polishing process, recognizes benefits of recent advances in concrete densification chemistry, and provides an overview of the limitations and possibilities for concrete floor finishes.

The materials we use have a significant impact on the environment, our communities, and our health. Consequently, material transparency—wherein manufacturers disclose vital sustainability information about their products—is an increasingly necessary element of modern life. This course examines the tools and resources that are available for both manufacturers and the A&D community that effectively communicate transparency information and optimization of building products. Also reviewed are the benefits of the new-generation insulated metal panels (IMPs) designed to achieve a trusted range of health and wellness certifications.

Prerequisites: None

Course Level: Introductory

Concrete is the most widely used construction material in the world, second only to water. Over time, as a result of the build-up of atmospheric compounds in the surrounding environment, concrete will become discolored, stained, dirty and dingy. This course examines photocatalytic technology which accelerates self-cleaning and fights air pollution while maintaining the mechanical and physical properties of traditional concrete.

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

In today’s high performance building market, specifying materials that work together as a complete wall system is more critical than ever. Systems can help designers meet new energy codes, reduce costs and improve building function and sustainability while making the design process faster and simpler. Focusing on the most common exterior wall system, steel stud with masonry veneer, this course will detail key system components, recent advances in building analysis, code requirements and a comprehensive systems approach.

This course explains and illustrates how high-performance, fully composite insulated sandwich wall panels can be detailed to achieve continuous insulation. It explores the pros, cons, and attributes of wythe connectors such as carbon fiber trusses as well as panel insulation options, manufacturing and testing procedures, and installation methods. It concludes by providing a comprehensive set of sample installations to illustrate the broad range of building types and appearances that can be created with insulated sandwich wall systems.

Driven largely by public interest in minimizing the potential environmental impact of building products, architects and builders actively embrace “green” initiatives and are calling for building product transparency. The Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) was developed to address this need. This course examines the EPD and includes discussions on who wants EPDs and why, the EPD development process, the contents of an EPD, and the future of EPDs.

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