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.

Mortars are utilized to bind masonry units together and fill the gaps between them. Understanding the critical relationship between bricks and mortar is fundamental to a successful installation. This course covers the performance and specification considerations related to the different types of mortar used for masonry construction, including portland/lime mixes, mortar cement and masonry cement.

Clay bricks have been used for construction projects such as walls and pavement for thousands of years. Fired bricks are one of the strongest and longest-lasting building materials and offer many advantages. This course discusses the advantages of using clay permeable paving in a construction project and how a permeable pavement system mitigates the damaging effects of stormwater runoff, and presents an overview of the design process.

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

Permeable interlocking concrete pavement (PICP) has the ability to create solid, strong surfaces for pedestrians and a range of vehicular uses, and can help maintain a site’s existing natural hydrologic function and reduce the overall impact of development. This course discusses the components of a PICP system and how they work together to manage stormwater in a variety of applications. Also addressed are hydrological and structural factors to consider when designing with PICP, and how PICP contributes to sustainable building goals and projects.

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

A fireplace can be the center of interest in a space, be a supplemental heat source, and can help meet green design objectives. This program explains how hearth products contribute to home comfort, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and environmental sustainability. Discussions pertain to how to identify different hearth product categories, and how some types qualify for national green building programs, and why others do not.

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

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.

Sustainability seeks to balance resource efficiency, health, and social concerns throughout the life cycle of a structure. Concrete has a variety of benefits to offer in achieving this goal. This course examines the environmental impacts of building with concrete along with a discussion of the features of reflective and decorative concrete floors and their role in a sustainable building strategy. As well, we present a review of the best practices and specification considerations that are required to facilitate a successful concrete floor installation.

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

Thin brick veneer wall systems offer a lightweight design option to use in many areas, both where traditional bricks are used as well as where their use is limited, such as interior accent walls or inset panels. This course outlines the differences between wall systems using anchored and adhered masonry veneer, with a focus on the design, materials, and installation methods of adhered brick veneer wall systems. Use of adhered veneer in interior applications is also discussed.

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

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.

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 here to view the details.

Segmented pavers have been successfully used for roads, courtyards and paths for hundreds of years. Durability of materials being one of the key reasons for their lasting popularity. These days modern pavers offer up a wide variety of newer performance capabilities and finishes. In this course, we’ll take a look at the unique technologies of segmental concrete paver systems, the types, finishes and their design considerations.

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.

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.

Rooftop decks create valuable living and recreational space for building owners, residents, and clients. Accommodating restaurants, hotels, healthcare facilities, and everything from residential to government buildings, rooftop deck systems offer the design flexibility to create versatile, unique outdoor spaces over any structural surface. This course explores the features, surface materials, and design options for rooftop deck systems and provides an overview of recommended planning and installation guidelines.

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

Over the past few decades, exterior building spaces and roofs have significantly transformed from utilitarian ballasted roof systems to roof systems with highly programmed, environmentally conscious, people-friendly amenities that promote healthier lifestyles. A variety of products and materials can be utilized in the design and construction of roof gardens and decks. This course will review the construction of basic types of roof systems, as well as the range of hardscaping products that are available to designers.

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

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.

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.

A gas fireplace is ranked #1 as a homebuyer’s highly desired decorative and appearance home products. This course provides an overview of the three steps for builders, architects, and designers to facilitate fireplace design and selection that will increase homebuyer satisfaction, as well as a discussion on the current trends of indoor and outdoor fireplaces.

Segmental retaining walls (SRWs) can strengthen steep slopes, hold back soil in grade changes, create useable land, and enhance the aesthetics of any landscape. This course looks at the site and application factors that determine whether a segmental retaining wall must be engineered and soil reinforced, and provides technical information about the components and construction of an SRW.

Continuous insulation (ci) was introduced in the IBC (International Building Code) in 2006 as a new topic primarily in the northern tier climate zones. Over the course of the next two code cycles, continuous insulation has become part of the prescriptive path in all climate zones and for virtually all types of wall assemblies. This course examines different types of insulation materials commonly used as continuous insulation. Attributes that affect material use, installation, and performance within exterior wall assemblies are compared and discussed.

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

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.

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 in concrete and the benefits this technology offers in accelerating the self-cleaning and pollution abatement properties of concrete, while maintaining the same mechanical and physical properties of traditional concrete.

 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.