Stairs are a primary means of egress, exit, and floor-to-floor access for buildings with multiple floors or a change in rise. Metal stair systems designed for commercial and industrial applications can be fabricated out of steel, stainless steel, cast iron, and aluminum. This course evaluates types of pre-engineered steel stair systems and includes discussions on advantages, class, fabricator vs. manufacturer, railings, stair flight and landing construction, connections, and building code requirements.

Parks, recreational areas, and common rural and urban spaces can be essential relaxing oases. Pathways that navigate through these public spaces should be functional, durable, and complement the natural environment. This course explores pathway materials and focuses on decomposed granite (DG) and natural aggregates. It discusses the types of pathways, their applications, installation and maintenance, as well as their contribution to green design.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The importance of the building envelope in improving energy efficiency and building performance has been well established. The many envelope products and systems now available, along with a considerable amount of (mis)information as to their usage, make it difficult for designers to make choices that avoid costly building failures. This course explores in detail proper product selection, performance characteristics, applicable codes, testing procedures, best practices, and tie-in details for air and vapor barriers that will ensure a continuous air seal and a high-performance envelope.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Increased energy efficiency in both new and existing construction continues to play a large factor behind the design decisions we make and the materials we choose to integrate into our buildings. Concrete masonry construction can provide a wide range of benefits. This course illustrates how building envelopes constructed with concrete masonry create high-performance buildings that can exceed energy code requirements.

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

Ensuring proper use of methods and materials allows masonry walls to perform well and enjoy a long life. Use of masonry joint reinforcement and accessories is an essential part of this. This course provides a brief history of solid masonry walls leading up to the modern cavity walls of today, including a discussion of the basic working knowledge of masonry joint reinforcing, structural codes, and moisture control in cavity wall construction.

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

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.

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.

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.

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 issue of safety is a prevalent theme in today’s society, and protecting the built environment has become a priority. This course examines the material specifications, industry standards, hardware options, installations, and application considerations necessary to design and specify exterior pedestrian steel gates.

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

Plantable permeable paving systems continue to grow in scope and practicality as we search for ways to reduce our carbon footprint, improve water quality, diminish flooding and erosion, reduce the urban heat island from reradiated heat in our cities and environment, and add attractive open space to building sites and neighborhoods. This course looks at plantable permeable pavement system types, their use, and how they can help achieve sustainability goals.

 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.

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.

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.

The green building movement is gaining momentum worldwide, resulting in stricter regulations regarding the energy efficiency of structures. Conventional construction methods can’t always meet these demands and more innovative and thermally efficient building products are required. This course will focus specifically on thermal bridging, how it affects the overall efficiency of a building, and how it can be effectively addressed.