Strength and conditioning facilities are designed for high-performance athlete training at the professional, international, national, collegiate, and high school levels. These facilities are fundamentally different than commercial fitness centers (which focus on improving general fitness) and must be custom designed for the athletes' sport-specific training programs. This course reviews key design considerations for these facilities, including specialized flooring construction required for athlete safety and preservation of building structure.

Specifying door products that are durable enough to withstand the rigorous demands of high-traffic applications in the healthcare and hospitality industries is crucial to the long-term success of each installation. This course reviews traditional doorway materials and doorway protection options, and provides design solutions that utilize engineered polyethylene terephthalate (PETG) components that extend the life of the door assembly and minimize health and safety issues for the building occupants.

(Canadian Version) Different types of paints are typically classified according to the type of resin they contain or the mechanism by which they dry and cure. This course discusses the classification of paints, advantages and disadvantages of latex versus alkyd coatings, the benefits of a three-coat system, surface preparation and priming techniques, and causes of and solutions for common paint problems.

Provides an overview of the history of solid surface as a decorative material with a discussion on product characteristics and attributes, and a comparison of sustainability factors of three hard surface materials and their environmental impact.

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

What are the macro trends and ideas directing us into the next decade? This course begins with a review of this topic, followed by discussions on movements in each area of color, and the materials, textures, design themes, and motifs that are at the forefront of today’s design trends.

This course provides an overview of one-piece shower bases, glass shower enclosures, and accessories and includes discussions on methods of waterproofing shower floors, shower design, and installation and tiling guidelines for shower pans and accessories.

With a radiant heat system, the temperature profile associated with a forced-air system is switched around, and the entire floor becomes the radiator. The heat radiates from the floor, warming all of the objects in the room, and everything in the room gains a warm, comfortable feel to it. This course evaluates self-regulating polymer technology and the performance benefits of using PTC (positive temperature coefficient) heaters for energy-efficient floor warming, primary heating, snow melting, and roof deicing.

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

The recent shift towards protecting the environment has also brought about a better understanding of our innate need to reconnect with our natural surroundings. This is known as biophilia. In this course, we will examine the elements of biophilic design and how to implement biophilic design strategies, known to improve physical and mental well-being of occupants. The use of resilient flooring in commercial applications offers an opportunity to implement biophilic design.

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

There is an extremely wide array of coated or composite fabrics available on the market, each type formulated for specific uses and with different levels of performance and quality. To assist in the decision-making process, standards have been developed to show product performance, facilitate quality control, and assure designers that the product they are specifying is suitable for normal commercial use. This course briefly outlines the history, properties, and uses of coated fabrics, the intent and content of one coated fabric standard, and the testing protocols that support it.

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

Finish elements such as the floorcovering system have a great impact on the final aesthetics of a structure. Floorcovering specification sections often do not address the compatibility of the floorcovering system with the type of application and intended service use. This is not done intentionally; rather, it is an innate result of a misunderstanding of sufficient compatibilities of the various types of floorcovering systems with their installed environments. This course discusses published floorcovering system installation standards and specifications that aid in the strengthening of 09 sections to avoid these incompatibilities. In addition, identification and categorization of various floorcovering system failures, immediate and latent, are presented, as well as how to properly prevent these failures from occurring during the design process for a successful floorcovering system installation.

Architectural metal fabric is a dynamic interior and exterior material used to create beautiful and functional façades, balustrades, and screening for a wide variety of commercial and public structures. This course discusses applications for metal fabric and its performance benefits, including safety, security, solar management, and sustainability. It also discusses how coatings and graphics technologies can be incorporated into metal fabrics to enhance branding and visual identity.

Thick 2 cm (20 mm) porcelain tiles that are specifically made for outdoor installations offer a blend of design, versatility, performance, simplicity of installation, and eco-sustainability. Many of the concerns regarding substrate preparation, bond failure, and slip resistance associated with laying thinner tiles outdoors are eliminated. This course discusses the material characteristics and installation of thick outdoor porcelain tiles—a paving system with high technical and visual performance.

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

The 19th and 20th centuries brought numerous opportunities to revive classic architectural styles and—in the American West—the architecture and colors of the California missions, adobes, and Monterey Colonial homes provided unique and beautiful examples to support the new Mission Revival, Spanish Colonial Revival, Monterey Revival, Mediterranean Revival, and Pueblo Revival styles. This course explores local design and the architecture and color of historic buildings in the Southwest to show how it’s possible to establish color schemes representative of the American Western culture.

(Canadian version) Paints provide a decorative and protective barrier on the surfaces and substrates they are applied to. Paint performance is influenced by the quality of the ingredients, and by specifying the correct product and finish for the application. This program discusses types of paint, components of paint, paint finishes, surface preparation, and a three-coat painting system.

Thermally fused laminate (TFL), formerly known as thermally fused melamine (TFM) or low-pressure laminate (LPL), is a decorative surfacing material used in cabinetry, countertops, shelving, store fixtures, moldings, and furniture in commercial and residential applications. This course explores the history of the surface treatment, its manufacture and sustainability, end-use considerations, compatibility with other decorative surfaces, and innovative design options.

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

This course provides a basic introduction to the International, Mid-Century Modern, and Ranch styles of architecture and design (and their offshoots) found in commercial and residential forms in the western United States. These styles helped shape the look of California, especially in Los Angeles and Palm Springs, from the 1920s through 1970s.

Living walls not only add beauty to a space, but also can help to reduce energy consumption, minimize environmental impacts, and create healthier interior and exterior environments. This course compares the design and construction of different types of living walls and provides an overview of the factors to consider to ensure a healthy, thriving living wall is installed and maintained.

Few aspects of the design process are conducted in “silos” that are as disassociated from one another as the approach many projects take to interior concrete slab specifications and subsequent flooring specification sections. This is not done intentionally but is rather a by-product of lack of coordination and a fundamental misunderstanding between those involved with the structural elements and those involved with the aesthetic and finishing elements. This presentation discusses sustainability and what it means, drawing the reader into a clear discussion of how sustainability relates to LEED®, lean construction, green building, and process improvement. Inconsistencies are exposed between the tenets of sustainability and current specification processes related to concrete moisture, with clear recommendations given as to how the specifying professional can resolve those disconnects.

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

Falls are responsible for more open wounds, fractures, and brain injuries than any other cause of injury. Photoluminescent (PL) exit path markers have proven to provide safe and quick egress in all light conditions for occupants and fail-safe guidance to first responders entering unfamiliar surroundings in the event of an emergency. This course discusses the benefits of PL safety products and the codes and testing standards related to PL way-finding systems.

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

Les consommateurs milléniaux sont déterminés à faire des choix d’achat durables sur le plan environnemental. Mais qu’est-ce qui rend un produit véritablement durable? Ce cours présente des données qui indiquent que les panneaux décoratifs en bois composite (TFL) et d’autres produits faits de résidus de fibre de bois font partie des matériaux de construction les plus durables sur le marché. Ce cours aborde la gestion des forêts, les propriétés qui font les panneaux décoratifs en bois composite (TFL) affichent un bilan climatique positif, l’efficacité associée au processus de fabrication des panneaux et les critères et processus associés à la certification environnementale.

This course provides an overview of integral blind assemblies and discusses their benefits over conventional blinds, components and framing options, performance characteristics and testing standards, and common applications.

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.

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

Sustainable design and green practices have raised consumer awareness about the potential dangers lurking in buildings and homes from products such as paints and coatings. Environmental sustainability has influenced architects and interior designers to approach their projects in ways that boost health, lower consumption of nonrenewable resources, and minimize waste. This course looks at the evolution of sustainable design, ways to measure the environmental impact of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), how paints and coatings can contribute toward satisfying LEED® credits, and how these products may play a role in designing for well-being.

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

Surface design and color impact people in one way or another. Why do some surroundings induce a sense of calm, happiness, or inspiration while others offer nothing but distraction, discomfort, chaos, doom, and gloom? Interior surfaces are the point of contact between users and their environment, as well as an important connection between the visual and physical worlds. This course examines the integral role that surface color and design play in interior spaces and how color and design can improve health, reduce stress, enhance safety, and promote well-being in building occupants. Key requirements in the selection and specification process are also discussed.

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...