While providing fresh air intake and exhaust, reducing noise, and keeping out unwanted water and debris, louvers can also provide architectural style to a building design. This course discusses the aesthetics, performance, and weather resistance features of a variety of louver designs from the basic to the extreme. A discussion about the industry standards and test protocols for louver performance is included.

Commercial aluminum wall, window, and roof systems have undergone improvements in recent decades, making them technologically sufficient to meet contemporary standards of durability. In addition to being familiar with the systems’ thermal and other ecological benefits, specifiers need to understand paint chemistry and the difference between powder and liquid coating application methods. It is also important to understand third-party specifications published by AAMA, which cover architectural coatings.

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

Recent changes in commercial wall assembly design have resulted in increased energy efficiency but also present new challenges to meeting building code fire safety provisions. The focus of this course is on air barrier membranes and the proper integration of these materials into fire-safe wall assemblies.

Insulation can help increase overall energy efficiency, minimize the spread of fire, manage risks associated with moisture and mold, and improve occupant comfort. Choosing the right insulation and putting it in the right location is becoming one of the most important decisions in design, construction, and retrofit. Reviewed in this course are the features, benefits, and design and installation considerations related to mineral wool continuous insulation.

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

A well-designed queuing system not only offers structure, efficiency, safety, and accessibility but also can enhance the aesthetics and visual appeal of an environment. This course presents an overview of the important factors that need to be considered when designing and specifying public queuing and pedestrian flow systems to facilitate a positive and orderly waiting experience.

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

The architectural uses for perforated metal span a wide variety of interior and exterior applications for residential, industrial, and commercial projects. Reviewed in this course are the applications and the specification considerations for standard and custom perforated metal, along with a discussion on how it is used to sculpt light, control sound, and compose views.

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 reviews the construction of basic types of roof systems and 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 beaches and proximity to the Atlantic Ocean are some of the advantages of living in Florida. However, the extreme wind forces from hurricanes can easily damage even the strongest buildings and cause billions of dollars in property loss. As a result, certain areas of Florida―Miami-Dade and Broward Counties—have been designated High Velocity Hurricane Zones. The building products used in these zones must be laboratory tested to meet extreme wind and pressure performance standards. This course explains why a metal roof system designed to minimize the damage from hurricanes is important.

Health, safety, and welfare: Three simple words, yet three complex concepts. Every healthcare-related facility has a responsibility to provide a sterile, physically safe, and secure, yet nearly always accessible, managed environment just to conduct its daily operations. This course will help you discover effective, scalable access and control strategies specific to the healthcare environment and introduces the latest standards, codes, products, and technologies impacting the design and management of these always complex, life-giving facilities.

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The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to all state and local government agencies, commercial facilities, and public entities that have “places of public accommodation.” Presented in this course are the fundamentals of what accessibility means in terms of architectural door hardware specification. Topics include available hardware technology, the criteria for interior and perimeter access, and the codes and guidelines pertaining to the ADA requirements that affect door hardware selection.

The purpose of this course is to provide an introduction to the use of entrance floor systems in commercial buildings in order to promote a safe and clean environment. The course explains the codes, regulations, and guidelines specifically related to entrance flooring systems for high-traffic entrances in healthcare, education, transportation, corporate, and other commercial settings.

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

Hybrid heat pump systems and hybrid heat pump geothermal systems can deliver better heat recovery capabilities than a traditional system to provide energy savings and operational benefits. This course examines the operation of these systems and discusses the benefits for the building owner, the occupants, and the budget.

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

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.

This presentation provides a review of life-cycle cost analysis (LCCA), a process increasingly conducted by road agencies for pavement projects. LCCA enables and, in some cases, justifies a pavement type that best meets an agency’s needs and budget. This presentation emphasizes the whole-life costs for interlocking concrete pavements (ICP), which combine the performance advantages of conventional concrete and asphalt with potentially lower life-cycle costs compared to other pavement materials.

Through sustainable management, the forests of New England have had a remarkable comeback since the 1830s, with eastern white pine being the most represented softwood in these forests. This light, yet strong wood species has been used for generations and today, meets the requirements of a renewable and sustainable building material. This course reviews eastern white pine’s contribution to sustainability, its grading rules, wood products, and many applications.

Policies targeting the reduction of carbon emissions associated with building products require the disclosure of embodied carbon data to inform those policies and verify whether reduction targets or incentive requirements have been met. This course aims to provide a guide to collecting high-quality embodied carbon data.

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Understanding how insulated metal panels comply with fire safety regulations under the code is critical to their proper use in creating highly energy-efficient and sustainable buildings. This course takes a relatively complex subject and addresses the most important fire safety aspects to allow building designers to make an informed decision on the use of these popular cladding systems. Also reviewed are how these products have been addressed in the development of the International Building Code and the various third-party product listings, evaluation reports, and engineering judgements used to show compliance.

Structural fire protection guards essential structural components from the devastating effects of fire. This course discusses some of the types of passive fire protection methods that are available. Examined in depth are the composition, manufacture, finishes, and design and installation considerations of prefabricated fireproof structural columns designed for exposed exterior and interior load-bearing applications.

ACM/MCM cladding meets design criteria not physically or economically possible with other building façade materials. This course describes the continuous manufacturing process that results in extremely flat and strong panels and reviews fabrication, installation, and attachment techniques. Fire performance testing and ACM/MCM’s sustainability benefits are reviewed, and a wide array of coating and finishing options are presented.

Ventilation grilles influence HVAC system performance but can pose aesthetic challenges for designers. Custom grilles made with modern fabrication techniques employ a variety of materials and finishes to create solutions that enhance and fully integrate with architectural interiors. This course discusses the basic mechanics of effective air distribution in buildings, performance characteristics of grilles, grille types, and custom design options.

Modern security bollards are highly engineered and tested devices that can withstand deliberate ramming by a 15,000 lb vehicle. Bollards are more than decorative boundary markers; they are an essential tool to protect lives and property. This course explains bollard crash testing standards, reviews the pros and cons of available bollard materials, and discusses steel bollard designs for low- and high-impact applications.

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Sustainable construction and high-performance buildings offer tremendous benefits to building owners, building occupants, and the larger community. Course content goes beyond codes, standards, and sustainability rating systems to explore options and best practices for getting the most out of green construction. This course provides foundational information and application opportunities on topics such as optimizing a building's energy efficiency; installing innovative, alternative energy solutions; and addressing the larger community challenges of storm water management and the urban heat island effect.

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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.

Without light, an object, or a viewer, we do not have color. In fact, the way we perceive and view color is impacted by light, both natural and artificial. This course delves into the properties of color and light. The program includes discussions on types of lighting, metamerism, color rendering index (CRI), and light reflectance value (LRV) and how they affect design choices.

Window films can be used in a variety of applications including solar control, energy efficiency, safety and security, and decorative, and films even provide antigraffiti protection. This course reviews the science behind solar energy and heat transfer and will help you understand how window film works in different applications. It also looks at how window films can contribute to everything from improving the environment to protecting the safety of building occupants.

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