The U.S. has the worst fire fatality rate in the industrialized world, and consideration should be given to the use of intumescent acrylic latex paint for its fire-resistance attributes. This course outlines the evolution of intumescent coatings. The program focuses on intumescent acrylic latex paint coatings and the performance and aesthetic advantages they have over traditional coatings. It includes discussions on codes and standards, applicable substrates, adhesion, application, curing, and cleanup.

Composite aluminum/wood windows (not aluminum clad wood windows) combine the beauty and warmth of wood with the strength, weather resistance, and durability of finished extruded aluminum. This course explores the unique design capabilities of composite aluminum/wood windows and explains how their technical features, design elements, and hinge operating system contribute to their high structural strength, water management, and thermal performance.

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

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.

Prerequisites: No

Course Level: Introductory

The beautiful gray patina of zinc architectural metal has graced the rooftops of buildings in Europe for hundreds of years. This course examines the sustainable characteristics of zinc as a roofing material, including its 100% recyclability, zero VOC requirement, and low embodied energy production process. The life cycle analysis of zinc is examined, as is zinc’s long-term service life. Various types of roof and wall applications are also discussed.

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

It’s imperative to have a dependable, well-designed fire protection system that helps save lives and property. This course is designed to advance awareness and understanding about the wide range of components, functionality, and benefits of today’s most innovative standpipe fire systems and how to select the optimal system for your design based on building type, codes, and other requirements.

 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.

Prerequisites: No

Course Level: Introductory

Millennial consumers are committed to making environmentally sustainable purchasing choices. But what makes a product truly sustainable? This course presents data to show that thermally fused laminate (TFL) and other waste wood fiber products are among the most sustainable building materials on the market. Forest management, the properties that make wood climate positive, efficiencies in the panel manufacturing process, and the criteria and processes behind environmental certification are discussed.

Prerequisites: No

Course Level: Introductory

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

People experience color in different ways and in different settings; in particular, people in healthcare settings who are vulnerable, healing, or aging are influenced by colors used in interior design. This course presents an overview of color and how we perceive it, as well as some of the research findings on color’s effects on psychological, emotional, and physical health. Designers will also learn how color can enhance safety, orientation, and navigation, and the role that non-SBR rubber can play in offering optimal flooring solutions for healthcare institutions.

Prerequisites: No

Course Level: Introductory

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

For those who desire the look and feel of granite, but are concerned about its drawbacks, engineered quartz may be the solution. Harder and stronger than granite, engineered quartz offers a design aesthetic that is different from other surfacing materials. This course provides an overview of the characteristics, features, and benefits of engineered quartz surfaces, as well as a discussion on the related green certification programs.

Currently, buildings are the single biggest contributor to GHG emissions, accounting for roughly half of all energy consumption in the U.S. and globally. It is crucial to reduce this level of consumption by including high-performance envelope strategies such as shading systems in all new building designs. In this course, we look at shading systems, examine shading and design strategies, and learn tips for successful selection and design.

Prerequisites: No

Course Level: Introductory

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

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.

Prerequisites: No

Course Level: Introductory

Ultrapremium appliances provide the opportunity to cook at home using the same level of equipment as professional chefs. This course explores the concept of the “prosumer” kitchen, the consumer values of the ultrapremium appliance market, and the styles, functions, and design considerations related to ultrapremium kitchen appliances.

Prerequisites: No

Course Level: Introductory

When designing a steel mesh fence, there are three steel mesh options to consider: chain link fabric, expanded metal, and welded wire mesh. Although mesh choice may be the primary focus when designing fence, an understanding of the application and material specifications should be key considerations as well. This course provides a review of the material specifications, installation, and standards related to the design of steel mesh fence systems.

Prerequisites: No

Course Level: Introductory

Over time, urban parks and other open landscaped areas are being lost to development. One solution to mitigate this issue is to reconsider undeveloped areas such as building roofs to create green amenity spaces. Amenity decks can provide some alleviation of lost green space, while affording developers the potential to monetize underutilized spaces in their buildings and provide an advantage over older buildings to attract tenants.

Prerequisites:No

Course Level:Introductory

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

Western red cedar's (WRC) aesthetic, economic, and environmental benefits are just some of the reasons why builders and designers are increasingly gravitating to this species of wood. Presented here are modern, historical, and cultural uses of western red cedar, as well as its performance characteristics, grade specification, and finishes. Also discussed are sustainable forest management practices and certification agencies, and how sustainably sourced wood can contribute to LEED® credits.

Prerequisites: No

Course Level: Introductory

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

As architects push the boundaries of design, the need for a material that offers the greatest amount of flexibility is required. From the vast number of aesthetic options, superior durability, cost efficiencies, and ease of installation in all weather conditions, single-component metal panel systems offer such flexibility.

Passive firestop systems help prevent the spread of fire, smoke, and toxic gas through openings created by penetrations and gaps between walls or floors/ceilings in fire-rated construction. The firestopping of openings re-establishes the integrity and fire rating of a wall, floor, or assembly and aids in the protection of escape routes. This course identifies the main through-penetration firestop technologies, evaluates the materials and products that are used to firestop through penetrations in commercial applications, and discusses industry fire testing standards.

Demand for safety, energy efficiency, and contemporary aesthetics is driving building envelope design that incorporates increased amounts of combustible material in cladding, insulation, and water-resistive barriers. This course outlines the difference between insulated metal panels (IMPs) and aluminum composite material (ACM) panels, discusses reaction to fire and fire resistance, addresses building code and building envelope fire testing, and provides global case studies demonstrating the impact of IMPs on the building envelope after exposure to fire.

Aluminum Full View (AFV) doors are a fast growing segment within the building product industry. They have a wide range of applications in a variety of building types. This course will look at potential applications and building types, options for installation, and custom options in design when specifying AFV doors.

Today—as climate change, population growth, and record droughts present an unprecedented strain on our water supply—conservation technology is building awareness to the importance of having the most water efficient fixtures in a home or business. This course recognizes the flush toilet as one of the biggest users of water and discusses how toilet design is pushing flush technology to develop ways for homes and commercial buildings to conserve water without sacrificing the performance of the toilet. Industry testing protocols and the water-saving capabilities of different technologies are evaluated.

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

Automated-shading systems are designed to maximize natural daylight, increase building energy efficiency, and ensure occupants have a comfortable environment with views to the outside. This course will explain how an automated shading system predicts, monitors, and responds to the daily microclimate surrounding a building to effectively manage daylight, solar-heat gain, occupant comfort levels, and energy use demands.

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

Modern construction has come to understand that a façade, as part of an overall building envelope, is not only a visual statement, but also an important influencer in the protection of a wall’s structural components, the energy efficiency of the building, and the health of its occupants. This course explores a unique surfacing material known as ultracompact surfacing (UCS) and evaluates its mechanical properties, technical characteristics, and aesthetics to illustrate its endless design potential in exterior cladding, façade, and rainscreen applications.

This course reviews the color trends forecast for the year 2021. In a time of global uncertainty and rapid change, color themes are complex and contradictory, reflecting a yearning for comfort and authenticity, but also for change. Seeking a balance between these impulses, colors are warmer and deeper than last year, but with splashes of intense, synthetic brights. The impact of COVID-19 on the paint industry is examined.

Prerequisites: No

Course Level: Introductory

This course outlines the attributes, functions, benefits, limits, and acoustic qualities of composite deck slabs. It reviews the three primary types of composite systems that represent the full range of long-span composite floor systems and examines the criteria for their selection, design, and engineering. In addition, it provides a comprehensive range of industry standards and resources that a designer could consult to ensure, at a minimum, compliance with all building regulations and industry standards.

Prerequisites: No

Course Level: Introductory

In order to address tile installation difficulties effectively and avoid failures, designers and specifiers must maintain full awareness of current knowledge, practices, and products. This course reviews potentially problematic contemporary tile installation issues along with the industry guidance, methodologies, and products available to address them.

Prerequisites: No

Course Level: Introductory