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 details key system components, recent advances in building analysis, code requirements, and a comprehensive systems approach.

Heat loss in buildings is largely attributed to poorly performing windows and walls. Fiberglass windows, doors, and cladding support systems contribute to superior building envelope thermal performance. Presented here is the impact of windows on building performance, the characteristics that make fiberglass windows thermally efficient, and how fiberglass cladding support systems mitigate thermal bridging, improving energy efficiency.

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

With the ever-increasing focus on the sustainable built environment, building owners, architects, engineers, and contractors are incorporating structural steel into their designs. Presented here is a comprehensive view of the cradle-to-cradle structural steel supply chain from a sustainability perspective. Also discussed are steel production and design, steel’s potential contribution to LEED v4 credits, thermal capacity, and the environmental and life cycle benefits of prefabricated fireproof steel columns.

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

Universal hot water availability is generally taken for granted. At a time when energy prices and sources, environmental concerns, and water shortages are increasing in significance, it is important to produce hot water in a manner that addresses all these issues. This course explains how electric tankless water heaters (ETWHs) do this while also improving health and safety conditions and reducing costs. The examination includes detailed descriptions of many types of ETWHs and the basic calculations and selection criteria for the most suitable system.

 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.

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.

Lightweight, prefinished, and factory-fabricated insulated metal panels (IMPs) offer building owners a durable, cost-efficient, and easy-to-install roofing system that provides an air barrier, vapor barrier, and insulation all in one product. This course discusses the characteristics of IMPs and the installation process and explains why IMPs are ideally suited for pre-engineered and structural steel buildings. The role of IMPs in a building’s hygrothermal control layers and IMP code compliance are reviewed.

In response to steadily growing demands for more and more storage capacity and the costs and energy required to implement that storage, data center design is now focusing on solutions that conserve energy, materials, money, and space. This course explores the current influences that directly or indirectly affect energy usage and management, the resulting trends in data center development, and how containment strategies enable designers to optimize energy efficiency and create facilities with minimal environmental footprints.

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There are a multitude of building envelope products used and a variety of methods taken for achieving energy and building code requirements. Understanding the different roles a product plays in the envelope simplifies its design. In this course we’ll take a look at: the code requirements for buildings classified as IBC Type I-IV, paths to achieving compliance, and the number of roles polyisocyanurate insulation plays in meeting these requirements.

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

Creating a quieter, more comfortable building starts with a focus on windows and doors, the weakest links in the building envelope for sound transmission. This course covers the elements of sound, the metrics used to measure sound attenuation, and the glazing and installation options best suited for an effective sound control strategy.

The Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is not just an idea about how to “grade the greenness” of products; it is a well-developed, globally recognized way to make responsible comparisons and decisions regarding sustainable material design. This course discusses the concept of the EPD as applied to building materials and how to integrate EPDs into design and product selection decisions. Detailed information from different thermal insulation EPDs is used demonstrate how thermal insulation provides a unique and significant “pay-back” in terms of energy and environmental impacts.

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

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 building envelope must withstand the effects of long-term exposure to the elements. This course explores rainscreen wall design and the control of hygrothermal loads. The traditional multicomponent backup wall assembly is compared with the single-component, insulated metal composite backup wall system, outlining key differences in design and construction and their overall effect on installation and performance.

Air curtains provide a controlled stream of air across a door or window opening, creating a seamless barrier between two distinct spaces while still allowing a smooth, uninterrupted flow of traffic. Air curtains offer significant energy savings to building owners by helping to maintain interior building temperatures. This course examines how air curtains reduce whole- building energy consumption, provide thermal comfort, and maintain air quality even when a door is open. The basic principles and theory of how air curtains operate and how to properly identify applications and maximize the air curtain’s energy savings potential are discussed in detail. Selection, application, and installation of the various types of air curtains are also explained.

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

Hidden access covers blend utility access covers with the surface continuity of streetscape, hardscape, and landscape designs. This course reviews the functions, product types, and specification and installation considerations of hidden access cover solutions.

Fireplaces remain one of the most desirable household features for homeowners, complementing a range of different lifestyles and appealing to a range of demographics. This course provides an overview of electric fireplaces, focusing on their design possibilities, flame technologies, ease of installation, environmental efficiency, cost-saving benefits, and their advantages over gas and wood-burning fireplaces.

Textile air dispersion systems have come a long way from the days of cotton diffusers and duct socks. Today's systems are custom engineered and constructed from advanced polyester fabrics that offer features and capabilities not possible with other air distribution systems. This course examines the similarities and differences between metal and fabric systems and highlights the design, performance, efficiency, and sustainability characteristics unique to textile air dispersion. As well, the wide-ranging application possibilities for textile systems are explored.

This course explains and illustrates how high-performance, fully composite insulated sandwich wall panels can be detailed to achieve continuous insulation. It explores the pros, cons, and attributes of wythe connectors such as carbon fiber trusses as well as panel insulation options, manufacturing and testing procedures, and installation methods. It concludes by providing a comprehensive set of sample installations to illustrate the broad range of building types and appearances that can be created with insulated sandwich wall systems.

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.

This course is for anyone working on a LEED project that is pursuing the Construction Indoor Air Quality Management Plan credit. This course looks at how teams can work together to make sure the correct documentation is collected and that, ultimately, the plan is being implemented effectively by everyone involved. This will result in fewer questions from reviewers, less backtracking by the project team to collect documentation retroactively, and a less contaminated space for future occupants.

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

 In order to download this course, a USD $35.00 fee must be paid.

A vapor/gas barrier is one of the most economical yet essential components of a home or commercial building in preventing moisture- and gas-related problems and ensuring healthy indoor air quality. This course reviews the critical properties that require consideration when specifying underslab vapor barriers and gas/moisture barriers and includes discussions on the basic installation guidelines to help ensure a successful installation.

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

There are a number of building elements that maintain a separation between indoors and out. These elements should be able to work together to provide a comfortable and energy-efficient building. This course reviews building envelope systems, with a focus on selecting performance-based products for below-grade, above-grade, and roofing applications, and a discussion on best practices for design and installation.

Rapidly changing trends in our society, such as urbanization and a modern lifestyle, have resulted in the isolation of humans from experiences within nature. Research has shown that the psychological effects of biophilic design on noise perception have a significant influence on the well-being and health of humans. In this course, we review the science of sound, identify the potential problems associated with noise, and introduce the range of acoustic solutions formed from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) felt designed to provide sound-dampening benefits for busy commercial, educational, and healthcare facilities.

High-performance buildings require envelopes with thermal, air, and vapor layers that are typically installed individually and by separate contractors, adding to the complexity of their construction. Integrally-insulated concrete tilt-up panels provide multiple building envelope layers in one element. In this course we’ll look at these insulated concrete walls, the types, their components, their thermal and moisture resistant properties, and where they are used.

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Building science experts have acknowledged the need for both drainage and ventilation in exterior wall systems in order to eliminate moisture issues and extend the life of buildings. This presentation reviews the concepts of rainscreen technology and the solutions for rainscreen compliance with a focus on engineered rainscreen drainage and ventilation mats used in direct applied and ventilated wall designs.