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....
View the Panasonic Industrial Devices, Building Materials Group Course Library
Retrofitting and replacing roof systems are essential aspects of the construction industry and offer opportunities to reduce a building’s energy consumption. Sustainable retrofitting of roofs with durable, energy-efficient materials helps reduce waste and conserve resources while promoting ecofriendly building practices. This course gives an overview of expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation and innovative roof systems that are designed to enhance building efficiency....
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....
Now more than ever, the environmental impacts of products used in construction are a worldwide concern and one that the architecture and design (A&D) community is being asked to address in their work. Environmental product declarations (EPDs) are powerful tools when choosing materials for commercial projects. This course discusses how, where, and why to use EPDs to inform sustainable product selection and specification decisions and how EPDs are incorporated into key green building rating systems and codes, including LEED® v4.1 Building Design and Construction (BD+C) and Interior Design and Construction (ID+C), Green Globes® for New Construction (NC), and the International Green Construction Code® (IgCC®)....
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Resilient Floor Covering Institute
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....
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....
View the ASSA ABLOY Entrance Systems Course Library
This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click here to view the details.
This course defines and explains building science behind the code for the four control layers of the building envelope: water, air, thermal, and vapor. Participants will then explore typical design principles as well as alternative system assembly approaches to exterior wall design. In addition, presentation covers common attachment strategies for various types of claddings, including masonry, rain screen veneers, and applied/adhered veneers....
View the DuPont Performance Building Solutions Course Library
Rooftop HVAC equipment, waste receptacles, and other necessary but unsightly equipment are common in today’s commercial industries. Rooftop and ground screening can provide a solution for meeting code requirements while improving building aesthetics. In addition, screens may improve a property’s safety and security and establish privacy boundaries. This course offers an in-depth discussion of rooftop and ground screening, the various ways to screen, and considerations when selecting a screen. Different installation techniques and comparative characteristics of traditional screening methods versus unit-attached and modular screening methods are also discussed....
View the CityScapes Architectural Innovations Course Library
Architects and other design professionals have a critical role to play in reducing global greenhouse gas emissions through building design and product selection. The urgent need to reduce both operational and embodied carbon means that building designers must be familiar with transparency documents that facilitate low-carbon product selection. In this course, we review the types of carbon of concern, transparency documents that provide critical information, and tools for sourcing embodied carbon information. We also look at the contribution of insulated metal panels to both low embodied and low operational carbon buildings....
Understanding building physics is critical to proper building envelope design. Examined here are practical concepts for the building designer, including how cladding systems perform across different climate zones and applications. Environmental control layers and hygrothermal loads are reviewed, as is the concept of perfect/universal wall design. The course focuses on how single-component insulated metal panels (IMPs) function as a perfect/universal wall, simplifying wall system design and installation....
The presentation will the concept of Consolidated Control Layer Design and how to use it to determine the materials that will make the most efficient wall for your customers. We will define the Control Layers, discuss the Code Requirements for each layer, explain the Building Science behind the code requirements, and how that layer is related to the other (Thermal to Moisture, Moisture to Air, Air to Vapor, etc.) We will then discuss the Fire considerations that Impact Control layer design with today’s codes, including NFPA 285 Brief Overview as it has changed the way we design our above grade wall systems and types of continuous insulations that influence the design considerations with respect to fire and NFPA-285. Finally, solutions for consolidating these 4 layers for simplified design, superior performance, and long-lasting durability will be covered....
View the DuPont Performance Building Solutions Course Library
With the coming of the 2009 and 2012 International Energy Conservation Codes (IECC), insulating sheathing has played a growing role in the drive to make homes more energy efficient and comfortable for their occupants. The pressure is on for builders, home designers, and architects to find cost-effective construction methods and materials to meet these ever-growing performance standards. Educating one’s self and remaining current on building science trends, technologies and materials has proven to be a powerful measure of success in today’s residential construction markets. The following presentation “Why Use Insulating Sheathing”, aims to educate attendees on the flexibility of using foam sheathing in various Type V construction assemblies in order to meet stricter energy code minimums. Additional learning takeaways from this presentation include investigating common faults in Type V wood-framed walls from a framing, moisture, thermal bridging, and air sealing perspective; and how insulating sheathing can help correct these faults. Attendees will walk away with a thorough understanding of the advantages of using insulating sheathing in residential walls and be able to effectively communicate these advantages to their customers. Additionally, attendees will also leave with a solid understanding of the basic science behind any insulating material and how to better utilize these materials in various environments....
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The use of automatic entrances and ICU/CCU doors helps solve the problems associated with both circulation and door openings in healthcare design while providing an aesthetically pleasing solution. Healthcare personnel, patients, security personnel, and visitors are constantly rushing and want instant access. Today people are very conscious of touching surfaces and prefer not to have contact with doors. Other issues that need to be addressed during design are movement of patients and equipment, ADA and building code compliance, security, energy conservation, and sustainability....
Dual-flush wall-mounted toilets help create modern, stylish bathrooms that strike a balance between sustainable water efficiency, flexible design, and space savings. This course compares this style with other traditional types of toilets, discusses how wall-mounted toilets benefit commercial and residential users, and explains how they satisfy the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other accessibility and building code requirements....
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 take a look at the code requirements for buildings classified as IBC Types I–IV, paths to achieving compliance, and the number of roles polyisocyanurate insulation plays in meeting these requirements....
View the PIMA - Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association Course Library
PIMA - Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association
Mass timber, a type of building material and structural framing style, was recently adopted by the 2021 International Building Code, and as such is a rapidly growing building trend in the United States. When it comes to building systems in mass timber structures, product decisions must be thoroughly thought out early in design, allowing for efficient design modeling and a speedy construction phase. This course provides designers an overview of the updated IBC as it relates to mass timber building, as well as the many applications and challenges designers face when it comes to providing code-compliant and aesthetically pleasing power, data/communication, and AV throughout the building space....
This course provides an introduction to code compliance requirements for low-slope roofing systems as it relates to Wind Uplift, Impact Resistance, and Fire Resistance. Participants will explore the relevant provisions of the 2021 International Building Code (IBC), with emphasis on the referenced standards outlined in Chapters 15 and 16. Participants will review real-world documentation used to demonstrate compliance, enhancing their ability to specify and design roofing systems that meet regulatory standards....
Uncorrected thermal bridging can account for 20–70% of heat flow through a building's envelope. Improving details to mitigate both point and linear thermal bridges will significantly improve energy performance. This course reviews types of thermal bridges, examines how they appear in codes and standards, and explores some mitigation concepts and principles. Calculation methods to account for thermal bridging in your projects are introduced, and a sample design project is used to demonstrate code compliance....
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The purpose of this session will focus on what an engineered façade system should provide. Project teams are seeking a complete single-source system from the studs to exterior finish. We will discuss types of testing and approvals Façade systems offer to meet national and international building codes such as FM, NFPA, and others. Further discussion will be on performance warranties for leakage, system integrity, material performance similar to a roofing warranty. From the designer’s role, where you place the insulation and how do you attach the cladding can be the most critical decision when working with a building façade. We will explore both questions from a building science perspective to give clarity and certainty this is done properly....
This course defines and explains building science behind the code for the four control layers of the building envelope: water, thermal, air and vapor. There will be a detailed overview of air leakage, why it matters in a sustainable envelope and why air barrier continuity is critical to building performance. Participants will be asked to explore typical design principles for addressing the four control layers within the wall assembly. Finally, there will be an in-depth discussion of the critical interfaces, how to detail them and test them to ensure continuity of the control layers for the entire building....
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Knowing your building’s ideal water pressure and how to achieve that pressure is essential to your overall plumbing effectiveness and safety, patrons’ health and safety, and your water conservation efforts. Determining ideal water pressure is not straightforward and many factors should be considered including building use, physical characteristics, codes, and plumbing components. Many of today’s innovative plumbing products can contribute to water conservation and cost savings but it’s also essential that specific water pressure levels are provided for optimal operation....
The planet is currently in a water scarcity crisis which is significantly affected by toilet water usage. This course examines the current plumbing codes, standards, and regulations that address toilet water usage, the need for, and benefits of, going beyond current standards as well as the goals of a variety of beyond the code voluntary standards and rating systems. It explains the various types of low and ultra-low flow toilets, their pros and cons, and their selection criteria. It concludes with a sampling of successful cost and water-saving installations....
Conventional building practice consists of single functional materials combined to serve the building design needs. For example, an air barrier is a distinct and separate layer, and water resistive barrier is often a separate layer. New designs concepts where multiple functionality, such as air and water barriers, can be met at the same layer per building code will be discussed. In particular, if insulated foam sheathing is used, appropriate joint treatment can enable compliance as air, water, and thermal barriers. Both conventional solid (peel and stick), and new fluid applied flashing and barriers will be discussed. Participants will also gain an understanding of material options and impact of application techniques on long term building performance....
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The facade is one of the most significant contributors to the energy consumption and comfort parameters of any building. This course explores high-performance building envelopes and the use of advanced insulated metal panel systems featuring integrated daylighting and ventilation components that combine to provide weathertightness and maximum thermal performance....
The Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association (BHMA®) is the only organization accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to develop and maintain builders hardware standards with cycling, operational, strength, security, and finish test requirements. This course explores the performance standards and the certification program related to commercial architectural hardware....
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Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association
This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click here to view the details.
