This presentation is designed to introduce various performance fabrics to the trade, while gaining knowledge and understanding of what gives fabric performance. These demonstrations will give your client a significant advantage in fabric product selections based on environmental exposure.

The Future of Shade Design CEU educates architects about the role of performance fabrics in creating new and innovative shade designs that inform the surrounding architecture and landscape, while also contributing to human comfort outside and inside buildings and improved energy performance of buildings.

The ancient concept of nature as healing got lost in the medical strides of the 20th century. Today, backed by extensive research, healthcare providers realize anew the importance of nature in reducing patient stress and improving health outcomes. Healing gardens in healthcare facilities not only benefit patients and residents, but also family members and staff. Gardens serve the environment by improving air quality, and by reducing stormwater runoff and the impacts of the heat island effect. This course teaches participants the principles of designing healing gardens. Topics include a history of the role of nature in healing, research findings showing the curative aspects of nature, design features for healing gardens that improve mental, physical, and social well-being and the role of performance fabric for shade structures and seating in healing gardens.

The proven durability and colorfastness of many performance fabrics allows them to maintain their appearance even in harsh outdoor environments. Today's high-quality performance fabric looks right at home indoors, too, with soft, inviting textiles available in a wide array of colors, textures and patterns. This course provides an analysis of the manufacturing processes, testing and relevant sustainability considerations and discusses the many possibilities for designing exceptional luxury and lifestyle spaces with performance fabric.

By the end of this CEU, participants will have learned what mindfulness is, and where it started, the physical and mental health, safety and wellness benefits associated with mindfulness, and how to plan and design spaces that encourage mindfulness. Case studies of different companies that incorporate mindfulness spaces into their space plans are presented, as are the resultant effects on worker health and productivity. Finally, connections with the International Well Building Institute’s standard are discussed.