This course will teach students how to recognize non-compliant rooftop equipment support scenarios and will discuss their impact on safety and the public health, general welfare, and property value.

This course will equip participants to compare features, benefits and limitations of particleboard and medium density fiberboard (MDF) with considerations of product grades and their physical properties for proper end-use selection.

Learning Objective 1:
To help students understand the health benefits of composite products and how testing is an essential means to verify performance.

Learning Objective 2:
To explain to attendees the alternative resin technologies used in the manufacturing process.

Learning Objective 3:
To help students to become familiar with various composite panel products and their environmentally-friendly make-up.

Learning Objective 4:
To familiarize attendees with the variety of ways that composite panels contribute to LEED credits.

The building envelope separates the conditioned interior space from the environmental elements of the great outdoors, and this course explores a few solutions to equip the building envelope to defend the interior from nature's onslaughts, manage moisture, improve thermal performance, and admit daylight without glare.

HSW Justification:
Improper use of vapor barriers is one of the leading causes of moisture-related issues in buildings today. Those moisture related issues can include the growth of mold and mildew, which compromises the quality of the indoor environment and can even cause structural damage. Designing a proper air barrier system is crucial to moisture protection and protecting the thermal performance of the original design. This article provides best practices for designing an air barrier system that will function properly. We also discuss some solutions that can improve the functionality of the building envelope’s thermal performance. The course explores a translucent and an opaque solution that improve the thermal performance of the envelope, while offering additional benefits. Translucent wall panels allow diffuse, glare-free daylight into an interior, without compromising thermal efficiency at the opening and precast structural panels offer code-exceeding thermal performance and structural load-bearing capabilities.

Learning Objective 1:
Students will be able to explain why controlling air leakage in the building envelope is crucial to safeguarding the quality of the interior environment and protecting the energy efficiency of the building.

Learning Objective 2:
Students will learn to apply best practices to design an air barrier system that will effectively manage moisture intrusion and avoid moisture-related issues in the building envelope.

Learning Objective 3:
Students will be able to describe how translucent daylight panels allow daylight into the interior, mitigate glare and provide better thermal performance than many other glazing solutions.

Learning Objective 4:
Students will learn to use structural precast concrete panels to reduce the amount of perimeter steel needed on a project, while achieving and exceeding code-compliant thermal performance.

Operable glass walls can provide for flexible interior spaces, safer interior environments, rapid and highly accessible connections to exterior spaces and all the benefits that ensue, such as fresh air, light, unobstructed views and rapid egress in the event of emergency. This course examines how operable glass walls meet those challenges and then shows the application of those principals in several case studies.

This course provides an overview of the important factors - such as building codes, safety of use and fall protection, material selection, secure installation methods, and design - that must be considered when selecting or specifying a railing system for a commercial or residential project.

Learning Objective 1:
The student will learn to recognize the unique benefits of different railing materials with respect to durability and sustainability.

Learning Objective 2:
The student will learn to understand relevant building codes and standards related to the structural integrity and safety of a railing project.

Learning Objective 3:
The student will learn to identify common railing materials and finishes, and compare their performance in order to choose materials that best suit the structural requirements, style, and environment of the project.

Learning Objective 4:
The student will learn to distinguish between a variety of railing fabrication, assembly, and installation methods to ensure a safe and attractive railing design.

This course will explore the cutting-edge union of design and technology by delving into parametric design and its symbiosis with digital fabrication, and how the vision is best achieved via vertically-integrated, technology-forward product manufacturers. We will also discuss strategies for effective collaboration with these manufacturers throughout the architectural design process.

Learning Objective 1:
Students will learn about the use of parametric design in architecture, including its definition, history and current state.

Learning Objective 2:
Students will learn about the marriage between parametric design and digital fabrication.

Learning Objective 3:
Students will understand why vertical integration is an important operating model for product manufacturers looking to leverage parametric design.

Learning Objective 4:
Students will understand how to partner with vertical manufacturers throughout the architectural design process and learn the advantages of this digital collaborative approach.

Beauty, functionality, and wellness-enhancing can co-exist in design, with the right products. This article explores solutions that help architects achieve these important multi-benefits. Pavers that create beautiful outdoor spaces that are easy to maintain. Skylights that allow daylight and fresh air into the interior. Underlayment that improves acoustics and sound management, while protecting the integrity of the interior air quality. Each improves the functionality of the space and the wellness of the people in the built environment.

Designing buildings for life safety and wellness is getting easier.

This session will present how IoT lighting can be a fundamental platform for smart environments.  Well planned building integration allows a flexible, scalable lighting system to collect the data that ultimately brings more value to the building owner.

At the end of this course, participants will learn:

1. Define IDA, light pollution, and related terms
2. Identify the impacts of light pollution
3. Demonstrate the difference between IDA and non-IDA lighting
4. Assess the process of establishing IDA certification

Solar shading devices, while available in numerous weaves, textures, and colors, go beyond contributing to the aesthetics of a space. Specified correctly, solar shading devices can maximize daylighting benefits and contribute to occupant well-being, productivity, and engagement, while mitigating the detrimental effects of UV rays and glare.

Learning Objective 1:
Students will understand the benefits daylighting, including the psychological and physiological well-being of occupants, as well as its drawbacks, such as glare and solar heat gain

Learning Objective 2:
Students will become familiar with the types of solar shading fabrics available for use in commercial settings and their components, including operating systems, weave, color, and openness factor, and the ways in which these contribute to the control of daylighting.

Learning Objective 3:
Students will explore the benefits of solar shading devices that extend beyond light management, such as sound mitigation, sustainability, and antimicrobial properties.

Learning Objective 4:
Students will determine how to select the right fabric for an application, taking into account aesthetics and room conditions