This is your go-to source for free AIA-approved continuing education for architects. Plus, almost all our courses are delivered in streaming HD video. Registration is fast and easy, just click on Login/Register above. Then, you can enroll in any of our courses found in any of our programs with a single click. Our courses meet or exceed NCARB's high standards for state board license renewal. AIA member? Your credit will be reported to AIA for you.
Neuroarchitecture is a design discipline that seeks to incorporate neuroscience into design to augment the built environment’s positive influence on the emotional and physical health of people.
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Program: Architecture, Design, and Building Science
The purpose of this presentation is to give you a clear understanding of the features and benefits of textured metals and discover how to best specify stainless steel and metal alloys in your projects. The first part of our talk will introduce the ecological and economic properties of textured stainless steel as well as educate you on the composition of metals and alloys. The second portion of this presentation will illustrate the process of texturing metals and their applications, as well as how to specify them. The session will also review projects that use textured metals - with beautiful results.
HSW Justification:
Most of this course is dedicated to explaining the aesthetic, ecological and economic advantages of textured metals. Most often, the metal used in stainless steel, which is very long-lived, valuable and 100 percent recyclable. The case studies focus on many beautiful installations that enhance the lives of occupants and visitors through the art and craftsmanship of the installations.
Learning Objective 1:
Students will understand ecological, economic, health and safety benefits of utilizing metals that can be deep textured.
Learning Objective 2:
Students will explore current applications that employ deep textured metals because of their ecological benefits, enhanced performance, and aesthetic attributes.
Learning Objective 3:
Students will learn compositions of metals that can be deep textured, how each performs under varying environmental constraints, and how to safely and economically specify deep textured metals.
Learning Objective 4:
Students will discover end user benefits of deep texturing metals, including performance enhancement, material usage reduction and longer product lifecycles.
This course will discuss light pollution and its relation to the International Dark-Sky Association. After taking this course, individuals will know the impacts of light pollution as well as the difference between IDA and non-IDA lighting.
At the end of this course, participants will learn:
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.
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This course will explore the requirements, challenges, and best practices for achieving the Circadian Lighting Design Feature L03 in the WELL Building Standard version 2.0.
HSW Justification:
The purpose of this feature in the WELL Building Standard is to provide building occupants with an appropriate exposure to the type of light that can maintain circadian health and align their circadian rhythm with the day-night cycle. The support of the circadian system has been shown to have tremendous health benefits to the people in the space.
Learning Objective 1:
Explain the relationship between spectral power distribution (SPD) and circadian lighting.
Learning Objective 2:
Summarize the circadian lighting feature requirements in the WELL Building Standard v2.
Learning Objective 3:
Describe a few best practices that can help architects to meet this challenging circadian lighting criteria.
The WELL Light concept promotes exposure to light and aims to create lighting environments that are optimal for visual, mental and biological health. This session explores the elements that make up the WELL Lighting concept and provides insights and recommendations for designing to these standards.
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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. 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.
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This course is designed to introduce the architect to emergency lights. These lights are meant to be selected and installed according to specific standards established by building codes. Additionally, once installed, these systems must be tested to assure their efficacy in case of an emergency. How to select and specify the appropriate markers and the technological solutions available, as well as testing methods, will all be covered in this course.
HSW Justification:
The selection and implementation of a proper emergency lighting program is essential to the life safety of a building's occupants.
Learning Objective 1:
The student will understand egress signage obligations as imposed through building codes and standards.
Learning Objective 2:
The student will further understand the various technologies available to address those signage codes and standards.
Learning Objective 3:
The student will learn what the requirements are to conduct on-going testing of egress systems after installation.
Designing with Pre-Crimped Woven Wire Mesh is a streaming video course that explores interior and exterior applications and functions for woven metal mesh products in architectural design. The course examines key functions of these materials, details the manufacturing process, and outlines critical specification considerations to ensure beautiful and long lasting installations.
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The building envelope has a lot of different jobs to do—from insulating the building so that it can be efficiently heated and cooled to providing air and water barriers that keep harmful moisture at bay, as well as providing the aesthetic face of the project. High performance building envelopes do all of those things extremely well. This article explores some of the latest high-performance solutions that can be used to create those high-performance envelopes.
HSW Justification:
A high-performance building envelope is necessary to create a building that is efficient and healthy. This article takes a look at how different components in the building envelope perform—giving architects the information they need to choose high-performance components that will produce a high-performing envelope.
Learning Objective 1:
Compare different types of continuous insulation in terms of the thermal performance they offer and the way they behave when exposed to water and fire.
Learning Objective 2:
Describe how insulated metal panels (IMPs) can be used on the envelope to improve building performance, create efficient and healthy interiors, and enhance design flexibility.
Learning Objective 3:
Explain how PET bottles can be upcycled into insulation creating a new product that contains recycled material and improves thermal performance of the building envelope.
Learning Objective 4:
Describe the ways that architectural metal wall systems enable architects to push the creative boundaries of their designs.