Program: Landscape Environmental Design

This course will describe the replica Green Wall Trend, that is the use of biomimicry in artificial plants in interior and exterior green wall systems. The trend toward biomimicry is driven by low cost, low maintenance, very high quality plant substitutes, and no water, light, power or HVAC resource requirements. Yet, Replica installations provide the same aesthetic and evoke the same desirable biophilic responses as live plants.

HSW Justification:
Replica Green Walls have all the biophilic benefits of green walls, such as promoting healing, reducing anxiety, and attenuating noise. Replica green wall spaces are especially conducive to gathering and can foster community, encourage group meeting and communication, and promote human interaction. In addition, they have added sustainability benefits by eliminating regular maintenance, the need for water for irrigation, or the need for electrical energy for light, or the need for electrical and/or natural gas for heating or cooling.

Learning Objective 1:
Students will be able to define a Replica Green Wall and describe its benefits and advantages

Learning Objective 2:
Students will be able to identify and describe the quality indicators in a green wall, including the types of systems available, the types of foliage available, and the areas of research and development underway.

Learning Objective 3:
Students will be able to describe appropriate applications for a replica green wall.

Learning Objective 4:
Students will be able to list in detail the various methods of installation.

Note: The Continuing Architect is permitting the brand name of this product to be mentioned because it was the only product of its type and is patent pending.

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.

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:

1. To define IDA, light pollution, and related terms
2. To identify the impacts of light pollution
3. To demonstrate the difference between IDA and non-IDA lighting
4. To assess the process of establishing IDA certification

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.

Program: Architecture, Design and Building Science

This course explores a few of the many ways that interiors impact the health and well-being of the people inside them. From restrooms being designed to reduce contact with contaminated surfaces and inhibit the presence of bacteria, to acoustics solutions that absorb or isolate noise, making interiors more comfortable and productive. Biophilic design, a health-focused design concept that encourages the inclusion of plants, daylight, and natural elements like wood and stone, is also discussed, as are the options designers have for bringing stone elements inside.

In this session, we will learn the fundamentals of all successful AE firms and provide the basis for making well-grounded business decisions. We will learn how firms can transition from being professionals providing services, to highly tuned businesses that can identify the needs of the marketplace and create services and products that are appropriately priced and yield consistent and greater profits.

Rather than seeking out new projects that merely build upon your current skills, you will start from a business-thinking mindset, where processes that are critical to building a thriving firm are examined and constituted in your firm. We will explore the importance of data within an architect firm and demonstrate how careful collection and interpretation can lead your firm into more exciting and profitable territory.

Following are the course's Learning Objectives:

1. Identify why a “business-thinking” mindset is of utmost importance for service professionals
2. Explain best practices for implementing a metrics-oriented leadership system
3. Summarize how data-based performance management drives smarter business decisions
4. Analyze how profitability drives growth rather than being merely a result
5. Reframe your firm as a platform that enables you to achieve your business and personal goals

This course explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on design and construction decisions, particularly focusing on operable glass walls in interior and exterior applications, primarily in the hospitality industry. Students will gain familiarity with terminology, capabilities, and uses of operable glass walls, with an emphasis on addressing health concerns post-pandemic through responsive design. The course highlights how operable glass walls contribute to improving the health, safety, and well-being of building occupants while also providing psychological benefits by creating comfortable environments. Practical design concepts applicable to various commercial projects will be covered, with direct access to manufacturer resources for further assistance.

Learning Objective 1: You will be able to identify and recognize the significance of the health concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic as they relate to building design and product selection.

Learning Objective 2: You will learn how to assess the safety aspects of incorporating design and product selections that protect buildings, occupants, and owners from harm and damage, particularly in light of unexpected violence and vandalism.

Learning Objective 3: You will be able to explain the welfare aspects of design and product selection that enable equitable access to all, can elevate the human experience with daylight and outdoor access, and benefit the environment through sustainable building design.

Learning Objective 4: You will be able to determine ways to incorporate the design principles as presented into different building types and applications.

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 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.

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.