Architectural Polymers: Best Practices for Architectural Specifications

Presented by Fernando Pages, this presentation serves as a resource and primer for product specification and complements the book Architectural Design for Traditional Neighborhoods published by the Vinyl Siding Institute (VSI) in 2019.


This course aims to provide design professionals full control of the design’s aesthetic outcome with polymeric sidings, trim, and ornamentation, respecting the architectural style, target market, and project budget. These specifications will refer to traditional architectural features in the language of art.


This effort aims to put the power of good design details and recommended installation practices within the architectural designer’s easy reach.

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Culture of Caring

Using creative design solutions and subtle interventions, see how these design professionals are taking on issues such as aging in place and intergenerational living and making a difference for people, place and planet.

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What’s New With Architectural Stone Veneer? 5 Key Trends Shaping Architecture and Interiors Today

Architectural stone veneer has long been used to elevate the design of building facades, but more recently, it’s found its way indoors and is becoming a mainstay of interior design. “There’s been a real upswing in the number of projects on both residential and commercial when it comes to accentuating a space or an environment with stone,” says Sarah Lograsso, director of marketing for Eldorado Stone.

Hear about what’s behind this trend and the exciting options stone veneer can open up for architects and designers.

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Alan Organschi's Building the Regenerative City

This On Demand CEU is a recorded presentation from a previously live webinar event. The built environment is responsible for an estimated 40% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions as well as a host of other global ecological and social impacts. By 2050, there will be 2.3 billion new inhabitants of global cities. Demand for new buildings and infrastructure will grow accordingly, placing an increasingly heavy burden on critical resources and vulnerable ecosystems. Resource deprivation will further disenfranchise an ever-larger segment of human populations.

This course utilizes insight from an internationally recognized architect, Alan Organschi, who calls for the re-formation of the Anthropocene and the reshaping of our burgeoning cities—the way we build them, organize them, distribute their services, and inhabit them.

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Susan Jones: Disruptive Ecologies

This On Demand CEU is a recorded presentation from a previously live webinar event. This guest lecture presented by Susan Jones, FAIA, provides insight into an ecological journey of a decade-long search for sustainable design strategies. The course focuses on how mass timber can be used as a lower-carbon approach to building design while also maintaining the safety and well-being of the occupants.

The course depicts several case studies that demonstrate the architect’s lessons learned which enabled more sustainable building design opportunities in the future. The course discusses the process of changing regulations for the use of mass timber as a material of choice in a variety of buildings, particularly Type 4c, Type 4b, and Type 4a buildings, where it was not allowed previously in the United States.

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Specifying to Avoid Paint Failure – The Importance of Paint Selection

Architects have an important role to play in proper surface preparation and coatings selection through project-specific painting specification. It’s important for architects and designers to be actively involved in the specifying process and to understand the limitations, benefits, and features of different paints and coatings.

This course will help the learner to understand the main causes of paint and coating failures, the importance of proper surface preparation for various substrates, and problem-solving primers and other coating technologies that can help improve the longevity of structures.

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A Planning Guide for Accessible Restrooms

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) sets the minimum requirements for newly designed and constructed or renovated state and local government facilities, public accommodations, and commercial facilities to be readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities. When designing restrooms, some of each type of accessible plumbing fixture and restroom accessories and their installation location must meet accessibility requirements contained in the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design. Many projects must also follow the provisions of the 2017 Edition of the ICC A117.1 Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities Standard.

As states adopt the 2021 International Building Code (IBC) into their states’ building code, the ICC A117.1-2017 Accessible Standards will become effective for existing and new buildings. Forty-six states follow the ICC A117.1-2017 Standards (all but California, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Texas; who harmonize with the ADA Standards). Additionally, states such as California have accessible requirements that vary from the ADA standards and are more stringent providing greater access.

In this course, we will cover the 2010 ADA and the ICC A117.1-2017 accessibility standards. We will also point out where and how the states including California, Florida and Minnesota building codes differ from the ADA and the ICC A117.1-2017 standards. It is important that you always check the accessibility standards that apply to your project’s location.

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Extruded Aluminum Trim: Innovative Solutions for Interior Applications (Print Course)

Extruded aluminum trim has long been used for exterior applications with panel cladding systems, but there are new opportunities to use the material for interior applications. This course will describe the performance and aesthetic benefits of extruded aluminum trim when used for interior trim. It will cover how extruded aluminum trim is manufactured and characteristics that improve fire resistance, durability, and sustainability. The course will also discuss finish and profile options, installation considerations, and emerging technologies and trends for the product.

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Sustainability and Design Benefits of Composite Cladding

This On Demand CEU is a recorded presentation from a previously live webinar event. This course will explore the versatility of wood plastic composites, with a specific focus on composite rainscreen cladding. It will cover the sustainability of wood plastic composites from manufacturing, performance, and life cycle perspectives. We will also discuss color and design options for composite cladding, as well as applications in the residential and commercial sectors.

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Where Is Resimmercial Design Headed?

Resimmercial or commercidential? The blurring of the residential and commercial lines of design isn’t necessarily new - but the trend is evolving.

One of the main questions in this Session with ARCHITECT's Editor-in-Chief is "Where do we draw that line between interior and exterior, between public and private, to create a holistic design which provides an experience for whoever's using it in whatever type of use?"

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