Zonda - Resource Library

This On Demand CEU is a recorded presentation from a previously live webinar event. Concrete is the building block of modern society and the most widely used building material. Nearly every structure built today, including buildings, bridges, homes, and infrastructure uses concrete in some way. It provides us with shelter along with places to work, learn and play. It connects us through roads and rapid transit and airports. Water is delivered and treated in concrete structures. Concrete is economical, available everywhere, durable, and versatile.

As demand for building construction continues to increase, it is likely the demand for concrete will also increase. Like all building products, however, concrete has a carbon footprint. This presentation will analyze the top ten strategies to take advantage of concrete’s benefits while ensuring the lowest possible carbon footprint.

This On Demand CEU is a recorded presentation from a previously live webinar event. When looking at the environmental impact of a building, it is important to assess every stage of the environmental life cycle, from material extraction and product manufacturing to building operations and maintenance through to end-of-life.

Concrete offers many environmental attributes that help reduce the overall environmental life cycle impacts of a building. This session explores how life cycle assessment can be used to measure and lower the environmental impacts of buildings.

Few building materials have been used for centuries and offer the strength and versatility of concrete. Waterproofing concrete is critical for a functional, reputable and long-lasting structure.

This educational unit will identify the consequences of non-waterproofed concrete. In addition, the course will explore how traditional waterproofing methods are used to protect concrete. Finally, the course will examine integral crystalline waterproofing methods, as well as some case study applications.

In order to produce a long-lasting, functional structure, any abrasive or erosive forces need to be ameliorated through its design.

This educational unit examines concrete hardening technologies – comparing features and limitations – so the best method can be selected.

Webinar On-Demand: This On Demand CEU is a recorded presentation from a previously live webinar event. This course will discuss considerations for the holistic design and construction of durable, long-lasting structures that are sustainable, safe and resilient. A building's primary goal is to protect the lives, lifestyles and livelihoods of its occupants. Precast concrete has numerous qualities that can help buildings perform efficiently and offer occupants and communities healthy, flexible and useful spaces that can be effectively utilized over many years. Attendees will have the chance to see and hear case studies of projects that used precast concrete for durability, resilience, and sustainability, and examine important qualities and attributes to consider when specifying the material.

Insulated concrete forms (ICF) have been in use in North America since the 1960s. First known as “Foam Form,” contemporary ICF combines reinforced concrete with expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation to create walls that meet or exceed code as it relates to fire and extreme weather events. ICF also offers superior noise mitigation and energy efficiency.

This course will examine the performance characteristics of ICF as well as case studies that demonstrate its uses in commercial, industrial, residential, and institutional settings.

This On Demand CEU is a recorded presentation from a previously live webinar event. Look around and you’ll see many 5 to 7 story residential projects being built today with one or two floors of concrete, supporting up to 5 floors of steel or wood frame. These “pedestal” projects are assumed to be the cheapest way to build while longer term ownership implications of these designs are not well understood. This 1-hour presentation dispels the myths that are driving the popularity of pedestal construction and demonstrates the ownership value concrete provides including lower operating costs, less maintenance, and improved tenant retention.

It's no secret the construction industry in the United States is growing. How do construction companies and contractors keep up with the growth, while battling labor shortages and rising costs? Answer: adopting the right technology.

Tilt-up is a method of construction whereby large concrete panels are cast horizontally on site and then raised into final position, usually vertical, with a crane. This building system, which was conceptualized in the early 1900s, is used throughout North America and across the globe. Once considered a method suitable only for large warehouses, today tilt-up construction is employed on virtually every building type, from distribution centers to schools, churches, libraries, retail centers, and office buildings. It has become the method of choice for many developers, designers, and contractors because of its numerous benefits.

This course presents the latest advances in tilt-up concrete technology, which provide economical, energy-efficient, and durable building solutions for a variety of project types, and focuses on several case studies.

Many countries, regions, cities, and organizations around the world are striving to reduce carbon emissions in an effort to mitigate climate change and its effects. Globally, operational carbon, which occurs from lighting, heating, and cooling buildings and homes, is responsible for 28% of annual CO2 emissions. Because buildings play a large role in carbon emissions, architects, engineers, and other building professionals are in a unique position to aid reduction efforts.

This course will enable learners to assess the role of concrete in carbon reduction strategies and the ways in which concrete can support sustainability initiatives. With a focus on operational carbon, this course will also examine Passive House, the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment, Race to Zero, and Architecture 2030, as well as several case studies. For information on embodied carbon, learners should refer to the course Concrete Pathways to Net Zero: Part 1, Embodied Carbon.