Branch Out: Four Wood Renovations to Increase Home Value

Renovating for long-term ROI can be a balancing act. For homeowners, it’s important that renovations offer immediate benefits while also standing the test of time, both functionally and aesthetically. The key to timeless renovation is functional design rooted in tradition. One of the oldest and most renewable building materials—wood—is sustainable, stylish, and classic.

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The Ultimate Guide to Zero Net Energy Building With Propane

Zero net energy (ZNE) construction represents a vast opportunity for builders and contractors. So what is a zero net energy home? In the simplest terms, a ZNE home produces as much energy as it uses, most commonly using efficient construction methods. Achieving ZNE performance involves a whole-building design approach to consider all of a home's systems — the building envelope, mechanical systems, and lighting and appliances — in an integrated way.

This e-book collects our most valuable resources on ZNE projects to help you define what ZNE means for you and examine factors such as energy prices, net metering policies, solar resources, incentives, and budget. You’ll see that getting to zero doesn’t mean giving up desirable and high-performance gas systems.

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Deep Connections: Planet + People

Webinar On-Demand: This On Demand CEU is a recorded presentation from a previously live webinar event. This course discusses the interconnectedness between planetary health and human health and the importance of a holistic systems-wide approach towards regeneration. There is an increase in revelations around the impact of biodiversity loss, climate change and human health which is supported by data and research. By using scientific evidence supported by data and facts, it is important to understand the true connection between our ecosystems, climate, built environment and community. Using examples of tools specifically in the building industry, we will look at how these are being used to make informed decisions and develop strategies for long-term positive impact. Additionally, the course focuses on understanding what elements architects should, designers, specifiers focus on while making decisions about products.

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Balancing Sustainability and Cost in High Performance Projects

This On Demand CEU is a recorded presentation from a previously live webinar event. Architects of today face a common task that defies intuition – how to balance building performance and strict carbon targets against cost. Sustainability in design is certainly a worthy and necessary goal, but the amount of options can be overwhelming and the costs prohibitive, especially in the eyes of owners.

How can designers best convince their clients to integrate sustainability into a project? Keeping costs low and backing up decisions with fact-based analysis are solid first steps. Join this 60 minute session for a dive into workflows and case studies with implementable takeaways for your projects.

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Wellness Inspired Design: Specifying Large Scale Living Green Walls For Well-being

Creating spaces that embrace nature have both physical and mental health benefits. These benefits enhance the occupants experience in an indoor space creating the ambiance of outdoor living. In this course, we will discuss how the exposure to nature through living green walls contribute to LEED, WELL, and other green rating systems. We will cover common places where you might find living green walls, and where exposure to nature can make a dramatic difference, including offices, hotels, retail shops, and healthcare. This course will examine different types of living green walls available, how systems are designed, installed, and maintained. In addition, the course will look at the latest large scale green wall technology and how it can be applicable to a variety of applications.

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Specifying Low-VOC Architectural and Industrial Maintenance Coatings to Meet Air Quality Standards (Print Course)

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are chemicals emitted as gases from certain solids and liquids, including architectural and industrial maintenance coatings. VOCs are the leading cause of ground-level air pollution and indoor air pollution, which can adversely impact the health of building occupants.

This course will examine the importance of indoor air quality and how it is impacted by VOCs. We will discuss how VOCs are regulated at both the federal and state level, including exemptions, classifications, and how these regulations affect Architectural and Industrial Maintenance (AIM) Coatings. There are new regulations on the horizon that you should be aware of, as coating manufacturers work to develop products that achieve a balance between important performance and application factors and their environmental ramifications. The course will also explore coating technologies that already meet strict VOC standards.

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Understanding Sealants and Their Impact on a Residential Structure in 2021 Using an LCA (Print Course)

It makes sense that sealing your windows and doors saves energy, but have you ever wondered by how much? A life cycle assessment was conducted for a polyurethane sealant on a residential structure in Pittsburgh, PA. This course will explain types of sealants and how they are used on a residential structure, how life cycles are assessed, the methodology of this study, as well as results and conclusions.

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Daylighting with Light-Transmitting Polycarbonate for Roofing and Facades

Daylighting has already been proven to increase a building’s energy efficiency and occupant well-being. Material choice matters. This course will explore the role of daylighting as part of sustainable project design and how to maximize the availability of natural light.

Substantial attention will be given to the role of polycarbonates in daylighting strategy, including product choices and applications. Case studies are also included and examine the use of polycarbonates in various daylighting settings, ranging from a five-year comparative study to an internationally renowned sports stadium, higher education, and a condo in Florida.

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Innovative Green Concrete for Sustainable Construction

This course will provide learners with an introduction to Green Concrete. In addition, the course will examine the key components of Green Concrete Mixtures, illustrate some performance attributes of High-performance Green Concrete, and demonstrate the need for a process and methodology for quantifying sustainable concrete. Finally, the course will look at various project profiles that specified Green Concrete mixtures and how architects can incorporate this material to specify Green Concrete with a comparative life cycle assessment or Eco-Efficiency Analysis.

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CHOWA Concept Home-Journey to Completion Video

The design of the Chowa Home is focused on balance and harmony, derived from the Japanese meaning of the word. This video shows you how the collaborative effort between Japanese and US Builders created a luxury concept home that provides solutions for creative building through flexible design and better building processes.

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