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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The Evolution of Vinyl Flooring from Sheet Vinyl to Eco-Resilient Flooring

Vinyl flooring products have a long history and have evolved into technologically advanced flooring options over the past decade. Today, vinyl flooring is available in several formats ranging from sheet vinyl to vinyl composition tile and luxury vinyl tiles and planks. The most recent innovation is eco-resilient flooring, which can be used to meet green building standards because it is manufactured without PVC.

This course will explore the evolution of vinyl flooring and the different products available today, including their performance benefits, residential and commercial applications, and installation considerations.

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Beauty and Strength: An Examination of Western Red Cedar Finishes as a Complement to Mass Timber Systems (Print Course)

This course will explore mass timber construction, including the different types of mass timber products that are manufactured from Douglas fir, spruce-pine-fir, and Southern pine species; their performance and environmental benefits; and applications for this type of construction.

The course will also examine the importance of Western red cedar as a sustainable building product that introduces biophilic design into a space, and how it can be used to complement mass timber construction in both interior and exterior applications.

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A Discussion on the Top 10 Ways to Reduce Concrete’s Carbon Footprint

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.

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The Evolution of Universal Design: Accessibility to Empowerment (Print Course)

Over the past three decades society has had the chance to rethink discrimination, with growing social awareness of gender identity, differently abled individuals, and sensory sensitivity. This has led to a movement to make all spaces barrier-free, accessible, and inclusively designed so that they are safe, comfortable, and easy for all occupants to use.

This course will examine the history of inclusive and universal design, it’s relevance today, and how to design residential homes that are accessible for all. The course will also explore the 2021 Southern Living Showcase Home, which was the first of its kind designed to be fully inclusive and accessible.

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Propane Gas Systems: Considerations for Residential Construction

When planning and designing homes, architects should know that more than 12.6 million U.S. households rely on propane for their primary energy needs. Propane has many advantages such as offering heat for water, outdoor spaces, and inside the home. In addition, propane provides clean fuel for comforting fireplaces, cooking food, and drying clothing.

Propane can be stored above ground or in underground propane tanks, an option many builders are choosing in order to fuel homes off the natural gas mains. This course will cover important considerations when planning for propane use in residential construction.

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Designing and Building High Performance Homes with Propane

This course will explore how propane is effectively used in residential construction, specifically for: space heating, water heating, cooking, clothes drying, fireplaces, power generation and outdoor living. Today, several innovative technologies make propane a reliable, versatile and affordable choice for homes.

Throughout the US, in areas without affordable access to natural gas, high-performance propane energy applications are being installed in homes to meet efficiency requirements for tax credits, green building codes and sustainable building programs.

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Designing Sustainable, Prefabricated Wood Buildings (Print Course)

In this course, you’ll explore foundational concepts of prefabricated construction, along with its potential advantages. Materials cover the unique benefits of prefabricated light wood-frame and mass timber construction, including types of prefabricated timber systems, assemblies, and wood products used in offsite manufacturing.

Case studies throughout demonstrate a wide range of sustainable prefabricated building examples using advanced light-frame and mass timber construction.

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Specifying Fenestration Products for Occupant Health and Well-Being (Print Course)

This course will explore the WELL Building Standard, which is increasingly being used by projects (often in conjunction with LEED) to demonstrate the role buildings play in the health and well-being of occupants. We will cover the 10 Concepts and related Features of WELL, then dig deeper to examine how windows and glazing can help projects earn points in this rating system under the Light, Air, Thermal Comfort, Mind, Materials, and Sound Concepts.

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