Zonda - Resource Library

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.

Since arriving in our homes, smart technology has put welcome conveniences at our fingertips. With a growing demand for energy in homes, it is increasingly clear that living spaces need to be not only smart but also sustainable.

Sustainability is a growing concern for home buyers - and builders can take advantage of this by designing new homes that make sustainable living accessible for their customers.

“Authenticity” and “handcrafted” are consumer buzz words that encompass everything from small-batch breweries and beers to the mission statements of big corporations. In architecture, these words tie in to design, connectivity with clients, and what is specified in homes. Specifying authentically handcrafted materials, including those for luxury, high-performing windows, harkens back to the Arts and Crafts Movement and speaks to a contemporary generation of clients that prefer one-of-a-kind objects to those that are mass produced. Luxury, handcrafted windows lend themselves to form, function, and the specific needs of exacting clients, as well as to the creation of durable, timeless structures.

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.

Natural slate is long–lived, durable, fire resistant and waterproof. This revolution in cladding applications offers a modern, sustainable and easy to install alternative with unique character.

In this age of constant change, it’s important for business owners working in retail, office, and healthcare to be able to pivot their operations and space needs quickly — and sometimes often. Whether you design retail environments, workspaces, healthcare facilities, or other configurable spaces such as education and hospitality — spaces that need to be capable of adjusting to changes in location, circumstance, or even human behavior — you’ve likely too often been forced to make uncomfortable trade-offs. This course will explore the dynamic nature of business environments today and design options for prefabricated, modular, customized structures that can help your clients adapt their physical spaces quickly while remaining design forward. The course will also help you understand how prefabricated structures combat construction waste and address sustainability.

Electricity 4.0 — the convergence of digital intelligence with electricity.

Take a look at this community, a real-life example of the new energy landscape.