Ensuring facilities have a backup power source for resilience and redundancy is gaining traction as a goal by organizations everywhere.
In this Studio Session with ARCHITECT's Editor-in-Chief watch to learn how the energy and engineering team behind an Army National Guard project specified micro-combined heat and power (micro-CHP) systems to cut energy costs and carbon emissions while improving resilience.
Wellness is a growing trend in many industries, including building design. This is especially true since the COVID-19 pandemic markedly disrupted how we work, learn, live, and play in the spaces we inhabit.
This course will analyze the growth of the wellness industry as it relates to the built environment and will introduce the learner to the WELL Building Standard, which is a rating system to help buildings and organizations deliver more thoughtful and intentional spaces. Concurrently, we will explore how hearth products such as electric fireplaces can be incorporated into commercial and residential design to enhance occupant health and well-being.
Consumers and the design industry are taking notice of newly embraced lifestyle and workplace shifts, coupled with an increasing focus on climate change, health, and wellness. There is a more conscious effort, even a responsibility, to plan, design, and develop for well-being. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, we have heightened awareness of hygiene and the challenges that high-touch surfaces present, such as those found in commercial restrooms.
This course will explore v2 of the WELL Building Standard and how commercial restroom products can help designers achieve WELL v2 Certification. We will identify the plumbing industry’s role in health and wellness and how reducing water consumption in commercial restrooms impacts the health and well-being of building occupants.
This course will explore how propane-fueled hydronic heating technologies such as radiant hydronic and forced-air hydronic can improve the sustainability of buildings and the health and comfort of occupants.
We will examine how these technologies work, the advantages of each type, and how building owners can overcome space-heating challenges with hydronic heating systems. Finally, the course will explore several case studies where hydronic heating systems were used to save money, maximize energy efficiency, and improve thermal comfort.
While most kitchens do have ventilation systems, homeowners often don’t use them properly and aren’t aware of how quickly cooking can negatively impact a home’s indoor air quality. This course discusses that impact and how proper specification of ventilation systems can significantly improve indoor air quality to protect occupant health and safeguard a home’s fixtures and furnishings from detrimental grease and odors. We will cover how to achieve proper sizing and positioning of a ventilation system, design and customization options, as well as projects where ventilation systems were used to maximize style and safety in residential kitchens.
Achieving optimal comfort requires focusing on design principles and selecting materials that address acoustics, indoor air quality, daylighting, cleanability and more — everything occupants see, hear, and feel. Some of the most significant contributors to the aesthetics and performance of interior spaces are ceilings and walls. Today’s architectural ceiling and wall solutions are sophisticated products that play an enormous role in occupant comfort. This course will explore how architects and designers can improve occupant health and well-being through the use of acoustic ceiling and wall systems in the built environment (more specifically in offices, classrooms, and healthcare facilities, where people spend a great deal of time).
Western red cedar is a wood prized for its beautiful color and grain, natural insect and moisture resistance, and durability. It is an extremely versatile building product that can be used both indoors and out and can be finished in myriad ways to complement a building’s aesthetic.
This course will discuss best practices for finishing, care, and maintenance of western red cedar that will ensure a long-lasting finish in both exterior and interior applications.
Resilience has become a central idea for assessing how our social, economic, technical, constructed, engineered, and ecological systems can withstand and bounce back from a man-made or weather- and climate-related disaster. Globally, wildfires, hurricanes, tornados, typhoons, high winds, hail, coastal and valley flooding, sea level rise, heat waves, seismic activity, extreme cold, ice storms, and snow melt have destroyed ecosystems, caused loss of life, damaged property, disrupted healthcare and financial networks, and in some cases, brought essential services to a halt. During this presentation, we’ll discuss the composition, performance, and application of engineered polymer siding and trim and capped polymer cladding to illustrate the benefits to home and building owners when construction materials are selected with resilience and sustainability in mind.
Wood polymer composite fenestration products are next-generation composites that offer slimmer sightlines, architecturally correct design, and co-extruded pigment to meet the high demand for contemporary, sustainable, and durable windows and patio doors. This course will compare wood polymer composite to alternative materials and will discuss the performance benefits of composite windows and doors, including thermal and energy efficiency, water resistance, and recyclability. The course will also cover style, glazing, and finish options, as well as maintenance and installation considerations.
This On Demand CEU is a recorded presentation from a previously live webinar event. Rain is one of the most important things to control in wall construction for both a building’s structural integrity and the occupants’ health. Join us in this one-hour course as we discuss the aesthetic, performance, and sustainable attributes of wood-plastic composites (WPCs) for use in rainscreen applications. Participants will gain a new understanding of how WPC cladding should be applied and fastened in rainscreen systems.