Over the past two decades the building industry has made significant strides toward building more intentionally and sustainably. Architects have greatly impacted this revolution by embracing innovative technologies that are more energy- and water-efficient, are less toxic to the environment and building occupants, and are more sensitive to how raw materials are extracted and sourced. Another important goal in protecting the climate and natural resources is to move away from a single-use mindset and embed circular economic principles into design and living. Many believe the next step in improving the sustainability and circularity of the built environment is biobased products, including paints, coatings, and sealers.

This course will discuss the environmental impact of petroleum-based coatings; the building blocks and future implications for biobased coatings; and new biobased products for use in wall, trim, floor, and roof coatings.


Learning Objectives

  • Examine the environmental impact of petroleum-based coatings and how they hinder goals toward sustainability and circularity in the built environment.
  • Explore the building blocks of biobased coating products and how biobased feedstocks are sourced and used.
  • Analyze how biobased paints, coatings, and sealants meet the coating industry’s goals for environmentally conscious products with high performance.
  • Discover innovative biobased developments for wall, trim, floor, and roof coatings.

Pre-Requisite: None.