The COVID-19 pandemic prompted intense review of workplace design considerations and solutions. Amongst the A&D community, there is growing conviction that occupant well-being and engagement must be supported through concern with equity—and applied to real-world needs such as acoustical privacy. To reliably design buildings to function acoustically for their users (e.g., provide adequate speech privacy, freedom from distraction, reduced annoyance, a good night’s sleep, and so on), one needs to establish a known and consistent level of spectrally neutral background sound.
Coatings Failures: Corrosion of Metals
This On Demand CEU is a recorded presentation from a previously live webinar event. Metal coating failures can have catastrophic consequences. This course identifies causes of corrosion with ferrous and non-ferrous metal substrates. In addition, the course will examine premature metal coating failures and how to prevent these failures.
By understanding the proper surface preparation of metal the course will help specifiers understand the proper application methods that extend protective performance of the surface. Finally, the course will review SSPC/NACE standards, definition and implementation to enhance performance of metal coating applications.
Slate Reimagined: The Surprising Advantages of Slate Rainscreen Cladding
Time-honored material offers a bold new expression of architectural excellence. Read why slate is an ideal cladding solution for numerous applications. In an industry and design environment where so many materials ask architects, contractors and owners to make difficult sustainability, performance and aesthetic decisions, consider how the simplicity and elegance of a reimagined building material presents a way forward with minimal compromise.
The Facts on Fiberglass: Understanding the Research on the Health and Safety of Fiberglass and Mineral Wool
This On Demand CEU is a recorded presentation from a previously live webinar event. Fiberglass is one of the most studied man-made substances on the planet, and there are dozens of studies supporting its safety and performance. Yet, there remains some lingering fears. Learn why fiberglass insulation is one of the most tested consumer products on the market and how it stacks up against other comparative products in the industry.
Creating Beautiful, Accessible, and Equitable Spaces with Mass Timber Presented by Chandra Robinson
This course explores the innovative use of mass timber in architecture. Chandra Robinsons’ extensive experience with timber projects showcases the material's potential to advance building technologies while promoting sustainability, equity, and resilience.
Participants will explore various case studies, from affordable housing to commercial buildings, highlighting the practical applications and benefits of mass timber construction.
The Latest Innovations in Designing the Smart Home of Tomorrow
Hot off a season of trade shows, including the International Builders' Show (IBS), manufacturers have debuted new products or improvements that make existing products cleaner and more energy-efficient—on the systems side of smart homes.
Hear more about five of these recent innovations. On the design side, see a fireplace with firebox that can have zero clearance to combustible materials. Then see the latest hydronic solutions efficiently delivering heat and hot water - as well as a powerful fuel cell that can work in concert with the grid.
Enhancing Value of Remodeling Projects with Propane
This course provides an overview of the home remodeling industry, including industry growth trends, demographic insights, and typical project types. The course also explores the potential role of propane technologies in different remodeling applications, illustrating key performance characteristics and how they can add value to remodeling projects. The course concludes by describing the options for propane storage in residential applications.
Reshaping Residential Design and Beyond: 6 Key Trends and the Influences Behind Them
From rusticated design to office-residential conversions, hear more about architectural trends and the forces behind them.
In this wide-ranging discussion we review six key trends—and how they're informing the future of design. The latest take on biophilic design; how are customization and individualization evolving; will circularity become a more important aspect of sustainability. Find out in this Studio Session.
Heating Oil Conversion: Exploring Propane as a Viable Alternative Energy Source
Heating oil, also known as fuel oil or Number 2 oil, has been a popular choice for homeowners since the early 1900s. As an alternative to coal or wood as a fuel source for boilers and domestic hot water production, heating oil proved to be a reliable, clean, and economical choice for millions of consumers, especially in the Northeast where other fuel types were often more difficult to acquire or were more expensive.
But it is not an environmentally conscious fuel choice. Propane gas has the same remote fuel benefit, coupled with fewer emissions and higher efficiency equipment. This course details economic and environmental reasons why switching from heating oil to propane is a good choice for homeowners, residential builders or remodelers.
Propane as a Solution to Meeting Code and Above-Code Programs – Using High Efficiency Propane Systems as a Compliance Strategy
Nothing is driving greater change in the home building industry than energy efficiency, but prior to 2015 the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) didn’t address mechanical equipment such as furnaces and water heaters. The 2015 IECC now includes a new compliance path called the Energy Rating Index allowing builders more choices in how to meet the energy code. This course will take a closer look at how high efficiency propane equipment such as furnaces and water heaters provide flexibility in meeting 2015 IECC standards and help reduce a home’s HERS Index, in addition to helping projects gain points in above-code programs such as LEED and the National Green Building Standard.