EDUCATION PROVIDER PROGRAM (EPP)

Natural and artificial lighting surrounds us at all times. Light helps us to work safely, enhances design, creates atmosphere, and influences our well-being. This course discusses the circadian rhythm, occupant health, and lighting color temperature, and it examines LED lighting requirements and options for lighting-integrated bathroom mirrors and cabinets.

Surface preparation is critical for high-performing, long-lasting flooring. Learn about the latest innovations and installation techniques in surface preparation that prevent floor damage while mitigating moisture and noise.

The United Nations has set 2030 as the deadline for member nations to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The construction industry has set complementary goals, including the AIA 2030 Commitment to reach net zero emissions in the built environment by 2030. This course discusses how circular economy building products are necessary to achieve sustainable design goals and presents the case study of Kohler WasteLAB, a small manufacturing business within Kohler Company that creates beautiful products for the home from waste.

Designers, building users, and managers are increasingly focused on building and occupant health as well as energy conservation. This course explores how mixed-mode (hybrid) ventilation systems address all these issues by improving the ratio of fresh air introduced into buildings while reducing energy needs and costs. It describes the benefits, elements, and workings of these systems and provides design guidance, code and standards references, LEED v4 BD+C applicability, and illustrative case studies.

ONGOING - FREE - 1 HOUR

Whether for new construction or a retrofit, doors and openings play an integral role in defining how a space functions and can impact occupants in multiple ways, making door selection an important process. This course discusses the many benefits sliding and pocket doors offer, including aesthetics, space savings, improved occupant flow, accessibility, and ease of operation. Typical sliding and pocket door hardware types, methods of operation, and installation are also reviewed.

Exterior trim plays a crucial role in both the function and appearance of a building, which in turn impacts occupant safety and well-being. This course provides an overview of exterior trim functions and common material options available today. Also discussed are product evaluation reports and their role in code compliance; sustainability considerations and embodied carbon; and key considerations for choosing the right trim. Finally, the course applies these concepts to several design scenarios and identifies the appropriate trim option for each.

In light of the recent pandemic and the increasing frequency of wildfires, there is growing awareness around the impact of air quality, particularly in indoor environments. Building systems that manage air circulation and ventilation play a crucial role in supporting occupant health and well-being and can help meet indoor air quality credit requirements in the LEED® v5 Building Design and Construction, Interior Design and Construction, and Operations and Maintenance rating systems and the WELL Building Standard™ version 2. This course provides an overview of indoor air quality (IAQ) and offers strategies for improving it through responsive design and technology.

ONGOING - FREE - 1 HOUR

Metal roofing and single-skin siding are increasingly specified products of choice. This is due to metal’s longevity, durability, and visual appeal. Today, a range of color and finish options are available for metal roofing and siding that afford specifiers broad design flexibility. With so many options available, color selection can be difficult. Appropriate color selection can impact design vision, material cohesion, project cost, and green building objectives. This course reviews important color considerations for metal roofing and siding, details on finish options, and emerging color trends.

Lack of secure bicycle parking and storage is one of the top barriers to increased bicycle ridership. However, there is much more to selecting functional and appropriate bike storage than installing a few racks at the building sidewalk. This course examines best practices for bicycle racks and shelters for indoor and outdoor bicycle parking and storage, including typical municipal guidelines and regulations, incentives, guidance on shelters, and rack planning and design.

Bicycling is a healthy activity that improves cardiovascular health and reduces obesity and disease. It can be an excellent mode of transportation for people of all ages. Biking is increasingly becoming the first choice as an alternative means of transportation, but bicycles require safe and secure storage. This course discusses bicycle parking options that meet security, durability, and aesthetic standards.

Animals, plants, and microbes are engineers of what works and lasts on earth. Biomimicry is a practice in which nature’s designs, patterns, and strategies are examined to find sustainable solutions to our technical and design problems. This course discusses how applying the concepts of biomimicry can better connect our designs and buildings with nature and examines the relationship between nature’s solutions to light, heat, and glare control and shading design principles.

ONGOING

Incorporating nature into the built environment through biophilic design increases occupant well-being, productivity, and health and is an integral component of an ecologically healthy and sustainable community. Presented here is an overview of biophilic design, its relationship to sustainability, and its positive human, environmental, and economic outcomes. Case studies demonstrate how rooftop deck systems can contribute to biophilic and sustainable design objectives.

The recent shift toward protecting the environment has also brought about a better understanding of our innate need to reconnect with our natural surroundings. This is known as biophilia. In this course, we examine the elements of biophilic design and how to implement biophilic design strategies known to improve the physical and mental well-being of occupants. The use of resilient flooring in commercial applications offers an opportunity to implement biophilic design.

Biophilic design is a methodology for designing buildings and landscapes that improve human health and well-being while fostering a deeper appreciation for the natural world. This course provides an overview of biophilic design and its frameworks and how it can help projects earn certification through LEED® v4.1 Building Design and Construction (BD+C): New Construction, WELL Building Standard™ version 2, Sustainable SITES Initiative® v2, and the Living Building Challenge (LBC).

Stormwater management is critical in an era when severe storms and sewer overflows are increasing in many areas. In urban contexts where open space is at a premium, using on-structure bioretention planters can be the ideal approach. This course explores the benefits of bioretention and how bioretention planters reduce peak flows and improve water quality. The course also discusses how bioretention planters should be designed, can perform as amenities, and contribute to meeting the requirements of green building certification programs.