The battle to maintain temperature and humidity within critical zones has given HVAC engineers headaches for years—but not anymore! Join us in this one-hour course as we discuss the effects of poor temperature and humidity control on the building and its occupants, as well as the main zone variables and how to balance these attributes. Participants will learn how technology can provide a neutral air zone in the most sustainable and efficient manner to provide a predictable indoor environment.

The course covers includes sustainability considerations including forest sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions and sequestration.

During the Industrial Revolution, engineers looked for ways to create materials that were strong, waterproof, and long-lasting. New advances in technology led to the creation of beautiful, better-performing, longer-lasting, and sustainable materials for a wide use of applications.

In this course, we compare traditional pavers with composite paver systems and how they differ in durability, lifespan, and maintenance. In addition, we discuss how composite pavers produce a smaller carbon footprint and are a more sustainable solution than traditional pavers.

In this one-hour course, we explore the constantly evolving concepts of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ). These two terms have been around for years but have gained newfound importance due to the pandemic. We will review design standards related to IAQ and IEQ, with a focus on the nine foundations of a Healthy Building. We will identify HVAC products that are relevant to IAQ and IEQ and the important role thermal comfort and sound play in achieving Healthy Building certifications.

This course covers the production and recyclability of steel in the construction industry, including the general and sustainable advantages of building with steel. This includes a look at how specifying steel can contribute to potential LEED credits as well as compliance with standards such as the International Green Construction Code (IgCC) and the WELL certification program. The focus will be on steel as an infinitely recyclable material and its various applications within the building industry.

The efficiency of a facility’s water heating system is vital to not only the building’s daily operation but also to the comfort of its occupants. Join us in this one-hour course as we discuss how to estimate hot water demands and determine the capacity requirements for the water heating system in a high use facility. Participants will learn how to calculate the thermal efficiency of water heating systems, as well as how to specify higher efficiency equipment that reduces operating costs and energy consumption.

Overlooking the smallest detail in HVAC systems design can cause huge issues later. Join us in this one-hour course as we discuss HVAC systems as it relates to thermal comfort, the ever evolving changes to energy requirements that impact HVAC systems and the factors that impact durability, sustainability and longevity. Participants will evaluate HVAC systems with a focus on leading technology that optimizes comfort, energy efficiency and code compliance that is redefining thermal comfort, performance and product longevity today.

In the 2010 ADA/ABA Standards for Accessible Design, the U.S. Access Board added requirements for residential facilities. These requirements are not for multi-family housing projects or for single family housing, but housing required to be accessible by the ADA and ABA. This course will explain the difference between the ADA and FHA requirements and teach about the technical requirements for each Standard. And will make it more clear how the ADA and the other accessibility standards make residential facilities more accessible.

In this one hour video presentation, we explore how sustainable manufacturing helps reduce environmental impacts and solve critical issues facing our planet. Our team discusses how a manufacturer can use innovative practices to reduce energy and water consumption and material waste. Industry experts describe why design professionals should use EPDs, HPDs, and Declare Labels for specifying products. Finally, we examine how global megatrends affect design strategies and the built environment.

In this presentation, we explore how deadly diseases have impacted cities and affected urban planning. We discuss how urbanization contributes to pandemics and how diseases like the bubonic plague, Spanish influenza, and SARS changed how cities operate. Our team will review how hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare projects can decrease risks to patients and healthcare workers. Finally, we will examine how sustainable development may help decrease pandemic risks for future global catastrophes.

In this one-hour course, we will explore how accordion doors, hardwood rolling counter doors, and space saving doors can help design professionals create a secure and elegant space. We discuss design strategies, ADA compliance, LEED v4 credits, and how these doors can benefit building occupants and owners. Finally, we review case studies, design challenges, and how to achieve successful outcomes using these effective doors.

The choices we make when specifying building materials can have significant effects on the planet and human health. The world is facing cataclysmic issues such as climate destabilization, pollution, biodiversity loss, deforestation, and greenhouse gases. Construction produces vast volumes of waste and consumes colossal amounts of energy. Design professionals can make a difference in minimizing the damage to the environment and human health by selecting better building materials.

This session will offer a graphic side-by-side comparison of the technical standards from the 1991 and the 2010 versions of the ADAAG. It will explain the timeline of the new guidelines, detailing they take effect and when they will become mandatory. The class will also cover new sections and new elements with which compliance will be required. Focus will also be given on how this affects Texas and the Texas Accessibility Standards.

A workplace is a complicated space when it comes to understanding the requirements for accessibility. Some spaces are exempted while some require full access. This seminar gives an overview of what requirements exist in the ADA about work areas and when the ADA Standards apply.

This seminar will focus on existing buildings and how they should comply, alterations and the five elements required to be upgraded to meet the Standards once an area containing a primary function is altered.

Curbless showers are in high demand for their streamlined look and ADA compliance efforts and similar aging-in-place design strategies. In this course, we provide an overview of the growing demand for curbless showers, the difference between curbless and barrier-free, the installation methods in the TCNA Handbook, and a host of design and installation considerations for a successful project. We discuss requirements for curbless showers in order to comply with ADA guidelines, and how to be sure to meet applicable plumbing codes and wet-area coefficient of friction for flooring.

This one-hour audio course highlights the common oversights architects and contractors often make when addressing accessibility on multifamily projects in two critical areas of project development: design and construction. We will review real-life examples coupled with simple solutions to help you in creating compliant projects that meet the needs of all users and the required accessibility standards. Learn how to take a proactive approach to accessible design and avoid litigation through this informative CE course!

The purpose of this presentation is to learn the principles of thermal comfort, heat transfer and the benefits of the innovative HVAC strategy that pairs traditional air conditioning with energy-efficient air movement.