Join us for an inspiring journey as we explore real-world examples of LEED certified projects that are reshaping our built environment and combating climate change. Through a series of captivating case studies, you'll discover how innovative strategies are dramatically reducing energy and water consumption, creating heal...

The COVID-19 Pandemic has caused significant damage to the global economy and disrupted people's lives. In this course we will identify COVID-19 challenges with respect to building occupancy, public health, and social equity. We will review LEED v4.1 BD+C Safety First Pilot Credits and discuss their possible impact on bu...

Sustainable kitchen design encompasses environmental, health, and social considerations. In this course, we explore innovative approaches that prioritize energy efficiency, the use of healthy materials, and the enhancement of overall well-being. As the demand for eco-friendly living spaces continues to rise, design profe...

A new Music and Science complex was added to the Hood River Middle School in 2010, earning LEED Platinum certification. Through a series of interviews with the school faculty and the design team, we explore the creation of a net-zero-energy building that complements the children’s studies of the balance of nature. Learn...

A century ago, everyone could look up and see a spectacular starry night sky. Now, millions of people across the planet will never experience the majestic night sky where they live. The widespread use of artificial light at night is not only impairing our view of the universe, it negatively affects our environment, our s...

Embodied carbon is the hidden impact embedded within construction materials and products and contributes significantly to our carbon footprint. By understanding the implications of your specification decisions, you possess the key to not only reducing embodied carbon, but also creating resilient and environmentally consc...

Is Phoenix on the brink of a desert apocalypse, where relentless heat, dwindling water supplies, and raging wildfires could transform this vibrant city into an uninhabitable wasteland? Explore the critical intersection of climate change, urban design, and sustainability in this course focused on the future of desert metr...

Our planet is facing significant environmental challenges. There are over 7 billion people on our planet vying for limited resources. Our oceans are overfished, polluted with toxic chemicals, plastic, and sewage. Our forests have been clearcut for timber, mining, and livestock purposes. We are living in the 6th mass exti...

Stormwater runoff in urban areas is one of the leading sources of water pollution in the United States. As the runoff flows over the land, paved streets, parking lots, and building rooftops, it accumulates chemicals, sediment or other pollutants that can adversely affect water quality if the runoff is discharged untreate...

In this one-hour course, the design professional will explore the impacts of light pollution, including harm done both to people, and to the environment. Strategies used by LEED projects to achieve SS Credit: Light Pollution Reduction are considered for all LEED BD+C v4 compliance options, including calculation methods a...

Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) have been gaining fast recognition as the gold standard of product disclosures. We explore the inherent limitations of these tools, and discuss potential strategies for project teams to use EPDs for product specification.

In this course we describe how project teams can use Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for LEED v4.1 projects. Our team describes the environmental impacts referenced in EPDs and how these impacts may affect the planet and its inhabitants. We discuss how EPDs can contribute to the LEED v4.1 BD+C, ID+C, and O+M ra...

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 a...

In the heart of Los Angeles, where the skyline meets the unpredictable forces of nature, a battle is brewing against earthquakes, wildfires, mudslides, and more. As the city grapples with the looming threats of drought, smog, and power grid failures, design professionals are stepping up to create resilient buildings that...

Protecting wildlife and preserving it for future generations is critical. Our planet desperately needs to be safeguarded, with climate change already wreaking havoc on our natural environment. In this course, we describe how to achieve the LEED v4.1 BD+C Protect or Restore Habitat credit and reduce environmental impacts...

What professional responsibility do we bear for the environmental impact of our designs? In this thought-provoking course, participants will delve into the critical ethical dimensions of sustainable design that shape our built environment for generations to come. Explore how the AIA and ASCE Codes of Ethics translate int...

In this one-hour course, the participant will discover how to reduce building water use by increasing efficiency and reducing potable water consumption for LEED BD+C projects. We address water consumed by fixtures, fittings, appliances, equipment, and processes including cooling towers. We also perform water use calculat...

Learn the key things you MUST know regarding ADA compliance as an Architect and Engineer