In this one-hour course, the participant will discover the importance of high quality indoor air, factors that contribute to quality, and strategies to support the health of construction workers and occupants. Consider the heavy emphasis placed on indoor air quality in LEED credit allocations, and learn how to design and...

In this one hour course, the design professional will review implementation strategies for an integrative design and construction process. We also evaluate the new Integrative Process credit in the LEED v4 rating system, and outline the necessary activities to achieve the credit. The design professional will explore coll...

In this one-hour course, the participant will explore design strategies that encourage beneficial occupant behavior. Consider the impacts occupant behavior changes can have on a building over its lifetime, dispel myths that key occupant behaviors cannot be directed by designers, and learn how these strategies can help ac...

In this one-hour course, we will explore the challenges of creating a sustainable cannabis facility that reduces energy consumption, water usage, and waste. We identify best practices for sustainable cannabis facilities and how hazards may affect building occupants.

Whole building LCA and carbon analysis play a crucial role in promoting sustainable and low-carbon construction practices. By considering the entire life cycle of a building, these assessments help reduce environmental impacts and contribute to a more sustainable built environment. In this course we explore how project t...

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...

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...

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...

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...

With our world facing unprecedented water scarcity and supply issues, designers and influencers are prioritizing water conserving strategies. In this one-hour course, learners will evaluate water efficiency strategies for flush and flow fixtures, identify uses for nonpotable water, and address optimal operation of proce...

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...