LEED General Courses By Newest

It's challenging these days, when you put up a structure, be it a commercial building or a residence, hotels, etc. Anything that you're putting up there has to have a sound element to it. We're challenged by air traffic, rail traffic, highway traffic, construction site noise, outdoor concert noise; we have it all. Therefore, it's becoming important to understand how to manage this sound. We know that sound can be debilitating.

During this one-hour course, ‘Expansive Openings for Energy Efficient Settings’, you’ll uncover the features and benefits of large opening glass wall systems. Explore how architects and builders are using glass wall systems to expand spaces and connect occupants to the outdoors. We’ll also drill into system components, glazing, and frames and the detailed characteristics of each that contribute to energy efficiency.

In this course, we discuss the longevity, durability, and sustainability attributes of pre-fabricated shower pans compared to traditional mortar bed shower pans and how these affect occupants. Our team reviews pre-fabricated shower pan installation practices and how they reduce resource consumption and improve worker safety. Finally, we examine how pre-fabricated shower pans contributed to LEED projects.

Water heaters are vital for every building’s operation. However, traditional tank-style water heaters are inefficient, unreliable, and harmful to the environment. Join us in this one-hour course as we discuss the many benefits of tankless water heaters, including lower building emissions and increased occupant health. Participants will encounter real world cost analyses and case studies that incorporate tankless water heaters in a variety of applications.

In this course we explore how Low Impact Development (LID) has several advantages over traditional stormwater management strategies. Our team discusses LID, its goals and principles, and how they are achieved. The course provides an overview of how plastic permeable grid paver systems support LID goals. We review how LID can help reduce environmental impacts and contribute to LEED v4 as well as reduce hazards for site occupants. Finally, our team examines case studies that show how plastic permeable grid paver systems can benefit projects.

In this course, we explore how HVLS Fans can contribute to thermal comfort, energy savings, and sustainable design. Our team explores the basics of ASHRAE Standard 55 requirements and new updates to Standard 55-2017 & 55-2020. We discuss how air movement can assist with meeting indoor air quality performance and energy performance requirements for sustainable design projects. Finally, we describe how to evaluate compliance with comfort standards in various environments and how they affect building occupants.

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 building occupant's health. Our team provides a deep-dive into the AIA Re-occupancy Assessment Tool and how design professionals can prioritize the health of building occupants.

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) for building products are critical when selecting the most sustainable product. This course will describe critical components that help assure transparent and fair comparisons when conducting an LCA. We will explain the benefits of creating a LCA and the purpose for creating an EPD. The course will discuss how LEED v4 will utilize EPDs in the Materials & Resources category.

In this 1-hour course we will explore the role of subcontractors and suppliers within the LEED process. We will review documentation submitted for LEED v4 projects such as Health Product Declarations (HPDs). Our team will discuss project team responsibilities and conclude with proven strategies to help you with your LEED v4 projects.

LCA is fast becoming the new benchmark for sustainable design philosophy. It presents as the ultimate tool for ensuring genuinely positive design results and it has/is being integrated into most progressive green building standards globally. Where it has typically been employed to optimise individual products or concepts, it is now rapidly being deployed in the building industry. The learning outcomes of this presentation will ensure attendees will have a good understanding of what LCA is and how it can be utilized to improve the design outcomes of their next project.

This course is written to educate design professionals on the amendments of LEEDv4 in comparison to its earlier editions, and will allow them to understand the core reasons behind these changes. The course delves into LEED EQ Credit: Quality Views in an in depth and comprehensive manner to instruct the professional on the true definition of the credit requirements as well as its intent. The course will also provide strategies for the design professional to successfully incorporate quality views into their designs when applicable to the project.

In this 1-hour, self-paced course, the design professional will establish or reinforce their understanding of the LEED certification process, from designation of the LEED Project Administrator to acceptance of final certification review. The various LEED project team members will be described, including their role on the LEED project and key responsibilities. Project team integration is described, along with the new LEED credit that recognizes the importance of the integrative process.

The average American spends the vast majority of their time indoors. However, most people are not unaware of the numerous chemicals and materials they are exposed to on a daily basis, nor do they understand the hazards associated with these substances. As such, the need for a standardized way of reporting the health impacts of building materials is desperately needed. In this one-hour course, the design professional will become familiar with the Health Product DeclarationTM (HPD), a material ingredient reporting standard developed under the guidance of the HPD CollaborativeTM.

The world is in grave danger. Climate destabilization, rampant industrialization, environmental destruction, pollution, and species extinction are problems significantly impacting our natural world. The environmental movement was launched to protect our natural world, reduce pollution, and to protect animal and plant diversity. This documentary will focus on neglected pioneers in the environmental movement as well as a few well known figures.

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 calculations, and apply these strategies to achieve points for LEED BD+C projects.

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 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 and the B.U.G. prescriptive methods to assess compliance for light trespass and sky glow. We conclude with a reference list of lighting terminology.

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 untreated. Through a series of video interviews with specialists from the City of Portland, we explore green infrastructure (GI) and low-impact development (LID) rainwater management strategies.