Forging the Path to Carbon Neutral Building

Learn from the journey of Denver based Thrive Home Builders. This paper breaks down seven benefits and best practices to building carbon neutral homes, giving insight into environmental impacts and how it has helped their business thrive.

Get Case Study

Architecting Change: Design Strategies for a Healthy, Resilient, Climate Smart Future (Print Course)

Over the past decade, the architectural, construction and engineering (AEC) sector has grappled with unprecedented technological and socioeconomic changes along with an unprecedented confluence of challenges to the health of our communities, our cities and our planet. Climate change is accelerating—the 10 years leading up to 2020 was the warmest decade on record. Buildings and their construction account for 39% of global carbon dioxide emissions. At the same time, the built environment is growing at a record pace in the United States.

It is estimated that 2.5 million new housing units are needed to make up for the nation’s housing shortage, a trend that has not abated in the face of a global pandemic. Economically, the price of housing has eclipsed the income of many Americans—precipitating a critical housing crisis in some regions—and adding to inequality and a rising homeless population across the nation. Amidst this, we spend as much as 90% of our time indoors, often cut off from nature. While these challenges are daunting, thought leaders in the AEC industry increasingly see it as an opportunity to be at the forefront of change, with examples of design leadership across the country and around the world.

Technological gains within the built environment are making zero-carbon construction attainable, dramatic energy savings achievable and taller mass timber construction possible. Industry research, along with bold demonstration projects, is expanding the sector’s understanding of carbon sequestration, life cycle assessment (LCA), Passive House principles, and biophilic and health-centered design. In this course you’ll learn from design teams who are embracing these strategies and delivering solutions that begin to address some of the most pressing global challenges of our times.

Register

Backup Power for Commercial Buildings

This On Demand CEU is a recorded presentation from a previously live webinar event. When the local power grid goes down a commercial building built today might incorporate backup power to be more resilient, to mitigate against financial losses, to protect life safety, to provide vital services, or some combination of these goals. This course covers this important topic, exploring the motivations for using backup power, relevant code and standard requirements, and the fuel options for backup power generators.

Register

Profit by Design: A Financial Bootcamp for AE Leaders

This On Demand CEU is a recorded presentation from a previously live webinar event. This bootcamp-style webinar is designed to enhance the financial acumen of AE executives and professionals, offering foundational knowledge and practical strategies to empower your financial management skills. During the session, you will learn how to interpret crucial financial statements, harness technology for efficient financial management, and master the art of budgeting and forecasting.

Additionally, you will gain insights into project cost management and optimizing profitability, while also discovering strategies for improving cash flow management through client relationships and automation. As an attendee, you will have access to interactive polls and valuable downloadable resources to accelerate your financial mastery with your team far beyond the 60 minutes we will spend together.

Register

XL Porcelain Tile: An Overview of Applications, Advantages, Limitations, and Installation Considerations

When choosing flooring and wall coverings, XL porcelain tiles are a practical and eye-catching option that can provide a range of benefits, including a seamless look with fewer grout lines and easy cleaning. They can be used on floors, walls, countertops, and more.

This course will provide an introduction to this versatile product and explore its applications and advantages as well as its limitations. Technical and installation considerations will be explored in detail, including best practices and supplies needed.

Register

How to Calculate the Wood Carbon Footprint of a Building (Print Course)

Are we able to dive deeper into these numbers to find ways to reduce a building’s carbon footprint in meaningful ways? What are the methods used to measure building material carbon footprint and do they tell the whole story? Are there simple tools to assess material choices? This course seeks to address these and other questions by explaining the principal methods and tools that are used to assess carbon footprint in the context of building materials.

It includes a primer on product terminology, including life cycle assessment (LCA), environmental product declarations (EPDs), carbon footprint, embodied carbon, and whole building LCA (WBLCA) tools. It explains how biogenic carbon is treated in standard LCA methodology and dives into the forest side of the equation, explaining basics of the sustainable forestry cycle. This course also highlights some ways to track and assure wood comes from sustainable forests in North America and why demand for wood products supports investment in forest management.

Register

Sales Blueprint for Building Pros

This paper lays out a proven sales process for building pros, regardless of company size or location. Learn the starting point to any good sale, qualifying or disqualifying leads and the steps to getting the final signature.

View Now

Analysis of Residential Energy Efficiency Upgrades

Making good decisions about improving an existing home's energy efficiency and lowering its energy costs can be challenging for a consumer. Homeowners, builders, contractors, and weatherization agencies have a wide range of energy efficiency upgrades to choose from, each with different benefits and costs.

This course compares the popular upgrades and systems available to help you make the best choice for your projects and is intended to serve as a guide to answer questions about prioritizing energy efficiency investments for existing homes. By closely examining a study commissioned by the Propane Education and Resource Council, the “Analysis of Energy Efficiency Upgrades for Existing Homes,” this course will provide objective information about the most effective measures and/or equipment choices across five climate regions in the United States.

Register

Architectural Stone Veneer: What Works and What Doesn't

As the aesthetics and reliability of manufactured stone veneer (MSV) has improved, the market for this exterior cladding has increased exponentially. In the last five years, manufactured stone has consistently appeared at the top of our annual Cost vs. Value report as a remodeling project with one of the highest ROI. And it’s increasingly common on homes and light commercial offices, hotels.

However, with the increasing market opportunity comes increased risk for contractors installing it. Like any exterior cladding, manufactured stone must be installed over a drainage plane that directs water down and out, away from the wall. How is this done for MSV? What does code require and what changing developments will affect building practices?

View Now

Keeping Tradition Alive: Resilient Benefits of Polymeric Exteriors

The session involves a brief discussion of the basic how-and-why of traditional neighborhoods, including iconic platting elements like small front yards and public spaces, and the design of individual units with an eye on the block-face to achieve harmonious streetscapes. This program will touch on various elements of sustainability, Green, OSHA requirements, fire safety, wind load, and other general code matters associated with vinyl siding and trim.

Register