Propel your practice’s success with the AIA Framework for Design Excellence—the defining 10 principles of design excellence in the 21st century. In this introductory course, you will learn the origin, evolution, and significance of each of the framework’s principles and examine how they advance progress toward a zero-carbon, healthy, just, resilient, and equitable built environment. Learn from real-world case studies showcasing successful implementations across diverse firms and project types. Plus, you’ll learn how to navigate the valuable online resources for each of the 10 principles to use in your design process for future projects. Course expires on 2/04/2027

Changing access and supervision requirements are beginning to challenge the traditional norm of designing segregated, gender-specific restrooms and locker rooms for K–12 schools. Inclusive facilities offer a more humane and dignified approach to the traditional toileting and locker room experience. Learn the benefits and practicalities of designing inclusive restrooms and locker rooms—highlighting their role in promoting equity, accessibility, efficiency, and student health.  Understand how inclusive facilities can reduce bullying, enhance privacy, and improve overall student safety and well-being. Gain practical tools to navigate conversations with community stakeholders, code officials, administrators, staff, families, and students—ensuring a smooth transition to more inclusive environments in K–12 schools. AIA Best Practices Guide To learn more about inclusive and universal restroom and locker room design in K-12 schools, read the AIA Guide on Inclusive restrooms & locker rooms in K-12 schools by Cheryl Jacobs, AIA, Greg Louviere, AIA, & Benjamin Fields, AIA, published June 2024. This session was recorded live on August 29, 2024.  Course expires 6/14/2027

Join us to hear from the AIA national advocacy team as they explain the structure and timeline of the federal budget process, including how appropriations affect architecture and vertical infrastructure programs. This course will highlight why the federal budget matters to architects and designers, and discuss how architects can engage in the budget cycle and support advocacy efforts. Discover how to connect federal spending priorities to opportunities and challenges facing the built environment and the profession. By translating complex fiscal policy into clear, actionable insights, this course aims to empower practitioners to anticipate funding trends, align services with public investment priorities, and engage in effective advocacy. 

Take your architecture career to the next level with our 3-course package designed for architects aspiring to step into leadership roles or elevate their impact within their firms. This specially curated bundle provides the tools, strategies, and insights to shape you into a leader who can inspire, motivate, and drive team success. 

Tuesday, October 14, 2025  |  2-3pm ET

This course examines inclusive restroom design, addressing the diverse needs of various populations and emphasizing the need to both comply with evolving codes and standards but also to move beyond code compliance. It begins with an introduction to Stalled!, a design/research initiative headed by Sanders’ office JSA/MIXdesign that is dedicated to the design and implementation of safe and accessible restroom and locker room prototypes and guidelines, then will move on to discuss examples of Stalled! principles as applied in JSA/MIXdesign’s projects. The course will also explore recent amendments to the International Plumbing Code (IPC), detailing provisions for all-gender multi-user restrooms and single-user facilities. Participants will explore social constructs that have led to spatial discrimination, promoting spatial equity through design. The course will cover best practices for creating safe, accessible public restrooms that address the health, safety, and well-being of people of different ages, genders, religions, and disabilities. Additionally, the course will cover sustainable design practices, including water and energy conservation techniques. You'll gain an understanding of how fixture calculations and placement play a role in accessibility. Finally, the course will address how to navigate code challenges and utilize alternative materials and methods to achieve innovative and inclusive designs. This course is tailored for architects and designers aiming to create inclusive and sustainable spaces while adhering to updated codes and promoting equality of experience. 

Thursday, October 16, 2025  |  12 - 1pm ET

This panel convenes leading experts to explore innovative adaptive reuse strategies for underutilized faith-based buildings across the United States. Hear from several different perspectives on the critical challenges faced by institutions that are closing or falling into disrepair, in both rural and urban contexts. Discussions will range from the complexities of leveraging historic tax credits to offset developer costs, to how to navigate SEC approval and conversion processes. This session is designed for architects seeking practical, innovative strategies to transform faith structures into vibrant new community assets.

Thursday, October 16, 2025  |  3-4pm ET

As universal drivers continue to develop, sustainability and wellness have taken the spotlight. We will explore universal drivers that will keep the topics of sustainability and wellness at the forefront both today and well in the foreseeable future. We will then use the most up-to-date research to explore how these driving factors shape micro trends in the commercial built environment. Next, we will discover new sustainable materials and the latest technologies on the horizon that can positively impact both the environment and wellness of those who live and work in commercial spaces. Lastly, we will touch on the importance of color in sustainable architecture and design. We will learn how color can aid in safety and wellness, as well as their proven health benefits in one’s physiological and psychological responses.

Wednesday, October 22, 2025  |  2-3pm ET

Now five years away from the year 2030, leaders from AIA 2030 Commitment and Architecture2030 come together on this panel to discuss where progress is being made in the buildings sector and where needs improvement. Speakers will chart the history of Architecture 2030, the AIA 2030 Commitment and then outline what specific actions are needed from the industry to mitigate the worst emissions pathways. In doing this, they will deep dive into two new reports, the AIA 2030 By the Numbers (RY24) and Architecture2030’s 2030 Beyond the Numbers (RY24), that analyze the reported predicted energy data from over 450 AIA 2030 Commitment signatory firms that culminate to >40k projects and 4 billion gross square feet (GSF).  

Selecting a Perimeter Fire Containment (PFC) design listing that most closely represents project conditions is the first line of defense for minimizing risk of vertical fire spread.  Navigating through hundreds of design listings and choosing the correct system can seem overwhelming. However, understanding how various building materials respond to fire and identifying the design elements needed for successful PFC, designers will be able to confidently select PFC systems that will perform in the event of a fire.

This session was recorded live on September 16, 2025.

This course is designed to help emerging and current leaders build a strong foundation in nonprofit leadership within the unique context of AIA service. Whether you're stepping into a leadership position for the first time or deepening your understanding of AIA's nonprofit framework, this course will provide you with a solid foundation for decision-making, collaboration, and strategic stewardship.

The AIA is more than a professional association; it is a mission-driven nonprofit organization with a unique structure, purpose, and set of responsibilities. Understanding how nonprofit principles shape the way the AIA operates is essential to leading with integrity, purpose, and accountability.

Over the course of four concise lessons, you’ll explore the fundamentals that underpin nonprofit leadership at the AIA.

Designing healthcare facilities requires a deep understanding of life safety systems that protect patients, staff, and visitors. This presentation is tailored to expand designers’ knowledge of life safety requirements and gain practical tools for integrating these critical elements into hospital and ambulatory care design. Through an exploration of passive fire protection strategies, attendees will gain clarity on the often complex and overlapping requirements found in the International Building Code (IBC) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards. We will look at egress requirements tailored to healthcare occupancies and explore how to approach egress planning that meets code, supports operations, and prioritizes life safety. 

In addition to passive strategies, the session will address active systems, offering an overview of basic design requirements for fire alarm and sprinkler systems. Designed to be both informative and actionable, this session will equip attendees with tools to better collaborate with engineers, code consultants, and authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs) to create projects are both compliant and safe. 

This session was recorded live on July 8, 2025.

Seismic design relies on building project requirements that provide life safety to occupants and maintain building function during and after an earthquake. Failure of these components in an earthquake has the potential to cause harm, block egress and impede rescue efforts and can disrupt the building’s function. The basic objectives of seismic design for nonstructural components are to provide life safety, minimize property loss and prevent functional loss. This course examines the history of seismic design, seismic design categories A-F, designing suspended ceiling systems, local/international building code requirements, and more.

This session was recorded live on July 10, 2025.

Improve your understanding of the fundamental business concepts in architecture and design. Learn the significance of business acumen in your professional journey and gain insights into how you can use it to have the greatest impact on your career. Dive into the current and historic internal and external business dynamics—from organizational culture to economic conditions—shaping architecture and design firms to establish a crucial foundation for making informed and strategic decisions.

Learn the essential skills and insights needed to develop effective team leadership and cultivate positive team dynamics. Understand the six essential characteristics of team excellence that distinguish high-performing teams from average ones so you can analyze individual roles and nurture the key traits that drive successful teamwork. Plus, dive into the major impact employee engagement can have on team performance—learning actionable strategies to boost engagement and motivation among your team. Assess the influence of team dynamics on productivity and performance and acquire practical techniques to optimize these dynamics, ensuring that your team works cohesively towards shared goals. Course expires 04/06/2027

Ready to take your leadership skills to the next level? In this interactive course, you’ll gain a comprehensive understanding of the core leadership principles needed to become an effective leader in any organization. Explore various leadership styles, including autocratic, democratic, transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire, and discover the situations when each style is most suitable. You'll also learn the key elements for creating a leadership vision statement that motivates and drives your team and/or organization. Get actionable insights to enhance your leadership skills with six proven practices to propel you toward becoming a more effective leader. Whether you're a seasoned leader seeking to refine your abilities or an aspiring leader ready to take your first step, this course will empower you to become a more confident leader capable of inspiring, motivating, and driving positive change. Unlock your potential on your path to leadership excellence.

In today’s competitive and turbulent marketplace, it can be a challenge for design firms to reach and maintain sustained growth. That’s why developing your firm’s strategic planning and learning new growth strategies is vital to your firm’s success. In this course, you will learn about the strategic planning process and explore growth strategies such as market development, diversification, and strategic alliances. You’ll also understand how to incorporate the components of the business model canvas into your decision-making to develop and implement effective strategic plans that drive firm growth.  

Architects have a critical role to play in preparing communities for disasters. In this 3-course series, learn how you can use your skills to support communities before and after a disaster. Discover innovative approaches and best practices to safeguard structures and minimize the devastating effects of floods. Explore the trends and projections that highlight the growing frequency and complexity of cascading and compounding disasters, and gain insights into the implications for disaster preparedness and response efforts. Learn how you can contribute to enhancing equitable outcomes by actively involving community members, considering their unique perspectives and needs, and designing resilient and inclusive spaces. Presented in partnership with the AIA National Disaster Assistance Program (DAC).

Get an in-depth overview of the accessibility requirements for new and existing buildings and learn how to avoid common compliance issues.  

Upholding ethical obligations to clients and fellow professionals is the cornerstone of a successful architecture practice. These essential courses will reinforce your ethics knowledge and skills, helping you effectively navigate ethical dilemmas. Explore the foundations of client-professional relationships with a focus on the importance of ethical standards and legal requirements and steering clear of conflicts of personal gain.  Learn how the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct can assist in attaining individual and organizational objectives while safeguarding the public's health, safety, and welfare. Review anti-discrimination laws and specific sections within the AIA Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct that underscore the critical need to prevent harassment and discrimination, especially concerning protected characteristics Learn strategies for preventing and addressing harassment and discrimination, such as cultivating a respectful workplace culture, establishing clear policies, and providing education on diversity and inclusion Save up to 15% when you purchase the bundle.