Upholding ethical obligations to clients is the cornerstone of a successful architecture practice. This essential course will reinforce your ethics knowledge and skills, helping you effectively navigate ethical dilemmas and prioritize client interests.  Dive into 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. Gain valuable insights into identifying, disclosing, and managing conflicts of interest, ensuring decisions are made professionally and without bias. Build strategies to apply with confidence in your daily practice, including communicating effectively, building trust, ensuring project success, and maintaining the integrity of the architect-client relationship. With a focus on the AIA Code of Ethics, you’ll learn how to align your communication strategies with ethical guidelines—from project initiation to completion—while maintaining transparency and confidentiality. Through analysis of a real-life scenario, you’ll develop the tools to uphold your ethical obligations—making decisions that protect client interests and reinforce the trust and integrity of the profession. This course was developed in close collaboration with members of the National Ethics Council. Course expires 06/30/2027

Take a deep dive into architectural ethics—focusing on professionalism, integrity, and competence—in this interactive course examining the AIA Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. Gain greater awareness and understanding of how AIA members are committed to the highest standards of practice and how the code guides their conduct in fulfilling those obligations. Plus, 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. Course expires: 01/16/2027

Designing clinical laboratories requires both operational insight and architectural strategy to create safe, flexible, and efficient spaces. This course will equip you with the essential knowledge and tools to translate benchmarking data and operational workflows into effective clinical lab design solutions.  Explore how space allocation, planning ratios, clinical lab benchmarks, and operational workflows establish a foundation for programming and design. Learn to optimize your design layout by aligning with best practices, accommodating hazardous materials, and ensuring regulatory compliance. Examine real-world case studies to gain practical insights for designing clinical labs that optimize hospital performance and improve patient outcomes.  

The ADA Standards for Accessible Design can seem like a complex web. In this course, you'll review case studies and detailed real-life examples to help you navigate ADA compliance with confidence. Facilitated by an architect and accessibility expert with an intimate understanding of the intent and the letter of the ADA, you'll learn to identify and avoid common errors, and provide guidance on designing for contractor and client success. Return to your firm equipped with valuable strategies that ensure your future projects are built right the first time. Course expires on 3/18/2027.

Guided by the expertise and insight of industry professionals Brad Gaskins, Tom Hirsch, and Karen Braitmayer, this course highlights the history of accessibility by focusing on the work of civil rights organizations and the role played by members of the American Institute of Architects; discusses how universal design reinforces the principle of access for all; reviews the key requirements of complying with the ADA for new construction; and explains the best approach to updating existing buildings to comply with the ADA. This course offers entry into a conversation that is essential for emerging and seasoned professionals alike. Course expires: 03/11/2027

A century of constructing zoning laws in America has resulted in illogical, disconnected, and homogenous built environments that are not environmentally or economically sustainable. Yet we keep hoping that doing much of the same will yield different results. This course examines how deconstructing zoning leads to more economically sustainable development outcomes.  Produced in partnership with AIA|DC Course expires 10/17/2026

Delve into the principles, challenges, and successes of designing net-zero energy educational buildings by exploring two award-winning case studies: the Frank and Maureen Wilkens Science and Engineering Center in Cape Cod and Bard High School Early College. Gain insights into the strategies and innovations that allowed these projects to achieve net-zero energy goals while fulfilling educational needs. This course is ideal for architects, designers, and professionals interested in sustainable design and energy-efficient building practices. This course was recorded live on January 28, 2025.

Reducing the total carbon footprint of buildings is a frequent goal for designers, and the roof can be a strong contributor to that mission. Imagine if these goals can be achieved using the roof you already specify. It’s not a fantasy. This presentation will dive into the details of how you can take a code compliant roof assembly to the next level. We will share data on how the choice of materials can impact the total carbon footprint of a project, and specifically the embodied carbon. It will also show examples on ways to improve the energy efficiency of a roof assembly and the impact it has on overall building performance across all climate zones. Finally, the presentation will provide attendees with examples of how to use environmental product declarations (EPDs) and energy analysis tools to do similar evaluations for their specific projects. This session was recorded live on April 24, 2025.