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.

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.

This intermediate to advanced-level course delves into the technical design implications of recent energy efficiency codes—focusing on the building envelope’s critical role in enhancing thermal performance and occupant health, safety, and welfare. Explore strategies to meet increasingly stringent energy codes, including how to quantify and mitigate heat loss through thermal bridges using the Building Envelope Thermal Bridging Guide. Special emphasis will be placed on addressing the unique challenges of high-rise buildings with traditional unitized glazing systems, where the vertical enclosure area greatly exceeds the horizontal area. Gain the tools and insights needed to improve your material choices, design strategies, and construction practices to achieve optimal thermal performance.  This course was recorded live on February 4, 2025.

Historically, people experiencing disability have been segregated and excluded from mainstream spaces. With a majority presence of non-disabled participants in design teams, there’s often a lack of inclusive practices that address the perspectives of those with varied sensory abilities. Through a case study presentation of the Life Skills Training Center at the Washington State School for the Blind, participants will gain practical insights and actionable strategies to enhance the accessibility and inclusivity of the design process and the resulting decisions forming the built environment.   This session was recorded live on June 10, 2025.

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.

Creating environments that are functional, inclusive, and accessible starts with a clear understanding of AIA standards—and how to apply them effectively in real projects. This essential course provides architects a practical, comprehensive guide to implementing the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design in new construction. From early planning through post-occupancy evaluation, you’ll learn how to identify applicable scoping requirements, integrate accessibility features into site and building design, and verify compliance in the field. Through detailed examples, checklists, and technical case studies, you’ll strengthen your ability to design accessible routes, entrances, restrooms, and service areas that meet both legal standards and user needs. By course completion, you’ll be ready to apply ADA and IBC requirements confidently, avoid costly compliance errors, and promote equitable design solutions that serve all occupants.

Specifically designed for healthcare architects and emerging professionals in healthcare design, this course offers a focused exploration of codes and regulations pertaining to doors and door hardware within healthcare facilities. The course will address the specific requirements for doors and hardware based on their use and occupancy, highlighting the critical need for highly durable, code-compliant, and safe solutions in hospitals. Key discussions will encompass essential aspects such as life safety, security, and long-term performance capabilities, detailing the basic regulatory requirements, various codes, and standards applicable to doors, especially those in a means of egress and their associated hardware. Attendees will gain insights into how door and hardware choices can impact design, learning practical tools for communicating door hardware and function, and discovering potential solutions for compliance to effectively prevent unintended code violations. This session was recorded live on September 9, 2025.

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.  This session was recorded live on October 14, 2025.

This course reviews the necessary design components for successful perimeter fire containment. It outlines the perimeter fire containment (PFC) test methodology in accordance with ASTM E2307, defines engineering judgments (EJs), and explains why they are needed and who is qualified to write them. Participants will learn how to identify the differences between a generic EJ and a more comprehensive EJ, focusing on elements required in a thorough engineering judgment. The instructor will utilize real project conditions and walk through the EJ development process.

This presentation explores the principles behind fire codes and standards, helping design professionals understand not just what the requirements are, but why they exist. Attendees will learn how materials behave in fire, how fire develops,and how testing informs fire-resistance ratings. The session emphasizes that fire safety is a system-of-systems: no single solution is perfect alone. Learn about fire safety and design decisions through a risk-based perspective, appreciating that code compliance represents an acceptable level of risk—not a guarantee of safety. Through exploring real-world examples, global fire incidents and systemic failures, this session aims to equip architects with a risk-aware, systems-thinking approach to fire safety that complements code compliance, enabling safer, more resilient building design.

High rise fires are not new to us. In fact, we have seen an increase in fire incidents in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East in the last 5-10 years that have amplified awareness on fire safety performance of taller structures. High rise buildings present a greater risk with an increased number of occupants that have a limited means of escape in the event of a fire. That is why the time element for containing a fire is so critical. Also, as we have seen in actual fires, vertical fire spread at the exterior façade can rapidly overwhelm fire fighters means of interceding the fire from ground level. As the fire accelerates and upward spread progresses, it often reaches a height beyond the reach of fire services water streams. That is why containing a fire and preventing it from spreading vertically is so critical for both occupant and first responder safety. 

Join Emily Mottram, known for her work on the "Pretty Good House" concept, for a session exploring the proper detailing and installation for air, water, and insulation layers within a building. Emily will demonstrate how to begin the design process with the specific climate zone, and then reverse engineer decisions from there. Participants will learn to identify risks associated with poorly executed detailing and explore strategies to enhance air quality and building durability through careful material selection and detailing control layers. By viewing the structure as a whole-building integrated system, this approach highlights a practical framework for designing custom residential homes that prioritizes occupant health, safety, and welfare. This session was recorded live on July 17, 2025.

As climate change intensifies the frequency and severity of hurricanes, healthcare facilities in coastal regions face growing pressure to remain operational during extreme weather events. This webinar explores the design and planning of a forward-thinking New Medical Campus (Health First Cape Canaveral Replacement Hospital, built to endure Category 4 hurricanes while delivering uninterrupted care.  Through the lens of this facility, architects (The Lawrence Group) and healthcare professionals will examine how resilient design imperatives—such as elevated construction, hardened building envelopes and integrated emergency planning—are essential in safeguarding public health in vulnerable regions.  Key topics include:  Responding to a Changing Climate: How evolving environmental conditions shaped the design strategy  Designing for Continuity: Architectural and operational systems that ensure care delivery during and after hurricanes  Collaborative Preparedness: Partnering with public health and emergency management agencies to develop robust response plans  Site-Specific Risk Mitigation: Evaluating and addressing vulnerabilities unique to coastal Florida  This session offers actionable insights for professionals designing healthcare campuses in hurricane-prone areas, emphasizing the need for adaptive, sustainable, and resilient solutions.  This session was recorded live on November 11, 2025.

Intended for licensed architects, engineers, or certified building inspectors, this training certifies attendees as Building Evaluators in the nationally recognized Safety Assessment Program (SAP). To register | Click Add to cart and complete the checkout process. Evaluator Field Manuals |  ATC 45 | ATC 20 | Participants are responsible for purchasing these texts from ATC. They are not included in the course cost. The program is managed by Cal OES with cooperation from professional organizations, including AIA. It utilizes volunteers and mutual aid resources to provide professional engineers, architects and certified building inspectors to assist local governments in safety evaluation of their built environment in an aftermath of a disaster. SAP is the training standard of the AIA Disaster Assistance Program, which provides leadership, advocacy, and training to architects who are interested in volunteering their professional skills in times of crisis. This workshop will teach participants to conduct rapid damage assessments of structures affected by earthquakes, wind, and water. Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to consistently and safely assess structures for habitability and will receive a nationally recognized Cal OES registration ID card from the state of California. AIA SAP Training Program

Get an overview of the major changes to Facility Guidelines Institute’s (FGI) 2026 Guidelines for the Design and Construction of Hosipitals, Outpatient Facilities, and Residential Health, Care, and Support Facilities in this engaging and informative session, including the new chapter on short-term outpatient care facilities, the new chapter on residential behavioral and mental health treatment facilities, revised design considerations for rural emergency hospitals, updated room size and clearances for rehab hospitals, revised planning requirements for procedure and operating rooms, the new minimum percentage for single-occupancy rooms in most residential facility types, and improved flexibility to support the design of small-scale residential facilities.   FGI’s senior leadership and an expert facility architect will outline and discuss the guidelines’ many revisions in addition to reviewing efforts to improve the documents’ usability and enforceability.   This session was recorded live on June 11, 2024. Course expires 5/15/2027

The Huntsman Mental Health Institute (HMHI) Translational Research Building at the University of Utah marks a significant step in addressing the post-pandemic behavioral health crisis. HMHI will be an international hub of collaboration for testing and refining mental health design as well as research, clinical, and policy ideas. The facility will create a new model of translational research that unites experimental, computational, and clinical research under one roof to address national stigma, policy, and scientific challenges.  In this session, we will explore how behavioral health trends and emerging models of care impact the design of multidisciplinary clinical and research facilities, showing how HMHI’s neuroarchitecture-inspired design promotes interconnectedness and collaboration. We will discuss how the facility helps to rethink the American mental health care system by de-stigmatizing mental health, increasing awareness, and expanding mental health research and clinical services.  This course was recorded live on November 12, 2024.

This session will examine the CMS requirements for Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASC) and Hospital Outpatient Departments (HOPD) concerning space utilization and shared spaces. Attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of how these requirements intersect with NFPA 101 and FGI 2022 standards. Through the examination of two distinct case studies, the speakers will demonstrate strategies to enhance operational efficiency and throughput for both ASC and HOPD, while ensuring adaptability for future growth and surge scenarios. These case studies will highlight the various ways clinical and non-clinical support services, spaces, and staff can be shared or remain separate between ASC and HOPD. The session will provide clear, concise insights, making it valuable for marketing and accreditation purposes. This session was recorded live on April 14, 2026.

When faced with an inefficient building that could no longer meet patient needs or provide required services, SSM Health set a new industry standard. The SSM Health Dean Medical Group’s South Madison Campus is the largest healthcare facility in the United States and the first in Wisconsin to achieve WELL v2 Pilot GOLD Certification demonstrating a profound commitment to patient and employee health and wellbeing.   The 175,000-square-foot outpatient clinic consolidates over 18 specialty services, including oncology, orthopedics, and therapy, in a highly functional and sustainable building. The design emphasizes environmental stewardship, occupant health, and comfort, incorporating features such as natural daylight, views of nature, and air quality improvements. The building scored highly across all ten WELL Building Certification categories, including air, nourishment, light, and movement. With a focus on health at every level in both the design and operations, this clinic achieves industry leading wellbeing targets, exceeds Wisconsin’s energy codes, and includes provisions for future expansions and operations.  This session will highlight design strategies that lead to achieving premier sustainability goals, such as WELL Building standards. Specifically, how the design at SSM Health Dean Medical Group’s South Madison Campus has created healthier, more sustainable spaces for patients and staff.  This session was recorded live on May 12, 2026.

This course provides a comprehensive overview of commercial glass performance – from monolithic substrates and coating technologies through insulating glass units, laminated glass, and advanced glazing solutions. Learners will gain a working understanding of the key metrics, technologies, and tradeoffs that drive glazing decisions across energy efficiency, occupant comfort, daylighting, acoustics, and façade strength. Real-world case studies illustrate how these products and principles come together on commercial projects, giving specifiers a practical framework for selecting the right glass for any application.