Who builds, manages, and supports the team and how? This session focuses on how business strategy defines and influences an A+D practice's structure and its management, as well as the firm culture. Join Think-Time Tuesdays host, and SO|arch founder Elisabeth Sporer, AIA CIC a presentation on the business of running an A+D firm. Elisabeth provides an overview of firm profiles and firm structures, as well as leadership styles and firm cultures, then presents select SO|arch case studies in conversation with her clients: Building teams with Michelle Gayle Hill (Spatializing) and Rob Zirkle (brick) Improving overall performance for small and midsized firms with Cathy Merrill (Merrill Morris Partners) Leveraging niche services with Dong Kim (DIALOG) Course expires 03/24/2025

Women face a variety of challenges - and opportunities - as they navigate the waters of a career in the field of architecture. From work-life balance and gender-based assumptions to glass ceilings and even go-it-alone entrepreneurship, women often encounter obstacles to finding right-fit roles, upward mobility, and workplace fair-play. This is an unprecedented year with new challenges that are still being overcome and solutions still to be discovered. Join us for this candid and mindful discussion on the challenges and opportunities that women face working in the architecture industry today, as leaders share stories and identify solutions to the obstacles they have encountered this year. Course expires: 10/31/2026

The physical environment of trauma room plays a significant role in improving the treatment process and saving lives. This session will present the findings from a vigorous research project on Level I trauma rooms design, titled “Toward a Model of Safety and Care for Trauma Room Design.” This project is a $2.47m grant project awarded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). It is a cross-disciplinary collaboration between Kent State University’s Healthcare Design, Nursing, and Computer Science programs and Cleveland Clinic Akron General. The principal investigator of this project, Dr. Sara Bayramzadeh will present the research outcomes; a list of design strategies that create efficient workflow, reduce interruptions and disruptions of the treatment process, address the sensory stimulating factors properly, and integrate technology according to the clinicians’ experience and suggestions. All this knowledge can serve as a primary source to direct trauma room designs. Presented by the Academy of Architecture for Health. Course expires 06/12/2025

Wednesday, November 6, 2024  |  2:00-3:00pm EST The public sector is experiencing a surge in project demand—driven by new federal, state, and local funding sources and increased fee limits for Department of Defense (DoD) projects—presenting small and mid-sized architecture and design firms an unprecedented opportunity to expand their practice and influence. Traditionally, these lucrative public projects have been dominated by large firms, but the landscape is shifting—allowing smaller firms to compete and succeed. This comprehensive course is designed to equip architecture and design professionals with the tools and knowledge needed to identify, pursue, and secure public sector projects. Through a discussion of key case studies, you’ll learn how to navigate the complexities of public procurement processes, use your skills and experience, and strategically position your firm to win public contracts. You’ll develop the skills to leverage emerging public sector opportunities to diversify your project portfolio and grow your small business. 

As the demand for skilled labor continues to rise and our existing workforce nears retirement, the need for innovation in our industry becomes increasingly crucial. To address this challenge, off-site manufacturing has emerged as a promising solution to increase productivity while minimizing labor requirements, creating a safer and higher-quality work environment, and ensuring timely project delivery to meet the demands of our clients. However, successful implementation of off-site manufacturing requires strategic planning and careful consideration of timing.   ​This session was recorded live on May 9, 2023.

The integrative process, which has been leveraged in the green building movement, can be instrumental in adding a health focus to your next project. With America’s healthcare expenses continue to rise and we rebuild post-pandemic, collaboration with public health professionals will be more critical than ever. In this course, you will learn the basic principles and structure of the integrative process and how it can be leveraged for meeting health goals. The course will highlight key considerations for early design phases as well as how to find public health professionals and the value that different stakeholders might bring. Course expires on 8/9/2026.

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a useful tool for understanding products and whole buildings. This course simplifies the LCA process and describes its limits and opportunities for architects. You’ll also review an extended case study that reveals how one firm embraced LCA to deliver a LEED Platinum office building. This course is sponsored by CertainTeed Course expires on 6/12/2025

This session is an introduction to lighting technologies and their energy impacts. Topics include the history of lighting, lighting technology comparisons, essential terms and definitions, and practical lighting applications. Course expires 03/05/2025

Pascale Sablan, FAIA, is an outspoken champion of women and diverse design professionals. As the 315th Black woman architect to receive licensure in the US, Sablan has embraced the role of activist architect to broaden social awareness of the built environment and involve new people across diverse communities—in the design process. In this session, Sablan shares what drew her to a career in architecture, how she pursued the dual paths of architecture and activism, and the ways her advocacy has impacted the industry—including her winning the Whitney M. Young Jr. Award, which honors an architect or organization that embodies social responsibility and actively addresses a relevant issue in the industry. Course expires 12/4/2024

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.

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.

There are a number of materials selection tools on the market, all designed to help you make healthier project and product decisions. But how do you choose? This course shows you how. You’ll learn about tools in the four categories—inventory, screening, assessment, and optimization—including what you can expect to find in any tool in specific category. In the last section of the course you’ll get practical advice for using the tools to make decisions, influence stakeholders, and manage risk. This course is sponsored by CertainTeed Course expires on 6/12/2025

Material selection is a core service provided by architects, but that process is far from simple. The Materials Certificate Program untangles the complexities of that process in five essential courses. The key? Materials transparency. When you know everything you can about the materials you use, you’re able to make the best product decisions for projects, people, and the environment. The courses cover different types of impacts, and best practices for reducing these impacts, from industry-best instructors. Take all five courses and earn a certificate! This series is sponsored by CertainTeed Series expires on 6/12/2025

You wouldn’t buy a car without checking its gas mileage, so why wouldn’t you want to know what goes into your building? In this course, you’ll learn about the potential health and environmental impacts of the products that go into our buildings. You’ll also look at key drivers pushing transparency in the marketplace including client demand and green rating systems. Course expires on 6/12/2025 This course is sponsored by CertainTeed

Through detailed data analysis, we will examine the latest Compensation Trends and Employee Benefits, shedding light on salaries for architectural positions and recent graduates at the national level. Discover which employee benefits and diversity and equity initiatives play a pivotal role in talent recruitment and retention, equipping you with strategies to foster a competitive edge in the industry. As part of this exploration, we will review a comprehensive assessment of the application of contemporary workplace policies in the architecture profession to improve work-life balance and well-being. Finally, we will discuss how the report and accompanying calculator can be used to engage your staff to understand the tangible and intangible value that you as an employer provide to your employees in exchange for work. View the 2023 AIA Compensation & Benefits Report here. Course expires 8/27/2026 This session was recorded live on November 2, 2023.

Owners and planners are seeking innovative ways to transform service delivery to address worldwide challenges such as declining birth rates, geopolitical issues, employee safety, and natural disasters. We will specifically address the five Ds (Dirty, Dull, Dangerous, Difficult and Dear) as key qualifiers to consider logistics automation. In this session, we will discuss a variety of decision factors such as feasibility, practicality, safety considerations, space requirements, & engineering considerations for various automation alternatives within different operating environments. Business case evaluation being one of the first steps in understanding the overall decision factors that will help all parties involved understand how it impacts their function. This seminar will go over the overall evaluation process including information gathering, user input, cultural and operational factors. Part of our case studies will involve presentation of empirical data driving the decision process. Considering and implementing logistics automation presents challenges in project planning, space programming and regulatory compliance. We will present practical solutions that have been tried and tested in Healthcare Facilities Planning arena. Hosted by the Academy of Architecture for Health (AAH). Course expires 10/24/2026

As healthcare systems are looking for innovative ways to bring hospital services to rural communities and neighborhoods, healthcare architecture is challenged to include all the requirements of a licensed 24/7 hospital within a footprint that is a fraction of a traditional hospital while simultaneously designing a community-friendly building that still reflects the healthcare system’s branding.   This course will present case studies of four micro-hospitals – each having its own unique solution while staying true to the micro-hospital model. Hosted by the Academy of Architecture for Health AIA Knowledge Community.  Course expires 06/12/2025

Join the AIA Interfaith Design Knowledge Community’s Knowledge and Resource Committee for a presentation by John White, AIA, emeritus professor Texas Tech University, concerning his documentation and preservation work on the San Antonio Missions in San Antonio, Texas. As the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Texas, this lecture will discuss the important history and significance of five mission locations: Mission Nuestra Señora de Acuña, Mission San Francisco de la Espada, Mission San Antonio de Valero, Mission San Francisco Xavier de Najera Centennial Marker, and Mission San José y San Miguel de Aguayo. White will also present his process of documentation of the sites through the Historic American Building Survey (HABS) and how this has informed ongoing preservation efforts. Course expires 07/29/2026 This session was recorded live on August 9, 2023.

Both COTE® award and the Architecture Awards programs celebrate exemplary models of contemporary architecture which highlight parameters of AIA’s Framework for Design Excellence. From the extensive list of projects, one can discern those that define the intersection between sustainable principles and design achievement, including within them a unique sense of place, use of materials, and other more formal qualities that exist within a well-defined environmental approach. Through exploring three projects, learn innovations of sustainable design integration and come away with a greater understanding of the built environment’s role in communities. Hosted by Committee on Design (COD). Course expires 03/27/2026

From Roger Ulrich's research and the numerous evidence-based studies that followed, we know that connecting patients to views to nature can have a direct impact on health outcomes. This session will walk through the Rainier Beach Clinic case study, where the project team utilized an evidence-based process to build on this research and put nature at the center of a dialysis center, seeking to improve patient health outcomes and staff satisfaction.   As a recipient of a 2021 COTE Top Ten Award, 2021 Healthcare Design Award, and 2021 Healthcare Environment Award for ambulatory care settings, the Rainier Beach Clinic has been recognized for its innovation in blending innovative design concepts, sustainability performance, and an evidence-based process to reimagine a more patient-centric dialysis care environment. The presenter will also share how biophilic design strategies can be implemented in a variety of settings and projects, linking research to the built environment, and allowing for Architecture to take a more active role in the health and well-being of occupants. This session was recorded live on February 14, 2023.