Every year, AIA presents opportunities to go beyond the familiar and learn about practice and design excellence through a different lens. This standout course offers you just such an experience as recipients of the institute's Honorary Fellowship present their work.The AIA Honorary Fellowship program recognizes international architects for their exceptional contributions to architecture and society. Don't miss this opportunity to connect with your colleagues from around the globe as they describe the challenges and opportunities behind their successes. Hosted by Committee on Design (COD). Course expires 02/27/2025

When the design assistance team program was created in the 1960s, it pioneered participatory approaches to city building. Over five decades later, the program has established a track record of urban innovation and change that has influenced cities all over the world. Learn how the DAT program has employed one of the most powerful methodologies for urban innovation in the field today – and how its component parts have been adapted and deployed globally for urban transformations.  This session was recorded live on April 26, 2023.

Regardless of scale, new projects will always require effective project management—whether you’re employed by an architecture firm, as a consultant, in academia, or you’ve pursued another career path that leverages your unique set of design skills. But what does project management actually entail? What’s the difference between being a manager and a project manager? What skills do project managers need?  In this course, you’ll discover the fundamentals of project management, understand what it takes to become a project manager, and learn proven strategies for building and supporting an effective project team.  This entry-level course is perfect for people who are considering project management as a career path or who want to better manage their own work—even if you work outside the AEC industry. Course expires 02/10/2027

Technology implementation is an important part of efficiency in practice for higher revenue and better project delivery. Project information is diffused across multiple tools and organizations. Dashboards are one solution to provide a common access point for every team member regardless of discipline or position to find and interact with relevant actionable information. This session will demonstrate how high performing teams use dashboards to accelerate project deliverables while keeping members accountable to each other.  Hosted by the Project Delivery AIA Knowledge Community Course expires 3/23/2025

The climate is changing. ASHRAE tells us that the US is warming at least a degree a decade. We are experiencing more frequent and more intense severe weather events. We are experiencing movement of disease vectors and changing health threats. In the face of these changes, the healthcare system must adapt and must plan for resilience. This is not a political issue; rather, it’s physics, and it’s an issue with lasting devasting effects (exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius) if ignored or treated with a lack of urgency. We know that the healthcare sector represents roughly 20% of the US economy; 10% of US greenhouse gas emissions; 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. How can/is healthcare legitimately removing carbon from the delivery of care (i.e. carbon-free care)? Is it fully possible? Join this unique webinar, designed as a panel forum, to hear the owner-side of the equation and engineering/consulting side. Helen Wilmot, Chief Facilities & Sustainability Officer Stanford Health Care and Walt Vernon, CEO of Mazzetti & National Academy of Medicine Action Collaborative Steering Committee member, will provide candid, and perhaps unexpected perspectives on the most relevant topic impacting human health — decarbonization. Stanford Health Care (SHC), in many ways, is the leading the decarbonization charge in the industry. Discover how SHC is addressing the obvious barriers of “dependence on fossil fuels” to perform essential tasks — heating, humidifying, sterilization — as well as the somewhat less obvious barriers re fleet and medical gasses. Discover how the National Academy of Medicine’s Action Collaborative to decarbonize the U.S. Healthcare is addressing operational pathways, including healthcare delivery (e.g. “hospital at home”), supply chain, financing, regulation, and even relevant education and communication for various stakeholders. Course expires 09/13/2025

Leverage your education and experience to inspire and broaden the pipeline of future talent! This two-part series will prepare you to successfully engage K-12 students.

This interactive self-paced course will consider best practices in creating and implementing architecture and design exposure opportunities for kindergarten through 12th grade students. Participants will leverage their own education and experience in their efforts to inspire and broaden the pipeline of future talent. The Framework for Design Excellence will be considered as a guide to potential activations. Participants will consider three questions in their volunteer efforts: Design for Equitable Communities: What opportunities exist to include, engage, and promote human connection? Design for Well-Being: How can this activation be welcoming and inclusive for all? Design for Discovery: What strategies promote a sense of discovery and delight? This course is divided into two parts: a .5 LU course on volunteer best practices followed by a 1.5 LU capstone course. Participants will be provided with a actionable resources to engage with students. Course expires 7/21/27

This self-paced course will transfer learning from the course "K-12 Outreach: Best Practices" to hands-on engagement with students. Participants will leverage their own education and experience in their efforts to inspire and broaden the pipeline of future talent. Participants will select one of three activations to deliver directly to a K-12 audience and complete a follow-up assignment in order to achieve course credit. This is the second section of a 2-part course. Participants should complete "K-12 Outreach: Best Practices" before beginning this course Course expires 7/20/27

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

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

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