The rising occurrence of violence in the healthcare workspace is a growing concern. In a recent survey, 72% of healthcare workers said their biggest safety concern is patients becoming violent. Another 61% said their biggest safety concern is the mental health impact of burnout. These concerns are affecting healthcare worker recruitment and retention with 68% prioritizing workplace safety when looking for a job and more than half noting they would be likely to quit if a violent incident occurred.  Healthcare workers' mental and physical safety is a real and urgent concern affecting clinical care. The built environment must adapt and support these concerns. Join this panel of healthcare leaders to discuss and address operational and architectural healthcare modifications to create a safer work environment with improved wellness for staff.  This course was recorded live on July 23, 2024. Course expires 07/01/2027

Though it is one of the world’s oldest building materials, wood is still revolutionizing the way buildings are designed and constructed today. Timber design and construction necessitate an interdisciplinary approach from the outset of a project. With the emergence of mass timber, it is important to begin by considering the impact of building codes, and what is possible within a given jurisdiction. At an elemental level, material selection is tied to both material performance and critical environmental considerations, including regional availability, carbon sequestration, and life cycle analysis. Once underway, the delivery of complex mass timber structures often involves novel approaches to construction documentation, from collaborative drawing and modeling software to parametric CNC fabrication. The end product – buildings with unencapsulated timber – creates architecture designed for occupant health and happiness, with the biophilic benefits of natural materials, abundant light, and carefully-considered building systems. Through a series of wood and mass timber case studies, this lecture presents the 38-year trajectory of Shigeru Ban Architects’ work in wood, emerging from an interdisciplinary approach. As an introduction to this presentation, there will be a panel discussion with Colorado-based professionals who do work related to the intersection of resiliency and building materials. In particular, they will discuss examples of how post-disaster rebuilds can benefit from designing to newer codes, pursue lower lifetime energy costs, and how wood construction should consider future disasters in how it is implemented.  Presented in partnership with AIA Colorado

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.

Whether you’re an aspiring firm owner, a small business owner looking to expand, or an up-and-coming entrepreneur, this course will give you the knowledge, tools, and strategies to turn your business ideas into successful ventures. What you’ll gain: Design professionals starting their own practice: Learn how to build a strong business foundation by defining your idea, conducting market research, and crafting a focused business plan tailored to your goals. Firm owners looking to expand: Reevaluate and redefine your firm’s strategy and explore new growth opportunities to position your business for long-term success.   We’ll cover key topics like the entrepreneurial mindset, the seven stages of the entrepreneurial journey, traditional business models, and new approaches leveraging creativity and innovation. Each lesson is carefully structured to offer practical strategies—plus resources and tools—for your specific career stage, so you’re ready to lead confidently and thrive financially.

The Dillwynia Correctional Centre Expansion offers a design solution considerate of recognizing trauma via an approach to rehabilitative design. This session will present the methods and challenges encountered when designing for a Women’s Prison, and some of the successes of implemented design initiatives. In essence, the new facility combines materiality, with a masterplan designed to promote familiarity and self-agency which aim to provide an environment whereby new activities and learning pathways can be conducted in a safe and supportive environment.    Interactions within the prison environment is becoming increasingly identified as a keystone to any prisoner’s rehabilitation and support process. Relationships between prisoners, staff and visitors all contribute to the shaping of the experience and outcomes of the prison term. Spaces that provide for families, children and friends should allow for a semblance of normality and respect to all involved in the visitation process. At Dillwynia the Visitor Centre has been designed with materials not becoming of a prison environment, exhibiting color, natural materials and light to allow the interactions to occur unencumbered of the sense of authority and typically harsh ambience found in older prison environments.   Course expires 10/03/2025

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).

In 2020, the cumulative costs of disaster events in the US reached $95 billion - more than double the previous year. In 2021, the costs from disasters reached $145 billion. In fact, between 2012-2021 it was estimated that 142 separate billion-dollar disaster events had cost the nation over $1 trillion. This National Preparedness Month, join in conversation with two communities who have experienced major tornado disasters and are now over a decade past the events, allowing for a long-term perspective on how we think about disaster recovery, resilience and the future of our communities in an era of climate change vulnerability. Hosted by AIA Center for Communities by Design. Course expires 09/1/2025

A disruptive innovation helps create a new market and value network. In this course, three professionals will demonstrate how firms can utilize these innovations to expand into more sustainable and resilient business models beyond traditional architecture. Learn how to: Utilize tools to re-conceptualize your firm's expanded services offerings Determine how expanded services integrate with your current business models Develop strategies for marketing expanded services to new and existing architectural clients Consider how expanded services augment opportunities for traditional architectural services offerings Course expires on 1/2/2026.

How does a city department identify, understand, develop, and implement a racial equity plan to help rectify the systemic racism that has been prevalent in our history and built environment? San Francisco has been shaped by a history that has included bias, discrimination, and systemic racism. Confronting these issues is one of the biggest challenges of our time. Constructing a new anti-racist foundation for our 121-year-old department, San Francisco Public Works, will not happen overnight and it will not be smooth. Not only must we overcome bureaucratic hurdles, but also deeply personal ones. This webinar will review the steps our department has taken in the formation and implementation of our Racial Equity Initiative, the lessons we are learning, and where we hope to go to create a more equitable city. Presented by the Public Architects Committee. Course expires 12/5/2025

Join AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker, Hon. AIA, and AIA President Evelyn Lee, FAIA, NOMA, for our quarterly conversation about the AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index (ABI). The ABI is a leading monthly economic indicator that uses proprietary AIA data to predict nonresidential construction activity 9–12 months ahead. Get ahead of emerging challenges and opportunities and inform your strategic planning with key insights into the industry’s latest economic data and trends. This course was recorded live on January 23, 2025.

Join AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker, Hon. AIA, and AIA President Evelyn Lee, FAIA, NOMA, for our quarterly conversation about the AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index (ABI). The ABI is a leading monthly economic indicator that uses proprietary AIA data to predict nonresidential construction activity 9–12 months ahead. Get ahead of emerging challenges and opportunities and inform your strategic planning with key insights into the industry’s latest economic data and trends. This session was recorded live on May 1, 2025.

Join AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker, Hon. AIA, and AIA President Kimberly Dowdell, AIA, NOMAC, for our quarterly conversation about the AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index (ABI). The ABI is a leading monthly economic indicator that uses proprietary AIA data to predict nonresidential construction activity 9–12 months ahead. Get ahead of emerging challenges and opportunities and inform your strategic planning with key insights into the industry’s latest economic data and trends

This course features an expert panel of AEC practitioners and researchers who define the embodied carbon issue and key terms and concepts—including health and sustainability implications. They provide information on data resources and rating systems available to support and execute embodied carbon decisions during design, specification, and construction. The panel also discusses how information on the embodied carbon and environmental impacts of building materials and products can be incorporated into design decisions and influence project outcomes. They use case studies to illustrate different life cycle assessment (LCA) types, structural systems, and implementation of embodied carbon design decisions through construction. This course expires on 11/14/2026.

This course introduces the process of carbon accounting. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is the tool used to quantify the carbon footprint and other environmental impacts of a material or assembly. Presenters define the basic terminology related to LCA as well as summarize the process of life cycle assessment. Overall, the course illustrates how the principles of carbon accounting can be applied to design and construction at all scales, using the breadth of data and tools available. Course expires 11/14/2026

Take a closer look at how embodied carbon is incorporated—or will be incorporated—into sustainability programs for the industry and how carbon-thoughtful design is streamlined or incentivized through these programs. The course begins with a look at the established AIA 2030 Commitment, its success in addressing operational energy, and its next iteration, which will include embodied carbon. The AIA 2030 Commitment discussion is followed by an introduction to the SE 2050 Commitment, which is an embodied carbon-focused commitment born out of the Structural Engineering Institute, to be launched in November 2020. After looking at example commitments, the course introduces the International Living Future Institute’s Zero Carbon Certification, a relatively new certification that looks holistically at operational energy and embodied carbon. And, following Zero Carbon, the Passive House certification is introduced, suggesting ways that practitioners can account for embodied carbon while pursuing this performance-focused certification. Through discussing four major industry sustainability programs, this course will help practitioners to distinguish where embodied carbon is built into certifications and commitments, and where embodied carbon considerations might need to be engineered into design and certification processes for holistic carbon reduction. AEC practitioners will receive the knowledge to evaluate and leverage certifications and commitments for the greatest impact. Course expires 11/14/2026

Our built environment is not as sustainable, healthy, safe, equitable or inclusive as it needs to be. As design professionals we have the ability to address the global climate crisis and influence health and well-being. Health is a growing concern for homebuyers, designers, and builders alike. Building professionals are not health professionals, but we have more influence on people’s health than we may realize. We also have tools to help influence building systems and components which impact not only health, but embodied carbon and operation carbon outputs. The course includes comparisons of Indoor airPLUS, Enterprise Green Communities, LEED for Homes, Passive House, Living Building Challenge, WELL Building Standard, Fitwel, and the Active Design Guidelines. The course explores the benefits and drawbacks to using certification programs, looks at the influence they’ve had on code, and discusses their impact on our built environment—including the ways that embodied carbon considerations do or don’t factor into each program. Course expires 11/14/2026

Envelopes are among the systems that have the largest embodied carbon impact on a building. Traditionally envelope systems and materials are chosen for aesthetics, cost, and operational energy, but embodied carbon is equally important. Learn how to apply embodied carbon strategies when designing your next façade system, including strategies for renovating existing buildings, insulation, and selecting cladding materials. Course expires 11/14/2026

Learn what environmental product declarations (EPDs) are—plus how to write them, how to read them, and how to they can be integrated into your work to reduce the embodied carbon impacts of a project. Get familiar with the Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator (EC3) tool, including its applications and the limitations posed by available EPDs. Learn what it takes to create an EPD—whether you’re a manufacturer or an advocate—and learn what to focus on when you’re deciphering EPDs that others have written. Get introduced to the concept of biogenic carbon and how biogenic carbon in EPDs can help you to select carbon-smart materials. Course expires 11/14/2026

This course focuses on the impact of interior product selection on embodied carbon work with an overview of some specific product types that are typical to the interior scope. It includes an introduction to resources for interior product information—including embodied carbon impacts as well as materials health. The course also looks at strategies for lower-carbon interiors, including salvage and reuse, research, and goal-setting. Course expires 11/14/2026

Addressing embodied carbon in one’s practice requires strategy, communication, and collaboration. This course addresses how AEC practitioners can speak with clients and collaborators about embodied carbon to demonstrate the value of reducing embodied carbon and to provide pathways to reduce its impacts in projects and the environment. Learners will hear from sustainability professionals whose practices represent traditional architectural firms, large engineering and consulting firms, and small design/build practices who share approaches to reducing embodied carbon in cooperation with clients, including: managing client choices by selecting and presenting low embodied carbon materials and designs; marketing and external communications; making the economic case for use of low embodied carbon materials and designs; drawing parallels between embodied carbon and materials and occupant health; and developing mutual goals and values with clients and project teams from the early stages of a project. Course expires 11/14/2026