How can architects and designers take action in selecting sustainable materials? With competing priorities from clients and project teams to a whole world of product and project-level certifications, responsible material selection is hard to navigate. The AIA Materials Pledge provides a framework for architects and designers to begin to chart progress in data transparency and optimization across the five impact categories: Human health, Social health and equity, Ecosystem health, Climate health, and Circular economy. Join AIA Materials Pledge leadership for this webinar where speakers will focus on beginner steps for designers to take in thinking about holistic material health. They will then speak about how the AIA Materials Pledge reporting framework can support firms at any stage of their materials journey. Finally, they will provide an overview of this year's third annual Materials Pledge By the Numbers (RY25) report, looking at reported materials data from 148 signatory firms. The presenters will close the session by reflecting on the post-reporting survey finding and providing updates on next year's reporting. 

New! Earn product-specific CE: Learn how specific products and systems perform, where they can be appplied, andhow to use them in your projects—all while earning AIA-approved CE. As energy codes continue to raise minimum insulation requirements, specifiers need roofing insulation that delivers more thermal performance without adding thickness. This course introduces ThermaThin™ 7, Carlisle SynTec Systems' next-generation polyisocyanurate roof insulation panel engineered to deliver R-7 per inch, compared to approximately R-5.7 per inch for standard polyiso.Participants will examine ThermaThin 7's material composition, physical properties, and code, fire, and insurance listings, then compare its thermal, logistical, and sustainability performance against standard polyiso, including real-world assembly and freight examples. The course also covers ReadyFlash® facer technology and product compatibility across ballasted, mechanically fastened, and fully adhered roofing systems. The session concludes with applied specification strategies for two of the most demanding project types: cold storage facilities and height-restricted or re-roof applications, where thinner, higher-R assemblies directly reduce retrofit complexity and operating costs.By the end of this course, participants will be able to identify, analyze, evaluate, and apply ThermaThin 7 specification data to real-world roofing design decisions. 

Mental and behavioral health is an often stigmatized and misunderstood area of healthcare design. Too often, safety comes at the expense of serenity, risk reduction is prioritized over recovery, and spaces described as deinstitutionalized still miss opportunities to advance dignity through design.  This course introduces better practices for inpatient mental health planning and design for professionals ranging from emerging practitioners to senior medical planners. Participants will explore the VA Inpatient Mental Health Design Guide, a resource of more than 500 pages containing over 30 room templates, planning diagrams, and detailed discussion of the clinical models that influence behavioral health environments. The program will demonstrate how thoughtful planning and design decisions can balance safety, dignity, recovery, and caregiver needs. 

Luxury appliances are more than just elevated features in high-end home design—they play a critical role in enhancing homeowners’ experiences, supporting a healthy lifestyle, and beautifying the kitchen with design-forward aesthetics. This CEU course will explore how cutting-edge appliance technology, superior craftsmanship, proper installation guidelines, and innovative design contribute to a safer, healthier, and more comfortable living environment.

Explore the versatility of using cement boards in exterior applications with a focus on Cement Board Stucco Systems (CBSS) and Cement Board Masonry Veneer (CBMV) systems. This program highlights the integration of continuous insulation as an effective strategy for compliance with International Energy Conservation Code regulations. Gain insights into the components, intricacies and performance advantages of CBSS and CBMV systems, emphasizing occupant comfort and energy efficiency.

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

LEED v5 raises expectations for measurable outcomes in decarbonization, occupant quality of life, and resilience. This course provides architects with a practical overview of LEED v5’s evolving structure and intent, with emphasis on how early design and specification decisions—especially envelope and insulation selection—can influence operational energy performance, embodied carbon strategy, indoor environmental quality, and long-term durability. Participants will review holistic building performance requirements such as enhanced energy efficiency, passive strategies for peak load reduction and grid interaction efficiency, and approaches to building decarbonization and resilience. The course will examine stone wool insulation as a material strategy and evaluate key performance attributes including thermal continuity, acoustics, and non-combustibility, as well as the role of environmental transparency documentation in supporting building product selection and procurement decision-making. This session will include application-based examples and guidance for aligning material choices with documentation approaches that support integrated LEED v5 strategies and documentation pathways.

This course will take a deeper dive into Contract Document modifications (Architect’s Supplemental Instructions, Construction Change Directives, Change Orders, and much more) during Construction Contract Administration (CCA), identifying the risks associated with different types of modifications and strategies for mitigating potential claims. Assessing modifications from the perspective of the Architect, Owner, and Contractor, the course will explain and build on fundamentals through highlighting emerging trends and using specific project scenarios. Participants will leave the session with a deeper understanding of the process, their role and risk within the construction phase, and an understanding of common pitfalls.

What happens when a transportation project does more than move people? This course explores two case studies, the World Trade Center redevelopment in New York City and the Springfield Transportation Center in Illinois, to illustrate how complex transportation challenges can unlock broader urban value. Participants will learn how transportation planning drives development outcomes, influencing urban structure, architecture, and public space. Topics include coordinating diverse stakeholders, navigating layered funding, delivering long-duration projects, and keeping systems operational during construction. The session also highlights how multimodal hubs can become civic anchors that strengthen access, economic vitality, and community identity. 

Selecting the right reroof strategy requires balancing performance, risk and long-term building value. This course provides an overview of metal roof retrofit fundamentals, reviews key factors that should be evaluated before pursuing a retrofit project and examines the range of metal-over-metal (MOM) solutions available today. Attendees will assess the limitations and potential risks associated with roof coatings and TPO systems applied over existing metal roofs and learn how lifecycle cost analysis can help inform roofing decisions beyond initial installation costs. The course will better equip participants to evaluate reroofing options that align with the performance goals and lifespan expectations of their projects.

Restoring an iconic, historic modernist house designed by an internationally acclaimed architect can pose many technical and philosophical challenges for a project team. Often, these buildings have an Achilles heel detail where a critical design flaw has not stood the test of time, creating problems such as leakage, deterioration, and structural degradation. In these instances, a key question is: How can we design a repair to succeed where the original failed, while maintaining the master’s design and aesthetics. Conversely, centuries-old iconic historic houses that have stood the test of time often have a few remarkable details that were key to long-term durability.  These details have much to teach us about designing for durability, if we only take the time to study them closely and understand why they have worked so well for so long. In this course, we will explore how the details of iconic historic houses, both traditional and modernist, have contributed to their durability or lack thereof, and discuss what we can learn from the successes and failures of these details, not only for preservation, but also for new design. The presentation will focus on one key detail from each of these six iconic historic houses, analyze it to show why it succeeded or failed, and in the latter case, share the detail we designed to rectify the problem, while respecting and maintaining the historic appearance.