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Top 10 CEUs of 2020
Like most things in 2020, continuing education took a (virtual) turn this year as on-site conferences moved online. Although in-person CEU credits may not be an option, Think Wood’s new e-learning platform – The Wood Institute – is a great way to meet those remaining annual education requirements.
The Wood Institute provides free, on-demand content from Think Wood, WoodWorks, and the American Wood Council, including 100+ CEU courses accredited by AIA, ICC, GBCI, and others. Topics range from design and building science to mass timber and sustainable architecture.
Not sure where to start? Take a tour of our top 10 CEUs from 2020:
1
The Impact of Wood Use on North American Forests
Green building is looking beyond energy efficiency, placing greater attention on structural materials and their influence on a building’s environmental footprint. Wood products from sustainably managed forests are increasingly viewed as a responsible choice. Learn how to evaluate wood construction in the context of long-term forest sustainability. Learn More
2
How to Calculate the Wood Carbon Footprint of a Building
From an environmental perspective, it is widely known that buildings matter. Buildings consume nearly half the energy produced in the United States, use three-quarters of the electricity and account for nearly half of all carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. This course explains the principal methods and tools used to assess carbon footprint in the context of building materials, including a primer on product terminology like life cycle assessment (LCA), environmental product declarations (EPDs), carbon footprint, embodied carbon, and whole building LCA (WBLCA) tools. It also highlights ways to track and assure wood comes from sustainable forests.
3
Wood and Evolving Codes: The 2018 IBC and Emerging Wood Technologies
Learn about structural wood use in residential and low- to mid-rise commercial construction with recent innovations and subsequent code changes that expand the use of structural wood. Valued for its versatility, low carbon footprint, aesthetic qualities, and cost performance -- both light frame and mass timber construction offer new design options for architects and building owners.
4
Opportunities for Wood in Low-Rise Commercial Buildings
This course provides practical information that can be applied to projects -- code-related topics, including cost implications of construction type, opportunities for achieving unlimited area, and implications of multi-tenant occupancies. It provides an overview of wood wall and roof systems commonly used in commercial buildings, and highlights key design considerations.
5
Time for Timber
Named for the legendary tennis player, the Billie Jean King Main Library in Long Beach, CA, offers a fitting homage to the athlete famed for the power of her serves and the efficiency of her ground strokes and volleys. Join Architectural Record as they tour Skidmore, Owings & Merrill’s award-winning civic project and explore topics of sustainable building, seismic resistance and designing for natural daylight.
6
Designing Sustainable, Prefabricated Wood Buildings
Prefabricated wood components can help solve many design and engineering challenges such as material and process efficiency, environmental performance and life safety. This course demonstrates the advantages of prefabrication, specifically how it relates to both light wood frame and mass timber construction.
7
The Role of Wood Products in Green Building
Material choice greatly affects the environmental impact of buildings, both during construction and over the building’s lifecycle. Wood is a renewable, durable building material that can be used in almost any building application. Green building standards also recognize wood’s contribution to improved energy performance over time. Learn about tools and certifications for green building in this CEU.
8
Designing Modern Wood Schools
In 2019, school construction and educational facilities accounted for 101 million square feet of the non-residential market. By 2024, U.S. schools will be required to accommodate an estimated 2.8 million more students. There is a strong case for using wood in school construction to build structures that are cost effective, and to do so while creating high-performance, sustainable buildings that are safe, resilient, and appealing. Learn more in this online course.
9
Mass Timber in North America
Around the world, designers are leveraging the strength, stability, and design flexibility of products like cross-laminated timber (CLT) to push beyond wood’s perceived boundaries, achieving building heights and spans that would have once required concrete, steel, or masonry for structural support. Examine the trend toward mass timber buildings in the context of construction efficiency, fire and life safety, occupant well-being, and other advantages.
10
Multi-Family, Mid-Rise Wood Buildings: A Code-Compliant, Cost-Effective and Sustainable Choice
Demand for multi-family housing continues to play an important role in the overall U.S. construction market. This CEU explores the reasons for the increasing popularity of wood in multi-family buildings, reviews code compliance and fire safety technical considerations, and discusses techniques for successful wood building designs.