Lunch and Learn

While frequently chosen for aesthetics and durability, clay brick is not often considered when energy efficiency is a primary concern, even though it historically played a significant role in occupant comfort before widespread use of HVAC systems. This course discusses the basics of heat transfer, relevant energy code provisions for walls, and how current research by the National Brick Research Center demonstrates the role that brick veneer can play in meeting or exceeding energy requirements in modern wall assemblies.

This program will broaden your understanding of lighting integration. Participants will gain an understanding of available options when considering lighting within a space, develop through a structured approach, a strategy for delivered light, and obtain a working knowledge of integrated lighting details to support the strategy implementation.

Contemporary interior design has led to an increase in open spaces, unfinished ceilings, glass walls and hard flooring. All of these factors can result in elevated noise levels affecting the occupants of the space. This presentation will provide information about how the integration of acoustic control in lighting fixtures can be part of the solution.

In this program, we will discuss the qualities and characteristics of resilient and adaptable design strategies, help participants understand the relationship between hazards, vulnerability, and risk, be able to describe adaptation design strategies that can be employed to reduce climate change impacts on buildings and identify hazard mitigation retrofit strategies to reduce potential damage.

This presentation will explore how geophysical methods can be utilized to reduce risk due to unknown conditions during site design.  The use of geophysics in conjunction with invasive exploration can be a cost-effective means of providing substantially more information than that obtained with additional invasive methods.

In this program, we will be discussing how business owners can continue to attract and retain talent. We will address the ever changing tax landscape and will spend time on topical issues that are affecting most small businesses.

To create more equitable ideas, we need to create an inclusive design process with multiple and sometimes conflicting points of views.  Our ever-evolving remote work situation is a potential danger to forcing our design process and ideas to become more siloed.  Equitable access to design technology coupled with the intentional incorporation of virtual tools will help us bridge the creativity and collaboration gap caused by the physical separation of our teams.

Attendees will receive information about how to properly detail Cast Stone for a variety of project types. Building movement and dead loads as a function of the design requirements for veneers are discussed. The proper use of anchors, types of mortar, sealant joints and kerfs on exterior veneer applications are also addressed in this informative session. Attendees will be able to understand appropriate specification of Cast Stone for architectural applications.

This course will review the importance of acoustics in architecture, discuss the fundamental principles of sound management, explore how to design interior spaces to maximize occupants’ comfort, and review emerging tools to solve for both sound and lighting. It will also focus on the standards that govern acoustic requirements for diverse applications.

This program will explore the history of blasts and progressive collapse failures. Presentation will cover basic blast design and understanding GSA, VA and DOD requirements for health and safety. Participants will understand designing structures for blast protection to preserve the health and wellness of the buildings occupants. Other topics of will include understanding progressive collapse failures, understanding collapse mitigation, performance of construction materials, and materials used in blast projects.