EDUCATION PROVIDER PROGRAM (EPP)

This course delves into the often-overlooked legacies of female designers whose groundbreaking work and business acumen left an indelible mark on the fields of interior design and architecture. Unveil the stories of these unconventional trailblazers who, despite lacking public recognition in their time, laid the foundation for innovation and transformative change. A century later, we reflect on their enduring influence and profound impact, gaining insights into their contributions that continue to shape and inspire our contemporary professional landscape.

Join us for an in-depth exploration of how drywall grid systems can significantly enhance your design vision while promoting best practices through early collaboration with ceiling partners.

This course offers valuable insights into the benefits of pre-engineered drywall grids, addressing both the design and construction phases. Participants will discuss how to alleviate common pain points associated with framing flat and curved drywall grid. They will discuss the impact of Drywall Grid on embodied carbon and uncover solutions that improve safety, minimize labor and time, and support sustainability through efficient product use.

This course is designed for professionals seeking to enhance their knowledge of drywall grid systems and integrate innovative, sustainable practices into their projects.

The presentation begins with a discussion of the composition of an SBS-modified bitumen roofing membrane, and the impact of proper membrane engineering on long-term performance. The second half of the presentation reviews the two-ply roof system design concept, including the Koike theory of roof strains, and how this design concept applies to various applications and roof system details. 

ONGOING - UPON REQUEST

Gain insights into the societal implications of increased energy consumption in commercial buildings. Grasp the financial advantages of integration, and learn how integrated lighting systems enhance occupant well-being. Recognize the pivotal role architects play in creating safer, more sustainable spaces. Learn how to make informed decisions, contribute to sustainability, and inspire a brighter, greener future in design. By the end of the course, participants will understand the link between electricity use, architectural choices, and occupant well-being in commercial buildings.

Today's kitchen serves as the heart of the home, balancing cooking, entertaining, and everyday living. This course explores the evolution of residential kitchen design – from early utilitarian layouts to today's seamless, integrated environments. Participants will examine how historical design principles, modern workflow planning, ergonomic considerations, integrated appliances and material selection contribute to kitchens that are both beautiful and highly functional. The course also reviews emerging design trends focused on wellness, cleanliness, and long-term value, providing architects and designers with practical insights for creating cohesive, efficient, and future-ready kitchen environments.

This course explores the transformation of single-use materials into innovative room acoustic products that enhance well-being while promoting sustainability. Participants will examine global trends and frameworks such as the Triple Bottom Line (3Ps), Circular Economy, and ESG metrics, understanding their role in creating environmentally-conscious spaces. The course covers essential green building and product certifications, highlighting their impact on resource efficiency and environmental impact mitigation. By focusing on circular design principles, material selection, and durability, students will learn to create sustainable, long-lasting environments.

Many homeowners find it challenging to coordinate color and design schemes in kitchens due to a lack of knowledge about color theory and design aesthetics. Cooking and baking in a home is often influenced by lighting, universal design, culture, and traditions deeply influencing social wellbeing and stress resilience. This course will introduce color theory and tools to better understand the three core color archetypes for kitchen design.

The future has arrived! Smart kitchens and connected appliances are trending in the U.S. Through the use of an app on your smart phone or tablet, learn how your clients can remotely monitor and control their kitchen appliances, enjoy a wealth of culinary content such as recipes, ingredient information and cooking techniques and experience exceptional service through quick tips, video tutorials and even remote diagnostics should a problem arise. The Connected Kitchen will inform and inspire you and enable you to become a valued resource to your design clients on this newest aspect of kitchen design.

Discover the connection between nature and design through the lens of biophilia. This course explores the science behind biophilia and introduces key design patterns that foster well-being and productivity. Learn how biophilic design strategies lead to measurable outcomes, including increased productivity, reduced healthcare costs, and improved guest and employee satisfaction. With resources and real-world applications, participants will gain valuable insights into creating environments that promote the well-being of occupants while supporting organizational goals.

Learn the history of how the custom shower evolved. Explore the types of shower experiences that can be created and the elements to create a custom spa-like shower. Learn about new technologies that improve the shower experience. Learn key considerations in developing an ideal custom shower experience.

As aesthetic for kitchen design becomes more refined, so does the aspect of entertaining at home. And when there is entertainment at home, it typically centers around enjoying food and beverages. Wine is an essential element of entertaining and culinary experiences. This course focuses on why using an active wine climate control system is beneficial to your clients. We will discuss the evolution of a wine storage (cellar). Define passive and active (cooled) modern storage systems. Go over the guidelines of easy specification and proper installation of the wine appliances. Understand the ROI, and more importantly, why entertaining guests will never be dull with a proper wine storage system.

Learning how to move around the kitchen is important, but is it you or is it the layout? This course focuses on redefining what it means to have proper workflow in the kitchen. We will discuss some of the major changes that take place during kitchen renovations and how that affects the flow of the kitchen. Kitchen triangles are a concept of the past, but we all understand why it’s important. This course will focus on parsing out the details of the concept and redefining it to a new palatable concept of what we know as workflow. Finally, we discuss an important appliance being utilized to prep, cook, plate, and serve in kitchens that uncorks the secret to a successful kitchen workflow.

Door systems have evolved significantly over recent decades, and sliding and folding hardware now represents far more than a simple method of opening and closing a space. These systems have become powerful design tools that shape how occupants interact with built environments, influencing circulation, accessibility, and flexible space planning in both commercial and residential projects. This course examines why sliding door systems have grown increasingly popular, walks through mounting and installation options, hardware quality tiers, and application types available for sliding, pocket, barn, bi-parting, telescoping, and folding wall systems, and concludes with practical guidance for specification. Participants will also explore common causes of hardware failure and learn what to look for in product specifications, including cycle testing, warranty terms, and installation requirements, so they can confidently select systems built for long term performance.

Some colors may be calming and relaxing, while other hues may be energizing and lively. Colors are known to create feelings of joy, while others leave us feeling unsettled. Color has the incredible ability to evoke both physical and emotional reactions in humans that are unique to each individual, making this a highly subjective topic. By understanding how color impacts humans on both physical and emotional levels, we are better equipped to select hues for our spaces that contribute to a desired sensibility. Likewise, color is an ideal communication tool; using the many associations had with colors across the spectrum. This course explores physical and emotional responses to color that shape our color preferences, in addition to insight on color trends with the Color Trends 2021 Palette and Color of the Year.

Schools are a cornerstone of childhood development. Numerous studies have shown that the teaching environment can significantly influence academic outcomes and student wellbeing. In ground-breaking research, architects, scientists, educators and artists collaborated to explore how biophilic design elements within a Baltimore middle school classroom enhance human experience and learning outcomes. This presentation will explore the scientific justification for biophilic design, how biophilic design patterns can be applied at minimal cost to classrooms, and how doing so positively impacts student stress recovery, environmental perceptions, and test scores.