Continuing Education

Decorator and Designers Association

Decorator and Designers Association - ddacanada.com

Displaying 1 - 25 of 241 results.

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  • According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), handwashing is one of the best and easiest ways to prevent the spread of germs. However, drying hands is just as important as washing them. This course introduces the reader to the main features of air knife hand dryers and discusses how their technical components, such as high-efficiency particulate (HEPA) filtration, touch-free operation, and fast dry times, contribute to their hygienic performance.

             

     This course contains sustainable design information. See the course details page for more information.

     This course contains accessible design information. See the course details page for more information.

     This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.

  • Properly selected acoustical solutions are necessary to provide acoustical comfort and performance for a range of applications. This course reviews acoustic theory and design methodology to facilitate the design and specification process. A particular emphasis is placed on performance-oriented designs and strategies for different project types.

             

     This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.

  • Wood is both beautiful and practical but lacks long-term durability when used outdoors. Acetylation changes the material properties of the wood at the molecular level to improve its stability and weathering capabilities. This course reviews the acetylation process, its impact on wood performance, and how and where this type of wood can be used. Also discussed are the green features of acetylated wood and how it can contribute toward earning points in the LEED® v4 green building rating system.

             

     This course contains sustainable design information. See the course details page for more information.

     This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.

  • The growing global population is creating an increased demand for resources. As a result, there is a need to replace fossil-based, nonrenewable building materials with more bio-based materials, such as bamboo. This course describes the properties of bamboo that make it a more sustainable choice, including its fast growth and CO2 saving and storing potential. It also discusses how active bamboo reforestation and the use of durable bamboo products can lead to CO2 reduction across many industries.

             

     This course contains sustainable design information. See the course details page for more information.

     This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.

  • While the bathroom was once a strictly utilitarian space, a growing trend among luxury consumers is to create a custom, spa-like wellness retreat right in the home. Surveys find that luxury consumers value functional and design excellence, uniqueness that reflects a creative side, and exceptional quality and value. This course examines the shower products available that help to create a personalized, multisensory wellness experience with beautifully designed pieces that meet water efficiency standards.

             

     This course contains sustainable design information. See the course details page for more information.

     This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.

  • Undesirable acoustics in educational spaces have long been considered averse to our goals to effectively teach, create, collaborate, listen, and learn. Now, in the wake of implementing pandemic protocols, our acoustic comfort in these spaces is greatly challenged. This course examines the impacts of poor soundscapes in educational facilities and introduces innovative solutions for improving acoustics in these areas while keeping us comfortable and safe from exposure to emerging viruses.

             

     This course contains sustainable design information. See the course details page for more information.

     This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.

  • A naturally occurring radioactive gas, radon is a silent danger to our health. Colorless and odorless, it enters homes and structures through openings in the foundation and below-grade walls, becoming trapped in basements and other poorly ventilated areas. This course looks at methods of controlling radon, how it is addressed in building codes, the advantages of closed-cell spray polyurethane foam (ccSPF) over other insulation materials, and proper installation techniques.

             

     This course contains sustainable design information. See the course details page for more information.

     This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.

  • Unwanted sound can become more than a mere annoyance. Excess noise has been found to increase stress and distraction, reduce learning and productivity, and even lead to hypertension and permanent hearing loss. This course presents an overview of how sound is described and measured and describes the many industrial and architectural products available to control noise in virtually any environment.

             

     This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.

  • Quartz surfacing is a man-made material consisting of up to 93% natural quartz crystal. In this course, you will discover the other components behind the beauty, durability, and flexibility of this surfacing material. You will see the composition, production, and quality assurance processes that go into making the material and the resultant attributes and capabilities, as well as the installation basics of quartz surfacing materials.

             

     This course contains sustainable design information. See the course details page for more information.

     This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.

  • The office furniture industry is an ever-changing marketplace and this changeability has produced huge amounts of unwanted furniture. Remanufacturing addresses the waste, cost, and storage that comes with replacing office furniture. This course looks at trends in the office furniture industry, the environmental impacts created by legacy furniture, and a review of the environmental and economic benefits of remanufactured furniture as an alternative to scrapping, downcycling, or discarding to landfill.

             

     This course contains sustainable design information. See the course details page for more information.

     This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.

  • Architectural metal fabric is a dynamic interior and exterior material used to create beautiful and functional façades, balustrades, and screening for a wide variety of commercial and public structures. This course discusses applications for metal fabric and its performance benefits, including safety, security, solar management, and sustainability. It also discusses how coatings and graphics technologies can be incorporated into metal fabrics to enhance branding and visual identity.

             

     This course contains sustainable design information. See the course details page for more information.

     This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.

  • Sometimes a design finish cannot be achieved within a certain budget or time frame. While not intended to be a substitute for real materials in every situation, architectural finishes mimic the aesthetics of natural and other materials. This course discusses the uses, manufacturing process, performance characteristics, selection considerations, and proper installation techniques of architectural finishes.

             

     This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.

  • Daylighting is the controlled admission of natural light into a building. It takes into consideration both direct and diffuse sunlight and reduces use of electric light, thereby decreasing energy costs. By controlling daylight, solar heat gain can be minimized, lowering the demand on HVAC systems. This course evaluates a variety of daylighting strategies for commercial applications and includes discussions about the relevance of daylight factor calculations and the impact fabric characteristics have on a shading solution.

             

     This course contains sustainable design information. See the course details page for more information.

     This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.

  • There are some complex issues involved in achieving ADA-compliant designs in all types of building construction. In terms of bathroom design, it is important to comprehend the ADA standards in order to minimize the risk of injury and to ensure end user comfort and ease of use. This course covers ADA-compliant design requirements for shower compartments and lavatory tops using solid surface materials—from planning and design to installation.

             

     This course contains sustainable design information. See the course details page for more information.

     This course contains accessible design information. See the course details page for more information.

     This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.

  • Fenestration openings are a critical component of a building envelope, especially in present-day sustainable, energy-efficient buildings. Building envelopes play an important role in controlling the movement of heat, bulk water, and water vapor. Designing fenestration openings for buildings that use continuous exterior insulation has a significant role in reducing thermal bridging and thus conserving energy. This course reviews the impact of exterior insulation on fenestration installation design. The course also explores solutions for a wide variety of wall system variations.

             

     This course contains sustainable design information. See the course details page for more information.

     This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.

  • Sound abatement products are not just a building owner and occupant preference; minimum sound abatement ratings are required by many local building codes for multistory residential, commercial, and multipurpose buildings. Following an introduction to the basics of sound, this course presents a summary of the most common sound control methods, with a focus on the options available for floor underlayment.

             

     This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.

  • This program introduces building retrofits as a method to achieve green building standards by adapting existing structures. While a building retrofit may have several types of interventions, effective air sealing improves the durability of the structure and occupant comfort, health, and safety. This course includes a detailed look at sources of air leakage and the various methods available to address this infiltration. Several real-world examples demonstrate the importance of identifying the source of air leakage, investigating existing conditions, and proper detailing.

             

     This course contains sustainable design information. See the course details page for more information.

     This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.

  • The choice of flooring is an important consideration in museums; their popularity brings a high volume of foot traffic, and museum spaces have a wide range of flooring needs. This course discusses how recycled rubber flooring is a good choice for museums because of its sustainability, durability, low maintenance requirements, performance attributes, and wide variety of design options.

             

     This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.

  • Drying hands thoroughly is crucial for maintaining hygiene levels, and when a hand dryer is too slow, the result is many people give up trying to dry their hands and leave the bathroom with wet or damp hands. Research has shown that damp hands can transmit up to 1,000x more bacteria than dry hands. This course discusses hand-drying concepts and the advantages of hand dryers with air knife technology. It also reviews the impact the choice of hand-drying equipment has on public health, occupant comfort, facility operations, and our environment.

             

     This course contains sustainable design information. See the course details page for more information.

     This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.

  • While natural stone veneer has a timeless popularity in commercial and residential applications, its cost, weight, and availability can make it prohibitive for some projects. Natural-looking manufactured stone veneer alleviates those concerns but still requires time and experience in mortared stone installation. This course explores these options and then introduces the latest manufactured stone product, a panelized, mortarless veneer that installs with the ease, speed, and all-weather flexibility of siding. Application examples and case studies present the many options that offer a real stone aesthetic without the time, skill, and constraints required for mortared applications.

             

     This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.

  • Multifamily Group R construction has traditionally been access controlled by means of pin and tumbler mechanical locks. With the migration to electronic access control locks, it can be complicated to understand how to comply with building and fire codes. This course attempts to demystify electronic access control by addressing the basic components, important terms, and design and code considerations, and concludes with a look at a case study.

             

     This course is part of one or more "Course Collections". Click here to view the details.

     This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.

  • Ensure your turf, plants, and trees are getting the appropriate water—in the right quantity, with the proper safety, at the highest efficiency—to reflect your unique landscape environment. This course addresses the most important factors to be considered to achieve optimal performance. At the “root” of an effective irrigation system is proper water volume, pressure, and safety.

             

     This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.

  • Dual-flush wall-mounted toilets help create modern, stylish bathrooms that strike a balance between sustainable water efficiency, flexible design, and space savings. This course compares this style with other traditional types of toilets, discusses how wall-mounted toilets benefit commercial and residential users, and explains how they satisfy the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other accessibility and building code requirements.

             

     This course contains sustainable design information. See the course details page for more information.

     This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.

  • The US has the highest incarceration rate in the world, and with recidivism rates as high as 75% within five years, the prospects for released inmates are dim. There is no simple solution to these issues, but one approach is to focus on rehabilitation to help inmates reintegrate successfully into society upon release. This course looks at the role evidence-based building design can play in a rehabilitative environment that promotes healing, autonomy, and growth. Design strategies are presented with a focus on ADA-compliant, ligature-resistant plumbing products and water management systems that support a clean, safe, secure, rehabilitative environment.

             

     This course contains accessible design information. See the course details page for more information.

     This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.

  • Resilient flooring offers a wide variety of natural wood, stone, and abstract visual designs in numerous formats and installation options. Luxury vinyl flooring (LVF) and stone polymer composite (SPC) are types of resilient flooring designed to replicate the appearance of wood and stone without the labor, maintenance, or cost of natural materials. This course delves into the types, composition, performance features, and applications of LVF and SPC flooring designed for durable and aesthetically pleasing solutions for commercial and residential applications.

             

     This course contains sustainable design information. See the course details page for more information.

     This course is ONLINE: SELF-PACED. Experience it on your own schedule, at your convenience.

Displaying 1 - 25 of 241 results.

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