Northwest Territories Association of Architects

The Northwest Territories Association of Architects is mandated by the Architects Act to regulate the practice of architecture, govern the profession, and establish and maintain standards of knowledge, skill, care and professional ethics among authorized practitioners to serve and protect the interests of the public.

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Displaying 1 - 25 of 631 results.

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  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Undesirable acoustics in educational spaces adversely affect the learning and teaching processes. The impact on students’ academic achievement, social adaptation, and mental health can be profound and long lasting. This course examines the impact of different sound problems and presents solutions that create synergy between the architecture and the classroom environment to optimize student learning and engagement and teacher retention.

  • ( ~ 1 hour, 15 minutes ) 

    Critical to concrete waterproofing are the products used in combination to create a system that ensures complete control of moisture migration. Presented here are effective concrete waterproofing technologies and how they improve the durability and lifespan of structures. Discussions include water penetration, system selection, membrane protection, and cementitious waterproofing.

  • ( ~ 1 hour, 15 minutes ) 

    Research indicates that the quality of light directly affects the quality of life in a space; access to daylight and outdoor views promotes happiness and productivity. Reviewed in this course are the features of polycarbonate sheeting systems and how they contribute to energy-efficient daylighting design, as well as the overall health and well-being of the building occupants.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Keeping bathrooms and kitchens clean and hygienic is essential to health and well-being but can be challenging in busy family homes. This course introduces some basic principles of home hygiene, provides an overview of the most effective cleaning strategies, and shows how contemporary kitchen and bathroom technology and design innovations can make hygienic cleaning substantially easier. Technologies discussed include touchless activation, intelligent toilets, bidet seats, and antimicrobial surfaces.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Exterior wall systems are the dividing line between the exterior and the interior and must address several fundamental performance goals of the building envelope. This course reviews traditional rainscreen design and examines why, with its single-component construction, an insulated composite backup wall system is a vast improvement over traditional multicomponent building technology.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    High-performance waterproof panels are engineered to mitigate moisture damage in areas where water is ever present while offering easy installation and lasting beauty. This course reviews the importance of moisture management in wet applications and examines the performance attributes of waterproof panels that make them a complete wall solution.

  • ( ~ 1 hour, 15 minutes ) 

    Stone has long been valued for its durability, reliability, and beauty. Today, natural thin stone veneer offers these benefits with reduced weight, cost, and environmental impact. This course explores its applications in commercial and residential settings, covering aesthetics, performance, and key specification standards. It also examines the sustainability profile of thin stone veneer compared to full natural and manufactured stone, highlighting an industry-wide LCA, responsible quarrying and processing, and how collaboration with fabricators can reduce environmental impact while preserving quality and design integrity.

  • ( ~ 1 hour, 15 minutes ) 

    Architects and designers have many options for specifying site furniture products for their projects. Selecting materials and finishes is an integral part of this process, yet making material selections has become more and more complex. The course examines conditions and constraints of outdoor environments; evaluates materials commonly used in outdoor applications; discusses using green building standards and rating systems, and the role of suppliers as resources for material selection; and provides examples of products that adhere to a higher environmental standard.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    The Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association (BHMA®) is the only organization accredited by the American National ‎Standards Institute (ANSI) to develop and maintain builders hardware ‎standards with cycling, operational, strength, security, and finish test requirements. This course explores the performance standards and the certification program related to commercial architectural hardware.

  • ( ~ 1 hour, 15 minutes ) 

    Protected roof membrane assemblies (PRMAs), and vegetative roof assemblies (VRAs) in particular, place extreme requirements on the components below the surface, from waterproofing to insulation and everything in between. Each element must meet specific standards for energy efficiency and durability. This course reviews the benefits and design considerations of VRAs. It also describes the high-performance attributes of VRA components and defines the building code/performance standards and best specification practices for optimal fire, wind, thermal, and moisture performance.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Understanding building physics is critical to proper building envelope design. Examined here are practical concepts for the building designer, including how cladding systems perform across different climate zones and applications. Environmental control layers and hygrothermal loads are reviewed, as is the concept of perfect/universal wall design. The course focuses on how single-component insulated metal panels (IMPs) function as a perfect/universal wall, simplifying wall system design and installation.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Installing snow retention systems on rooftop applications improves the safety of building occupants and can decrease the risk of property damage. This course identifies different snow guard styles and explains how each contributes to snow retention. Installation techniques are reviewed, and layout designs that maximize occupant safety and minimize hazards are also discussed.

  • ( ~ 1 hour, 15 minutes ) 

    Interlocking concrete pavers (ICP) have the ability to spread applied loads via the interlock between each unit. This means that the surface does not respond structurally as single pavers but as a composite paved surface. This structural characteristic of ICP allows the design method for these pavements to be based on flexible pavement design. In this course, we examine the ASCE and ICPI structural design methods for ICP and review examples using different soil strengths/stiffnesses and traffic uses. Finally, we survey the design and construction support material and software available from the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    From pitched to low-slope roofing, a myriad of designs are possible. Conventional roofing with the waterproofing membrane located weather-side and protected membrane roofing with the waterproofing membrane located at the deck can be used on buildings of various end uses. Roofs can be low or high albedo to impact solar gain; add to this vegetative roof assemblies (green roofs), roofs with solar arrays, and blue roofs (stormwater management), and no two roofs are alike. Join us to review the modern roof taxonomies and associated benefits and drawbacks, learn about the latest options in roof construction, and reflect on performance differences.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    High-performance, fully composite insulated wall panels deliver all the benefits of factory precasting with load-bearing and energy efficiency performance from the lightest, thinnest panels possible. This course describes the makeup and cost efficiencies of composite precast panels, their benefits when made with carbon fiber grid shear trusses, and considerations for selecting among the insulation options. The majority of the course focuses on case studies of successful precast enclosure projects in a wide variety of building types across a range of markets.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    This course explores some of the tools at the core of sustainable facility management and how they can enhance indoor environmental quality, reduce environmental impact, and improve occupant well-being. It reviews how operational strategies can support organizational performance and talent attraction and retention in a changing workplace landscape. The course examines emerging trends, new tools and practices, and shifts in certification frameworks such as the LEED® v5 Operations and Maintenance and Building Design and Construction rating systems and the WELL Building Standard™ version 2 that reflect the growing demand for measurable performance and decarbonization efforts.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Daylighting has traditionally been considered a functional way to bring natural light into building design. This course explores innovative applications of daylighting using various methods to deliver natural light into spaces and create visually appealing natural lighting as part of an overall design. It also examines daylighting strategies, considerations, and material options for successful project planning. By incorporating daylighting into projects, architects can create innovative environments that meet the sustainability goals of the building and the health, safety, and welfare needs of its occupants. Applicable credits and features in the LEED® v4.1 Building Design and Construction rating system and the WELL Building Standard™ version 2 are noted.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Sustainable building envelopes demand high performance from and proper installation of continuous insulation and air, water, and vapor control layers. What happens when thousands of holes are made in these materials as they are installed with blind fasteners, one layer on top of another by different subcontractors? Sequencing issues can generally not be avoided; instead, this course focuses on self-sealing fasteners as a solution to avoid damage and thermal bridging in insulation and control layers. Various fasteners and anchors are described, and recommendations are presented for how to specify and what testing data to look for.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    This course explores how to use coil and extrusion coatings in the built environment and how innovative coatings contribute to sustainability initiatives.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    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.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Off-leash dog parks are one of the fastest-growing segments of parks. As dogs are integral to families, designers should consider creating a park that benefits owners and their pets. This course discusses how dog parks contribute to owner health and well-being by increasing physical and social activity. Dog park design criteria are also examined, and case studies are reviewed.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Acrylic solid surface and quartz materials provide versatile solutions for designs that balance aesthetics, durability, and health. This course examines their performance benefits, emerging design trends, and real-world applications, highlighting key specification considerations. Also reviewed are how acrylic solid surface and quartz materials may help meet credit requirements in the LEED® v5 Building Design and Construction and Interior Design and Construction rating systems and the WELL Building Standard™ v2.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    As we become more aware of the levels of toxins in our environment, we are realizing that the quality of air inside our homes is just as important as the quality of air outside our homes. This course outlines why indoor air quality is so important to our health and describes how to improve indoor air quality by using a balanced ventilation system.

  • ( ~ 1 hour ) 

    Food and wine preservation refers to the process of storing products under ideal conditions in order to maximize longevity. Preserving food and wine maximizes its shelf life and flavor which, in turn, enhances the enjoyment of its consumption. Additionally, proper preservation results in less waste and saves the consumer money. This course reviews the causes of premature food deterioration, the optimal conditions for storing wine and food, and the solutions that are available with a focus on modern refrigeration units.

  • ( ~ 1 hour, 15 minutes ) 

    Increased energy efficiency in both new and existing construction continues to be a large factor behind the design decisions we make and the materials we choose to integrate into our buildings. Concrete masonry construction can provide a wide range of benefits. This course illustrates how building envelopes constructed with concrete masonry create high-performance buildings that can exceed energy code requirements.

Displaying 1 - 25 of 631 results.

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