Material selection is a core service provided by architects, but that process is far from simple. The AIA Materials Certificate Program untangles the complexities of that process in five essential courses. The key? Materials transparency. When you know everything you can about the materials you use, you're able to make the best product decisions for projects, people, and the environment. The courses cover different types of impacts, and best practices for reducing these impacts, from industry-best instructors. Take all five courses and earn a certificate.

COURSE 1—Materials: The Big Idea

You wouldn’t buy a car without checking its gas mileage, so why wouldn’t you want to know what goes into your building? In this course, you’ll learn about the potential health and environmental impacts of the products that go into our buildings. You’ll also look at key drivers pushing transparency in the marketplace including client demand and green rating systems.

Learning objectives

Understand potential impacts of materials on human health and the environment.
Identify two tools available to architects to translate health and environmental information for practical implementation.
Understand some policy and market drivers influencing materials improvements.
Identify three actions you could undertake today to improve material performance.

Topic

Climate