Earn AIA Learning Units with BuildBlock's Expert-Led Lunch & Learn Presentations
BuildBlock offers AIA Learning Unit (LU) credits through Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) focused continuing education courses.
Designed for today’s forward-thinking professionals, our Lunch & Learn program offers a seamless way to stay informed and inspired. Each AIA-approved session delivers high-quality, practical education on insulated concrete form construction, including an HWS (Health, Safety, and Wellness) course to address the credits architects need most.
Earn essential Learning Units while discovering the performance advantages of insulated concrete forms-including superior energy efficiency, enhanced durability, improved sound attenuation, and resilient, high-performance building solutions. Offered in person or virtual.
Available Courses:
BB001A - Designing with ICF (Insulating Concrete Forms): Fundamentals, Details, and Architectural Applications
This course is an introduction to Insulated Concrete Forms, and serves as a primer for Architects, Engineers and Designers.
- Learner will be able to define and describe what Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs) are and how the technology has advanced since its inception.
- Learner will be able to list out key Benefits of ICF Construction.
- Learner will be able to identify and access Key Design Resources and Information about ICF Construction.
- Learner will be able to differentiate how ICF’s can be used in differing market segments through the analysis of case studies
BB002 - HSW Attributes of Insulated Concrete Forms
This course will focus on project development and documentation most specifically by analyzing the material attributes of insulated concrete forms, and how those attributes can contribute to building life safety for fire rated construction, high wind applications, and energy efficient building envelopes.
- The student will compare the material attributes of insulated concrete forms against other material types.
- The student will analyze the building life safety features of ICF construction for fire rated construction.
- The student will analyze building life safety features of ICF construction for high wind and saferoom applications.
- The student will reflect on building envelope strategies that drive down energy use intensity within a building.
BB003 - ICF Design: A Primer for Architects, Engineers, & Designers (2-Hour Course)
This is an Intermediate level course for Architects, Engineers, and Designers that focuses on how to present the key elements/components, construction/installation, building code compliance, prescriptive design, and construction document detailing of Insulated Concrete Forms in the built environment.
- Student will be able to articulate and explain the key elements of the ICF design module.
- Student will be able to summarize the ICF installation process as explained in 21 steps.
- Student will be able to summarize ICF Code Compliance, CSI spec, Prescriptive design, ICF detailing, and where to find this information when starting a design project.
- Student will be able to adapt current projects to avoid Common ICF design mistakes.
- Student will be able to classify ICF benefits, and match those benefits to specific construction use cases and market segments.
BB004 - Mission Critical: Building Envelope Strategies for Resilient Municipal Facilities
As climate-related disasters become more frequent and municipal expectations continue to rise, architects are challenged to design facilities that remain operational when communities need them most. This course examines how building envelope design influences operational continuity, resilience, sustainability, occupant safety, and long-term ownership of fire stations, police facilities, emergency operations centers, and other mission-critical municipal buildings. Through real-world case studies and performance comparisons, participants will evaluate resilient design strategies and explore how building envelope selection can improve community recovery following disasters.
- Investigate resilience challenges facing municipal facilities.
- Evaluate how building envelopes impact resilience, energy use, and life-cycle cost by comparing structural systems.
- Apply and specify ICF design strategies that improve facility performance in high-wind, seismic, fire, flooding and debris impact events.
- Assess the cost and risk implications of building envelope selection for public safety facilities in disaster prone areas.
- Analyze real-world case studies of resilient municipal facility design.