Mountain States

Credit type: 1 AIA HSW LU
Provider: CupaClad

Slate has been used for centuries as a long-lasting building material, and its natural beauty is unsurpassed. Today, rainscreen cladding systems have been developed to adapt natural slate to new architectural demands for sustainable building design approaches. This course explores the energy efficiency and moisture management benefits of a rainscreen system in combination with the durability and versatility of slate. The different designs and fastening systems are reviewed, and case studies demonstrate the advantages and possibilities for sustainable and beautiful slate projects.

Learning Objectives

• Describe the benefits of slate as a durable, nontoxic, versatile material that can be responsibly produced with minimal environmental impacts
• Explain the advantages of a rainscreen cladding system in terms of thermal comfort, moisture management, and indoor air quality
• Discuss the installation and design options of slate rainscreen cladding systems that have EPDs, long service lives, and reuse potential as part of sustainably designed projects, and use case study examples to recognize the role of slate rainscreen cladding systems in an array of applications, including net-zero-energy buildings, biophilic designs, and projects built in extreme climates.

Presenters

Amy Allen

Sales Manager

Amy Allen

Partnering with architects, designers, and contractors from concept to completion to achieve innovative and ambitious designs across various sectors, Amy’s years of experience and intimate knowledge of Cascade’s engineered systems give her a unique ability to creatively craft stunning, budget-conscious architectural mesh solutions for a diverse range of high-profile projects domestically and internationally. Learn from Amy’s experience through this insightful continuing education course on Lighting Effects with Coiled Wire Fabric.

Alternate, original provided: Amy manages in-depth coordination with designers and contractors from project conceptualization to completion on high-profile projects in various sectors. Her years of experience have equipped her with an intimate knowledge of Cascade’s engineered systems and how to creatively apply them for stunning aesthetics while keeping budgets in line. Amy handles projects nationally and internationally.

Credit type: 1 LU/HSW
Provider: Atlas Roofing

This webinar explores how strategic continuous insulation (CI) choices can alleviate pressures on building enclosures and elevate building envelope performance, sustainability, durability, and life safety. Attendees will gain insights into NFPA 285 compliance, the role of CI in rainscreen systems, and key considerations behind insulation material selection. The course highlights key attributes for comparing insulation types—such as R-value, thickness, installation requirements, and environmental impact—and suggests design opportunities using higher-performance insulation products. Through real-world assemblies and best practices, participants will learn how to simplify insulation choices across multiple applications to meet evolving codes, optimize wall assemblies, reduce thermal bridging, and even reclaim interior square footage. Discover how doing more with less supports design efficiency and construction practicality.

Learning Objectives

• Identify how insulation selection impacts NFPA 285 compliance and understand how different assemblies perform with various continuous insulation materials under varying environmental pressures.
• Evaluate sustainability attributes, installation efficiencies, and design flexibility of continuous insulation types to maximize thermal performance and minimize installation complexity.
• Explore rainscreen applications and determine critical design and installation considerations for effectively integrating continuous insulation across varied enclosure types.
• Examine how high R-value insulation can reduce wall thickness, simplify attachment systems, and reclaim usable space within building envelopes.

Presenters

Lance Williams

Architectural Sales Manager

Lance Williams

Lance Williams is an Atlas Roofing Architectural Specialist focused on CI-continuous insulation applications.  His experience spans nearly 20 years interacting with Designers, Specifiers, GC’s, Installers, Building Scientists, & Building Envelope Consultants. Because of his grasp of the real-world performance characteristics coupled with the nuances of continuous insulation choices, he is uniquely suited to offer advanced perspectives that empower stakeholders to achieve the benefits of continuous insulation.

Credit type: 1 AIA HSW LU
Provider: Porcelanosa

This course covers the fundamentals of rainscreen systems, including their purpose and benefits. It highlights the advantages of using porcelain as a cladding material, such as water and fire resistance, and sustainability. Participants will learn about designing with cladding, optimizing installation, and understanding cladding systems, components, detailing, and building science. The course aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of porcelain cladding systems and their applications.

Learning Objectives

• Understand the benefits and function of ventilated facades
• Recognize the advantages of porcelain as a cladding material
• Explore various cladding systems
• Learn efficient panel layouts for labor economy

Presenters

Jose Velez

Regional Sales Manager

Jose Velez

My name is Jose Velez, an architect with 16 years of experience, including 6 years specializing in facades. I have a passion for art and a keen eye for design. My previous roles include Facade Consultant, Project Architect, Project Estimator, Interior Designer, and work with Porcelanosa. With extensive field work experience and close collaboration with installers, I bring practical insights to our facade projects.

Credit type: 1 AIA HSW LU
Provider: Northern Facades

This course helps architects understand why thermal bridging mitigation is no longer an energy issue, it is now central to building resilience, durability, occupant comfort, and professional risk management. As codes become more performance-driven and climate pressures intensify (extreme heat and cold, wildfire exposure, grid instability), attachment strategies and envelope detailing increasingly determine whether wall assemblies perform as intended. Through clear visuals and real-world examples, participants learn how cladding support systems affect moisture risk, constructability, fire performance, and long-term building reliability. The course emphasizes how to evaluate cladding attachment systems holistically, moving beyond narrow R-value comparisons to consider structural efficiency, fire testing, durability, and ease of installation. Attendees leave better equipped to ask informed questions of manufacturers and consultants, avoid common value-engineering pitfalls, and confidently specify high-performance attachment systems that support future-ready, defensible envelope design.

Learning Objectives

• Explain why thermal bridging mitigation now impacts resilience, durability, occupant comfort, and long-term building risk, not just energy performance.
• Identify how evolving energy codes, climate pressures, and wildfire-related requirements are influencing exterior wall and attachment design.
• Recognize how attachment strategies affect condensation risk, moisture durability, and fire performance in wall assemblies.
• Distinguish between theoretical performance (modeled R-values) and real-world performance based on constructability and installation consistency.
• Evaluate cladding attachment systems using a holistic framework that includes thermal performance, structural efficiency, fire testing, durability, and ease of installation.
• Understand how thoughtful envelope detailing supports passive survivability and occupant comfort during extreme weather events and power outages.
• Apply a more informed, critical approach when reviewing specifications and value-engineering proposals related to exterior wall assemblies.

Presenters

Jennifer Hickman

Technical Sales professional

Jennifer Hickman

Jennifer Hickman is a Technical Sales professional at Northern Facades, supporting architects, contractors, and the building envelope community with high-performance facade and building-envelope solutions. With experience in architectural glass, window and door systems, and thermally efficient enclosure assemblies, she brings a systems-based approach to facade design with a strong focus on thermal performance and constructability. Jennifer is known for her ability to translate complex building-science concepts into practical, project-ready solutions that support durable, energy-efficient buildings.