Free online continuing education for architects

As a region of the national Brick Industry Association (BIA), Heartland Brick can direct you to some amazing resources offered by the BIA at a national level. Many of you may already be familiar with BIA’s Technical Notes, the most comprehensive library of technical information about designing and building with brick anywhere online (see our recent post for more info). But, did you also know BIA offers free online continuing education to architects?

Education is available in three formats:

• Architects can take a BIA-prepared course administered through AEC Daily entitled “Thin Brick Veneer Wall Systems.” The course is available in PDF and HTML5 formats, and qualifies for one LU/HSW hour, and it contains Sustainable Design (SD) information.

• BIA also offers five courses through its own website. Brick Arches, Construction Administration of Brickwork, Energy Efficient Brick Masonry Cavity Walls, Colors and Patterns of Brickwork, and Specifying Brick for Durability and Beauty are each eligible for one LU. Users will need to create an account and add courses to their list, which will automatically be added to their corresponding AIA Education Record (you’ll also be set to conveniently participate in future BIA courses and events!).

• Finally, informal but extremely valuable education on critical aspects of brick design and construction can be had in bite-sized videos on YouTube in the “Brick Masonry Techniques for Architects” series. These 12 videos are designed to deliver visual overviews of specific topics in short snippets ranging from just over one minute to just under eight. Topics include “Flashing at Windows” and “Corbels & Recesses.”

And did we mention, it’s all free?!