CEUs & Tours

INNOV8
Innovative Concrete Building Solutions for Sustainable Design and Construction

1.0 LUs, HSW

Through technological advancements in architectural precast concrete systems including modeling, modular forming, 3D printing, finishing techniques, unitization, and safety, attendees will learn how to address unique design challenges. Through these innovative approaches, efficient building designs can meet sustainability goals. Architects and engineers in pursuit of healthier construction materials can utilize the material transparency provided by product declarations to analyze material options used in precast concrete prefabricated systems to make informed building material choices that have a positive impact on our environment.

OBJECTIVES:

1. Discover how concrete prefabricated building solutions are being used to meet unique design challenges. Understand how to realize design goals by utilizing advanced forming and finishing techniques.
2. Learn about the recent advancements in architectural precast technology and discover how research into cutting-edge materials and methods for carbon reduction can help designers make informed decisions in building product selection.
3. Learn about thinner, lightweight unitized systems that use 70% less concrete than traditional construction and expand the pallet of options for design teams.
4. Illustrated through a range of project case studies, see how the prefabrication of unitized façade systems helped project teams obtain their design goals while maintaining budgets.

HPC-25
Sustainable High-Performance Concrete: Innovative Façade & Interior Solutions

1.0 LUs, HSW

High-Performance Concrete (HPC) is a class of concrete that is exceptionally strong and durable with enhanced aesthetics. With its unique set of properties, a fraction of the materials in conventional concrete mixes is used with thicknesses ranging from ½” to 3”. In this way, carbon emissions from manufacturing, transportation, and installation are reduced. HPC can be used to create decorative and protective façade elements, grand entrance cladding, urban furniture, and interior solutions such as stair treads, interior wall panels, countertops, boardroom tables, and sinks.

We will cover the possibilities of incorporating various embedded items and atypical aggregates without sacrificing flexural and compressive strength, meeting or exceeding performance requirements. This presentation will provide basic material properties and illustrate advances in materials and fabrication, which allow for more flexibility with form and finish while remaining monolithic. We will conclude with a few examples of best practices to follow when designing with UHPC & HPC, showing how early engagement benefits the designer and the end user.

OBJECTIVES:

1. Learn the differences between standard concrete mixes and UHPC/HPC mixes and their applications.
2. Understand how using less concrete with high-performance mixes contributes to sustainability by reducing material use and environmental impact.
3. Understand the finishes, colors, and forming options available when utilizing high-performance concrete in interior and exterior designs.
4. Learn how to leverage the power of high-performance concrete and design-assist for your projects.
5. Discover how high-performance concrete has been utilized to meet design goals while maintaining budgets, as illustrated through case studies.

APC-23
Intro to Architectural Precast Solutions: Explore Functionality, Creativity and Aesthetics

1.0 LUs, HSW

Prefabricated concrete building solutions’ enduring performance has been largely attributed to aesthetic appearance, design flexibility and quality. This course will focus on design considerations that will unleash the full creative, aesthetic possibilities of prefabricated concrete exteriors. New technologies for forming and finishing provide designers with a greater range of options than ever before. Prefabricated concrete is a high performance material that integrates easily with other systems and inherently provides the versatility, efficiency, and resiliency needed to meet the multi-hazard requirements and long-term building performance.

OBJECTIVES:

1. Learn the differences between building and construction techniques using concrete.
2. Identify the key design considerations for the proper design and installation of prefabricated concrete façade systems.
3. Through the use of case studies, learn how prefabricated concrete exterior components can be integrated with multiple products such as glazing, insulation and embedded elements like brick and other natural stones.
4. Learn about the newly improved PCI Architectural Certification and how to specify the most appropriate certification categories for your project.

ENVELOPE-23
Designing Concrete Barrier Systems Utilizing Simulated and Natural Products

1.0 LUs, HSW

High performance prefabricated concrete enclosure walls are distinct from most rain screen walls as they are air tight and watertight. A properly designed concrete building envelope creates a rain barrier that provides better performance and requires less materials and trades than conventional cavity wall systems or rain screens. Learn how prefabricated concrete rain barrier systems reduce risk, improve efficiency and seamlessly blend into historical architecture. This course introduces the latest innovations in simulating natural stones and embedding natural materials providing all of their beauty but with added speed, durability, and many other benefits of prefabricated concrete.

OBJECTIVES:

1. Define the difference between rain screen and rain barrier systems. Compare rain barrier systems comprised of natural products embedded in concrete wall panels to traditional hand set field applied rain screen walls.
2. Describe the concrete prefabrication methodology for embedding natural materials like brick, dimensional stone and terracotta.
3. Understand simulated concrete finishes utilizing new forming, casting and finishing techniques that assist designers in achieving randomness in profiles, color, and texture to create iconic facades. Current trends featuring non linear surfaces will be featured.
4. After reviewing multiple case studies, explain how concrete rain barrier systems utilizing simulated and natural products can accelerate the schedule, offer energy savings and seamlessly blend with the architecture of surrounding buildings.

TPS-25
Beyond the Gate: Durable Concrete Solutions for Lifelong Performance

1.0 LUs, HSW

Prefabrication and off-site construction of concrete building systems have been a key contributor to their proven performance for decades. This presentation will familiarize attendees with prefabricated concrete’s family of products and illustrate how they can be assembled to produce durable and sustainable architecture for any building type.

Sustainable and durable concrete building solutions contribute to the long-term welfare of building occupants and the broader community by reducing environmental impact, enhancing energy efficiency, and ensuring resilient, long-lasting structures. Additionally, concrete’s inherent durability helps maintain indoor air quality by resisting mold, pests, and moisture intrusion, while minimizing long-term maintenance issues that could pose health hazards.

The design flexibility of concrete structures makes them ideal for adaptive reuse as their members are individually engineered and can be disassembled for future additions.

Attendees will learn how different types of concrete structural systems can be used to reduce jobsite risks by erecting large building components, reducing workforce labor and increasing overall construction speed by 25%.

OBJECTIVES:

1. Illustrate the different types of prefabricated frames, components and connections that can be used in total precast concrete structures.
2. Explain the advantages of designing all concrete building systems for the owner, architect, engineers and contractors.
3. Learn the essential design considerations for constructing total precast building systems and the role of precast concrete in adaptive reuse and future expansions through engineered, disassembled members.
4. Review forming and finishing techniques available on a wide variety of concrete building systems.
5. Show how prefabricated concrete structures are being utilized to save time, increase safety and showcase how concrete structures protect life.

U-HPC-25
Beyond the Surface: Design Innovation with UHPC and HPC Facades

1.0 LUs, HSW

High Performance Concrete (HPC) and Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC) are transforming what's possible in modern facade design. With significantly enhanced durability, strength, and workability, these materials allow architects to achieve thinner profiles, sharper details, and more complex geometries than traditional precast. Much like cast iron defined 19th-century facades, UHPC is revolutionizing the 21st-century building envelope with its aesthetic flexibility and structural performance. This course explores the characteristics of HPC and UHPC, compares them with conventional concrete and outlines how early collaboration and customization open the door to cost-effective, design-driven solutions. Real-world case studies demonstrate how these materials perform under demanding architectural and environmental conditions — balancing innovation with constructability.

OBJECTIVES

1. Understand the material performance characteristics of HPC and UHPC, including how custom mix designs are tailored to meet aesthetic and structural needs.
2. Discover how to differentiate between conventional precast concrete and high/ultra high-performance concrete systems in terms of composition, performance, and architectural application.
3. Identify design strategies enabled by HPC/UHPC, including lightweight rainscreen systems, deep reliefs, and thin, complex geometries.
4. Learn how to evaluate a project’s feasibility for incorporating HPC or UHPC based on budget, design intent, and technical constraints.
5. Review case studies where HPC and UHPC were successfully integrated into facade systems, illustrating performance, sustainability, and architectural impact.