In most states, including California, continuing education (CE) requirements for architects dictate a certain number of CE credit hours that licensed architects must complete each year in order to maintain their licenses.
These CE credits can be earned by studying architectural topics in a couple of different areas, which are specified by the state’s CE requirements.
Architects interested in studying glass and other types of glazing, such as window films and non-glass security glazing, may want to know whether or not they can fulfill at least some of their architect CE requirements by completing courses on glazing topics.
What Are California’s CE Requirements for Architects?
In California, CE requirements for architects state that licensed architects must earn five CE credits in sustainability topics and five CE credits in Zero Net Carbon Design topics.
In other words, this means that California architects have to complete five hours of coursework in each of these areas.
Architects can complete these 10 hours of coursework through on-demand (online) courses, live courses, or a combination of both. Note that many live courses get converted into on-demand courses.
What glass topics apply to California’s architect CE requirements?
Coursework related to different types of glazing is not specifically required for architects to earn their CE credits.
However, because California architects have to study five hours of Zero Net Carbon Design each year, they may be able to learn about certain energy-efficient glass topics in broader courses about designing carbon-neutral buildings.
Such courses might cover the use of different energy-efficient glazing in buildings, such as low-emissivity (low-e) window films and insulated glass units (IGUs).
These types of glazing products can help contribute to the overall energy efficiency of commercial buildings, thereby reducing their reliance on HVAC systems to maintain comfortable indoor temperatures.
CE Requirements for California Architects Who Are AIA Members
Licensed California architects who are also members of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) have to meet additional CE requirements in order to maintain their AIA membership.
AIA CE requirements for architects in California and all other states stipulate that AIA members must earn 18 CE credit hours by completing coursework in health, safety, and welfare topics.
Architects interested in studying glazing topics can earn some of these credits by taking courses on security glazing.
There are a variety of AIA-approved courses, both live and on-demand, related to different security glazing subject areas.
In fact, our partners at Riot Glass, LLC even offer an AIA CE credit-eligible course about fenestration security for educational, religious, commercial, and retail applications!
Examples of other AIA-approved security glazing course topics include:
- Window films for safety and security applications
- Enhancing security with laminated security glass
- Introduction to security glazing in buildings
- Different types of architectural security glazing in practice
- Ballistic glazing applications
- General Services Administration (GSA) blast resistance standards for glass and glazing
- Using polycarbonate glazing sheets in architectural glazing
- Retrofit security glazing solutions
- Glazing solutions for advanced forced entry and ballistic protection
- Security pass-through systems
- Protective glazing for safety and security in justice-related architecture
Why Architects Should Strive To Earn CE Credits for Glazing-Related Coursework
Whether you’re an architect who designs retail complexes, schools, government buildings, hospitality facilities, hospitals, justice-related facilities, luxury homes or residential buildings, or any other type of commercial building, you need to know about modern glazing solutions.
No matter what the purpose of a building is, there are two general goals that most modern property owners share: they want better energy efficiency and better security.
Knowing how to implement the latest, most advanced glazing solutions for your clients is an essential part of providing high energy efficiency and security in the properties you design.
By completing coursework related to glazing topics like energy-efficient window films and windows, as well as different types of security glazing, you can both fulfill your various CE requirements and equip yourself to provide the best glazing design solutions for clients.
Benefits of incorporating high-performance window films into architectural designs
From sun control window film to low-e window film, there are many different types of high-performance window films that architects can consider using in their building designs.
For example, sun control window film, such as that from the 3M Prestige Series, rejects approximately 97% of infrared light to reduce solar heat gain (heat from the sun transferred through windows), resulting in improved indoor comfort and energy savings.
Applying this type of solar window film to commercial building windows is cost-effective and allows building tenants to continue enjoying all the benefits of their windows, including natural lights and views.
The benefits provided by different types of high-performance window films don’t just save building owners money on their utility bills — they can actually contribute to the profitability of buildings by helping attract potential building tenants and keeping current tenants comfortable to maintain high occupancy rates.
Benefits of designing buildings with built-in security glazing solutions
Different types of modern security glazing solutions, such as those from our partners at Riot Glass, LLC, provide enhanced safety and security against a full range of security threats that most commercial properties face.
Riot Glass® security glazing solutions use unique combinations of polycarbonates, acrylics, and other plastics that provide the highest level of protection against the following types of threats:
- Forced entry
- Burglary
- Smash-and-grab theft
- Rioting and looting
- Vandalism
- Storm damage
- Blast damage
- Active threats
- Accidental impacts
No matter what the threats a commercial property faces are, any commercial building can benefit from the security provided by Riot Glass® security glazing, which can be used in new construction or retrofitted into or onto existing windows as part of a renovation project.
Depending on your clients’ budgets and specific security needs and goals, you can choose from a variety of different types of security glazing and incorporate it into new designs or into remodel plans.
At Campbell Glass and Films, we are happy to work with architects to help them implement different high-performance window film and security glazing solutions in their designs.
Contact us today for a free consultation.
