WholeTrees Announces Course Accreditation with AIA CES and USGBC

WholeTrees Architecture & Structures, Madison, Wis., a manufacturer of round-timber frame structures for commercial and residential environments, announces its course accreditation with the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Continuing Education System (CES) and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). WholeTrees’ certified continuing education course, titled “Why Trees are Stronger than Wood” (AIA Course #: WTST001; USGBC GBCI#: 0920003324), targets architects, designers and builders, encouraging professionals to consider round-timber structural solutions, rather than traditional lumber, steel or concrete. The course is designed to educate professionals about the innate economic, sustainable and durable advantages of small diameter round-timber over traditional structural systems.

The course showcases historic and modern examples of round-timber and mass timber (cross-lam) construction, many of which are recognizable structures. In addition to powerful, relevant examples, the course includes discussions of the major scientific benefits of round-timber, including load capacity, bending strength, fire rating and life-cycle performance in order to demonstrate the durability of building with un-milled timber. The course also touches on the declining health of forests and lessons learned from managing a 134-acre Forest Service Council sustainable forest and learning lab.

Course learning objectives:

• Participants will be able to name three types of historic structures built using small diameter timber.
• Participants will be able to name a benefit to the forest ecosystem in regional economies of building with small diameter timbers or other mass timber technologies.
• Participants will be able to name a performance benefit of using a small diameter timber structural system in bending strength, fire rating, fire failure mode and life cycle performance.
• Participants will be able to name a new method of building with small diameter timber discovered through destructive testing at the USDA Forest Products Lab.

For AIA members, credits earned in completion of the course will be reported to AIA CES. Certificates of Completion for both AIA members and non-members are available upon request. Credits earned in completion of the course through USGBC will be uploaded automatically or members may report hours directly.