The IDeA Center online courses are for everyone: advocates, builders and contractors, planners, architects, occupational and physical therapists, and policymakers. Our expert staff will give anyone interested in the universal design of places, products, and systems the foundation needed to recognize, understand, appreciate, apply, and advocate for universal design in their homes, offices, and communities. The courses address the principles and knowledge bases relevant to solving many design problems using case studies to demonstrate the value of universal design.

Current Course List:

• Universal Design and Products
• Universal Design and Interior Environments
• Defining Universal Design
• Universal Design and Housing 1: Policy and Trends
• Practicing Universal Design
• Universal Design and Housing 2: Design Applications
• Universal Design and Public Accommodations
• Universal Design and Public Transportation
• Design for Human Performance
• Design for Health, Wellness, and Social Participation
• Universal Design and Home Modifications

New CES Course for Healthcare Architects

Pressalit Care North America has received approval from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) to provide CES Continuing Education Support credits to healthcare architects.  The topic of the approved course is Relocatable Bathroom Fixtures = Universal Design.   One LU/HSW hour is awarded upon completion of the course.

The new PRESSALIT Care course is designed to provide architects a fundamental understanding of a newly emerging class of bathroom mounting systems that enable sinks and other fixtures to be quickly and easily “relocated” while remaining on the wall.  In turn, this enables architects to more easily meet universal design objectives which are intended to ensure that facilities can satisfy the requirements of a wide range of disabled individuals.

Architects attending the course will achieve a basic understanding of both the technical functioning and the design benefits of relocatable fixtures and accessories.  Among the topics covered are:

• How emerging new fixture mounting technology can result in overall project savings within a smaller footprint than conventional technologies.
• Turning radii and room dimensions required to accommodate individuals in wheelchairs, mobile lifts, or related equipment.
• Back-wall structural requirements to meet the needs of conventional as well as bariatric patients.
• Safety and performance improvements and the resulting impact on physically challenged individuals and their caregivers.

This class will allow delegates to gain an understanding of the overarching legislation and supporting guidance that can assist designers, builders and those responsible for managing buildings, with particular attention to the Equality Act.

It will also identify those covered by the legislation and the range of disabilities and the impact these will have on potential users of the built environment.

Specialized Home Design, Inc. (SHD) is pleased to announce that NARI (National Association of the Remodeling Industry) has granted CEU’s (continuing education units) to our courses for the following certifications*.  NARI grants CEU’s at the rate of 0.1 CEU per contact hour of instruction time (50 minutes).

Course List:

• The ABC’s of Home Modifications for Patients with Physical & Neurological Disabilities
• Specialty Products for Home Accessibility and Independence
  Evaluating and Writing an Effective Home Modification Evaluation (Online only)

A bathroom is a very personal and private space. People use the space in different ways and have different ideas about function, mood, and ambience. Universal design fits in perfectly with the design of a bathroom, in that it utilizes the design of products and spaces to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible.

In this course, you will explore anthropometric and ergonomic information, as well as human factors studies that help guide design of spaces. We will discuss the basic concepts of universal design, which have become essential to good bathroom planning, focusing on assessing the needs of your client in preparation for developing a design.

Course List:

• Bath Planning: Human Factors, Universal Design, and Assessing Needs

Residential Remodeling and Universal Design” is an AIA approved architect continuing education course provides guidance on selecting and installing universal features that will improve the home for residents now and in the future and will increase the home’s marketability.  This continuing education course is approved by the American Institute of Architects for 4 continuing education hours that are classified as HSW learning units.

Course List:

• Residential Remodeling and Universal Design

At the end of this course, participants will understand:
What is Americans with Disabilities Act? How ADA is structured and where it applies? Difference between accessibility and universal design? What is Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design? Difference between accessibility and universal design? The legal relationship between LEED and ADA? LEED references to universal design? How specific LEED strategies (i.e. preferred parking and green roofs) interact with ADA?

A 3.75 hour class approved by the NY Deptartment of State for real estate continuing education credits.

Course List:

• LEED and Universal Design
• LEED and Universal Design is a 3.75 hour class approved by the
  NY Deptartment of State for real estate continuing education credits.

Earn CEU credit, and keep up-to-date on accessible bathware and the benefits of various hydrotherapy systems by taking one of our free and accredited continuing education courses. Available online through Hanley Wood University and AEC Daily, or as one-hour, in-person class sessions conducted by our industry experts, our courses include:

Course List:

• Aging in Place: Universal Designs and Accessible Baths
• Accessible Bath Fixtures
• Health and Welfare Benefits of Home Hydrotherapy Systems