Balancing multiple projects and communicating with clients can make it challenging to find time for meaningful professional development and earning hours toward your annual HSW continuing education (CE) requirement. Fortunately, NCARB's continuing education courses are designed to fit into your busy schedule while offering expert instruction on some of the most pressing topics in practice. Check out our top CE courses from 2026!
1. Building Envelope Materials
Building envelope materials shape more than aesthetics—they influence performance, sustainability, and long-term stewardship. The third course in this eight-part series examines the physical properties, environmental impacts, and selection criteria that inform material choices. Explore embodied carbon, durability, recycling potential, and maintenance demands within the context of climate, assembly, and architectural goals to make informed, resource-conscious decisions for any project.
Earn 1.25 HSW LUs | 1 GCBI LU >
2. Design for Net-Zero Energy and Carbon
With the buildings and construction sector accounting for roughly 40% of the world’s CO2 emissions, architects and other architecture, engineering, and construction industry professionals have the responsibility of targeting net-zero energy and net-zero carbon building designs. This course, part one of a seven-part series, examines the relationship between energy use and carbon emissions, plus teaches the relevant codes, standards, and certifications for architects designing for net-zero energy and net-zero carbon.
Earn 1.5 HSW LUs >
3. Barrier-Free Design and the 2010 ADA Standards
Accessibility in design is a CE topic required by some jurisdictions and critical to the initial and ongoing competency of all architects. It is also critical to the equity of the built environment. By taking the course “Barrier-Free Design and the 2010 ADA Standards,” you can learn more about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), review current ADA standards, and learn from common accessibility mistakes made in new construction.
Earn 1.5 HSW LUs >
4. The Economic Benefits of Sustainable Design
While the common perception is that reducing environmental impacts will cost more, this course explores how sustainable design principles can financially benefit building owners. Understand the economic principles used to evaluate and deliver more sustainable building solutions in this course from our Sustainable Design series.
Earn 2 HSW LUs >
5. Why Buildings Fail
To properly anticipate failure, architects must be aware of the many potential sources of errors. Part one of a six-part series, this course presents explanations of how environmental and human-caused forces and agents can lead to building failure, along with design and construction recommendations to prevent them.
Earn 2.25 HSW LUs >
6. Indoor Air Quality for Architects
Indoor air quality plays an important role in designing buildings that promote health and wellness. The first course in this six-part series introduces fundamental indoor air quality concepts, including common contaminants, measurement methods, and health impacts. Explore how architects and the broader building design, construction, and management team can support acceptable indoor air quality, with resources to help evaluate design decisions.
Earn 1 HSW LUs >
7. AXP Supervisor Training
Effective supervision through the Architectural Experience Program® (AXP®) helps licensure candidates turn work experience into meaningful professional growth. This course—free for AXP supervisors!—explores NCARB’s key supervision requirements alongside practical and ethical considerations for supervisors and mentors. Learn how to provide useful feedback, structure experience through the AXP, and recognize unconscious biases that may affect a candidate’s development, with case studies that bring these concepts into practice.
Earn 1.5 HSW LUs >
8. Adaptive Reuse: An Alternative to New Construction
Adaptive reuse is increasingly common because it preserves important historical features of existing buildings and is inherently sustainable. This course addresses the social well-being fostered by preserving and revitalizing existing urban fabric, understanding the intent of and complying with regulatory challenges, and supporting sustainability through reuse and systems upgrades while improving accessibility to existing buildings.
Earn 2 HSW LUs >
