Building Technology for Architects

Contact Information

Program Website: http://www.vto.vt.edu/arch/
Institute for Distance and Distributed Learning
ph: 1-866-791-4898
fax: 1-540-231-2079

Program Director

Summary

The series of courses offered here emphasize on the building structures, systems, and the materials and methods of construction. Each course qualifies for four (4) Learning Units, and four (4) hours of Health, Safety, and Welfare (HSW).

The material offered in each course has been used in the classroom environment in order to test the level of difficulty and time needed to finish each course. Each course is designed to take approximately four hours to complete. The user can stop and restart the course as he/she wishes. Once review of course material is complete, the user is required to take a test which contains 20 multiple choice questions. The result of the test will be reported to the applicant and the AIA for receipt of Continuing Education Learning Units.

About the Courses:

These courses are designed for:
  • Practicing Architects, AIA Members: Courses offered here provide a solid review of technical issues of buildings such as structural systems, structural analysis and design, and means and methods of construction. These courses help the users with more feasible designs and better communication with the engineering team.
  • Intern Architects: Courses provide review of different topics related to the General Structures and Lateral Forces portions of the Architect Registration Exam.
Benefits of the courses:
  • A complete set of information on the theoretical and practical aspects of the building structure and construction.
  • Terms used by engineers to improve communications between architect, structural and construction engineers.
  • Four (4) Learning Units and four (4) hours of Health, Safety, and Welfare (HSW) approved by the American Institute of Architects (AIA).
  • Can take the test at any time and receive immediate feedback. The test results will be directly reported to the AIA for the receipt of credits.

About the Instructor:

Dr. Mehdi Setareh, P.E.

Dr. Setareh is an Associate Professor of Architecture in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies at Virginia Tech. He is a licensed professional engineer in the states of Virginia and Michigan, and is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), and the American Concrete Institute (ACI). He received his M.S. in Structural Engineering from the University of Surrey, Guildford, U.K. in 1985, and his Ph.D. in Structural Engineering from the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor in 1990.

Dr. Setareh has taught undergraduate and graduate level structures and building systems courses to architecture and engineering students since 1990. He has also taught review courses for the Architectural Registration Examinations.

Dr. Setareh has acted as a consultant on different projects involving analysis and design of major building structures including the National Corvette Museum - Bowling Greene, KY; Ford Motor Company Manufacturing Plants in Michigan, Illinois, and Ohio; and laboratories at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.

Registration and Fees:

  • Each course (four hours of HSW) is $60.00 (US). Online payment with MasterCard or Visa is required at the time of registration.
  • Registration is available at any time, and the course ends thirty days after the registration date.
  • To register, click the course links above, then follow enrollment instructions from there. For each registration, the test can be taken only once.


Delivery

Courses

Course Title
Fundamentals of Steel Structures
Fundamentals of Concrete Structures
Wind Design for Architects
Theory of Structures

Please take a look at our Non-Credit course listing to register for these courses.