Online and Remote Learning

This course teaches you the design, application and maintenance of flat roofing systems. You will learn why some roofs fail, define the necessary scope of repairs and predict the probable performance and service life of the roofing system. Topics include alternative roofing systems (including green roofs), material selection, design and application considerations, historical perspectives, drainage and penetrations.   The course material covers part of the Examination Learning Objectives of the Building Envelope Systems Exam conducted by Building Science Specialist Board of Canada (BSSB) for the Building Science Specialist (BSS®) designation. Understand and describe the historical evolution of roofing systems. Design, apply and maintain appropriate flat roofing systems. Select roofing systems and materials based on every relevant aspect of building design. Choose the right drainage system. Prepare to write the Building Envelope Systems Exam- Roofing portion- for BSS®

Walls and windows function together as part of a building envelope. This course will teach you industry best practices on how it's done. You'll learn how different assemblies work, including solid masonry walls, cavity walls, exterior insulation and finish systems (EIFS), wood and precast concrete walls and curtain wall systems. Case studies will illustrate issues such as thermal and moisture performance, air leakage resistance, durability, maintenance, life-cycle cost, fire safety, environmental impacts and low-energy building design using passive solar strategies.   The course material covers part of the Examination Learning Objectives of the Building Envelope Systems Exam conducted by Building Science Specialist Board of Canada (BSSB) for the Building Science Specialist (BSS®) designation. Understand key performance, maintenance and life-cycle cost indicators and how they're applied to building construction cladding. Choose the right wall and window systems for contemporary buildings. Understand how and why different structural elements are used in masonry buildings. Understand environmental requirements and their impact on costs. Use your knowledge of durable wall design and construction to design wall and window systems. Prepare to write the Building Envelope Systems Exam -Wall & Windows- for BSS® 

This course deals with the interrelationship of building envelopes and environmental control with an emphasis on sustainable building practices. The course will examine thermal comfort and indoor air quality, heating, cooling and moisture regulation, air distribution and pressure regimes, energy usage, solar and internal gains, natural and hybrid ventilation, and heating and cooling loads. More responsible building practices are identified and illustrated throughout.   The course material covers the Examination Learning Objectives of the Mechanical Systems Exam conducted by Building Science Specialist Board of Canada (BSSB) for Building Science Specialist (BSS®) designation. •    Understand the basic layouts and pros and cons of common HVAC systems. •    Calculate energy requirements by applying psychrometric theory to basic air conditioning processes. Psychrometric charts will be used to assist students with visualizing the processes. •    Understand the energy-saving benefits of enthalpy wheels. •    Understand the comfort implications of indoor air quality, the common contaminants that affect IAQ and how they are controlled. •    Calculate air infiltration/exfiltration due to wind and the stack effect with the crack method as applied to walls, windows and doors. •    Understand several solar energy concepts and the direct and diffuse solar heat gain coefficients, and the effect of solar gain on the building cooling load. •    Calculate the heating load for a building based on conduction and air exchange through the building envelope. •    Understand the cooling load and qualitatively comprehend what contributes to this load – including several time-dependent heat transfers. •    Prepare to write the Mechanical Systems Exam for BSS® 

Learn to think like a lawyer in this bedrock introduction to the Canadian legal system. Whether you’re applying to or about to enter law school, seeking Canadian legal accreditation or interested in the Canadian legal system for other reasons, you’ll take bold first steps into the world of legal thinking and analysis. You’ll read and analyze four influential cases, discuss why certain decisions were reached, prepare case briefs and complete quizzes to test your comprehension of the material. You’ll see how cases fit together, including how past decisions influence future cases, and will emerge better prepared to sit law school exams (LSAT) with confidence. This course is presented in partnership with the University of Toronto Faculty of Law and features materials prepared by leading academics within the Faculty. This is an online, self-directed course, and you can work through the modules at your own pace. You can expect to complete the course in a month, but have up to three months to complete it. WATCH VIDEO Read, analyze, and effectively brief legal cases. Understand the foundations of the Canadian legal system. Explain the concept of legal precedent and its application by the courts in practice. Prepare for and write law school exams.

Explore basic science, key approaches and common challenges in the field of environmental management. In this interdisciplinary course, you’ll learn what’s being done in Canada and around the world to mitigate climate change, and manage oceans and fisheries, freshwater resources, forests, endangered species, agriculture, urban environments, mining and energy. Through course readings, online discussions and written assignments, you’ll explore a wide range of environmental issues and emerge better equipped to engage in environmental management at scales from local to global. After completing this course you’ll be able to: Know the history of environmental management and how it has shaped current perspectives. Explore a variety of case studies that reveal the strategies behind environmental management initiatives, outcomes achieved, and challenges faced. Identify the roles of key organizations and bodies in environmental management, planning and regulation as well as the relevant stakeholders. Understand how decision-making should be informed by science, ethics and values. Manage environmental challenges, such as sustainable development and resilience, based on contemporary approaches and best practices.

All human activities have an impact on our environment. In this course, you’ll learn how environmental impact is assessed and defined, and how it’s best managed and mitigated. You’ll look at the roles played by different stakeholders in dealing with environmental concerns, trade-offs that must sometimes be made, and ways to resolve conflicts that inevitably arise. You’ll consider a range of management strategies and discover how all levels of government in Canada have a shared, although complex, responsibility for environmental management and sustainable use of natural resources. After completing this course you’ll be able to: Know how environmental impacts are assessed and defined. Explore what all levels of government can do to mitigate human impact on the environment. Consider different management strategies and the roles played by various stakeholders. Examine dispute-resolution techniques to ease conflicts that arise over environmental concerns. Survey a range of approaches to environmental management, drawing on examples from Canada and other parts of the world.  

Risk assessment is a critical element of environmental management. However, the term “risk” does not have a single, unambiguous definition. In this course we begin by examining the definition of risk in the context of environmental management, and factors that can alter a person’s perception of risk. We discuss ways in which risk is measured and evaluated, including introducing concepts such as exposure and consequence assessment, analysis models, risk regulation, management, and communication. One module examines the challenges of ecological risk assessment. Building on this background, we spend four modules exploring specific environmental risks: those related to food, climate change, human health, and energy production. Finally, the course will end with suggestions on how we can manage environmental risks as they become increasingly complex, thereby promoting sustainability.  Risk assessment is a very broad and deep subject; each topic covered in this course could easily be the subject of a full course on its own. As such, this should be considered a survey course, which introduces students to the major elements of risk assessment. It has been designed to complement other courses in the Certificate in Environment Management and Certificate in Advanced Environmental Management programs. Note also that we do not explore the more technical aspects of risk assessment. Students with professional experience in this area are encouraged to share their experience with the class when it is relevant to the topics being covered. After completing this course you’ll be able to: Define and critique the concept of risk from an expert’s perspective. Identify critical factors that influence how laypeople define or perceive risk and the role of stakeholder participation Describe different decision-making and risk management options within the field of environmental risk assessment, including ecological risk assessment. Apply key concepts to real world environmental risk questions in peer-to-peer discussions and through independent assessments.

Our planet is undergoing dramatic, far-reaching change, much of it caused by human activities. In this course you’ll explore global-scale environmental issues such as climate change, destruction of marine ecosystems, degradation of freshwater resources, tropical deforestation, desertification, and biodiversity loss.  You’ll explore the obstacles and challenges being faced around the world, and assess strategies to address problems and find workable solutions. You’ll emerge with a firmer grasp of societal changes needed to limit and potentially reverse the damage to the planet and ensure a more sustainable future. Understand the underlying and proximate causes of global environmental change. Know the impacts on specific environments, such as forests and marine and coastal ecosystems.  Leverage academic and other sources to investigate what societies around the world are doing to respond to global environmental issues– and what more needs to be done  Find effective strategies and workable solutions to ensure a sustainable future.  Probe related ideas and themes, including scientific uncertainty, environmental justice, poverty, and sustainable development.

Governments and corporations around the world are working to limit greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, believing them to be the dominant cause of a warming climate. In this dynamic course, you’ll learn policies and regulations being implemented by different jurisdictions – sometimes very different – with a focus on Canada and its major trading partners. You’ll probe real-world examples, critically assess the performance of climate policies from both regulatory and industry perspectives, and at the end of the course you will apply these learnings to develop a mitigation strategy for a company of your choosing. What You’ll Learn   Identify the physical, regulatory and financial impacts of climate change in North American jurisdictions.   Know how to design and apply a corporate strategy to reduce emissions.   Contrast cap-and-trade with a carbon tax as reduction strategies.   Understand what drives the price of carbon and how it can help finance emissions-offset projects.   Critically assess the level of corporate disclosure and reporting of climate-change related risks.  

Organizations of every size and scope need well-run corporate social responsibility programs. This course will teach how to improve sustainability reporting and manage your organization’s social and environmental impacts. You’ll learn how better public reporting can improve your company’s reputation, keep its workforce loyal and engaged, improve access to capital and increase efficiency through resource reduction. You’ll get a clearer picture of the state of sustainability reporting in Canada and the tools you need to enhance your own organization’s efforts. Know the state of international sustainability reporting, with a focus on Canadian content. Probe widely-accepted reporting frameworks, such as the Global Reporting Initiative. Apply best practices to develop reporting that adds value while avoiding common costly pitfalls. Assess and critically evaluate information in other organizations’ reports. Emerge with tips and tools to launch or improve your organization’s sustainability reporting.