Online and Remote Learning

Modern Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems often combine techniques from many sub-disciplines: Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Reinforcement Learning, Planning, Intelligent Agents, etc. In this course, you’ll build your knowledge of techniques that can be built into AI’s that allow them to reason about their current situation and plan their next move. You’ll build AIs that can learn to play games and need to trade off exploiting strategies they already know are useful vs. exploring new strategies that may be even better. You’ll be ready to apply these techniques to solve real world problems such as finding adaptive strategies for dealing with difficult customers or optimizing use of parking spaces. By the end of this course, learners will be able to: Create your own system of intelligent software agents Use constraint solvers to find solutions to difficult problems Use increasingly rich forms of logical inference to enable the agents to make decisions that will help them achieve the goals you’ve set out for them Use probabilistic reasoning to allow them to make decisions with incomplete information Use Reinforcement Learning to enable the agents to learn winning strategies for themselves while exploring the environment they find themselves in Combine these techniques and apply them to industrial, scientific or business challenges

As our climate changes and future energy sources remain uncertain, we must know how to improve building performance for greater energy efficiency. This foundational course deals with indoor and outdoor climates and the thermal envelope that separates them. You'll learn the physics of heat and moisture transfer, how they interact and the function of thermal envelopes. The course will apply this knowledge to new construction and to modifications of existing designs.   The course material covers part of the Examination Learning Objectives of the Building Science Theory Exam conducted by Building Science Specialist Board of Canada (BSSB) for the Building Science Specialist (BSS®) designation. Understand the practitioner's role in building more sustainable buildings. Understand and incorporate the properties of moist air and the movement of moisture within building materials in design and construction. Measure and incorporate the characteristics of the outdoor environment in design and construction. Measure and incorporate the characteristics of indoor environments and human comfort in design and construction. Measure the transfer of heat through building assemblies and estimate transmission heat losses. Prepare to write the Building Science Theory Exam ( Part I) for BSS®

If you've completed SCS 3552 and want to deepen your understanding, this course will teach you how moisture moves in and around buildings. Learn to manage the impact of rain and moist air movement within building materials and how this interacts with solar heating. Life-cycle costing will be examined, along with principles of building science for cold and hot climates. You'll get real-life examples of responsible building practices to help you design and build tomorrow's building. The course material covers part of the Examination Learning Objectives of the Building Science Theory Exam conducted by Building Science Specialist Board of Canada (BSSB) for the Building Science Specialist (BSS®) designation. Understand and apply the physics of heat transfer to assess buildings' thermal status. Understand the practitioner's role in building more sustainable buildings. Incorporate the advanced properties of moist air and the movement of moisture within building materials. Measure and incorporate the advanced characteristics of the indoor and outdoor environment in design and construction. Measure the transfer of heat through building assemblies and estimate transmission heat losses. Prepare to write the Building Science Theory Exam 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.

More than half the world’s population now lives in urban areas,  resulting in ever-larger ecological footprints and stress on the planet. In this course, you’ll examine widely-accepted core principles and a range of approaches and strategies designed to shift urban areas in Canada and around the world towards sustainability. You’ll investigate sustainable forms of development that rely on innovation, and solutions that promote reduced consumption, pollution and waste. You’ll explore promising practices that can enable any urban area, from a small neighbourhood to a major city, become more sustainable. After completing this course you’ll be able to: Appreciate the impact of cities on land, water, air and biodiversity, and the challenges involved in shifting to sustainability. Understand what makes a sustainable city, including key principles, planning approaches and common conceptual models. Examine the global urbanization shift and urban environmental initiatives from around the world. Know how urban form, transportation, water and waste management, green space, biodiversity and energy use contribute to urban sustainability Explore innovative ways to design and implement policies and strategic approaches, including partnerships and local initiatives.

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. In this survey course, you’ll explore its major elements and better understand how environmental risk is defined, as well as how risks may be evaluated and managed. The course includes four dynamic modules that focus on specific risks: food; climate change; human health; and nuclear power. You’ll explore ways to manage environmental risks as they become increasingly complex, with the aim of promoting sustainability. Lively discussions will allow you to share your own relevant professional experience and benefit from that of others. After completing this course you’ll be able to: Define risk in the context of environmental management. Identify factors that alter people’s perception of risk. Examine concepts such as exposure and consequence assessment and analysis models. Discuss the important elements of effective risk communication. Understand the particular challenges related to ecological risk assessment. Apply risk assessment concepts to specific environmental 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.