AIA eClassroom, the Institute's distance learning program, has just issued a sixth program developed from presentations offered at the AIA national convention in Charlotte, N.C. The program (TH26, "Killer Molds and Other Visitations from the Future") addresses the growing concerns of liability for design professionals where molds in buildings have created health problems.

Victor O. Schinnerer Company, the AIA commended insurance program, has compared the current threat of mold-related claims to the spate of asbestos claims from the 1980s. Mold litigation already is widespread in "damp states," such as Louisiana, Florida, Oregon, and Texas (which has the most claims). Although the vast majority of mold-related claims have to date been against building owners and insurance companies, Schinnerer warns that architects and other design professionals may be viewed as "deep pockets" for mold-related concerns.

The "Killer Molds" distance learning program can help designers avoid mold-related claims to buildings through techniques such as client education and design for proper maintenance. More generally, the course addresses indoor air quality as a growing concern for design professionals. With design continually requiring more expertise and specialization, architects must understand the variety of ways to unknowingly invite air quality problems and create professional liability risks.

Through this course, you can explore:
• The effects of VOCs and offgassing on building inhabitants
• How to specify and design interior and exterior building materials/components to avoid future problems
• The role and the importance of proper ventilation design and operation in the enhancement of the interior environment.
Katherine Davitt Enos, Assoc. AIA, Victor O. Schinnerer & Company, Inc.; and Sam F. Miller, AIA, CSO Architects Engineers & Interiors present the course. It offers two learning units, and is approved for AIA CES credit in health, safety, and welfare.

"Killer Molds" is one of the top 20 convention programs that will be offered as distance learning programs through eClassroom. It joins five additional new programs first offered last week:

TH08: The Hyatt Skywalk Collapse: 20 Years Later
TH29 Removing the Barriers to High-Performance Design
FR1 Gold Medalist Forum
FR5 Value-Based Team Design Decision Making
SA25: Architect Liability Under ADA and Other Federal and State Laws for Accessibility.

If you haven't taken an AIA eClassroom course yet, you should know that signing up for one is fast and easy. You simply:
• Enroll through the secure e-commerce capabilities of AIA eClassroom. AIA Members pay $49.95 per learning unit; nonmembers pay $74.95.
• View the program and supplemental learning materials, then take a quiz.
• LU hours will be recorded for AIA members at the University of Oklahoma, keeper of the AIA's Continuing Education System records. Just provide a valid AIA member number when you register. Nonmembers may request a certificate of completion.

Copyright 2002 The American Institute of Architects. All rights reserved.