Façade Engineering Courses
We offer specialised façade engineering courses designed to enhance your knowledge and skills in modern building envelope design. Our programmes cover key aspects such as materials, structural performance, sustainability, and fire safety, providing practical insights for industry professionals.
Education in Façade Design and Engineering
Façade engineering is a relatively new field in the construction industry. Most professionals learn their skills on the job, as formal education options remain limited. While some Master’s degree programmes in façade engineering are available, these predominantly focus on theoretical knowledge. The practical skills required for real-world application can typically only be obtained through hands-on experience in professional settings.
Currently, there are no Bachelor’s degrees in façade engineering available in this specialised discipline. Recognising this significant gap in education, the Institute for Architectural Science and Technology created Façade Intelligence to address this pressing need in the industry. This façade knowledge platform suits both working professionals with extensive experience but no university education, and the students and graduates from related fields of study seeking to get a competitive advantage on the job market and a highly sought-after specialisation in facades.
Façade Intelligence offers comprehensive online courses in facades suitable for architects, design managers, and practising building envelope designers. Our curriculum is distinctively based on practical knowledge derived from actual projects. Rather than focusing solely on abstract theories, we employ a case study approach that provides immediately applicable skills for professionals looking to learn facade design, facade engineering, and facade technology.
Online Façade Engineering Courses
The main constraint for practising professionals is time. Attending physical universities or learning centres requires significant time away from work, which can be detrimental to both employers and employees. Our facade engineering course options solve this issue by providing flexible learning opportunities that fit into busy professional schedules.
Knowledge in façade technology and building science is dispersed globally, as facades are executed worldwide. Many countries lack educational institutions that teach facade design and engineering, creating significant barriers to professional development. Façade Intelligence has meticulously collated the extensive knowledge base and best practices in the field into one accessible platform, allowing professionals to study facade engineering and technology anywhere around the world at a pace suitable for busy professionals.
Competence in the Building Envelope Industry
Proving competence and validating prior experience without formal documentation has become one of the main challenges for professionals who have been practising for many years. This lack of credentials can become a significant obstacle when seeking new opportunities.
Without proper qualifications, professionals may be denied access to tendering for high-profile, lucrative projects as clients increasingly demand verifiable proof of competence. In some countries, like the UK, practising in the field without appropriate qualifications has become illegal under the Building Safety Act, making professional certification not just advantageous but necessary for those working on building envelope projects.
Qualification in Façade Design and Engineering
The Institute for Architectural Science and Technology has developed comprehensive qualifications that can be obtained through our facade design course programme from anywhere around the world, at a pace suitable for individual candidates. This flexibility makes professional development accessible to practitioners regardless of their location or work commitments.
The Level 5 Diploma in Façade Design and Engineering is a professional qualification accredited in the UK, focusing on the technical aspects of façades. This qualification is ideal for professionals aiming to build or prove competence in façade-related roles. The qualification programme is tough online at the Institute for Architectural Science and Technology under the supervision of Eugene Korch, Façade Design and Engineering Programme Director.
Short Courses in Façade Design and Engineering
The Façade Intelligence Knowledge Platform enables professionals to earn credits toward recognised qualifications through a series of short courses. It also serves as a comprehensive knowledge base for both IAST students and FI Members. The platform's case study courses allow FI Members to explore areas of professional interest in greater depth, providing valuable CPD hours and qualification credits that support compliance with internal training policies and external professional development requirements.
Professional bodies such as RIBA, CIAT, JCI, CIBSE, and SFE require their members and registered practitioners to complete a minimum number of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) hours each year to demonstrate ongoing competence. Our short courses are designed to help professionals meet these requirements efficiently.
Certificates of Completion are awarded only to participants who successfully pass the end-of-course knowledge check, maintaining the credibility and integrity of each credential.
Façade Courses for Architects
Traditional architectural education focuses primarily on aesthetics and general building design principles, often failing to prepare architects for real-world technical challenges. Our facade courses for architects address this gap by providing specialised knowledge directly applicable to professional practice.
Gaining a comprehensive understanding of façade systems typically takes many years, as architects are typically exposed to only a limited range of façade types during their careers. Façade Intelligence bases its courses on detailed case studies that include 3D models, 2D drawings, and comprehensive technical documentation to accelerate this learning process.
Facade Courses for Design Managers
The IAST facade courses for design managers are invaluable for building and specialist contractors' teams. They provide a clearer understanding of what documentation needs to be produced by various design team stakeholders, clarifying who should be responsible for what deliverables and at which project stage.
These courses help professionals understand which façade types are suitable for different building types and applications, and guide them through the complex navigation of compliance challenges that arise throughout the design and construction process.
Facade Courses for Architectural Technologists
The IAST façade courses for architectural technologists provide essential knowledge to bridge gaps in understanding that often exist between architectural intent and technical realisation. While architectural technologists are highly skilled in construction detailing and coordination, many lack specialist insight into façade systems, performance criteria, and the sequence of design responsibilities specific to the building envelope.
These courses offer valuable guidance on how to interpret architectural concepts into technically viable façade solutions, enhancing their ability to collaborate effectively with façade engineers, manufacturers, and contractors. Participants gain a clearer understanding of system selection, material behaviour, and regulatory compliance pathways, empowering them to anticipate design risks and make more informed technical decisions during the early design stages through to construction.
Façade Courses for Façade Designers
Façade course for façade designers addresses the specific needs of specialists working directly with envelope systems. These professionals come from various backgrounds and typically gain knowledge about how different façade systems work primarily through experience on real-life projects. This approach often limits them to expertise in just one type of façade assembly.
There is a widespread lack of documentation examples needed for façade types that designers may not have direct experience with. Our courses address this limitation through our case study-based approach, focusing on providing information derived from real-life project challenges and offering strategies to avoid and solve common problems.
Case Studies Approach to Master Facade Design and Engineering
Our case study approach allows us to explain concepts based on real-world project challenges rather than abstract theories. This methodology provides concrete examples of the documentation required for similar projects in professional practice and is essential for anyone looking to master facade design and engineering.
This approach effectively prepares course participants for actual real-life scenarios rather than simply teaching theory in isolation. By examining how problems were solved in actual projects, professionals gain practical insights they can immediately apply to their own work.
Traditional Masonry Façade in Low-Raise Timber Frame Construction
This course is on a low-raise timber-framed façade clad in traditional masonry. As the most popular envelope assembly, the masonry-clad insulated timber frame is often seen in residential ‘one-off’ houses or terraces. The building has a high-performance envelope with feature openings and a traditional masonry outlook.
High-Rise Retrofit Project
This case study course explores the refurbishment of a high-rise building constructed in the late 1960s. The façade consists of aluminium rainscreen cladding panels, replicating the pattern of the building's original design. The openings are framed by a modern curtain wall system. The building features a highly efficient envelope with a signature rainscreen cladding system that emphasises the authentic appearance of the façade, complemented by modern, high-tech glazing.
Hybrid Precast and Brickslips
This course is on high-rise residential façade constructed with precast concrete panels. The precast units are covered with brickslip panels and glazed with full-height windows. The building has masonry outlook and decorative recesses. Unique appearance of the façade was achieved with all standard systems. Detail drawings, videos and models explain buildability, performance, compliance, as well as the assembly-specific aspects, such as recessed areas of panels and drainage.
Building Envelope Course and Foundation Studies
IAST building envelope course options are suitable for both seasoned practitioners and recent graduates who wish to grasp the fundamentals of façade engineering and Building Science theory. These courses cover:
Comprehensive exploration of façade types—from rainscreen and masonry to insulated render systems, prefabricated precast, and unitized curtain wall systems
Material science, including protection from corrosion and decay, impact on thermal performance and durability
Components of façades, from windows and doors to balconies and ancillary items
Building physics, including thermal performance, condensation management, and moisture control
Procurement logistics and maintenance protocols, including cleaning methods and repair procedures
Fire safety considerations, from material selection to compartmentation rules
Acoustics considerations, from external noise isolation to sound transmission control
MC002-02
Core Principles of Façade Design and Engineering
This online course provides a foundational understanding of the key principles governing façade design and engineering, with a particular focus on UK regulations, industry standards, and best practices. Learners will explore the regulatory frameworks and codes of practice that ensure façade safety, structural integrity, and compliance. The course also examines essential safety considerations for construction and maintenance, alongside financial and cost implications affecting façade projects. Additionally, participants will gain insight into how façades contribute to building efficiency, sustainability, and occupant comfort. Practical construction considerations, including materials, installation methods, and long-term maintenance requirements, will also be introduced.
MC002-03
Types of Façade Systems
This online course provides an overview of the key façade systems used in modern construction, exploring their design, performance characteristics, and construction methods. Learners will gain insight into ventilated rainscreen systems, masonry façades, precast concrete panels, curtain walls, insulated render systems, sandwich panel solutions, and advanced façade technologies. The course covers the applications, advantages, and limitations of each system, as well as critical considerations such as structural performance, energy efficiency, durability, and compliance with UK regulations.
