Big Opportunities: How to Set Priorities for Function, Performance + Wealth in Your Home

Virtual Course with Live Instruction

Big opportunities for improving health, comfort + efficiency in your home are often missed as homeowners make incremental improvements without understanding what operations + improvements are most successful. We'll walk you through key opportunities so you don't realize a poor return from expensive improvements.

You should take this course because... 

 

Building or improving a property offers some big opportunities for efficiency and optimization, though those big opportunities are missed if you’re not looking for them. This course will review the series of priorities you need to set to seize those opportunities: from site selection and building orientation to design and building systems. 

 

We’ll also compare first cost with on-going cost so you can see (and avoid) how homeowners may be misled into making a series of poor decisions. This course will help you identify better project partners, ask better questions to drive your project and make more informed decisions. You can apply this knowledge to projects of any scale: renovations, additions, and new construction. 

 

Here are some of the important topics we'll review: 

 

Part One 
Mandatory design criteria 
Property  evaluation + selection 
Effects of building orientation 
Foundation type: slab vs crawlspace 
 
Part Two 
First- vs on-going costs 
Impacts of home size + layout 
Design for function 
Savings from optimization 
 
Part Three 
Energy use in homes 
First- vs on-going costs in HVAC 
Electrical system optimization + expansion 
Plumbing system optimization + energy use 

 

As always, we present the course in terms you can understand and use when speaking with real estate agents, home inspectors, contractors, etc. 

 

We invite your questions as we go so we can be sure you get the most value out of this course. 


Register now and plan to join us for a live discussion. We welcome your questions as we go. 


We look forward to seeing you in our Zoom presentation from 10 AM to 1 PM Eastern on February 12, 2026! 

 

This course includes:

  • Join our live-virtual presentation for a walk through the course content during which we welcome your questions and comments.
  • Anytime access to the recording of our live presentation plus supporting materials for 60 days - learn or reference the material when it's convenient for you.
  • Access to office hours: live Zoom meetings in which you can ask questions about the recording or supporting materials.
  • The live presentation of this course is GREC approved for three (3) continuing education hours, #77802. We invite you to attend whether you're seeking continuing education credit or not.

 

Set up your free account:

You need an account to view a course. Setting up an account is free and easy to do - just click the "Enroll Now" button below.
 
If you're not currently signed in yet have an account, click the "Enroll Now" button and enter the email address you used for your account. The LMS will recognize your email address, prompt you for a password. Enter your password, click "Continue". The LMS will add the course to your account and open your dashboard to display all of your available courses.
 
If you're signed into the LMS, clicking the "Enroll Now" button will launch the course.

 

FAQs

  • How can you access the course and support opportunities?

    Each learner must purchase (or have gifted to them) the course. Learners are not permitted to share access to courses.

  • When can you access the course materials?

    You may access the course any time and as many times as you wish within your enrollment period. The length of your enrollment period is noted when you purchase the course.

  • How can you ask questions and share comments?

    You may ask questions and share comments at any time via the Support link provided in the introduction to the course – in the first lesson. Learners enrolled in paid courses are also invited to Office Hours – a live discussion hosted every other week via Zoom.

  • Can you give this course as a gift?

    Our courses are designed to be transformative education: we teach people how to enjoy more healthy, comfortable and efficient homes and communities. You can give this course to a person using the gifting feature at checkout: Click the "Enroll Now" button and then check the box to the left of the text "This is a gift". You'll be prompted to provide the recipient's email and name plus a personalized message. The recipient will receive an introductory message with your personalized note. You'll receive an email with a link to the gift. Our courses are appropriate for all ages and backgrounds: homeowners, students, professionals, etc.

  • What terms govern participation in this course?

    Your participation in this course and all other RTA events is subject to RTA's Terms of Service found here: https://www.ryantaylorarchitects.com/tos

Course Instructor

Advocate + Collaborator Ryan Taylor

Ryan Taylor is a registered architect. He’s also earned certifications in energy rating/performance verification, site design, disaster response, distance learning, etc. Ryan is active in community, legislative and building code issues. He’s been speaking/teaching since 2008 and is frequently invited to speak at community and industry events. His comments have been widely published.