AUBURN – The architectural and civil engineering technology program at Central Maine Community College will make three of its building and site design courses available to qualified individuals who are working in the architecture and design industry, even if they are not enrolled in the program.

Classes will run from the week of Sept. 5 to the week of Dec. 21. Two of the courses will be offered in the evening and two on Fridays to make them more accessible to people who are working.

The courses carry three college credits and each costs $325.20, not including textbooks and materials. Each of the courses has prerequisites or corequisites, which can be waived with the permission of the instructor, Dan Moreno. For more information or to enroll in the course, contact Moreno at 576-4195.

“Architecture and Design” (ACET 113-21), which will be offered from 6 to 8:55 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, covers design and construction processes, materials and methods to design a commercial wood-frame building and its components.

Participants will be introduced to basic drafting and presentation techniques utilized in the architecture and engineering industry, including a “hands-on” approach to using CAD for the creation of construction documents.

“Building and Site Predesign” (ACET 115-01) will be held from 1 to 3:55 p.m. Fridays. The course will introduce students to the predesign research and the design phases of construction document creation.

Students will analyze preliminary design considerations impacting the site and buildings design and will research, evaluate and present their findings on the building and site’s use, program considerations, code study, building systems research and evaluation, zoning, site vehicular/pedestrian access, building orientation, topography, landscaping and storm-water management.

Students will explore architectural history through a brief overview with emphases on the precedents in design. Students will expand their use of CAD software tools to translate preliminary hand-drawn sketches of building and site into CAD presentation drawings.

Students will also be introduced to the office environment, with emphasis on accurate record-keeping, teamwork, profession ethics problem-solving skills, written and oral communication skills and presentation of final works of study.

“Building Systems” (ACET 204-21) will be offered from 6 to 8:55 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays. The course introduces plumbing, heating, air-conditioning and electrical systems for building applications. Students design building systems and create plumbing, heating and lighting plans for industrial or commercial buildings.