Integration of New Building Envelope Systems

Please note: The attached file below contains a presentation in pdf format from the BEST5 conference. Open with Adobe Acrobat for best results.

Rainscreen wall systems, also called ventilated facades, have become popular building enclosures to fulfill contemporary architectural design parameters. This presentation
investigates the building science and evolution of wall theory from mass walls to drainage and cavity walls and finally, to both pressurized and non-pressurized rain screen wall systems. It includes information on building codes, basic rainscreen history and principals, details, various light gauge sub-frame systems, moisture control, energy efficiency, construction guidelines, installation techniques, and sustainability. Several completed projects are highlighted to show how they used rainscreens successfully. Rainscreen claddings such as terra cotta, thin stone, porcelain stone, masonry units, calcium silicate, glass fiber reinforced concrete, composites, laminates and others are reviewed. This presentation provides real technical solutions with real case studies of what works and what doesn’t work.