Rethinking Rainscreens: Designing High-Performance Facades
Hohmann & Barnard is a leader in building façade anchoring/support systems and moisture protection solutions for non-residential construction. Our team provides innovative solutions for high-performance building through collaborative integrated project delivery spanning North America.
As energy codes and performance expectations continue to evolve, rainscreen design requires a whole-building approach that considers much more than the exterior cladding. This podcast explores how rainscreen assemblies interact with air barriers, structural attachments, and other building envelope components to influence thermal performance, durability, and resilience. Design professionals will examine thermal bridging, attachment frequency, structural loads, and current energy-code considerations. The discussion will also explore how thermal modeling and performance-based design can inform decision-making while supporting energy efficiency, building longevity, adaptive reuse, and broader sustainability goals.
- Explain how air barriers, rainscreen assemblies, and other façade elements work together to manage temperature and moisture and support a durable, high-performing building envelope.
- Evaluate how thermal bridging, attachment frequency, and structural loads influence the safety, energy efficiency, and overall performance of rainscreen assemblies.
- Apply principles from current building and energy codes, thermal modeling, and industry performance guidance to make informed rainscreen design decisions that balance structural integrity with energy-performance goals.
- Identify rainscreen design strategies that support resilience, durability, adaptive reuse, and longevity over the building life cycle.
