Façade Technology
Rainscreen Ventilated Façade
I
n the world of façades, an extensively discussed topic is ‘Façade and Fire’, it is worth understanding some basic principles that make it necessary to have fire protection in façades in the first place including the cavity and chimney effect! Typically, there are two methods of handling façade waterproofing, face sealed and rainscreen. In the case of a face sealed façade, it depends on 100% of the rainwater has to be shed, however, due to weathering effects after a few years, seals get cracked creating leakages. These leaks demand periodic maintenance. A rainscreen façade is a kind of two-stage construction; the inner wall is a load-bearing insulated wall that is protected by an outer skin. The outer skin protects against rain and
Intercontinental IT Park
10
WFM | JUL - AUG 2020
moisture and maintaining a space between the cladding and building wall prevents water from infiltrating the building structure. A rainscreen is one of the most effective options in the market today if it is designed and installed in an authentic approach. WHY RAINSCREEN? There are several benefits of using a rainscreen façade over face seal systems:
1. Superior waterproofing - It protects the structure of the building from moisture, rain and condensation through a multilayer barrier system, and it is less dependent on site workmanship and sealant durability for waterproofing performance. 2. Thermal efficiency – The rainscreen cladding helps shade the structure and dissipate the heat. The cavity between the inner and outer screen doesn’t allow heat to transfer into the structure (particularly the heat from direct sunlight), the heat is radiated into the cavity. The warm air moves up and out of the cavity by convection, drawing in cooler air at the base and insulating the primary wall structure.
