For several decades, the building industry’s primary response to the demand for higher performance walls has been rainscreens. Although considered by many to be the gold standard for wall design, the definition of rainscreen, and best practices for the design has little consensus within codes, industry standards, designers, test standards, and manufacturers. A new industry-led association is seeking to address some of these discontinuities in the industry. Established in 2020, RAiNA is bringing stakeholders together from across the building industry to develop standard definitions; interface with the building code; align testing standards; and share knowledge with designers, contractors, and manufacturers with the goal of improving the performance of rainscreen walls.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify the most common reasons for moisture problems in wall assemblies.
2. Compare the differences between a rainscreen wall assembly and a barrier wall assembly and how they relate to Chapter 14 of the International Building Code.
3. Identify the key components in a rainscreen assembly and identify how their integration is critical to the durability and the overall performance of the wall as it relates to building enclosure control functions, including water, air, thermal, vapor, and fire.
4. Learn about the formation of RAiNA and its work to establish definitions, standards, performance criteria, and guidance for rainscreen design.
   

Todd Kimmel, CPHD (Certified Passive House Designer), CDT

Todd Kimmel, CPHD (Certified Passive House Designer), CDT, is the Chief Executive Officer for North America
Schöck USA Inc. (US) and Chairperson for newly formed Rainscreen Association in North America (RAiNA). Todd has over 20 years of technical experience working on building enclosures and façade systems. This includes the construction management and oversight of large-scale commercial building enclosures, working as the product and technical manager at Trespa North America, and serving as a technical consultant for Dorken Systems. Todd was part of the working group to develop the AAMA 509 testing standard for drained and back ventilated rainscreen. He is a Construction Documents Technician (CDT), a Certified Passive House Designer (Passive House Institute) and currently sits on the board for NYPH (New York Passive House). He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from Northeastern University and a Master’s Degree in Urban Planning from New York University with a focus on sustainability in the built environment.