Ventilated facade systems & rigid air barriers: An effective strategy for weather protection & energy efficiency

Designers and specifiers are always searching for new approaches to building facade design and building envelope construction to meet stringent requirements for weathertightness, performance, and fire protection. This is why ventilated facades are rapidly gaining traction within the industry; they offer very high improvements in energy efficiency, greater comfort for tenants, and an extra layer of protection for the building structure. To maximise the potential of ventilated facades in modern construction, it is important for architects, designers and specifiers to understand how its different components work, particularly the role of vapour-permeable weather barriers.

Ventilated Facade Systems & Rigid Air Barriers: An Effective Strategy For Weather Protection & Energy Efficiency examines the design of ventilated facades in more detail with a special focus on why rigid air barriers are the best choice for this type of facade system. To protect the supporting structure from water intrusion, a weather-resistant, vapour-permeable membrane or barrier is almost always added to the exterior of the insulating product. For ventilated facades, the choice is often between a flexible wall wrap or a rigid air barrier, with the latter often delivering superior performance and a robust installation.

Siniat Weather Defence™ is an NCC-compliant rigid air barrier board used behind facade cladding systems to create a pressure equalised cavity for rainscreen and ventilated facade systems. Designed to be installed on lightweight steel stud framing, modular buildings and timber frame buildings, it is the quickest way to achieve a weathertight building and offers an array of design benefits.

Download this whitepaper and learn why ventilated facades with rigid air barriers are an effective strategy for weather protection and energy efficiency.