METALCON 2026 - RAiNA Presentation Designing Walls for Reality, not Perfection

Description

Ryan Dalgleish will be presenting at METALCON 2026 at the Installation & Techniques Center on Friday, October 9 from 12pm to 1pm. 

Register today: metalcon.com/register

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Presentation Description: 

From leaky condos to evolving building codes, the industry has learned—sometimes the hard way—that managing rainwater is one of the most critical challenges in building enclosure design. This session offers a practical look at how rainscreen wall assemblies meet that challenge, from fundamentals to modern high-performance wall systems. Explore why water intrusion occurs, how wetting and drying must stay in balance, and why “perfect” barriers aren’t always the best solution. Through clear definitions, real-world examples, this session breaks down rain control theory and shows how the drained approach underpins effective rainscreen performance. Rather than framing rainscreens as a product, this session presents them as a flexible design strategy applicable across building types, climates, cladding materials, and construction methods. Attendees will leave with a deeper appreciation for walls that manage water quietly and reliably.

Learning Objectives

• Explain what the building enclosure actually does—separating inside from outside while quietly battling water, air, heat, and moisture
• Define a rainscreen wall and distinguish it from other wall designs 
• Identify the core components of a rainscreen wall and describe how drainage, ventilation, and drying help walls recover from getting wet
• Discover how rainscreen walls support more durable, resilient, energy-efficient, healthy, and flexible building design
• Gain insights into resources to help build and improve specifications and contractual documents