The rapidly rising rate of extreme weather events, such as tornadoes, hurricanes, heat waves, and drought, is plaguing municipalities and building owners throughout the United States. The construction industry, from product manufacturers to architects and engineers, is quickly realizing its obligation to design and build resilient structures that can withstand forces of nature such as high wind, flooding, and wildfire.

Fiber cement architectural wall panels are one such building product that can be installed as a rainscreen and have been proven to withstand these elements. This course will explore the societal, economic, and environmental costs of extreme weather events; the importance of building resiliency; and how high-performance architectural wall panels can help meet this end.


Learning Objectives

  • Assess the impact of extreme weather conditions and the economic and environmental costs impacting project design.
  • Examine the importance of resiliency to the built environment, as well as product specification, to ensure a space that is aesthetically pleasing and safe for occupants.
  • Explore the performance characteristics of fiber cement architectural wall panels to provide occupant safety during extreme weather conditions.
  • Analyze the role of architectural wall panels as a modified rainscreen to minimize water intrusion and avoid potential health concerns for occupants.

Prerequisite: Basic knowledge of building structures.