Best Practices for Window Installation in Walls with Continuous Insulation
June 10, 2026 05:00 PM - 09:00 PMBuilding enclosure practise has been moving toward the use of exterior continuous insulation for decades now, and the thickness of the insulation required has been increasing. Thicker exterior insulation requires new design solutions for cladding attachments and penetration, such as window openings. Modern emerging building codes, such as the National Energy Code for Buildings 2020 in Canada and ASHRAE 90.1-2022, Energy Standard for Sites and Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, require that the considerable thermal bridging impact of window installation details be considered. Finally, the need to focus on the water and airtightness of window installations is now widespread, and new standards, such as CSA A440.6, High Exposure Fenestration Installation, provide requirements for demanding applications.
This presentation reviews the design and construction challenges of punched window installation in walls with thick continuous insulation. The design process, technology, and techniques for ensuring water- and airtight installation while mitigating thermal bridging are presented, along with some heat flow calculations, of both standard and emerging solutions.
Event Recording now available in the Education Recordings
Speaker
John Straube, P.Eng. Ph.D.
Principal, Senior Specialist
RDH Building Science Inc.
Dr Straube holds a joint appointment as Associate Professor in both the Civil & Environmental Engineering Department and the School of Architecture at the University of Waterloo where he teaches courses in building science, structural design, material science, and design. He is also a Principal and Senior Specialist at RDH Building Science, a North American engineering consulting firm.
John’s research and practice have focused on the design of durable, energy-efficient, and healthy buildings, and the development of new building systems and products. He has worked around the world on forensic investigations, iconic buildings, new product development, and education. He has developed expertise in heat, air, and moisture physics, building products development, field and laboratory performance monitoring, and environmentally conscious buildings. Retrofit of existing building enclosures, often historically significant, and managing rainwater leaks and moisture damage has been a focus.
Before joining RDH, he was a Principal at Building Science Corporation from 2006 to 2013, and is the author or co-author of over 100 published technical papers, dozens of articles on the highly acclaimed buildingscience.com website, author of the book High Performance Enclosures and co-author, with Eric Burnett, of Building Science for Building Enclosures. Dr. Straube’s leadership as a building scientist and an educator has been recognized with multiple awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award in Building Science Education from the National Consortium of Housing Research Centers (NCHRC).
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Platinum Sponsor
Coffee Station Sponsor
