Winters in Traverse City, Mich., can be brutal, and Westwind Construction, a Grand Haven-based owner developer, contractor and operator, knew its proposed four-story apartment building would need a durable and sustainable exterior.

Commercial building design is increasingly taking a cue from the residential market as natural elements are used to convey a feeling of warmth and strength in exteriors, as well as interiors.

By maintaining a space between a building’s cladding and exterior wall, rainscreen systems help protect the enclosure against the ravages of rain and moisture infiltration.

The highest performing wall assemblies are the ones designed to realistically manage moisture and dry out, and not those designed with the unachievable goal of completely locking out all water.