Innovations in High-Performing Precast Building Enclosures
Course Information
As performance expectations rise and energy codes become more stringent, architects, designers, engineers, and construction professionals must deliver building enclosures that balance thermal efficiency, durability, constructability, and long-term resilience. This webinar explores high-performance building enclosure design focusing on precast concrete wall assemblies and their role in meeting the evolving requirements of the National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings (NECB-2025).
About the Presenter
John Straube, Ph.D., P.Eng., is a Principal at RDH Building Science, where he conducts forensic investigations, assists with the design of new high-performance buildings, and leads research projects in the areas of low-energy building design, building enclosure performance, hygrothermal analysis, and field performance monitoring. Dr. Straube is also a cross-appointed faculty member in the School of Architecture and the Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Waterloo. He is the author or co-author of over 100 published technical papers, author of the book High Performance Enclosures and co-author, with Eric Burnett, of Building Science for Building Enclosures.
Course Objectives
• Identify key enclosure design principles that support NECB-2025 compliance.
• Compare precast assembly types and their performance characteristics.
• Apply best practices for thermal, air, and moisture control in precast systems.
• Integrate durability and maintenance planning into enclosure design strategies.
