Potential Issues
UV degradation of weather barrier
Insects nesting in air space
Detailing around windows
Weather-resistive barrier failure
Increased material and labor costs
Added installation time
Some good info and resources:
“The rain screen siding principle is straightforward: first build an outside wall and weatherproof it (building envelope), secondly construct an outer layer of siding (rain screen) to keep the weather (rain, snow, sleet,wind and sun) away from the inner wall. The air space in the wall cavity between the building envelope and the rain screen allows moisture to escape and also creates a passive insulation layer.
Rain screen siding technology has been in existence since as early as the 12th century A.D. Some wooden stave churches in Norway that were built in the late 1100’s using early rain screen wood siding technology are still in existence today. Many Japanese temples were also built about the same time using similar rain screen siding principles.
http://www.mataverdedecking.com/understanding-rain-screen-siding/
“Architects and designers seeking better moisture management and energy efficiency from the exteriors of their projects are turning to rain screens as a solution for both.
A rain screen is an exterior cladding infrastructure that sits away from a building’s outside wall’s weather-resistant barrier, creating an air cavity directly behind the cladding that helps to protect the buildings important weather-resistant barrier. This allows any moisture that may pass by the cladding to easily drain away from the building, and the air that flows between the cladding and the wall accelerates evaporation of any residual moisture. Rain screens also provide a solution for improving buildings energy efficiency by facilitating exterior insulation. ”