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Relating ASCE/SEI 7-10 Design Wind Loads to Fenestration Product Ratings is a technical bulletin jointly endorsed by AAMA, Window and Door Manufacturers Association (WDMA), Fenestration Manufacturers Association (FMA) and the Door and Access Systems Manufacturers Association (DASMA). The bulletin, available free for download, summarizes information about current standards and codes related to the design of buildings and use of fenestration assemblies.

The technical bulletin is intended to inform building specifiers and other interested users that the 2010 version of ASCE/SEI 7 cannot be intermixed with earlier versions and that it is not necessary to test exterior fenestration products (i.e. windows, doors and skylights) differently as a result of the updated 2010 version of this technical bulletin. Additionally, the bulletin explains how design loads from the 2010 edition of ASCE/SEI 7, Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures relates to exterior fenestration (windows, doors and skylights) product ratings and performance grades.

According to the bulletin, different editions of the ASCE/SEI 7 standards cannot be intermixed, as doing so could result in excessively high or inappropriately low load predictions for windows, doors and skylights. Examples are included to showcase potential differences between the 2005 and 2010 versions.

However, the bulletin is not intended to highlight all of the changes between the 2005 and 2010 versions of ASCE/SEI 7, such as those related to where opening protection in windborne debris regions is required.

The Technical Bulletin (product code TB-11-1) is available for free download within AAMA's Online Publication Store.

For more details on the purpose of this bulletin, read AAMA's press release.