American Architectural Manufacturers Association

NAFS-11 Changes Highlighted

Western Region members received an overview of the changes brought about by NAFS-11 (AAMA/WDMA/CSA 101/I.S.2/A440-11), courtesy of Kim Flanary (Milgard), Immediate Past President of the AAMA Western Region.

Flanary traced the evolution of AAMA standards since 1947 and focused on the updates since the landmark AAMA/NWWDA 101/I.S.2-97 was issued, noting that the updates have tracked and been sequentially adopted by the I-Codes (IRC and IBC) in their three-year code change cycles.

He listed the “notable changes” as:

• Thorough restructuring of the Standard/Specification, with separate sections for products and materials and components
• Reorganized mullion provisions, with new ratings and designations
• Updated tables
• Elimination of Performance Classes for Unit Skylights
• Expanded clarification of “Product Qualification Rules”
• Addition of hardware lead requirements
• "Hard" I.P. equivalents, tilde (~), two decimal places

Flanary also reviewed the four Performance Classes (R, LC, CW and AW) that replaced the prior five classes (R, LC, C, HC and AW) and showed an example of the new Primary Designator, both of which debuted in the 2008 edition.

Five new operator types that were added to the 2011 version were illustrated:

• Parallel opening window (POW)
• Roof window (RWG for glass-glazed; RWP for plastic-glazed)
• Secondary storm products (SSP) and their performance criteria
• Expansion of Tubular Daylighting Device products to include closed ceiling (TDDCC) and open ceiling (TDDOC) options
• Mullion Assembly (MA)

Flanary also noted that AAMA 910, Voluntary “Life Cycle” Specifications and Test Methods for Architectural Grade Windows and Sliding Glass Doors is still required for AW-Class products, but the updated 2010 edition of AAMA 910 is now referenced. This update adds the requirement that all AW products must be subjected to six thermal expansion/contraction cycles between 180°F and 0°F, per AAMA 501.5.

Looking to the future, Flanary explained that the next update edition of NAFS is slated for 2017. Also, a possible User’s Guide for NAFS-11 is under consideration.

A more detailed comparison of NAFS-11 and NAFS-08 can be viewed at the NAFS Overview web page on the AAMA website.

back