Useful standards for testing the physical performance of windows have been developed over many years, culminating in the North American Fenestration Standard (NAFS). This standard was first published in 2005, with new editions available in 2008 and 2011.
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Adoption of the North American Fenestration Standard (NAFS) has resulted in big changes in the fenestration industry. However, does this signal changes for exterior wall materials, as well? Extruded aluminum—aluminum alloy which has been pressed through a die to create building components with unique cross-sectional shapes—is commonly used in curtain wall framing and other fenestration elements.
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Accessibility and barrier-free design notwithstanding, the North American Fenestration Standard (NAFS), referenced in the 2010 National Building Code of Canada (NBC), sets different operating force limits for standard CW and AW Performance Class windows. There are inherent differences between window types.
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Accessibility to fresh air and a connection to the outdoors for those with physical disabilities are especially important in skilled nursing and personal care facilities, multi-family dwellings, and hotels, along with classrooms and dormitories. To help ensure this access, windows capable of meeting operating force and motion requirements of International Code Council/American National Standards Institute (ICC/ANSI) A117.1, Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities, are being more commonly specified in the United States. This trend can be expected to expand into Canada.
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