Fenestration products come in a wide variety of forms, ranging from window units manufactured in a production facility to custom ‘stick-built’ curtain wall products that are assembled in the field.
Fenestration—such as windows, curtain walls, window walls, sloped glazing, storefronts, and doors—affects building energy use through four basic mechanisms: thermal heat transfer, solar heat gain, visible transmittance, and air leakage.
Preformed silicone transition membranes are increasingly used to integrate fenestration components with the building’s weather-resistive barrier (WRB). This is thanks to increasing recognition of their important role in maintaining WRB continuity at vulnerable transitions between dissimilar exterior wall systems.
After multiple years of collaboration, the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA), CSA Group, and Window & Door Manufacturers Association (WDMA) have released a ‘user guide’ to the 2011 AAMA/WDMA/CSA 101/I.S.2/A440, North American Fenestration Standard/Specification (NAFS).