Florida & Federal Commercial Glazing — Standards Reference (2026).
Consolidated technical reference for three domains that govern commercial glazing on Florida projects and federal construction: HVHZ wind design pressures under FBC 2023, DoD AT/FP blast-rated glazing under UFC 4-010-01, and TAA / Buy American manufacturer sourcing under FAR Part 25.
1. Florida HVHZ design-pressure reference — FBC 2023 Section 1620
The Florida High-Velocity Hurricane Zone is defined in Florida Building Code, Building (2023, 8th Edition) Section 202 as Miami-Dade County and Broward County only. HVHZ wind loads are computed per FBC-B Section 1620 using ASCE 7-22 Chapters 26 through 31, with 3-second gust design wind speeds fixed by Risk Category and county.
Per the 2023 Florida Building Code, Building — Chapter 16 (ICC Digital Codes), HVHZ wind design follows Section 1620 and its subsections. Section 1620.1 requires buildings to meet the requirements of ASCE 7 Chapters 26 through 31 (with tornado provisions per Chapter 32 for Risk Category III and IV per Section 1620.7). Section 1620.2 fixes the 3-second gust design wind speed by county and Risk Category; Section 1620.3 defaults all HVHZ buildings to Exposure Category C unless Exposure D applies under ASCE 7 Section 26.7. Outside HVHZ, Section 1609 governs and design wind speeds are read from FBC-B Figures 1609.3(1) through 1609.3(4) or the ASCE 7-22 Hazard Tool.
Product approval inside HVHZ is documented on a Miami-Dade County Notice of Acceptance (NOA) issued by the county Product Control Section, following the Testing Application Standards: TAS 201 (large- and small-missile impact), TAS 202 (uniform static air pressure), and TAS 203 (cyclic wind pressure loading). Outside HVHZ, the Florida Product Approval (FL#) system administered by the Florida Building Commission is the accepted pathway; products approved for HVHZ use may carry both an NOA and an HVHZ-designated FL#.
| County | Risk Cat. I | Risk Cat. II | Risk Cat. III | Risk Cat. IV | Default exposure | Product approval pathway |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Dade | 165 mph | 175 mph | 186 mph | 195 mph | Exposure C (D if applies per ASCE 7-22 §26.7) | Miami-Dade NOA (TAS 201/202/203) or FL# with HVHZ designation |
| Broward | 156 mph | 170 mph | 180 mph | 185 mph |
Source: FBC 2023 §1620.2 (wind speeds), §1620.3 (exposure), §1626 (test protocols reference). Values in mph are 3-second gust ultimate design wind speeds (Vult).
| Input | Governing source | Range / value | Where used in calc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vult (3-sec gust) | FBC-B §1620.2 (HVHZ) / §1609.3 (non-HVHZ) | Miami-Dade 165–195 mph; Broward 156–185 mph (by Risk Cat.) | ASCE 7-22 Eq. 26.10-1 velocity pressure qz |
| Exposure Category | FBC-B §1620.3; ASCE 7-22 §26.7 | C (default HVHZ) or D (open coast) | Kz velocity pressure exposure coefficient |
| Risk Category | FBC-B Table 1604.5; ASCE 7-22 §1.5 | I – IV (essential facilities = IV) | Selects wind-speed map / Risk Cat. row |
| Building height | ASCE 7-22 §26.3 | Mean roof height h — pressure coefficient varies with h | Kz lookup, C&C zone selection |
| Zone (wall/roof) | ASCE 7-22 Ch. 30 (C&C) | Zones 4/5 (walls), corner-zone GCp higher than field | Applies GCp external pressure coefficient |
| Effective wind area | ASCE 7-22 §26.2 & Ch. 30 | Larger area → lower GCp per curve | C&C pressure coefficient interpolation |
| Test loading (product approval) | FBC-B §1626 (HVHZ); ASTM E1886/E1996 (non-HVHZ) | TAS 201 large missile; TAS 202 static; TAS 203 cyclic | Manufacturer NOA / FL# — resulting design pressure ratings listed on approval |
Numerical design pressure ranges are not summarized here because they are project-specific: a Risk Category IV essential facility in Exposure D on the Miami-Dade coast at a corner zone develops materially higher C&C design pressures than a Risk Category II building in Exposure C, inland Broward, at a field zone. Consult the project structural engineer of record.
2. AT/FP blast-rated glazing reference — UFC 4-010-01 and ASTM F-series
The Department of Defense minimum antiterrorism standard for buildings is UFC 4-010-01, which prescribes standoff distances and requires that windows in inhabited DoD buildings meet a hazard rating no worse than that produced by the standoff and applicable blast load. Blast-rated glazing is tested to ASTM F1642, designed to ASTM F2248 for laminated assemblies, and specified as an assembly under ASTM F2912.
The Whole Building Design Guide's UFC 4-010-01 portal (WBDG, current 2026 revision) hosts the active DoD Minimum Antiterrorism Standards for Buildings. UFC 4-010-01 mandates conventional-construction standoff distances (measured from an installation's controlled perimeter and from a parking / roadway to the nearest inhabited building) below which additional analysis, hardening, or hazard mitigation is required. On glazing specifically, UFC 4-010-01 requires that windows in inhabited buildings not exceed a specified hazard rating under ASTM F1642 for the calculated blast load at the actual standoff.
The ASTM airblast glazing suite works together. Per ASTM F1642/F1642M-17, the test method establishes hazard rating tiers based on post-test debris location: No Break, No Hazard, Minimal Hazard, Very Low Hazard, Low Hazard, Medium Hazard, and High Hazard. Per ASTM F2248-19, the practice provides an equivalent 3-second duration design load that a structural engineer can pair with the glass thickness design procedure of ASTM E1300 to size laminated blast-resistant glazing without a full dynamic analysis. Per ASTM F2912-17, the specification is the assembly-level standard: it covers glazing, glazed windows, glazed curtain walls, and glazed protective systems subjected to intentional or accidental airblast, tying the hazard rating from F1642 to the installed system's frame anchorage and glazing bite.
| F1642 hazard tier | Post-test debris location (F1642 definition) | Typical design intent | Interlayer families used to meet tier* |
|---|---|---|---|
| No Break | Glazing does not fracture under specified load. | High-value assets, close-in threats, symbolic buildings. | Ionoplast (e.g. SentryGlas) in thick laminated / IGU; may require polycarbonate hybrid. |
| No Hazard / Minimal Hazard | Fragments retained within the frame or fall within 1 m of interior wall base. | Standard AT/FP for inhabited DoD buildings at code minimum standoff. | Ionoplast or structural PVB laminated, engineered frame anchorage. |
| Very Low Hazard / Low Hazard | Fragments land on floor at increasing distances into the room. | Common outcome at code-minimum UFC 4-010-01 standoff with conventional laminated design. | Standard PVB or structural PVB laminated glass. |
| Medium Hazard / High Hazard | Fragments impact witness panel at defined heights above floor. | Generally not acceptable for inhabited AT/FP work — indicates undersized assembly for the blast load. | N/A — redesign required (thicker laminate, ionoplast, or increased standoff). |
*Interlayer selection is illustrative, not prescriptive. Actual interlayer choice, glass thickness, IGU makeup, frame section, and anchorage are set by the project blast consultant applying ASTM F2248 (for the equivalent 3-second design load on laminated glazing) and ASTM F2912 (for the assembly specification), against the site-specific blast load derived from UFC 4-010-01 standoff or, on higher-threat facilities, UFC 3-340-02. Standoff distances themselves are not summarized here because UFC 4-010-01 stipulates them by building type, threat, and installation perimeter — consult the project engineer and the current WBDG-hosted UFC.
3. TAA and Buy American reference — federal construction glazing sourcing
On federal construction contracts, glazing manufacturer sourcing is governed by two distinct regimes: the Buy American Act (as implemented in FAR Part 25, Subpart 25.2 for construction materials) and the Trade Agreements Act (19 U.S.C. § 2511, as implemented in FAR Subpart 25.4 and FAR clause 52.225-5). The applicable regime is a function of contract value, agency, and whether the acquisition is TAA-covered — a determination made by the contracting officer, not the subcontractor.
Per FAR Part 25 — Foreign Acquisition (Acquisition.gov), subpart 25.2 requires that only domestic construction materials be used on covered federal construction contracts performed in the United States, subject to exceptions in FAR 25.202. The Buy American Act's two-part test for a domestic manufactured end product requires U.S. manufacture and, for 2024–2028 deliveries, that the cost of domestic components exceed 65 percent of the cost of all components (rising to 75 percent in 2029). Subpart 25.4 implements the Trade Agreements Act: on TAA-covered acquisitions, end products and construction materials from TAA-designated countries receive equal treatment with domestic offers.
The current TAA designated-country list is published by GSA at GSA — Look up Trade Agreements Act-designated countries and mirrors FAR 52.225-5. It comprises WTO Government Procurement Agreement signatories, Free Trade Agreement partners (including CAFTA-DR and USMCA countries), designated Caribbean Basin countries, and Least Developed Countries. Colombia, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, Korea, Germany, and Italy are all TAA-designated; China, India, Brazil, Russia, Malaysia, and Vietnam are not.
| Manufacturer | Product line (commercial glazing) | Country of manufacture | TAA designated? | BAA (FAR 25.2) construction-material posture† |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Euro-Wall | Folding & multi-slide door systems | United States (Fort Myers, FL) | Yes (U.S. is domestic) | Domestic end product / construction material eligible; component-cost analysis by CO where required. |
| Tecnoglass / ESWindows | Impact windows, doors, curtain wall | Colombia (with U.S. staging in Medley, FL) | Yes — Colombia is TAA-designated | Eligible on TAA-covered acquisitions; not a Buy American Act domestic construction material on non-TAA-covered federal construction — CO makes determination. |
| YKK AP | Storefront, curtain wall, window wall | Mixed — U.S. (Dublin, GA) and Japan | Yes — both U.S. and Japan are TAA-designated | Domestic when U.S.-manufactured product is confirmed; require mill / manufacturing-location documentation per acquisition. |
| Kawneer (Arconic) | Storefront, curtain wall, entrances | United States (multiple U.S. plants) | Yes (U.S. is domestic) | Domestic end product / construction material eligible; component-cost analysis by CO where required. |
| PGT Innovations | Impact windows & doors | United States (Nokomis / Venice, FL) | Yes (U.S. is domestic) | Domestic end product / construction material eligible. |
| Aldora | Insulated / laminated glass, storefront framing | United States (Boca Raton / Miami, FL) | Yes (U.S. is domestic) | Domestic end product / construction material eligible. |
†The Buy American Act's domestic-content test for manufactured end products under FAR Part 25 uses component-cost thresholds (65% for 2024–2028 deliveries, 75% from 2029 forward per current FAR 25.003). The determination of whether a specific manufacturer's product qualifies as a Buy American Act domestic construction material on a specific federal construction contract is made by the contracting officer — this table is a subcontractor-level pre-bid reference, not a compliance opinion. For further detail see the TAA / BABA / Buy American Act glazing reference.
Frequently referenced sources (external)
The primary sources cited throughout this reference are, in order of appearance:
- 2023 Florida Building Code, Building — Chapter 16 (ICC Digital Codes) — HVHZ wind loads (§1620), non-HVHZ wind loads (§1609).
- Florida Building Commission — floridabuilding.org — Florida Product Approval database.
- Miami-Dade County Product Control — NOA search — Notice of Acceptance database, HVHZ TAS 201/202/203 approvals.
- ASCE / SEI 7-22 — Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures — referenced standard for FBC 2023 wind, seismic, tornado, and load combinations.
- Whole Building Design Guide — UFC 4-010-01 — DoD Minimum Antiterrorism Standards for Buildings (current 2026 revision).
- ASTM F1642/F1642M-17 — Test Method for Glazing and Glazing Systems Subject to Airblast Loadings.
- ASTM F2248-19 — Practice for Specifying an Equivalent 3-Second Duration Design Loading for Blast Resistant Glazing Fabricated with Laminated Glass.
- ASTM F2912-17 — Specification for Glazing and Glazing Systems Subject to Airblast Loadings.
- FAR Part 25 — Foreign Acquisition (Acquisition.gov) — Buy American Act (subpart 25.2), Trade Agreements Act (subpart 25.4), clause 52.225-5.
- GSA — Look up Trade Agreements Act-designated countries — the current designated-country list (19 U.S.C. § 2511).
- SAM.gov — federal contractor registration and CAGE code lookup.
Related reference pages
Federal or HVHZ glazing scope? Send it to Connor directly.
Division 08 drawings, specs, and AT/FP references to connor@acglass.com — American Commercial Glass verifies code, testing, and TAA sourcing references against the spec before quoting. FL CGC #1531993.