The 2026 edition of the North American Fenestration Standard/Specification for windows, doors, and skylights has been published, bringing a mandatory label change that Canadian manufacturers will need to track through the next National Building Code update. According to a bulletin published by Fenestration Review, the standard is the result of a multi-year effort by CSA Group, the Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance (FGIA), and the Window and Door Manufacturers Association (WDMA). The Joint Document Management Group (JDMG), comprised of representatives from all three associations, stressed the importance of the updated document.
The standard, formally titled AAMA/WDMA/CSA 101/I.S.2/A440, North American Fenestration Standard/Specification for windows, doors, and skylights, supersedes the 2022 edition and will be reviewed every five years under an agreement among the three organizations. That review cycle is intended to keep the standard current with changes in the fenestration industry while improving harmonization across North America.
What changed in NAFS-26
The primary change in NAFS-26 clarifies requirements for the secondary designator used in fenestration product ratings, according to the bulletin. The change was proposed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and accepted following discussions with the JDMG. Previously optional, the secondary designator is now mandatory and must be included on product test reports and labels.
The secondary designator now requires performance values for:
- Positive design pressure;
- Negative design pressure;
- Water penetration resistance test pressure.
In practice, that means a product label will carry the additional design pressure and water penetration values alongside the existing rating information. The Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance reported that the change was driven largely by increasing concerns related to water intrusion performance, particularly in coastal and hurricane-prone regions such as Florida. FEMA’s proposal also aligned with recommendations previously raised by the Florida Building Commission.
“Unlike with the previous version of NAFS, there were no major revisions for NAFS-26, with the exception of the secondary designator clarification,” said Lisa Bergeron, director of business development and government affairs for Jeld-Wen, who served as FGIA’s JDMG co-chair. “As it has been before, NAFS remains an excellent industry tool as an internationally accepted performance standard for the included fenestration product types.”
Why the secondary designator matters
“The JDMG held meetings with representatives from FEMA and came to agreement on how to address their concerns through NAFS,” said Robert Jutras, chair of CSA’s technical committee and CSA’s JDMG co-chair. “The NAFS developers ultimately accepted the FEMA proposal.”
By making the secondary designator mandatory, NAFS-26 puts positive and negative design pressure ratings alongside water penetration resistance on every test report and label, rather than leaving them optional. For specifiers and building officials, the added values provide a clearer picture of how a product performs under both positive and negative wind loads and under water penetration testing.
Canadian code adoption timeline
For Canadian glazing contractors and manufacturers, the relevant path runs through the National Building Code of Canada (NBC). The 2022 NAFS standard is already referenced in the 2025 edition of the NBC, the bulletin said. The 2026 edition of NAFS will be proposed for inclusion in the NBC mid-cycle update. The bulletin does not specify when that mid-cycle update will occur, and it does not list which provinces or territories will move first.
“Since NAFS is a document that puts all the requirements for fenestration products in a single place, it has become a document that different code bodies have adopted,” said Dan Raap, director of product testing and compliance for AmesburyTruth, who served as WDMA’s JDMG co-chair. “It is referenced in the national building codes of both the U.S. and Canada through the IBC, IRC, IECC, and NBC. As states, provinces and territories adopt national codes, it becomes part of these more localized codes.”
In the United States, the 2022 NAFS standard is referenced in the 2024 editions of the International Building Code (IBC) and International Residential Code (IRC), and the 2026 standard will be included in the 2027 editions of those codes. An equivalency document for NAFS-26 is expected to be developed later this year, providing guidance for compliance regarding testing to one version of NAFS versus another. That document will matter for Canadian manufacturers that test to the 2022 NAFS and need to demonstrate compliance with the 2026 edition as provinces and territories update their codes.
What manufacturers should watch
Canadian window and door makers that currently certify products to the 2022 NAFS will eventually need to meet the 2026 requirements once referenced by provincial and territorial codes. Because the secondary designator is now mandatory on labels and test reports, manufacturers should review their product documentation for the required positive design pressure, negative design pressure, and water penetration resistance values.
The five-year review cycle means NAFS-26 is expected to remain current through the next code cycles, according to the bulletin. For Canadian manufacturers working across the border, the alignment between the NBC and the U.S. model codes remains a key benefit of the standard’s harmonization. As the equivalency document is developed, product test reports and labels will be a central focus for compliance teams. The bulletin does not mention a transition period. The coming months will show how quickly code bodies adopt the new edition. The standard’s development reflects a joint effort by CSA Group, FGIA, and WDMA. For Canadian manufacturers, the CSA designation means the document is aligned with Canada’s national standards framework, and the NBC reference makes it the key compliance path for fenestration products sold across the country.