ASHRAE Journal Supplement - AMCA InMotion - November 2021 - 31

Miami-Dade NOA-approved louvers are accepted for use
specifi cally in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. The
louvers undergo similar testing; however, while almost all
Miami-Dade NOA-approved louvers are Florida Building
Code-approved, not all Florida Building Code-approved
louvers are Miami-Dade NOA-approved.
Is an impact rating required for all louvers? Not all
BY DOUG PETTY; MICHAEL J. BULZOMI; ANTHONY E.
JACKSON SR., CSI, CDT, LEED GA; AND ERIC SPOSITO,
CDT, AMCA LOUVER MARKETING SUBCOMMITTEE
I
n August 1992, Hurricane Andrew ripped through
South Florida, leaving unprecedented economic devastation
in its wake.1 Miami-Dade County was especially
hard-hit, leading to an overhaul of local building codes.
Nearly three decades later, the effects of Hurricane
Andrew still are being felt, in the form of requirements
for architectural products, including louvers. Increasingly,
these requirements are being adopted outside of
Florida, such as in the Gulf states of Louisiana and Texas
and along the Eastern seaboard.
As more and more emphasis has been placed on
building resilience in the Florida Building Codes, louver
designs and installations have grown more complex.
Because of the increased complexity, there often is confusion
among designers, specifi ers, and owners. As manufacturers,
we see it in questions from our customers. In
this article, we will provide answers to some of the most
frequently asked questions.
Application
The Florida Building Codes contain many caveats
concerning the application of severe-duty louvers. Thus,
the type of louver that should be used in a given situation
is not always immediately clear.
What is the difference between Florida Building
Code-approved (also known as Florida product
approval [FPA]) and Miami-Dade notice of acceptance
(NOA)? Florida Building Code-approved louvers
are accepted for use throughout the state of Florida, while
Credit: diy13/Bigstock
www.amca.org
louvers installed in the state of Florida require an impact
rating. A review of Chapter 4, sections 449 (Hospitals), 450
(Nursing Homes), and 453 (State Requirements for Educational
Facilities), and Chapter 16 (Structural Design) of
Florida Building Code, Building, Seventh Edition (2020)
is recommended when attempting to determine if a location
and/or a building requires impact resistance.
Must all louvers in Florida be high-velocity-winddriven-rain-resistant?
According to Florida Building
Code, Mechanical, Seventh Edition (2020) (Chapter 4,
Section 401.5, and Chapter 5, Section 501.3.2), any louver
protecting an air-intake opening or an exhaust opening in
a structure located in a hurricane-prone region-defi ned
in Florida Building Code, Building, Seventh Edition
(2020) (Chapter 2) as: (1) the U.S. Atlantic Ocean or Gulf
of Mexico coast where the ultimate design wind speed
for Risk Category II buildings
(buildings and other structures
except those that represent a low
hazard to human life in the event
of failure, those that represent
a substantial hazard to human
life in the event of failure, and
those designated as essential
facilities) is greater than 115
mph (51.4 m/s) or (2) Hawaii,
Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin
Islands, or American Samoa-must comply with ANSI/
AMCA Standard 550, Test Method for High Velocity Wind
Driven Rain Resistant Louvers.
Do Miami-Dade NOA-approved louvers meet
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
requirements? Unless it was tested in accordance with
ICC 500, Standard for the Design and Construction of Storm
2021 AMCA inmot ion
31
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ASHRAE Journal Supplement - AMCA InMotion - November 2021

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