Winco Window Company in St. Louis has announced its 1150 awning window can now meet the operating force and motion guidelines to support the American Disabilities Act (ADA). For architects designing for schools and other public facilities, Winco’s commercial 1150 window is one of the few aluminum window options to meet this requirement.  

“Since the ADA is a law, not a building code,  designing windows that meet the needs of people with physical disabilities can be challenging,” says Andrew Kearney, an engineer at Winco. “We selected the best hardware to make opening a window easy for anyone, including a disabled person. We integrated the hardware with our classic 1150 window, commonly used in schools, to provide an excellent option when ADA considerations are in play. The 1150 is versatile, durable, and customizable to any project while featuring the necessary hardware for easy operation.”   

ADA requirements for schools are often different in local jurisdictions, but Winco has seen increasing demand for window products to meet these varying requirements. Many states, especially California, require at least one ADA-accessible window per classroom.

The 1150 awning window meets the requirements set out by AAMA 513, which requires that operable windows have a force rating of less than 5 lbs,  along with air, water, structural, operational, and thermal cycling requirements. The AAMA 513-14 laboratory test method aims to demonstrate whether a given window unit (as designed) can be operated with forces and motions consistent with ANSI / ICC A117.1 – 2017. limitations when properly installed, adjusted, and maintained.