NRCA Announces Significant Updates to Roof Wind Designer Online Wind-Load Calculator

The free web-based application has been updated to reflect the significant changes made to ASCE 7.

Rosemont, Ill.-The National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) has announced the update of Roof Wind Designer, an online wind-load calculator intended to provide roofing professionals with an easy way to determine a roof system's design wind loads for many commonly encountered building types subject to code compliance.

The free web-based application has been updated to reflect the significant changes made to ASCE 7, "Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures." Changes include basic wind map changes; new roof zone layouts; and updates to pressure coefficients.

Roof Wind Designer also added the ability to perform wind load calculations for the 2016 version of ASCE 7 and enables users to choose between three versions of the standard: ASCE 7-05, ASCE 7-10 and ASCE 7-16.

The 2016 version of the application can also be used on flat buildings up to 160 feet using the standard's chapter 30 Part 4: Buildings with 60ft < h ≤ 160ft (Simplified), giving users a wider range of buildings that can be calculated. Design wind loads for other applicable buildings are calculated pursuant to simplified low-rise procedures for each standard.

Roof Wind Designer initially was developed in cooperation with the Midwest Roofing Contractors Association and North/East Roofing Contractors Association. For more information visit www.roofwinddesigner.com.

NRCA is one of the construction industry's most respected trade associations and the voice of roofing professionals and leading authority in the roofing industry for information, education, technology and advocacy. It represents all segments of the roofing industry, including contractors; manufacturers; distributors; architects; consultants; engineers; building owners; and city, state and government agencies. NRCA's mission is to inform and assist the roofing industry, act as its principal advocate and help members in serving their customers. NRCA continually strives to enhance every aspect of the roofing industry. For information about NRCA and its services and offerings, visit www.nrca.net.