Florida sets the bar for performance design because its High Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) has the industry’s most demanding approval requirements. Meeting that bar once meant choosing between the view and storm protection. NanaWall Systems designed the industry's first hurricane-rated folding glass wall to eliminate that trade-off. It was engineered to withstand wind-driven rain and to meet Miami-Dade and High Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) requirements.
NanaWall holds Florida Product Approval for nearly its entire opening glass wall portfolio in both inswing and outswing configurations, a distinction many competing systems cannot match. Read on to learn how these systems perform year-round, and to see real projects designed using hurricane-rated folding glass walls.
Built for Miami-Dade & Florida Weather: The Industry's First Hurricane-Rated Folding Glass Wall
The hardest test a Florida opening faces is wind-driven rain. As the season brings strong winds and sideways rain, an opening glass system must perform against water, pressure, wind, and impact. Hurricane-rated folding glass walls must pass the impact test and keep water out, and that second requirement is where most opening systems fall short. NanaWall SL73 systems are engineered for these conditions and are Florida Product Approved with impact glass within HVHZ areas under FL20107.
What Wind-Driven Rain Does to an Opening, and Why HVHZ Approval Matters
A hurricane rating is often interpreted as impact resistance alone. The large-missile test gets the attention, but the wind-driven rain behind it exposes the weak seals and low threshold. Many systems pass impact and structural pressure tests but still aren't approved for water.
The NanaWall SL73 passes Florida Test Protocols TAS 201 for large missile impact, TAS 202 for structural, air, water, and forced entry, and TAS 203 for cyclic pressure. Many competing systems earn Florida approval for only one opening direction, most often outswing only, and lose their water rating in the other. The SL73 retains its full water rating in both inswing and outswing configurations, consistent with NanaWall systems’ approach across its broader Florida-approved portfolio. These systems passed dynamic water testing under AAMA 520 and ASTM E2268.
The high-performance raised sill blocks both static and dynamic water, and in the tested inward configuration, the unit holds wind load at +/-100 psf. That is the difference between hurricane-rated folding glass walls that close and those that close and stay dry.
The Reinforced Systems Behind the Hurricane Rating
On SL73, reinforced structural posts, or astragals, run between each panel, providing the robust structural integrity that allows the system to meet and exceed Miami-Dade requirements. Every panel uses impact-rated laminated glass. For the most corrosive coastal locations, the SL73 also offers an optional stainless steel hinge upgrade.
The system is floor supported, which uses gravity for stability under hurricane-force winds. Reinforced rollers within the rolling structural post pair high wind load performance with impact resistance. Dual stainless steel running carriages ride above the water run-off level, unaffected by track debris. When the wall is closed, a multipoint locking system drives top and bottom stainless steel locking rods up into the frame and down into the track. The panels are built for occupant comfort and strength, with an advanced thermal strut inside an insulated aluminum core that provides the SL73 with thermal performance and sound control in any climate.
Commercial Projects with Hurricane-Rated Folding Glass Walls
Commercial projects require more of a large opening than most spaces. It has to stay open for guests through peak season, then close against hurricane-force wind and water without shutters, boards, or downtime. NanaWall SL73 was engineered for that exact demand.
Pier 66 Segmented Curve Pool Pavilion, Fort Lauderdale
At Pier 66 in Fort Lauderdale, SL73 was custom-designed to follow the pool pavilion’s segmented curve at Calusso restaurant, so the architecture maintains its flow while the opening retains its storm protection. The pavilion shows how hurricane-rated folding glass walls adapt to complex forms without giving up performance.
Waialae Country Club, Honolulu, Hawaii
On Oahu, Waialae Country Club uses the SL73 in a Pacific coastal setting where salt air and heavy use are constant. The original lanai enclosure was a set of wood bifold doors that had become hard to operate as the hardware corroded. The club wanted a replacement that was easier to operate and could withstand the environment.
These thermally broken aluminum framed systems met both needs. Its dual stainless steel rollers sit above run-off level and stay unaffected by track debris, which matters in an environment that is hard on hardware, and the lanai now opens for the indoor-outdoor dining the club wanted.
Proven Residential Performance in Extreme Coastal and Hurricane Conditions
Residential projects put the clearest demand on performance. A coastal home is chosen for its view, and the same opening that gives a family that view must close against hurricane-force winds and wind-driven rain.
This Home Withstood a Hurricane in Treasure Cay, Abaco Islands
In September 2019, Hurricane Dorian stalled over the Abaco Islands for 36 hours with winds up to 185 miles per hour. It tore off two-thirds of the roof off the Fortune family's home in Treasure Cay. The three hurricane-rated folding glass walls that open the house to the Atlantic came through intact. The units sit on a raised sill, and a floor supported stainless steel track, so the opening can perform while facing the water without shutters.
A Home Rebuilt Around the Wall That Held Hurricane Sandy
After Hurricane Sandy hit the Atlantic coast, this Long Beach, NY, residence took extensive damage, except for its NanaWall SL73 impact-rated system. When rebuilding, the homeowners were so satisfied with how it performed that they added a second unit during the rebuild. The house now has bright, open interiors and long ocean views behind two hurricane-rated folding glass walls.
Florida Product Approved NanaWall Opening Glass Wall Systems
Buildings in High Velocity Hurricane Zones (HVHZ) require impact-rated systems such as the NanaWall SL73. Across the rest of Florida, all building envelope products must still obtain Florida Product Approval by passing air infiltration, water penetration, and structural load testing. NanaWall holds Florida approvals for its folding, single-track stacking, and sliding lines.
Outside the HVHZ, high wind zones run across the Texas Panhandle and up the Eastern Seaboard. NanaWall systems are tested and rated for the air infiltration, water penetration, and structural load those regions demand.
Aluminum Folding Glass Doors
- SL73 Hurricane-Rated Folding Glass Door, FL20107
- SL70 Aluminum Framed Folding Glass Wall, FL35025
- NW Aluminum 640 Folding Glass Wall, FL38736
- NW Aluminum 840 Folding Glass Wall, FL40273
- NW Reinforced 647 Folding Glass Wall, FL41109
- NW Reinforced 847 Folding Glass Wall, FL41110
- SL45 Aluminum Framed Folding Glass Wall, FL37258
Wood Framed & Aluminum Clad Folding Glass Doors
- NW Wood 540 Folding Glass Door, FL41107
- NW Aluminum Clad 740 Folding Glass Wall, FL41108
Single Track Sliding & Stacking Glass Doors
Large Sliding Glass Walls
- Cero Minimal Sliding Glass Wall, standard FL38028.2 and reinforced FL38028.1
- NW MultiSlide 630 Aluminum Framed Glass Door, FL47891
Final Thoughts
In Florida and the surrounding regions, the deciding factor is rarely the impact test alone. It is whether the system is approved for wind-driven rain and can carry the wind load where the building faces the water. Hurricane-rated folding glass walls keep the view a coastal building was built for.
Where the HVHZ applies, the SL73 Hurricane-Rated Folding Glass Door is approved for water and for both opening directions, reinforced in every panel, and proven from the Abacos to Long Island. Outside the hurricane line, NanaWall Generation 4 reinforced systems deliver tested high wind load performance.
For your next coastal project, explore NanaWall Systems’ full range of Florida Approved products.
