Metal Roof Edges – What is the ES-1 Standard?

The topic of metal roof edges is one of high importance when it comes to the performance of a low-slope roof. The edge of a low-slope roof is the likely failure of the system in an extreme weather event with high winds. Factory Mutual (FM), a leading building insurance company, attributes 80% or more of all roof failures directly to failure of the roof edge.

For years, the shop-fabricated versus pre-manufactured metal roof edgings debate continued until the adoption of the ANSI/SPRI ES-1 Standard into the International Building Code (IBC). ES-1 is the "Wind Design Standard for Edge Systems Used with Low-Slope Roofing Systems" and is comprised of three pull-off tests, two for fascia and one for coping. They are based on the American Society of Civil Engineers' document ASCE-7 Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures.

The main reason for the development of ES-1 was to improve the longevity and safety of low-slope commercial roofs and to protect the building owner’s investment by reducing the risk of edge failure, and consequentially roof failure. Basically, ES-1 provides formulas for calculating the wind load on edges of low-slope roofs and prescribes methodology for testing and evaluating the ability of edge systems to withstand those loads; as a result, this ensures wind resistance and long-term performance.

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Contact Craig Tyler at [email protected] with further questions.