FM Global Data Sheet 1-28, currently titled “Wind Design,” provides guidance for designing building components and assemblies to resist wind forces at highly protected buildings, particularly facilities insured or evaluated by FM Global. For commercial roofing, it is especially important because it addresses wind pressures affecting roofs, walls, openings, and roof-mounted equipment. The current 2026 edition is an active FM Global document.
What Is FM Data Sheet 1-28?
FM Data Sheet 1-28 is part of FM Global’s Property Loss Prevention Data Sheets. Its purpose is to help building designers determine appropriate wind design considerations so the building envelope can withstand wind forces without allowing rain, wind-driven rain, or debris to enter the building.
The document covers recommended wind pressures for building components and cladding, including roofs and walls, as well as their securement to immediate supporting elements. It also addresses protection for openings such as doors, windows, and skylights, along with wind forces affecting the anchorage of roof-mounted equipment.
For commercial roofing projects, this makes FM 1-28 an important reference when determining whether a roof assembly and its components have sufficient wind-uplift resistance.
How Does FM 1-28 Apply to Commercial Roofs?
Wind creates both positive and negative pressures on a commercial building. On a roof, negative pressure can create uplift forces that attempt to pull the membrane, insulation, cover boards, fasteners, and other components away from the roof deck.
FM 1-28 provides guidance for determining the wind pressures that components and cladding should be designed to resist. The required design pressure depends on factors such as building characteristics, roof height, wind conditions, exposure, building enclosure, roof geometry, and roof location.
The document recognizes that the roof system functions as a load path. The roof covering, insulation, fasteners, deck, and supporting structure must work together because the overall resistance can be limited by the weakest component in that load path.
Does FM 1-28 Specify the Roof Assembly?
Not by itself. FM Data Sheet 1-28 primarily addresses wind design and wind pressures. Other FM Global documents address specific aspects of roof construction and component performance.
For example, FM Global Data Sheet 1-29 addresses roof deck securement and above-deck roof components, while FM Approval ratings can be used to identify roof assemblies and components that have been evaluated for specific performance requirements.
This distinction is important: determining the required wind pressure is different from selecting a roof assembly capable of resisting that pressure.
FM 1-28 and Roof Wind Uplift
One of the most important applications of FM 1-28 is evaluating roof wind uplift. Roof areas may experience different wind pressures depending on their location. Perimeter and corner areas can experience greater wind effects than the interior field of the roof.
A commercial roofing professional therefore should not assume that one fastening pattern or one roof rating is appropriate everywhere. The required resistance needs to be evaluated for the applicable roof zones and project conditions.
FM Global has also updated the document over time. The current 2026 edition includes updated wind maps and other revisions, so contractors and design professionals should use the applicable current edition rather than relying on older versions of FM 1-28.
Is FM 1-28 the Same as ASCE 7?
No. FM 1-28 and ASCE 7 are related but serve different purposes. FM 1-28 provides FM Global property-loss-prevention guidance for highly protected buildings. The current FM document directs designers to the applicable ASCE 7 edition or local code for main wind force-resisting systems and certain other structures.
For a commercial roofing project, the applicable building code, structural design requirements, FM Global requirements, and project specifications should therefore be considered together.
Why Does FM 1-28 Matter to Florida Commercial Roofing?
Florida commercial roofs face significant wind exposure, including tropical storms and hurricanes. Proper wind-uplift design is therefore a critical part of protecting a commercial building envelope.
FM 1-28 can help designers and roofing professionals understand the wind pressures that roof components and cladding need to resist. However, it should not be treated as a substitute for the Florida Building Code, project-specific engineering, or the requirements of the building owner and insurer.
Bottom Line
FM Data Sheet 1-28 covers wind design for highly protected buildings, including recommended wind pressures for roofs, walls, openings, and roof-mounted equipment. For commercial roofing, its primary importance is helping establish the wind-uplift requirements that a roof assembly and its components must be capable of resisting.
When planning a commercial roof replacement, restoration, or new installation, the appropriate wind design should be established before selecting the roof system, fastening pattern, or other components. Shieldline Roofing can help commercial property owners evaluate their roofing requirements and coordinate the appropriate roofing and wind-resistance considerations for their Florida building.
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