Leesburg, Va. – September 24, 2026 -- The American Wood Council (AWC) has published the 2027 edition of the Special Design Provisions for Wind and Seismic (ANSI/AWC SDPWS-2027), adding two new construction systems for engineers designing in high-hazard wind and seismic zones. The standard has been approved as an American National Standard by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and will be referenced in the 2027 I-Codes.
Five-year technical process yields ANSI approval after 13 balloting rounds
The 2027 SDPWS resulted from five years of technical development and two years of balloting under ANSI's consensus-based process, including 13 rounds of balloting and a full public review period. SDPWS is typically updated every six years to keep pace with new research and align with other design references.
Two new wood systems expand design flexibility for engineers
The updated standard introduces the Post-Tensioned Timber Rocking Wall and a new sheathed wood-frame High-Capacity One-Sided Shear Wall system. Brad Douglas, Vice President of Engineering at AWC, said the edition gives engineers research-based and tested tools to design with confidence in the highest-hazard regions of the country, adding that new systems demonstrate wood can meet performance demands in challenging seismic and wind-prone areas.
CLT diaphragm provisions revised using new full-size test data
Design provisions for cross-laminated timber (CLT) diaphragms were revised based on new full-size CLT diaphragm test data. The same research is being used to support new seismic design force reduction factors for CLT diaphragms in ASCE 7-28.
AWC turns to Permanent Wood Foundation and NDS specification updates next
With SDPWS complete, AWC is finishing updates to the Permanent Wood Foundation Design Specification (PWF) later this year. The organization will then move to updates for the 2024 National Design Specification for Wood Construction (NDS), the 2024 Fire Design Specification for Wood Construction (FDS), and the 2024 Wood-Frame Construction Manual for One- and Two-Family Dwellings (WFCM). The 2027 SDPWS is available to view online now and will be available for purchase in 2027.