Outline

Project: To determine the strengths and weaknesses of curtain walls and window walls in multi-storey buildings.

Method: I will compare curtain walls and window walls in the following ways:
1) Cost - I will search the internet and contact different manufacturers to determine initial costs as well as maintenance costs.

2) Structural Benefits- I will research the different benefits of each wall system. Their heat retention capabilities, R(RSI) values, and structural integrity.

3) Durability- I will find statistics on the durability of curtain walls and window walls over time. At what point do both products begin to fail.

Special Problems:
- At what scale of project does the initial cost of curtain walls warrant their use..

- How do curtain walls and window walls hold up in different climates, do increased temperatures or amounts of humidity.

Also:
- What sort of styles and effects can you accomplish with both curtain walls and window walls.

-how quickly can both products be manufactured and installed.

-Are all curtain walls/window walls built the same or do some manufacturers use different methods and materials.

Questions I hope to answer:

1. How much more initially do curtain walls cost compared to window walls?

2. Do curtain walls become more efficient the taller the building gets?

3. What are the procedures for replacing glass over time in both systems?

welcome to my blog.

Thank you for visiting my blog on the application of window walls and curtain walls in commercial settings.

Curtain walls are a wall cladding wall system that has grown tremendously over the past few years. They are made up of glass panels connected by aluminum joints and are hung off of the building from floor to floor to create an appealing wall system. They are also very structurally sound providing resistance to structural deflection and wind blown rain. They also prevent air and water leakage while providing UV protection .

Window walls have similar characteristics to curtain walls however they are installed much like a normal wall system, built to fit in between each floor.

My goal is to examine these wall systems carefully and decide which system will be ideal in a given situation.