Curtain Wall Systems: Which One Fits Your Project?

Unitized, stick-built, point-supported, double-skin, stone, metal, ACP or structural glass — 8 facade systems compared on cost, speed, performance and the building types each suits best. Published by our façade engineering team.

8 Systems Compared Cost Ranking Performance Data Selection Wizard

At a Glance

8 curtain wall systems compared

Figures are indicative for mid-rise to high-rise facades (10,000–50,000 m²) and reflect typical 2025–2026 Chinese fabrication costs, including material and labor. Your project quote depends on module size, glazing spec, wind load and finish.

System	Relative Cost	Install Speed	Best Building Height	Key Strength	Best Project
Unitized Curtain Wall	$$$	Fastest (2–3 panels/day/crane)	50 m+ high-rise	Factory QC, weather-tightness, speed	Offices, hotels, towers ≥ 10,000 m²
Stick-Built Curtain Wall	$$	Slow (1–2 floors/week)	≤ 60 m	Lowest first cost, flexible geometry	Low/mid-rise offices, schools, housing
Point-Supported Glass	$$$$	Medium	Any (spans 8–40 m)	Maximum transparency, frameless spans	Atriums, lobbies, malls, flagship stores
Double-Skin Facade	$$$$$	Medium	High-rise premium	Energy efficiency, natural ventilation, acoustics	LEED/BREEAM offices, hotels, airports
Stone Cladding	$$$$	Medium	Up to 200 m	Premium aesthetics, durability, A1 fire	Bank HQs, civic buildings, luxury
Metal Cladding Panel	$$	Fast	Any	Light, cost-effective, long panel runs	Warehouses, airports, industrial, renovation
ACP / ACM Panels	$	Fastest	≤ 50 m (with fire-compliant core)	Lowest cost, flat large-format panels	Retail, showrooms, renovation, signage
Structural Glass Fin	$$$$$	Slow & specialist	Spans 6–20 m	Full frameless transparency, minimal frame	Museum atriums, luxury retail, terminals

Selection Wizard

Not sure which system fits? Answer 4 questions.

A quick self-assessment based on the most common specification drivers. For a definitive recommendation, submit your project details and our engineers will respond within 24 hours.

1. Building height

2. Facade budget priority

3. Visual priority

4. Energy certification target

Deep Dive

Detailed system comparison

1. Unitized Curtain Wall — the high-rise workhorse

Unitized panels are assembled, glazed and tested in the factory, then delivered to site as complete modules. Installation is a crane-and-lock operation: one module is suspended on its neighbor, engaged and sealed. This factory-based approach gives the best quality control and weather-tightness of any conventional system.

Cost: $$$ — mid-high first cost, lowest total cost for high-rise (speed + reduced site labor)
Speed: fastest conventional system; 2–3 panels per crane per day
Typical specs: module 1.2–2.4 m wide × 3.2–4.2 m high, insulated glass 8/12/12 argon, thermal-break aluminum frame
Performance: U-value from 1.2 W/m²·K; watertightness up to Class R7; airtightness Class A3 (EN 13830)
Best for: office towers, hotels, residential towers ≥ 10,000 m² of facade area

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2. Stick-Built Curtain Wall — flexible and cost-effective

Stick-built systems are assembled on site: mullions, transoms, infill panels and glass are erected piece by piece from a scaffolding or hanging platform. Minimal factory tooling keeps first cost low, and irregular or stepped geometries are easier to execute than with factory-derived modules.

Cost: $$ — lowest conventional first cost
Speed: slow; 1–2 floors per week depending on crew
Typical specs: same performance range as unitized; 60% thickness aluminum profiles optional
Performance: U-value from 1.4 W/m²·K; watertightness up to Class R6
Best for: low/mid-rise offices, schools, hospitals, renovation and curved façades

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3. Point-Supported Glazing — transparency without limits

Point-supported systems carry glass on spider fittings attached to glass fins, steel trusses or cable nets. Because there is no perimeter frame, the facade reads as a sheer glass surface. Spans of 8–40 m are achievable, which makes it the standard choice for atriums, entrance halls and flagship retail.

Cost: $$$$ — transparency premium
Speed: medium; requires precise steel/glass sequencing
Typical specs: tempered laminated glass 12–19 mm, stainless 316L spider fittings, glass fins 100–400 mm deep
Best for: atriums, lobbies, shopping malls, museums, airport terminals

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4. Double-Skin Facade — the energy champion

A double-skin facade layers two skins separated by an air cavity that can be open, ventilated or sealed. The buffer zone insulates against heat loss and solar gain, enables natural ventilation and dampens noise. It is the premium answer for green-certified buildings.

Cost: $$$$$ — 30–50% above single-skin
Speed: medium; more trades on site
Performance: effective U-value from 0.8 W/m²·K; annual HVAC energy 15–30% lower vs single-skin
Best for: premium offices, hotels, airports pursuing LEED/BREEAM/Green Building certification

Explore double-skin facades → | Energy performance data →

5. Stone Cladding — permanence and prestige

Natural granite, limestone or marble panels fixed to the structure with mechanical anchors and a ventilated cavity express solidity and permanence that glass cannot. It is the classic choice for bank headquarters, courts and civic landmarks.

Cost: $$$$ — stone itself is the driver
Speed: medium; anchor and panel trades
Typical specs: 20–35 mm natural stone, mechanical undercut anchoring, ventilated cavity 60–100 mm
Best for: bank HQs, civic buildings, luxury residential podiums, podium + tower combinations

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6. Metal Cladding Panels — light, fast, industrial

Aluminum or steel cassette panels, standing-seam profiles or honeycomb composites deliver a crisp industrial aesthetic at a fraction of the weight of stone. Long panel runs and simple fixings make it one of the quickest systems to install and the standard for large-span industrial and airport envelopes.

Cost: $$ — one of the most economical durable systems
Speed: fast; simple cassette fixings
Typical specs: 1.5–3 mm aluminum or 0.6–1.2 mm steel coil, PVDF finish, 20-year warranty
Best for: warehouses, airports, exhibition halls, industrial parks, renovation cladding

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7. ACP / ACM Panels — the budget workhorse

Aluminum composite panels offer the lowest installed cost per square meter, flat large-format visual planes and unlimited color range — at the price of tighter height and impact limits. With fire-compliant cores (A2/B1) they remain a mainstay for retail, showrooms and renovation.

Cost: $ — lowest installed cost
Speed: fastest
Typical specs: 3–4 mm ACP, PE or FR/A2 core, PVDF or polyester coating
Best for: retail, showrooms, signage, mid-rise renovation — where fire compliance (A2) is respected at height

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8. Structural Glass Fins — pure glass architecture

Where even spider fittings are too visible, structural glass fins carry the full facade: laminated glass fins edge-bonded to the panels create an entirely frameless-and-fitting-free glass wall. It is the most demanding system to engineer and install.

Cost: $$$$$ — specialist engineering and glazing
Speed: slow; specialist crew required
Typical specs: 6–20 m spans, laminated fins 2×15 mm min, structural silicone bonding, SSG details
Best for: museum atriums, luxury retail, terminal canopies where the envelope is the architecture

Explore structural glass engineering →

FAQ

Curtain wall system questions, answered

+What is the difference between unitized and stick-built curtain walls?

Unitized curtain walls are assembled and glazed in the factory, then crane-lifted as complete modules on site — offering 2–3x faster installation and better quality control. Stick-built systems are assembled piece-by-piece on site, offering lower tooling investment and more flexibility for irregular geometries, but slower installation and quality that depends on site conditions.

+Which curtain wall system is the most cost-effective?

Stick-built curtain walls are typically the lowest first cost for low-to-mid-rise buildings (under 50 m) because of minimal factory tooling. Unitized systems become more economical above roughly 50 m or 10,000 m² of facade area, where the speed of installation and reduced site labor offset the factory setup cost.

+What is a double-skin facade and when should I use it?

A double-skin facade is two facade layers separated by an air cavity. It provides superior thermal insulation, natural ventilation and acoustic performance, and is ideal for premium offices, hotels and buildings targeting high energy-efficiency certifications such as LEED or BREEAM. Construction cost is roughly 30–50% higher than single-skin systems.

+When should I choose point-supported glass over unitized curtain wall?

Choose point-supported glazing when the design calls for maximum transparency — glass fins or cable nets with spider fittings create frameless spans of 8–40 m. It is the best choice for atriums, shopping malls and entrance lobbies. Unitized curtain wall remains more economical for the main building envelope where cost per square meter and speed matter more.

+Do you supply both unitized and stick-built systems?

Yes. Hanart designs, fabricates and installs all eight systems covered in this comparison. Our engineers will recommend the most economical system for your facade area, height and performance targets — and we routinely build mixed envelopes (e.g., unitized tower + stone podium) in one contract.

+How do I get a cost estimate for my project?

Submit your facade area, building height, glazing preference and project location through our RFI form. Our estimating team returns a preliminary budget range within 24 hours, and a detailed BOQ after reviewing your drawings.

Get a system recommendation for your project facade

Send us your drawings and performance targets — our engineering team will recommend the most economical system and return a preliminary budget within 24 hours.

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