What was the purpose of a unitized curtain wall system?
The primary purpose of a unitized curtain wall system is to protect the building's interior against the exterior natural phenomena such as sun exposure, temperature changes, earthquake, rain, and wind. This protection can be separated into two major categories, namely structural safety and interior environmental control.
What is the difference between a window wall and a unitized curtain wall system?
A window wall system spans only a single floor, is supported by the slab below and above, and is therefore installed within the slab edge.
A gunitized curtain wall system is a structurally independent/self-supporting system, typically spanning multiple stories, and is installed proud of/beyond the slab edge.
Generally, unitized curtain wall systems are attached to the outside of the floor slab. The aluminum facade is usually part of the wall system that makes up the wall. Each glazing system needs to be integrated with other adjacent wall cladding, roof, or wall details.
unitized curtain wall system systems range from standard prefabricated systems to specialized custom wall units. Increased costs are usually accompanied by additional customization and larger sizes.