Classification by Structural Forms
Exposed – frame glass curtain wall: The components of the metal frame are exposed on the outer surface of the panel, forming obvious frames. This kind of curtain wall has the characteristics of stable structure, convenient installation and good permeability. It can clearly show the structural lines of the building and is often used in commercial buildings, office buildings, etc.
Hidden – frame glass curtain wall: Its metal frame is hidden behind the glass, and the frame cannot be seen from the outside, making the building appearance more concise and smooth, with an excellent sense of integrity and modernity. It is widely used in high – end office buildings, hotels and other buildings with high aesthetic requirements for the building appearance.
Semi – hidden – frame glass curtain wall: The horizontal or vertical frame is hidden, while the frame in the other direction is exposed. It combines the characteristics of exposed – frame and hidden – frame glass curtain walls. While ensuring a certain degree of aesthetics, it can also reflect some structural lines. It is suitable for some buildings with specific requirements for appearance and certain structural expressiveness.
Classification by Construction Methods
Unitized glass curtain wall: The panel and metal frame are assembled into independent unit panels in the factory and then transported to the construction site for installation. This kind of curtain wall has a fast installation speed, which can effectively shorten the construction period, and the sealing performance between unit panels is good, with good waterproof and sound – insulation effects. It is often used in high – rise and super – high – rise buildings.
Stick – built glass curtain wall: The glass panels, metal frames and other components are assembled into the curtain wall one by one on the construction site. Its advantage is high flexibility, which can be flexibly adjusted according to the building shape and construction conditions, but the construction period is relatively long. It is suitable for various types and scales of buildings.
Classification by Glass Types
Single – glass curtain wall: It uses a single – layer glass as the panel material, which has high transparency and daylighting performance, but the heat – insulation and sound – insulation effects are relatively poor. It is generally used in buildings with low requirements for heat – insulation and sound – insulation, or as indoor partitions.
Insulating glass curtain wall: It consists of two or more pieces of glass sealed by sealing strips, with an air layer or filled with inert gas in the middle. This kind of curtain wall has good heat – insulation and sound – insulation performance, which can effectively reduce building energy consumption and improve indoor comfort. It is a widely used type of glass curtain wall.
Laminated glass curtain wall: It is made by sandwiching one or more layers of organic polymer interlayers between two or more pieces of glass and processing them under high temperature and pressure. Laminated glass has good safety performance. Even if the glass is broken, the fragments will stick to the interlayer and will not scatter and hurt people. At the same time, it also has certain sound – insulation and heat – insulation performance. It is often used in buildings with high safety requirements, such as banks, schools, hospitals, etc.
Classification by Functional Characteristics
Fire – resistant glass curtain wall: It is composed of fire – resistant glass and supporting fire – resistant frames, sealing materials, etc. It can prevent the spread of fire for a certain period of time, providing valuable time for personnel evacuation and fire – fighting rescue. It is often used in fire – separation zones, stairwells, elevator shafts and other parts of buildings.
Intelligent glass curtain wall: It integrates various intelligent control systems, such as automatic shading systems, ventilation systems, and dimming systems. It can automatically adjust the shading, ventilation, and daylighting functions of the curtain wall according to the changes of the external environment, achieving energy conservation and emission reduction and a comfortable indoor environment. It is an important development direction of modern building curtain walls.
Classification by Glass Surface Treatment
Coated glass curtain wall: A layer or multiple layers of metal, alloy, or metal oxide films are coated on the glass surface to change the optical and thermal properties of the glass. According to the different functions of the coating, it can be divided into solar – control coated glass curtain wall and low – emissivity (Low – E) coated glass curtain wall. Solar – control coated glass can effectively reflect solar radiation heat, reduce the indoor air – conditioning load, and is suitable for buildings with high requirements for heat – insulation and glare control. Low – E coated glass has a high reflectivity to far – infrared rays, has good thermal insulation performance, and can reduce the heat loss from the indoor to the outside. It is often used in buildings in cold regions.
Frosted glass curtain wall: The surface of the glass is frosted, making the glass present a translucent foggy effect. It can diffuse light, protect indoor privacy, and at the same time provide a certain amount of daylighting. It is often used in the curtain walls of places with certain privacy requirements, such as bathrooms, meeting rooms, etc.
Colored glass curtain wall: By adding metal oxides and other pigments to the glass, or using color – coating processes, the glass shows various colors, such as blue, green, yellow, etc. Colored glass curtain walls can add unique colors and artistic atmospheres to buildings and are often used in some cultural buildings and commercial buildings with special design requirements to highlight the individuality and style of the building.
Classification by Special Properties
Photoelectric glass curtain wall: It combines solar photovoltaic cells with glass. It can not only be used as the enclosure structure of the building but also generate electricity using solar energy, achieving the energy self – sufficiency of the building. It has the advantages of energy conservation and environmental protection and is a new – type glass curtain wall with development potential. It is suitable for some buildings with high requirements for the utilization of green energy.
Self – cleaning glass curtain wall: The surface of this kind of glass curtain wall is coated with a special photocatalytic coating. Under the ultraviolet irradiation of sunlight, it can decompose the organic dirt on the glass surface. At the same time, when it rains, the dirt can be washed away, keeping the glass clean. It reduces the cleaning and maintenance cost of the curtain wall and improves the beauty of the building. It is suitable for various buildings, especially high – rise buildings.