State of the Industry for Commercial Windows and Curtain Wall

The construction industry continues to face economic uncertainty, driven by high interest rates, tighter lending conditions, and cautious capital investment. While the Architectural Billings Index has remained soft, certain sectors—including data centers, health care, and education—are showing resilience. Manufacturers and glazing contractors are managing tight budgets, aggressive schedules, evolving code requirements, and ongoing workforce and supply chain pressures. 

Key Trends 

• Energy efficiency. Energy efficiency remains at the forefront of façade design. The trend of stricter energy codes across the U.S. continues with states such as California, New York and Washington adopting stricter building envelope requirements, much like Massachusetts’ 2023 stretch energy code. Architects are increasingly seeking solutions that meet or exceed the International Energy Conservation Code, IECC 2021 performance standard. This accelerates demand for high-performance products such as triple insulating glass units (IGUs). Expect a broader adoption of vacuum insulating glass (VIG) and thin triple IGUs. 

• Sustainability and resilience. The U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED v5 rating system places increased emphasis on embodied carbon in materials, including glazing and aluminum framing, driving greater demand for material transparency through Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), Health Product Declarations (HPDs), Declare Labels and recycled content such as aluminum billet.  

• Technology advancements. Digital and automation technologies continue to transform both design and fabrication. Artificial Intelligence (AI) are driving predictive analytics for improved throughput and reduced waste in glass and aluminum processing. In early design phases, AI tools support embodied carbon evaluation of façade-related products. On jobsites, drones and laser scanning help verify installation quality and document project progress. 

• Safety. With the growing frequency and severity of natural hazards—including hurricanes, tornadoes, extreme heat, floods and wildfires—resilient design has become a top priority. LEED v5 now mandates a resilience assessment. Resilient buildings are designed to protect occupants, resist damage, and maintain function during and after extreme events. This is driving demand for hurricane-impact and fire-resistant glazing for schools, storm-prone regions and mission-critical facilities. The National Glass Association (NGA) continues to advocate for building codes to adopt increased security glazing requirements for attack-resistant products in educational facilities. 

Industry Challenges 

• Cost pressures. Tariff and supply chain volatility are impacting material costs, with aluminum, steel and glass experiencing price fluctuations. These challenges are reshaping budgets and timelines across the industry. 

• Workforce shortages. Labor availability remains a critical concern. The construction and manufacturing sectors rely heavily on foreign-born workers to offset labor shortages. Increased immigration restrictions are expected to exacerbate shortages. The industry continues to invest in apprenticeship programs and workforce development resources, including NGA’s Glazier Apprentice Curriculum and Workforce Development Toolkits. 

As the industry navigates economic headwinds, performance demands, and regulatory shifts, the role of commercial window and curtain wall systems is more vital than ever. Success will depend on innovation, adaptability, and strong partnerships among manufacturers, glazing contractors, architects and general contractors. Those who deliver high-performance, code-compliant building envelopes will be best positioned to lead in a changing market.