There is a choice between timber and wood-based materials, mineral panels, natural and artificial stone slabs, metal and glass facings, or photovoltaic panels.

The curtain wall is suspended in front of the building and carries only its own weight. The load is transferred to the wall behind it via an anchoring system.

In skeleton structures the curtain wall load is taken up by a load-bearing system that spans all storeys. In this case the anchoring system reaches from floor to floor, or is fixed to the load-bearing structure of the building by other means.

The options range from panels via battens, which are pressed into the load-bearing system, to loose-fill insulation, which is injected into a prepared mould. Insulation foams are another option. Insulation made from artificial mineral wool is of particular advantage for buildings with specially strict fire protection requirements.

The curtain wall has to be thermally decoupled from the load-bearing wall.

There is a wide range of materials: timber and wood-based materials, mineral panels, natural and artificial stone slabs, metal or glass facings, or photovoltaic panels.