Gaps in the industry’s understanding of the thermal performance of the spandrel (opaque) sections of glazed wall systems have led to inconsistent results and discrepancies with real-world performance. This paper provides an update on Phase 2 of a multiyear, multiphase research study aimed at closing this performance gap. The study, known as “Thermal Performance of Spandrel Assemblies in Glazing Systems,” is funded by the Charles Pankow Foundation with additional support from many project partners.
The paper presents results from physical testing conducted at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The research aims to inform the development of techniques and tools for design professionals to accurately model, simulate, and predict building energy performance during the design stage. These techniques are crucial as energy efficiency codes advance to include absolute metrics for building energy use.
This paper was presented at the 2026 IIBEC International Convention & Trade Show.