What manufacturers does ACG install for storefront and window wall?

ACG installs storefront and window wall systems from seven approved manufacturer partners: ESWindows (Tecnoglass) ES-50, ES-7000, ES-8000, and storefront ES325 / ES420; Euro-Wall E40 thermal storefront; PGT WG700 storefront; Allegion automatic entrance integration; TGP fire-rated integration; Slimpact slim-profile storefront; and Aldora architectural glass.

Does ACG handle multifamily window wall projects in Florida?

Yes. ACG has installed multifamily window wall packages across Florida including Siena Lakes Naples, Wild Blue Clubhouse, and other apartment / condo / senior-living projects. Window wall scope on multifamily typically includes balcony door integration, automatic entrance vestibules at amenity buildings, and HVHZ NOA documentation when the project is in Miami-Dade or Broward.

Storefront vs Window Wall — Specification Reference

Q: What is the difference between storefront and window wall?

Storefront is installed at grade level, supported by the building structure, with framing typically 2 to 4 inches deep. Window wall is installed between structural slabs (slab-to-slab), with framing typically 4 to 6 inches deep, used on multifamily and mid-rise residential where the floor-to-floor span is the design driver. Storefront serves ground-floor commercial entry assemblies; window wall serves apartment, condo, and dorm exterior envelopes.

Q: When do I specify storefront vs window wall?

Specify storefront for retail tenants, restaurants, vestibules, lobbies, medical office entries, and any ground-floor commercial assembly supported directly by building structure. Specify window wall for multifamily apartments, condos, dorms, and mid-rise residential where the system spans floor-to-floor between slabs and the slab edge supports the system. Window wall is typically used in repetitive vertical bays; storefront is typically a single horizontal run at grade.

Q: Is window wall HVHZ compatible?

Yes. Window wall systems can carry Miami-Dade NOAs for installation in Florida HVHZ jurisdictions (Miami-Dade and Broward counties), tested under TAS 201, 202, and 203 protocols. ACG installs window wall systems with current NOA documentation across HVHZ multifamily and mid-rise residential projects in Florida.

Q: Can window wall be used on commercial buildings?

Yes, but the typical use is residential — multifamily apartments, condos, and dorms. On mixed-use commercial buildings, window wall is sometimes specified for the residential floors with curtainwall on the office or hospitality floors below. ACG installs both system types on coordinated mixed-use packages.

Q: How does window wall handle thermal expansion?

Window wall systems incorporate a slab-edge expansion joint at each floor level, sized to accommodate the building's thermal expansion and live-load deflection between floors. This is a critical detail at the design stage — undersized expansion joints are one of the most common installation failures on window wall projects.

Side-by-side comparison

Attribute	Storefront	Window Wall
Vertical span	Single floor, ground level	Slab-to-slab, one floor at a time
Frame depth	2–4 inches	4–6 inches
Structural support	Direct to building structure (foundation, columns, beams)	Slab edge above and slab edge below
Typical application	Retail, restaurant, lobby, vestibule, medical entry, public-sector entry	Multifamily apartments, condos, dorms, mid-rise residential
Glass make-up	1" IGU typical, laminated impact in HVHZ	1" IGU typical, often acoustic laminated for residential
Expansion joints	Building-perimeter only	Inter-floor expansion joint at every slab edge
Thermal performance	Standard low-E IGU options	Standard low-E IGU options + acoustic interlayer common
Code reference (FL)	FBC 1609, 1709, 2403; HVHZ NOA where applicable	FBC 1609, 1709, 2403; HVHZ NOA where applicable
Manufacturers ACG installs	ESWindows ES325/420, Euro-Wall E40, PGT WG700, Slimpact	ESWindows ES-50, ES-7000, ES-8000

When to specify storefront

Specify commercial storefront when the glazing assembly is at grade level and supported directly by the building structure. The most common storefront applications:

Retail tenant fronts — shopping centers, mall-fronts, freestanding retail.
Restaurants — main entrance, vestibule, and any ground-floor exterior glazing.
Hotel and multifamily lobbies — the ground-floor lobby package, even when window wall is specified above.
Medical office entries — main entrance with automatic operator integration.
Public sector entries — fire stations, EOCs, libraries, schools (main entry only; classrooms and offices use window or hollow metal).
Mid-rise office Class A ground floor — the ground-floor lobby package coordinating with curtainwall above.

Storefront framing is shallow (2–4 inches) which makes the visual sightline cleaner than curtainwall. Storefront is generally the lowest-cost commercial glazing option per square foot among framed systems.

When to specify window wall

Specify window wall when the glazing assembly spans between structural slabs and the slab edges are the load-transfer path. The most common window wall applications:

Multifamily apartments — typical specification for the residential floors of mid-rise and high-rise apartment buildings.
Condos — same logic, with often-higher acoustic and thermal targets.
Dorms and student housing — repetitive bay layout, schedule-friendly window wall efficiency.
Mixed-use residential — the residential floors of a commercial-residential mixed-use project, with curtainwall or storefront below.
Senior living — apartment-style senior living buildings often use window wall for the resident-room exterior envelope.

Window wall framing is deeper (4–6 inches) than storefront because it must handle slab-edge load transfer and accommodate expansion joints between floors. Window wall is generally less expensive than curtainwall but slightly more expensive than storefront on a per-square-foot basis.

Critical detail: expansion joints

Window wall's defining detail is the inter-floor expansion joint at each slab edge. The joint must be sized to accommodate the building's thermal expansion, live-load deflection between floors, and any seismic movement (limited in Florida but still part of code). Common failures:

Undersized expansion joints — at design temperature extremes, the system binds, causing glass breakage or seal failure.
Wrong sealant for the expansion joint — silicone with insufficient elongation tolerance fails at the joint.
Joint omitted at concrete-to-CMU transitions — the building moves differently at the transition; the joint is required even if not shown on architectural drawings.
Compression-only joints — joints designed only for compression fail when the floor above settles or the floor below uplifts.

ACG's submittal package on every window wall project includes the expansion joint detail and the sealant compatibility schedule, with the sealant manufacturer's published movement capability cross-referenced against the joint design.

Florida code on storefront and window wall

Both systems are governed by:

FBC Section 1609 — wind loads, references ASCE 7.
FBC Section 1609.1.2 — protection of openings in WBDR and HVHZ.
FBC Section 1709 — structural testing, references TAS 201, 202, 203 in HVHZ.
FBC Chapter 24 — glazing and safety glazing.
ANSI Z97.1 / CPSC 16 CFR 1201 — safety glazing standards.

HVHZ projects (Miami-Dade and Broward) require a current Miami-Dade NOA on every system installed. Non-HVHZ Florida coastal jurisdictions require Florida Product Approval (FPA) under the Florida Building Code. ACG handles both. Full reference: Florida HVHZ Glazing Requirements.

How ACG handles each system

Storefront and window wall scopes are different operationally:

Storefront — typically one mobilization, one or two crews, 1–4 weeks of field installation depending on project size. Cleanest interface with adjacent trades is hollow metal door + Allegion hardware integrator.
Window wall — repetitive bay installation, typically 2–4 mobilizations as floors complete, 4–12 weeks of field installation depending on building size. Cleanest interface with adjacent trades is the framing GC, the slab-edge waterproofer, and the balcony-door integrator.

Both are within ACG's scope as a single-source Division 08 subcontractor.

FAQ — storefront vs window wall

What is the difference between storefront and window wall?

Storefront is at grade level, supported by building structure, 2–4 inch framing. Window wall spans between slabs, 4–6 inch framing, supported by slab edges. Storefront serves ground-floor commercial entries; window wall serves multifamily and mid-rise residential exteriors.

When do I specify storefront vs window wall?

Storefront for retail / restaurant / vestibule / lobby / medical / public-sector entry assemblies at grade. Window wall for multifamily / condo / dorm / mixed-use residential where the system spans floor-to-floor.

Is window wall HVHZ compatible?

Yes. Window wall systems can carry Miami-Dade NOAs for HVHZ installation under TAS 201, 202, 203.

Can window wall be used on commercial buildings?

Yes, but typical use is residential. Mixed-use commercial-residential buildings often use window wall on residential floors with curtainwall or storefront below.

How does window wall handle thermal expansion?

Through inter-floor expansion joints at every slab edge, sized for thermal expansion and live-load deflection. The detail is critical — undersized joints are a common failure mode.

What manufacturers does ACG install?

Seven approved partners: ESWindows (ES-50, ES-7000, ES-8000, ES325, ES420), Euro-Wall E40, PGT WG700, Allegion automatic entrance, TGP fire-rated, Slimpact slim-profile, Aldora architectural glass.

Does ACG handle multifamily window wall in Florida?

Yes. Featured installations include Siena Lakes Naples, Wild Blue Clubhouse, and other apartment, condo, and senior-living projects across Florida.