Unitised curtain wall
Off‑site precision, on‑site speed
Staticus specialises in unitised façade systems (also known as unitised curtain walls) as they bring factory‑grade quality to complex buildings while speeding up the site programmes and reduces H&S risk.
Panels are manufactured and fully assembled off‑site in the factory, transported directly to the project site and installed on brackets pre‑fixed to floor slabs.
What is a unitised curtain wall?
Unitised façades are fully prefabricated panels with windows, doors, sun‑shading and external, and often internal, finishes assembled in the factory, whereas a stick façade (or stick curtain wall) is assembled on site from individual profiles and components, with little or no pre‑assembly in the production factory.
Staticus has 12,050 m² of dedicated production premises, with up to 12 production lines, an in-house testing facilities to deliver 180,000 m² of unitised façade production annually. Our setup is designed to deliver up to 6 projects simultaneously of complex unitised façades with speed, accuracy, and consistency – keeping projects on programme, on spec, and on budget.
Key benefits of a unitised façade
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Programme speed
Factory assembly and panelised installation mean fewer on‑site steps and installation rates typically around 3–4 m² per person per day, versus ~1–1.6 m² for stick systems, therefore buildings become watertight earlier. -
Higher quality
Panels are built in controlled conditions from production drawings for each unit type and detailed 3D information, giving consistently higher installation quality and fewer on‑site errors. -
Safety by design
More work happens at ground level and inside the slab line, with fewer operations at height, tethered tools and components, and less heavy plant required on the façade line. -
Minimal site disruption
No external access systems (scaffolds or mast climbers), so logistics stay clear around the site perimeter which results in less disruptions to other contractors, requires less coordination.
Main differences between unitised and stick façade system
The table on the right shows unitised and stick façades across the factors that matter most. Expect more upfront engineering for unitised, but quicker enclosure, safer methods and tighter quality control on site. Rates shown are indicative and confirmed during early design.
| Unitised façade | Stick façade | |
| Definition | Fully prefabricated panels in the factory. Delivered and hung on pre-fixed brackets. | Components (mullions, transoms, glazing, shading, etc.) are brought to site and assembled piece-by-piece on the building. |
| Design and engineering resources | 10–30% more up-front engineering, however it results in faster installation on site. | Lower up-front engineering. |
| Resources on-site | Less installers. | More installers. |
| Installation rate | Shorter installation time. ~3–4 m² per person per day. |
Longer installation time. ~1–1.6 m² per person per day. |
| Quality control | Factory conditions deliver consistent quality, defined tolerances and robust QA/traceability. | Quality varies with site conditions, weather and access; higher chance of rework. |
| On-site safety | Significantly lower on-site risk. Less work at height. | Higher risk on site due to dropping objects (falling tools or façade components). |
| Cost | Higher package cost, however less errors on-site, and less man-hours on site balance the budget. | Lower initial package cost. Potential for higher total project cost due to longer prelims, access hire, weather delays and rework. |
| System types | Mostly aluminium, hybrid/timber unitised façade solutions. | Aluminium, steel or timber stick systems. |
Staticus production of unitised façade
Every client and project is different, however our processes are stremlined to provide the best results. We manage every stage of façade delivery – from design and engineering to manufacturing, installation, and aftercare – with one in-house team.
Learn more about the entire Staticus value chain.
Production of the unitised façade
Production of the unitised façade
Quality control and inspection of the unitised element
Preparation for packing and transporting the elements to the site
Packing of the elements
Installation of unitised curtain wall
At Staticus, our goal during installation is to use time on-site as efficiently as possible while maintaining the highest standards of safety and quality.
