# Curtain wall glazing software that tracks every panel from anchor survey to water test

> A curtain wall is a non load bearing exterior building envelope that carries only its own weight plus wind and seismic loads back to the building structure. Because it hangs off the slab, anchor tolerance and thermal movement drive the installation. Mock ups are tested before production, and installed assemblies are checked in the field with AAMA 501.2 nozzle tests and ASTM E1105 pressure tests, commonly run at two thirds of design pressure. Neurobird tracks each panel mark from anchor survey to passed test.

- URL: https://neurobird.com/curtainwall/
- Product: Neurobird Curtain Wall Glazing Operations Platform
- Niche: curtain wall glazing
- Buyer: curtain wall and glazing contractors
- Status: in development, open for early access
- Updated: 2026-08-21

## What Neurobird Curtain Wall Glazing does

- Track anchor survey results against the panel mark that has to land on them
- Manage glass and panel releases so a change is caught before fabrication, not after
- Record mock up and field test results with the elevation, date and pressure they were run at
- Keep punch and remediation tied to the specific unit rather than to a floor

## How it works

1. **Survey the anchors** Record as built anchor positions against each panel mark and flag anything outside the system tolerance before the panel leaves the yard.
2. **Control the release** Glass and panel releases are tied to the elevation they serve, so a design change is caught against pending fabrication rather than after delivery.
3. **Attach the test evidence** AAMA 501.2 and ASTM E1105 results record elevation, date, applied pressure and outcome, so a leak argument starts from evidence.

## From the source material

> The curtain wall, by definition is a non loadbearing enclosure, comes in a wide range of systems that it can be made of virtually any combination of non-structural materials that meet insulation, wind-load and aesthetic requirements.

Source: dahp.wa.gov, https://dahp.wa.gov/historic-preservation/historic-buildings/architectural-style-guide/curtain-wall

## Industry context

- **501.2** AAMA 501.2 is the field check for water penetration through fixed glazing and wall joints, run with a calibrated nozzle along the joint rather than under applied building pressure. (source: Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance, https://www.fgiaonline.org/)
- **1105** ASTM E1105 tests installed exterior windows, skylights, doors and curtain walls for water penetration under uniform or cyclic static air pressure, commonly at two thirds of the specified design pressure. (source: Whole Building Design Guide, curtain walls, https://www.wbdg.org/guides-specifications/building-envelope-design-guide/wall-systems/curtain-walls)
- **285** NFPA 285 is the fire propagation test applied to exterior wall assemblies containing combustible components, which is why insulation and spandrel build ups get scrutinised. (source: NFPA, https://www.nfpa.org/codes-and-standards/nfpa-285-standard-development/285)
- **6 feet** Fall protection is required in construction at 6 feet above a lower level under 29 CFR 1926.501, which shapes how panels are set and how the leading edge is worked. (source: OSHA 29 CFR 1926.501, https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/1926.501)
- **30%** Windows and the building envelope account for a large share of commercial heating and cooling load, which is why thermal break and glazing performance are specified as tightly as structural performance. (source: US Department of Energy, windows and building envelope, https://www.energy.gov/eere/buildings/windows-and-building-envelope)

## Pricing

- Single project: $180 per project, per month
- Contractor: $420 per project, per month
- Enterprise envelope: $760 per project, per month

## Questions

### What is a curtain wall?

A curtain wall is a non load bearing exterior building envelope that carries only its own weight plus wind and seismic loads back to the building structure. It hangs off the floor slabs rather than supporting them, which is why anchor tolerance and thermal movement dominate the installation.

### What is the difference between stick built and unitized?

Stick built curtain wall is assembled piece by piece in the field, with mullions and glass installed separately. Unitized curtain wall arrives as factory assembled panels, often a floor tall, that are set as complete units. Unitized shifts the labour to a controlled shop and the risk to the release schedule.

### How is a curtain wall water tested?

Laboratory mock ups are tested for air infiltration, static and dynamic water penetration and structural performance before production. In the field, AAMA 501.2 checks fixed joints with a calibrated nozzle, and ASTM E1105 tests installed assemblies under applied pressure, commonly at two thirds of the specified design pressure.

### Why do anchor tolerances cause so many problems?

Structural steel and cast in place concrete are built to construction tolerances that are far looser than the curtain wall system needs. The anchor has to take up the difference, and if the survey is not logged against each panel mark, the mismatch is discovered on the hoist.

### Does this replace our shop drawing system?

No. Detailing stays where it is. This tracks the field: anchor surveys, releases, panel status, test results and punch, against the same panel marks your drawings already use.

## Sources

- [Whole Building Design Guide, curtain walls](https://www.wbdg.org/guides-specifications/building-envelope-design-guide/wall-systems/curtain-walls)
- [Whole Building Design Guide, fenestration systems](https://www.wbdg.org/guides-specifications/building-envelope-design-guide/fenestration-systems)
- [OSHA 29 CFR 1926.501, fall protection](https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/1926.501)
- [US Department of Energy, windows and building envelope](https://www.energy.gov/eere/buildings/windows-and-building-envelope)

## Contact

- office@neurobird.com
- https://neurobird.com/