Abstract
The performance of window systems in contemporary buildings is influenced not just by their material attributes but also primarily by the quality of their installation. This work examines window installation as a critical element that affects system thermal performance, airtightness, acoustic insulation, moisture resistance, and long-term economic performance. By using recent empirical, experimental, and numerical research, this paper examines how the installed defects at the window - wall interface contribute to thermal bridging, air leakage, and moisture ingress, resulting in decreased system durability and performance. The study introduces a model called the Integrated Window Installation Performance Model (IWIPM). It defines installation quality as the multidimensional variable that connects execution exactness with performance outcomes and interface fidelity and environmental interaction. After an orderly literature review, the research shows that improper installation not only reduces energy efficiency but also increases long-term consequences like structural deterioration and inflated maintenance costs. The findings show how installation quality serves as a performance booster: both near-term technical results and efficiency of cost-effectiveness over the course of a life cycle are influenced in turn by its impact. The paper argues that installation is something that should be seen as a critical engineering process rather than a procedural step, integrating it clearly within design, construction, and quality control.
References
1. Choi, J. S., Kim, Y., & Park, J. (2022). Dynamic thermal bridge evaluation of window-wall joints using a model-based thermography method. Case Studies in Thermal Engineering, (35), 102117. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csite.2022.102117
2. Caniato, M., Bettarello, F., Marsich, L., & Fausti, P. (2020). Sound insulation of complex façades: A complete study combining different numerical approaches. Applied Acoustics, (168), 107484. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apacoust.2020.107484
3. Evola, G., Costanzo, V., Urso, A., Tardo, C., & Margani, G. (2022). Energy performance of a prefabricated timber-based retrofit solution applied to a pilot building in Southern Europe. Building and Environment, (222), 109442. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2022.109442
4. Friis, N. K., Jensen, R. L., & Hansen, T. K. (2023). Hygrothermal conditions in the facades of residential buildings in Nuuk and Sisimiut. Building and Environment, (245), 110838. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2023.110838
5. Gendelis, S., Shamilov, P., Jakovičs, A., Biriukovych, P., & Khmelenko, S. (2026). Numerical Optimisation of Window Installation Thermal Bridges for Sustainable Buildings: The Impact of Mounting Position. Sustainability, 18(7), 3474. https://doi.org/10.3390/su18073474
6. Hou, J., Liu, Z.-A., & Zhang, L. (2023). Influence and sensitivity evaluation of window thermal parameters variations on economic benefits of insulation materials for building exterior walls: A case study for traditional dwelling in China. Thermal Science and Engineering Progress, (49), 102207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsep.2023.102207
7. Kysela, P., Ponechal, R., & Michálková, D. (2023). Airtightness of a Critical Joint in a Timber-Based Building Affected by the Seasonal Climate Change. Buildings, 13(3), 698. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13030698
8. Lopez-Carreon, I., Jahan, E., Yari, M. H., Esmizadeh, E., Riahinezhad, M., Lacasse, M., Xiao, Z., & Dragomirescu, E. (2025). Moisture Ingress in Building Envelope Materials: (II) Transport Mechanisms and Practical Mitigation Approaches. Buildings, 15(5), 762. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15050762
9. Mattsson, C., Nordquist, B., Johansson, D., Bagge, H., & Wallentén, P. (2024). A quantitative and qualitative literature review of water damage in buildings occurring in building service systems, appliances and wet rooms. Indoor and built environment, 33(7), 1173–1189. https://doi.org/10.1177/1420326X241248331
10. Moghaddam, S. A., Mattsson, M., Ameen, A., Akander, J., Gameiro Da Silva, M., & Simões, N. (2021). Low-emissivity window films as an energy retrofit option for a historical stone building in a cold climate. Energies, 14(22), 7584. https://doi.org/10.3390/en14227584
11. Moumtzakis, A., Zoras, S., Evagelopoulos, V., & Dimoudi, A. (2022). Experimental Investigation of Thermal Bridges and Heat Transfer through Window Frame Elements at Achieving Energy Saving. Energies, 15(14), 5055. https://doi.org/10.3390/en15145055
12. Nurzyński, J. (2023). The acoustic effect of windows installed in a wood frame façade. Archives of Acoustics, 48(2), 183–190. https://doi.org/10.24425/aoa.2023.146269
13. Oh, S., Ahn, H., Bae, M., & Kang, J. (2025). Development and analysis of easy-to-implement green retrofit technologies for windows to reduce heating energy use in older residential buildings. Sustainability, 17(8), 3307. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17083307
14. Petresevics, F., & Nagy, B. (2022). FEM-based evaluation of the point thermal transmittance of various types of ventilated façade cladding fastening systems. Buildings, 12(8), 1153. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12081153
15. Qin, X., Liu, H., Zhang, X., Jiang, N., Yang, L., & Jin, X. (2024). Thermal analysis of the window-wall interface for renovation of historical buildings. Energy and Buildings, (310), 114108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2024.114108
16. Shah, B., Bhandari, M., & Tang, M. (2024). Importance of Window Installation in Residential Building Envelopes Having Continuous External Insulation in Order to Realize Energy Efficiency. Energies, 17(17), 4273. https://doi.org/10.3390/en17174273
17. Tabet Aoul, K. A., Hagi, R., Abdelghani, R., Syam, M., & Akhozheya, B. (2021). Building envelope thermal defects in existing and under-construction housing in the UAE: Infrared thermography diagnosis and qualitative impacts analysis. Sustainability, 13(4), 2230. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13042230
18. Tombarević, E., Vušanović, I., & Šekularac, M. (2023). The Impact of Windows Replacement on Airtightness and Energy Consumption of a Single Apartment in a Multi-Family Residential Building in Montenegro: A Case Study. Energies, 16(5), 2208. https://doi.org/10.3390/en16052208
19. Yoon, S., Son, S., & Kim, S. (2021). Design, construction, and curing integrated management of defects in finishing works of apartment buildings. Sustainability, 13(10), 5382. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13105382
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2026 Serhii Kovalskyi