Courtney Humphries of Boston Globe argues that the current trend for extensive use of glass in buildings contradicts today's strive for sustainability and "green building." When New York started tracking energy use by skyscrapers, the gleaming 7 World Trade Center — one of that city’s more efficient glass towers — scored worse than the 1930s-era Empire State Building."

Taking a lot of energy to heat and cool, glass buildings do not fit well with most climates. "Unlike opaque walls, glass allows heat to pass in and out easily. A 2014 report from the Urban Green Council in New York found that glass buildings have insulation values equivalent to medieval half-timber houses." As the author adds, "Transparent walls also limit privacy, and sunlight can create glare. Reflections on glass buildings can also be a problem; one London skyscraper infamously melted cars parked outside. The Urban Green Council has found that occupants of glass buildings often cover their views with shades and curtains, negating the effect of transparent walls. And a study by Love’s team found that floor-to-ceiling glass doesn’t bring in significantly more daylight than windows covering half the wall."

While building codes dictate that less than 30 to 40 percent of the walls of a building should be glass due to its energy impact, those requirements can be sidestepped by reducing energy use in other ways. "Developers can meet building codes and even win LEED ratings by investing in fancy, super-efficient heating and cooling systems."