Glass is generally faster at conducting heat than a wall. This is due to the differences in thermal conductivity between the two materials. Glass has a thermal conductivity of approximately 0.8 W/m·K, while typical building materials like brick or concrete have a thermal conductivity ranging from 0.1 to 0.8 W/m·K. This means that heat can travel through glass more quickly than through a wall made of these materials.

The reason for this lies in the atomic and molecular structure of the materials. Glass is an amorphous solid, meaning it lacks a regular, repeating pattern of atoms. This structure allows for more free electrons and phonons, which are the quasiparticles that carry heat in solids, to move and transfer energy. In contrast, walls made of materials like brick or concrete have a more ordered atomic structure, which hinders the movement of heat-carrying particles.

Data from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) supports this. ASHRAE's Handbook of Fundamentals states that the thermal conductivity of glass is significantly higher than that of common building materials. This higher thermal conductivity results in faster heat transfer through glass compared to walls.

In practical applications, this means that if you have a glass window and a wall of similar thickness, the glass will heat up or cool down more quickly in response to changes in external temperature. This can have implications for energy efficiency and comfort in buildings, as glass can contribute to faster heat exchange, potentially leading to higher energy consumption for heating or cooling. However, the overall performance also depends on other factors such as insulation and the specific design of the building.