Innovative load-bearing timber-glass composite elements were designed for sustainable architecture. To be used within façades they comprise three major structural components: a glass pane, a timber substructure and a load-bearing adhesive joint holding both parts together. Timber-glass composite elements take advantage of the in-plane load-bearing capacity of glass. The current study relates to timber-glass composite shear walls where the composite action is obtained via a circumferential bond connecting the glass to a timber frame. It summarizes relevant aspects of building construction and shows the potential which arises from the use of adhesives of medium and high stiffness.