With the global target to promote energy saving in buildings, various studies draw attention to the role of environmentally benign building envelopes. In this regard, double-skin façades (DSFs) have been proposed as a promising passive building technology to enhance the energy efficiency and improve the indoor thermal comfort at the same time. A comprehensive analysis of the current design of DSFs, and their technical aspects is presented in this paper. Construction characteristics of DSFs are also reported. The impacts of DSFs on the energy efficiency and thermal performance are discussed by looking at measured and simulated performances. Findings confirm that significant benefits result from using DSFs. Finally, research opportunities are outlined for further investigation.