Global Energy Efficient Glass Market - Analysis & Forecast (2017-2026)

Market Overview

The global glass industry is progressing incessantly by the gradual shift towards smart and energy efficient glass technologies by the various end-user industries such as building & construction and transportation, among others. The demand for active glass technologies in the energy efficient glass market is surging rapidly and the trend is likely to continue over the upcoming years. The demand for the energy efficient glass products in the developed countries such as European countries such as Germany, France, and the U.K. is also witnessing high growth rates. In the emerging nations, especially the countries such as China, India, Brazil, Australia, and Singapore, a massive growth in the construction and transportation industry due to high population growth, urbanization, and rising per capita income of the individuals is driving the energy efficient glass market. Also, factors such as increasing urban population and growing disposable incomes are stimulating the growth in the consumption of the glass products.

With the increasing market penetration of sustainable and energy efficient technologies in the various end-user industries due to stringent governmental regulations, the global demand for energy efficient glass products is increasing. Therefore, to adhere to the governmental norms, the glass manufacturers across the globe are embracing energy efficient technologies. Moreover, with the increasing number of residential and commercial buildings, and cars, pollution levels have become uncontrollable. This has created an imperative need to use active and passive glass technologies that help in conserving energy, by lowering the needs of external temperature control devices such as air conditioners and heaters, among others. This technology aids in lowering the energy bills in the buildings, and in cars, and also controls the level of carbon emissions.

Moreover, the increasing air traffic and cargo deliveries, a global shift towards smart and user controlled technology, and growing demand from the emerging countries such as China, India, and Brazil are factors offering significant growth opportunities for the growth of the global energy efficient glass market. The government have also realized the need and importance of these technologies and thus, their initiatives to promote sustainable technologies is expected to further drive the growth of the market. The growth of this market is driven by certain other factors such as:

•    Growth in the glass industry
•    Increasing market penetration of smart & energy efficient glass in the construction and industries
•    Stringent governmental regulations for a sustainable future

However, there are certain challenges that are inhibiting the overall growth of the energy efficient glass market:

•    Cost & technological barriers
•    Lack of awareness

The global energy efficient glass market is expected to grow from $XX million in the year 2016 to $XX million by 2026 at a CAGR of 19.5% from 2016 to 2026. The imminent energy crisis, globally, is causing a shift towards energy efficient glass, and considerable research is being done to develop the low power-consuming technologies. The term ‘energy efficient’ is defined for anything that helps in conserving energy by using less energy for the same service. The energy efficient glass industry encompasses wide array of offerings under active and passive technological products. The active glass technology dominated the global energy efficient glass market in 2016 with a market share of 82.5%. This technology includes electrochromic glass, Suspended Particle Devices (SPDs), Polymer Display Liquid Crystal (PDLC), nano crystals and micro blinds, among others.

The energy efficient glass finds applications in windshields, mirrors, windows, doors, and sun-roofs, used in the various end-user industries of building & construction, transportation, consumer electronics, and power generation, among others. The energy efficient glass market by end-user industry was dominated by the transportation industry in 2016, holding a market share of XX%. Its market size was $XX million in 2016, and is estimated to reach $XX million by 2026, registering a CAGR of 19.8% in the forecast period. The transportation end-user industry is majorly dominated by the automotive industry, and the energy efficient glass technology offers immense potential in the end-user industries of aerospace and marine. Significant reduction in the fuel consumption, heat loads, carbon emission, and energy bills, along with protection of the interior parts, and passenger comfort & safety are some of the reasons why energy efficient glass is being preferred the most in the transportation industry. Stringent governmental regulations for the automobile manufacturers to improve the energy efficiency of a vehicle is another reason for the projected high demand and growth of this industry.

The trends of the energy efficient glass market vary with different geographical regions. The market holds a prominent share in various countries of North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC) and Rest of the World (RoW). Presently, North America is at the forefront of the energy efficient glass market, with high market penetration in the countries such as the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, among others. However, during the forecast period, the Asia Pacific region is projected to display the fastest market growth of over XX% from 2016 to 2026. The region presents immense scope for market development, owing to the increasing urban population size, growing market penetration of smart glass technologies in different end-user industries, and favorable investments by the government.

Competitive Landscape

The competitive landscape for the energy efficient glass market demonstrates an inclination of the companies towards adopting strategies such as product launch and development, and partnerships and collaborations. The companies adopt various strategies in order to gain and maintain their presence in the market. Some of the strategies adopted by the energy efficient glass manufacturers include agreements, collaborations, contracts, joint ventures & partnerships, expansions, new product launches & developments, and mergers & acquisitions. Among all the strategies adopted, agreements, collaborations, contracts, joint ventures & partnerships dominated the energy efficient glass market, and are the most widely adopted strategies among the glass manufacturers. The established players in the market are focusing on product launches and developments to introduce new technologies for broadening their existing product portfolios. Asahi Glass, Corning Inc., DuPont, Guardian Glass, Glass Apps, Morley Glass & Glazing, Nippon Sheet Glass, PPG Industries Inc., Pilkington, RavenWindow, Sage Electrochromics, Smartglass International Ltd. and View Inc., among others, are some of the prominent players in the energy efficient glass market. The market is severely fragmented with the presence of innumerable small-sized to medium-sized companies that compete with each other and with the large enterprises.

The key players operating in the energy efficient glass market have ramped up their product launch activities over the recent years, in order to generate public awareness about their existing and new products and technologies, and compete with the competitors’ product portfolio. This has been the most widely adopted strategy by the players in this market. Moreover, partnerships and collaborations strategies have also been significantly employed for expansion in the energy efficient glass market. With the increasing growth in the global market, companies operating in this industry are compelled to come up with collaborative strategies in order to sustain in the intensely competitive market.