by Shane Henson — July 6, 2012—Facilities owners and managers, green building professionals, and those specifying products for energy efficiency renovation projects are discovering that smarter buildings can benefit from smart glass, a class of products used in windows, glass screens, and partitions that provides glare, light, and heat control dynamically, based on ambient conditions or manual controls. Also referred to as dimmable glass, switchable glass, or dynamic glass (or glazing), smart glass is used in a variety of applications, primarily architecture and transportation.
According to a new report from cleantech market intelligence provider Pike Research titled Smart Glass, the market value for architectural and transportation smart glass, which stands at $84 million today, will grow to $693 million worldwide by 2020 as more building professionals experience the benefits of the emerging technology.
“High-performance buildings require a level of control over energy that many of today’s automation systems are only now starting to address,” says senior Pike Research analyst Eric Bloom. “Smart glass is an innovative technology that both provides building owners unprecedented control over solar heat gain and offers a visually impressive alternative to flat glass.”
Worldwide demand for smart glass will exceed 3 million square meters annually by 2020, Bloom adds.
While North America and Europe are forecast to lead the market in terms of overall revenue, growth will be especially strong in China, which continues to undergo a massive building boom, notes the report. The full report provides an overview of the various smart glass technologies that are gaining traction in the marketplace and describes the applications best suited to smart glass in the buildings, automotive, aerospace, and marine sectors.
Market drivers and barriers, and costs and benefits, of smart glass illustrate the challenges and growth prospects for this technology. Market forecasts are provided through 2020 for global demand and market value, segmented by the architectural and transportation sectors, along with a review of key industry players.
