Smart Glass Market - By Technology (Active {Electrochromic, Suspended Particle Device (SPD), Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal (PDLC)}, Passive {Photochromic, Thermochromic}), By Application (Construction & Architecture, Transportation, Electronics) & Forecast, 2021-2027

Smart Glass Market Size

Smart Glass Market size was valued at USD 3.66 billion in 2020 and will showcase a growth rate of around 10.1% CAGR from the period of 2021 to 2027 owing to the rising awareness about energy losses through the residential & commercial infrastructure along with proliferating luxury automotive sales. The continuous R&D investments and development of new products will further be supporting smart glass demand over the study timeframe.
 

Smart glass, also known as switchable glass, light control glass, or privacy glass, is a glazing technology or glass, whose light transmission properties are altered with the changes in light, voltages, and heat applied. The transparency of glass changes from transparent product to translucent or opaque and vice versa, offering privacy along with energy savings in residential & commercial buildings. The products are used in a wide range of applications including construction & architecture, automotive, aircraft, electronics, and others.
 

Various OEM manufacturers are largely targeting residential & commercial fenestration owing to the rising demand for energy-efficient buildings. Energy conservation and lower CO₂ emissions have become an inherent part of the environmental agenda in several economies including the U.S., the UK, France, China, Canada, and Germany.

Buildings and their maintenance utilize around 30%-40% of the primary energy supply for ventilation, heating, cooling, and lighting. On account of the high standard of living and architectural use of glass on a larger scale, these countries account for the highest use of HVAC systems to combat the incoming heat. In transportation, smart glass-based mirrors & windows are used in automobiles and aircraft lower glaring, resulting in lower accident risks, increasing response time, and providing privacy & security to passengers.

The ability of light control glass to provide improvised control on light transmission has made it popular among various interior designers and architects. Light control glass can easily transform a space from open to private, and anywhere in between with dimming structures and changing shading properties of glass windows and doors.
 

Further, privacy glass is becoming a popular choice amongst automotive customers to retain clear views through auto windows and sunroofs. Switchable glass minimizes solar rays that cause skin damage, road glare, and deterioration of interiors. The rising adoption of light control glass in the automotive & transportation industries is likely to enhance the smart glass market share over the forecast period.
 

Digitalization and technological advancements such as Industry 4.0, IIoT, and others are increasingly used by automotive manufacturers to minimize costs, adding value through customization to build a constructive & deep customer relationship. The automotive manufacturers are performing excellent in this field and working with switchable glass manufacturers to incorporate several technologies into their new innovations.
 

For instance, in January 2019, during the CES 2019 exhibition, Ford unveiled its “Feel the View technology”. The technology helps visually impaired occupants to feel the landscape with their fingers. Additionally, General Motors launched its new switchable glass window technology, which enabled parents to keep children occupied during long commutes, by allowing them to draw on the smart windows. Such innovations will enable the smart glass market manufacturers to expand their footprints in the automotive segment.
 

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted business process functioning of several industries across the globe and adversely affected the market in 2020. The exponential rise in the COVID-19 cases in North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific along with lockdowns by several economies including UK, France, Italy, Spain, and India, among others, during the first half of FY2020 has adversely disrupted the whole demand-supply scenario. The declined sales of automotive and lower investments in the residential construction sector during FY 2020 have shown severe adverse effects on the global smart glass market.
 

Smart Glass Market Analysis

Active smart glass technology will dominate the market with over 70% volumetric shares in 2027. This is a type of glass that controls or alters the transmission of light using electrical power. It is a user-controlled technology that adjusts the voltage supply, providing on-demand results. Its switching speed and tint change are its most sought-after attributes in the global market.
 

Active glass technology, such as PDLC, is also available in film format (lamination smart film and self-adhesive smart film), making it more cost-efficient. Active switchable glass is segregated into electrochromic, nanocrystal, micro-blends, Suspended Particle Device (SPD), and Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal (PDLC) technologies.
 

The power source and installation designs for active smart glass will vary according to the technologies used. SPD technology offer changes in desired level of shading or light blocking in up to 3 seconds. SPD is expected to generate around USD 814 million revenue by 2027 owing to several advantages offered by it including ease of cleaning, availability in a wide range of glass types & shapes, and custom shading, among others.
 

Construction & architecture application held dominance in the market, generating around USD 2.04 billion in revenue in 2020. The global construction & architecture sectors will report impressive growth over the next seven years on account of the growing investments in emerging economies.
 

Further, the North American construction market reached around USD 1,779 billion in 2017 and is expected to grow at 4.4% until 2022. The current U.S. president's infrastructure plan including measures to improve permitting procedures, support education & training programs, and allow private investments & financing in new asset classes will be some of the drivers for construction sector growth in the country.
 

On the other hand, the construction sector has shown growth, valuing at USD 126.3 billion and accounting for over 7% of Canada’s GDP. The residential housing sector of Canada has led to growth in the overall construction industry on account of the increasing immigrant influx. A recent update from Statistics Canada indicated a population growth of over 1.4% from July 2018 to July 2019, the highest in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
 

The Europe region will witness substantial demand over the forecast period at the rate of 10.3% CAGR from 2021 to 2027. Europe has a wider presence of glassmakers and global & regional smart glass manufacturers such as Halio, Saint-Gobain, NSG Group, etc.; and importantly, higher spending capacity of the end-user. Additionally, European countries such as France, Germany, the UK, and Italy are increasingly taking efforts to increase their sustainable practices. It includes lowering the energy consumption of buildings and making automobiles safer & energy efficient.
 

Smart glass is increasingly employed for both purposes, driving the smart glass demand in Europe. Further, the expansion of production facilities by several automotive manufacturers in region along with stringent energy efficiency laws for the residential sector is supporting the smart glass market sales over the forecast timeframe.
 

Smart Glass Market Share

Key players engaged in the smart glass industry include:

• Saint-Gobain
• Asahi Glass
• NSG Group
• Merck KGaA
• View Inc
• Smartglass International
• RavenWindow
• Gauzy
• Pleotint LLC
• Polytronix
• Research Frontiers

Industry players are engaged in product development, integration with several automotive manufacturers, R&D investments, and establishment of new production facilities to enhance their market shares. For instance, in December 2019, Research Frontiers Inc. celebrated the opening of a new SPD glass production facility in Germany.
 

Global smart glass market report includes in-depth coverage of the industry with estimates & forecast in terms of volume in thousand sq. meter & revenue in USD million from 2017 to 2027 for the following segments:

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By Technology

• Active Glass
  • Electrochromic
  • Suspended Particle Device (SPD)
  • Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal (PDLC)
  • Others
• Passive Glass
  • Photochromic
  • Thermochromic
  • Others

By Application

• Construction & Architecture
• Transportation
• Electronics
• Others

By Region

• North America
  • U.S.
  • Canada
• Europe
  • Germany
  • UK
  • France
  • Spain
  • Italy
  • Russia
• Asia pacific
  • China
  • India
  • Japan
  • Australia
  • Indonesia
  • Malaysia
  • South Kore
• Latin America
  • Brazil
  • Mexico
• Middle East & Africa
  • South Africa
  • Saudi Arabia
  • UAE