Feb 29 2012
Industry analyst firm NanoMarkets has announced the release of its latest report on smart windows, “Smart Windows Markets 2012.” In the report the firm analyzes the opportunities for smart windows including hot new technologies such as thermochromics, photochromics, PDLC and SPD. It also covers the established markets for retrofit window films and low-e glass.
The report also discusses the activities of some of the important firms in the smart windows space including: 3M, Asahi Glass, Beijing All Brilliant, Chiefway, Chromogenics, Citala, Commonwealth,Corning, DuPont, Garware, GE, Gentex, GlasNovations, Guardian Industries, Johnson Laminations, Materion, Mitsubishi, NSG/Pilkington, Pleotint, Polytron, Polytronix, PPG, Ravenbrick, Sage, Saint-Gobain, Schott, Sekisui, SKC Haas, Smart Glass, Soladigm, Solutia (Eastman Chemicals), Toray Plastics, Switch Materials, US e-Chromics and Zeledyne.
The report provides forecasts of all of the smart windows technologies and materials mentioned above for both the architectural and transportation sectors of the smart windows market, with breakouts by both market value and area covered, as well as by glass or film substrates.
Additional details about the report are available at: http://nanomarkets.net/market_reports/report/smart_windows_markets_2012
NanoMarkets has recently released related other related reports in the areas of BIPV glass, flexible glass, transparent conductors and conductive coatings.
From the Report:
NanoMarkets strongly believes that smart window technologies will grow significantly in the coming decade on the basis of their ability to improve energy efficiencies within both the architectural and transportation sectors. Beyond energy conservation, smart windows also offer improved aesthetics, functionality and margins for builders, manufacturers and materials suppliers.
Materials and specialty chemical firms are a key constituency of the smart window supply chain and the smart window market will be largely fueled by innovation in specialty chemicals and materials science. The major growth areas are electrochromic coatings and self-cleaning coatings with thermochromic coatings will provide somewhat moderate growth opportunities for material suppliers. The market for electrochromic glass windows in particular is expected to almost quadruple to over $2.1 billion market by 2017, with the new smart technologies, PDLC and SPD, generating almost $800 million by the same year.
Smart windows will further provide a growth platform for architectural glass manufacturers and window manufacturers. Already “pricey” architectural glass and window products can be sold at incremental price increase, while providing valuable additional features such as energy savings with smart coatings on the windows and glass facades.
For the construction and architectural side of things, NanoMarkets believes that firms who focus on LEED design and construction, and who adopt smart windows technologies, will benefit the most. As smart windows technology grows and pervades the marketplace, it will eventually become a “required technology” for LEED design and construction. Therefore, architectural and construction firms that are early adopters of smart windows technology in their building designs will gain a sustainable competitive advantage for growing their businesses.