Global Markets and Technologies for Smart Glass -- Focus on Construction

Introduction

Abstract

• The global market for smart glass-based products increased from $883.1 million in 2009 to $1.2 billion in 2010, and was valued at nearly $1.6 billion in 2011. The market is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.6% from 2011 to 2016, reaching global revenues of nearly $4.2 billion in 2016.
• The construction segment reached $92.7 million in 2010 and $113.3 million in 2011. This segment is expected to reach $224.3 million by 2016, a CAGR of 14.6%.
• The smart glass products in the construction segment are frequently used in commercial buildings for privacy glass. This market reached reached $69.8 million in 2010 and $79.7 million in 2011. The market is expected to reach $129.5 million by 2016, a CAGR of 10.6%.

SUMMARY FIGURE
GLOBAL MARKET FOR SMART GLASS PRODUCTS, 2009 - 2016
($ MILLIONS)

Source: BCC Research

The origins of smart glass can be traced back to the year 1704, when the first electrochromic material was discovered, but interest in smart glass technology only started to gain significant momentum in the early 1970s, when the number of research activities resulting in patent applications and issued patents increased rapidly. This led to the development of improved fabrication processes, advanced properties and an increased number of applications spanning many industrial sectors.

BCC published its first report on smart glass in February 2009. Since then, the market for these materials and related products has continued to expand. New technological developments and industry changes have also taken place.

The primary goal of this report is to provide new insights into current smart glass technology, as well as to outline technological trends and offer an updated market analysis for these materials.

Specifically, the major objectives of this study are:

• To provide an update review of smart glasses, including a description of their types and fabrication technologies.
• To highlight new technological developments in smart glass manufacturing while outlining technical issues.
• To review current fields of application for smart glass and investigate emerging applications.
• To estimate current global markets for smart glass based on type, application and region, with growth forecasts through 2016 for each market segment.
• To identify important technology and market trends within each market segment.
• To offer an updated review of current producers of smart glass.
• To determine trends in U.S. patents issued during the period from 2009 to 2011.

The term smart glass refers to a group of chromogenic materials that change their light transmission properties when voltages are applied. The ability of these materials to change opacity and/or color when voltages are applied has been exploited in numerous applications, including architectural use, residential and commercial construction, interior design, museum artwork expositions, high-end appliances, advanced displays, automotive mirrors and privacy glass.

In 2008, the market for smart glass-based products was valued at more than $1 billion. After several years of healthy growth, the market for smart glass experienced a slowdown in growth as a result of the global economic downturn in 2008 and 2009. Since BCC's last report in 2009, global economic conditions have gradually improved. In addition, smart glass fabrication technologies have continued to evolve. Several new applications have been developed, whereas others are ready to exit the development stage and enter commercialization.

The principal reason for doing this study is to present a current assessment of the smart glass industry by focusing on markets and technologies, as well as to outline future trends and key developments.

There is also a need to evaluate the current status and future trends of the smart glass industry from a global standpoint. As use of smart glass-based products expands and new fields of application emerge, information on regional production, sales and supplier types becomes more valuable.

An equally important reason for undertaking this study is to provide technical insights into smart glass manufacturing by:

• Providing a review of fabrication technologies.
• Identifying current technical issues.
• Providing an overview of the main global research and development (R&D) activities related to smart glass, resulting in the issuance of patents.
• Illustrating the latest technological developments.

This information can assist companies in identifying opportunities for process and productivity improvements, resulting in a positive impact on future market growth.

This study provides an updated review of smart glass technology, including materials and fabrication processes, and identifies current and emerging applications for this technology.

BCC Research determines the current market status of smart glass, defines trends and presents growth forecasts for the next five years. The smart glass industry is also analyzed on a global basis from the standpoint of both manufacturing and consumption. In addition, technological issues, including key events and the latest process developments, are discussed.

More specifically, BCC's market analysis is divided into eight sections.

The first section provides a historical review of smart glass technology, including an outline of recent events. The report also offers a description of current and emerging applications for smart glass.

The second section provides a technological review of smart glass types, materials and their fabrication processes. This section concludes with an analysis of the most important technological developments and improvements since 2009, including examples of significant patents recently issued or applied for.

The third section entails a global market analysis of smart glass. Global revenues (i.e., sales data in millions of dollars) are presented by product type, application and region, with actual data referring to the years 2009 and 2010, and estimates for 2011.

This section concludes with a presentation of market growth trends based on industry growth, technological trends and regional trends. Projected revenues for smart glass are reported, with forecast compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) for the period 2011 through 2016.

Next, three optional sections are offered. These sections provide a more focused discussion of the smart glass market for the three main sectors in which smart glass finds application: transportation and aerospace, construction and electronics and others. In these optional sections, additional details by sector on applications, current market breakdown, industry growth and key trends and developments are provided, in addition to a market summary for the last three years and growth projections for the next five years for each application. Also included are market data by smart glass type, material and region for each sector evaluated.

In the next section, which covers global industry structure, the report offers a list of the leading manufacturers of smart glass, along with descriptions of their products. The analysis includes a description of the geographical distribution of these suppliers and an evaluation of smart glass production versus consumption, always from a geographical standpoint. Detailed company profiles of the top industry players are also provided.

The final section includes an extensive U.S. patent analysis, with a summary of patents related to smart glass materials, fabrication processes and applications issued during the period from 2009 through 2011. Patent analysis is performed by region, country, assignee, patent category, application and smart glass type.

To analyze the overall market and market segments, both primary and secondary research methodologies were used to obtain market data.

The technology section of this report is based on information derived from technical literature, related BCC reports, professional journals, the author's field experience and online sources.

Global market analysis was performed by analyzing 65 manufacturers and developers of smart glass, accounting for at least 95% of the global market. Data were obtained from the direct contribution of primary sources, including company executives, managers, engineers and other technical personnel representing manufacturers, developers and users of smart glass; representatives of academia and trade associations; and industry market analysts.

Additional data for each company were obtained by thoroughly analyzing Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings, Internet websites, annual reports, industry directories, industry magazines and catalogs, government sources and other public sources.

Secondary sources of information include, but are not limited to:

• U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Filings .
• U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
• European Patent Office.
• Company websites.
• Company annual reports.
• Thomas Register.
• Moody's Directory.
• S & P Industry Survey.
• Dun and Bradstreet Business Directory.
• American Ceramic Society Publications.
• American Chemical Society Publications.
• Foreign Chamber of Commerce Directories.
• Foreign Stock Exchange Listings.

In addition to utilizing these primary and secondary sources, market growth trends and forecasts were compiled by gaining additional insights from relevant financial and market information, relevant BCC reports and the author's own in-depth and comprehensive analysis of the collected information.

Margareth Gagliardi, BCC's Chief Research Analyst in Advanced Materials, has more than 25 years of experience in the field of advanced materials, specializing in ceramic formulations, materials processing and new product development. She has held management positions in both manufacturing and R&D within U.S. and European firms producing electronic, mechanical, chemical and structural components. She holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and an M.S. in Ceramic Engineering.

Ms. Gagliardi has authored numerous BCC Research studies.

Table of Contents

Global Markets and Technologies for Smart Glass -- Focus on Construction

Chapter - 1: INTRODUCTION - Complimentary

• STUDY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
• REASONS FOR DOING THIS STUDY
• INTENDED AUDIENCE
• SCOPE OF REPORT
• METHODOLOGY AND INFORMATION SOURCES
• RELATED BCC RESEARCH STUDIES
• ANALYST CREDENTIALS
• BCC ONLINE SERVICES
• DISCLAIMER

Chapter - 2: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

• Table Summary: GLOBAL MARKET FOR SMART GLASS PRODUCTS, THROUGH 2016
• Figure Summary: GLOBAL MARKET FOR SMART GLASS PRODUCTS, 2009 - 2016

Chapter - 3: OVERVIEW

• INTRODUCTION
• MILESTONES IN THE HISTORY OF SMART GLASS AND RECENT EVENTS
• APPLICATIONS FOR SMART GLASS

Chapter - 4: TECHNOLOGIES AND MATERIALS FOR SMART GLASS

• INTRODUCTION
• SMART GLASS TYPES, MATERIALS AND FABRICATION PROCESSES
• LATEST TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS FROM 2009 TO PRESENT

Chapter - 5: GLOBAL MARKETS

• ANALYSIS OUTLINE
• GLOBAL MARKET SUMMARY
• CURRENT MARKET STATUS
• MARKET GROWTH TRENDS
• MARKET FORECAST

Chapter - 6: CONSTRUCTION

• OBJECTIVE
• SMART GLASS FOR CONSTRUCTION
• CURRENT MARKET BY APPLICATION
• ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON INDUSTRY GROWTH
• RECENT INDUSTRY EVENTS AND DEVELOPMENTS
• MARKET SUMMARY AND FORECAST

Chapter - 7: GLOBAL INDUSTRY STRUCTURE

• MANUFACTURERS OF SMART GLASS PRODUCTS
• NOTABLE RECENT INDUSTRY CHANGES
• OTHER PLAYERS IN THE SMART GLASS INDUSTRY
• SMART GLASS PRODUCTION BY REGION
• SMART GLASS CONSUMPTION BY REGION
• COMPANY PROFILES
  • Table 25: MANUFACTURERS OF SMART GLASS PRODUCTS, 2012
  • Table 26: MANUFACTURERS OF SMART GLASS PRODUCTS BY TYPE, 2012
  • Table 27: SUPPLIERS OF SMART GLASS PRODUCTS BY TYPE AND REGION, 2012
  • Figure 13: MANUFACTURERS OF SMART GLASS PRODUCTS: DISTRIBUTION BY SIZE, 2012
  • Figure 14: HISTORICAL GROWTH OF MANUFACTURERS OF SMART GLASS PRODUCTS, 1995 - 2012

Chapter - 8: U.S. PATENT ANALYSIS

• INTRODUCTION
• SUMMARY OF PATENTS AWARDED, 2009 - 2011
• GENERAL TRENDS
• TRENDS BY COUNTRY AND REGION
• TRENDS BY ASSIGNEE
• TRENDS BY PATENT CATEGORY
• TRENDS BY APPLICATION
• TRENDS BY SMART GLASS TYPE

• Summary Table: GLOBAL MARKET FOR SMART GLASS PRODUCTS, THROUGH 2016
• Table 1: SMART GLASS - TECHNOLOGICAL MILESTONES
• Table 2: APPLICATIONS FOR SMART GLASS, 2012
• Table 3: TRADITIONAL SMART GLASS TECHNOLOGIES
• Table 4: GLOBAL MARKET FOR SMART GLASS PRODUCTS, THROUGH 2016
• Table 5: GLOBAL MARKET FOR SMART GLASS PRODUCTS, THROUGH 2011
• Table 6: SMART GLASS PRODUCTS: GLOBAL REVENUES BY TYPE, THROUGH 2011
• Table 7: PRODUCTS BASED ON ELECTROCHROMIC TECHNOLOGY: GLOBAL REVENUES BY MATERIAL, THROUGH 2011
• Table 8: SMART GLASS PRODUCTS: GLOBAL REVENUES BY APPLICATION, THROUGH 2011
• Table 9: SMART GLASS PRODUCTS: REVENUES BY REGION, THROUGH 2011
• Table 10: FORECAST - FLAT GLASS: GLOBAL REVENUES BY SECTOR, THROUGH 2016
• Table 11: FORECAST - FLAT GLASS: GLOBAL REVENUES BY REGION, THROUGH 2016
• Table 12: TECHNOLOGICAL TRENDS AND DRIVING FORCES FOR SMART GLASS GROWTH WITHIN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR, 2011 - 2016
• Table 13: TECHNOLOGICAL TRENDS AND DRIVING FORCES FOR SMART GLASS GROWTH WITHIN THE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR, 2011 - 2016
• Table 14: FORECAST - ADVANCED DISPLAYS: GLOBAL REVENUES BY TYPE, THROUGH 2016
• Table 15: FORECAST - SMART GLASS PRODUCTS: GLOBAL REVENUES BY APPLICATION, THROUGH 2016
• Table 16: FORECAST - SMARTGLASS PRODUCTS: GLOBAL REVENUES BY TYPE, THROUGH 2016
• Table 17: FORECAST - PRODUCTS BASED ON ELECTROCHROMIC TECHNOLOGY: GLOBAL REVENUES BY MATERIAL, THROUGH 2016
• Table 18: FORECAST - SMART GLASS PRODUCTS: REVENUES BY REGION, THROUGH 2016
• Table 19: SMART GLASS APPLICATIONS IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR, 2012
• Table 20: SMART GLASS FOR CONSTRUCTION: GLOBAL REVENUES BY APPLICATION, 2011
• Table 21: FORECAST - SMART GLASS PRODUCTS FOR CONSTRUCTION: GLOBAL REVENUES BY APPLICATION, THROUGH 2016
• Table 22: FORECAST - SMART GLASS PRODUCTS FOR CONSTRUCTION: GLOBAL REVENUES BY TYPE, THROUGH 2016
• Table 23: FORECAST - SMART GLASS PRODUCTS FOR CONSTRUCTION: GLOBAL REVENUES BY MATERIAL, THROUGH 2016
• Table 24: FORECAST - SMART GLASS PRODUCTS FOR CONSTRUCTION: REVENUES BY REGION, THROUGH 2016
• Table 25: MANUFACTURERS OF SMART GLASS PRODUCTS, 2012
• Table 26: MANUFACTURERS OF SMART GLASS PRODUCTS BY TYPE, 2012
• Table 27: SUPPLIERS OF SMART GLASS PRODUCTS BY TYPE AND REGION, 2012
• Table 28: NOTABLE RECENT INDUSTRY CHANGES
• Table 29: OTHER RELEVANT PLAYERS IN THE SMART GLASS INDUSTRY, 2012
• Table 30: SMART GLASS PRODUCTS: MANUFACTURING BY REGION, 2009 - 2016
• Table 31: SMART GLASS PRODUCTS: CONSUMPTION BY REGION, 2009 - 2016
• Table 32: SMART GLASS - U.S. PATENTS, 2011
• Table 33: SMART GLASS - U.S. PATENTS, 2010
• Table 34: SMART GLASS - U.S. PATENTS, 2009
• Table 35: SMART GLASS: U.S. PATENT TRENDS, 2006 - 2011
• Table 36: ASSIGNEES OF U.S. PATENTS RELATED TO SMART GLASS, 2009 - 2011

• Summary Figure: GLOBAL MARKET FOR SMART GLASS PRODUCTS, 2009 - 2016
• Figure 1: THE GLASS INDUSTRY: GLOBAL MARKET SHARE BY SEGMENT, 2011
• Figure 2: SMART GLASS - WORLDWIDE PATENT APPLICATIONS AND PATENTS ISSUED SINCE 1960
• Figure 3: GLOBAL MARKET FOR SMART GLASS PRODUCTS, 2009 - 2016
• Figure 4: GLOBAL MARKET FOR SMART GLASS PRODUCTS, 2009 - 2011
• Figure 5: GLOBAL MARKET FOR SMART GLASS PRODUCTS, 2009 - 2011
• Figure 6: SMART GLASS PRODUCTS: MARKET SHARE BY APPLICATION, 2011
• Figure 7: SMART GLASS PRODUCTS: MARKET SHARE BY REGION, 2011
• Figure 8: FORECAST - FLAT GLASS: MARKET SHARE BY SECTOR, 2011 AND 2016
• Figure 9: FORECAST - FLAT GLASS: MARKET SHARE BY REGION, 2011 AND 2016
• Figure 10: FORECAST - SMART GLASS PRODUCTS: MARKET SHARE BY APPLICATION, 2016
• Figure 11: FORECAST - SMART GLASS PRODUCTS: GLOBAL MARKET BY TYPE, 2016
• Figure 12: FORECAST - SMART GLASS PRODUCTS: MARKET SHARE BY REGION, 2016
• Figure 13: MANUFACTURERS OF SMART GLASS PRODUCTS: DISTRIBUTION BY SIZE, 2012
• Figure 14: HISTORICAL GROWTH OF MANUFACTURERS OF SMART GLASS PRODUCTS, 1995 - 2012
• Figure 15: SMART GLASS: U.S. PATENT TRENDS, 2006-2011
• Figure 16: U.S. PATENTS RELATED TO SMART GLASS BY REGION, 2009 - 2011
• Figure 17: SMART GLASS: PATENTS BY COUNTRY, 2009 - 2011
• Figure 18: SMART GLASS: SHARES OF U.S. PATENTS BY ORGANIZATION TYPE, 2009 - 2011
• Figure 19: SMART GLASS: SHARES OF U.S. PATENTS BY CATEGORY, 2009 - 2011
• Figure 20: SMART GLASS: SHARES OF U.S. PATENTS BY APPLICATION, 2009 - 2011
• Figure 21: SMART GLASS: SHARES OF U.S. PATENTS BY MATERIAL TYPE, 2009 - 2011

Global Markets and Technologies for Smart Glass -- Focus on Construction published by BCC Research in May 21, 2012. This report consists of 141 Pages and the price starts from US $ 4400.