Smart glass, also referred to as switchable, dimmable, or dynamic glass or glazing, varies the light transmittance and thermal properties of windows depending on changing ambient conditions and the needs of users and occupants. This class of high-performance glazing products offers significant energy efficiency, aesthetic, and user comfort and wellbeing benefits as compared to conventional “static” glazing. As benefits this industry, building and automotive design trends are showing a greater use of glass. Concurrently, changes in building codes and increased adoption of green building standards point to design challenges in managing heat gain and glare from increased glazing area ratios. Smart glass addresses these various market drivers.

Starting from a low base, smart glass for use in architectural and transportation facades, windows, and privacy screens is forecast to become a nearly $700 million sector of the flat glass market by 2020. The market will be dominated by architectural applications, mirroring overall market figures for flat glass globally, which are heavily skewed toward the buildings sector. Significant new production capacity entering the market in the near term will help drive down production costs and reduce the substantial price premium between static and dynamic glass, contributing to increased market share.

This Pike Research 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.

Key Questions Addressed:

• Which end-use sectors show the greatest near- and long-term growth prospects for smart glass?
• What is needed for smart glass to evolve from a very small niche product to one with greater market penetration and stability?
• What level of investment in new product research, marketing, and production is occurring in the smart glass industry?
• What level of price reductions are likely to be seen through 2020?
• How will the smart glass market evolve by country and region?

Who needs this report?

• Architecture, engineering, and construction firms
• Flat glass producers
• Manufacturers of windows, glazing units, and facades
• Manufacturers of glass coatings and laminates
• Industry associations
• Government agencies
• Investor community

Table of Contents

1.  Executive Summary

1.1  Overview

1.2  Smart Glass Adoption

2.  Market Issues

2.1  Smart Glass Market Definition

2.1.1   Smart Windows

2.2  State of the Smart Glass Industry

2.3  Smart Glass Applications

2.3.1   Architectural / Construction

2.3.1.1  Commercial

2.3.1.2  Residential

2.3.2   Transportation

2.3.2.1  Automotive

2.3.2.2  Bus/Rail

2.3.2.3  Aerospace

2.3.2.4  Marine

2.4  Global Demand Drivers

2.4.1   Legislation, Regulation, Incentives, and Subsidies

2.4.1.1  Energy Codes

2.4.1.2  Demand-side Management and Ratepayer- supported Energy Incentive Programs

2.4.2   Green Building Trends

2.4.3   Energy Management Systems

2.4.4   North American Demand Drivers

2.4.4.1  U.S. Department of Energy

2.4.4.1.1.    American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

2.4.4.1.2.    Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Commercial Building Energy Alliance

2.4.4.1.3.    National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency

2.4.4.1.4.    Commercial Building Partnerships

2.4.5   European Demand Drivers

2.4.5.1  EU Energy Efficiency Directive

2.4.5.2  EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive

2.4.5.3  Other European Market Dynamics

2.4.5.3.1.    Green Deal

2.4.5.3.2.    Passivhaus

2.4.6   Asia Pacific Demand Drivers

2.4.6.1  China

2.4.6.2  Japan

2.4.6.3  South Korea

2.4.7   Rest of the World Demand Drivers

2.4.7.1  Latin America

2.4.7.2  Middle East

2.4.7.3  Africa

2.5  Global Barriers

2.5.1   Unproven Technology

2.5.2   Cost Premiums over Conventional Windows

2.5.3   Other Barriers

3.  Technology Issues

3.1  Glass Performance

3.1.1   Chromogenic Materials

3.2  Smart Glass

3.2.1   Smart Glass Compared to Other Window Glass Technologies

3.3  The History of Smart Glass

3.3.1   Before 2000

3.3.2   2000 to Today

3.4  Smart Windows Technical Approaches

3.4.1   Liquid Crystal

3.4.2   Suspended Particle

3.4.3   Electrochromic

3.4.4   Thermochromic

3.5  Differentiating Features

3.5.1   Dimming Control

3.5.2   Response Rate

3.5.3   Suspended Particle: Instantaneous to Less than 15 Seconds Controllability

3.5.4   Electrical Power Requirements

3.5.5   Ease of Installation

3.5.6   Durability

3.6  Scalability

3.7  Smart Glass Costs and Benefits

3.7.1   Costs

3.7.1.1  IGU Costs

3.7.1.2  Total Façade Costs

3.7.1.3  Transportation Costs

3.7.2   Benefits

3.7.2.1  Energy Demand Benefits

3.7.2.2  Cooling and Lighting System Benefits

3.7.2.3  Built-in Window Shading Benefits

3.7.2.4  Window Shading Maintenance Benefits

3.7.2.5  View Preservation Benefits

3.7.2.6  Non-Building Applications Benefits

3.8  Return on Investment

3.8.1   ROI Model

3.8.1.1  ROI Range

3.9  Retrofit Versus Initial Build

4.  Key Industry Players

4.1  Asahi Glass Company

4.2  ChromoGenics AB

4.3  Citala

4.4  Corning Inc.

4.5  DuPont

4.6  EControl-Glas

4.7  FININD Group

4.8  Gentex Corp.

4.9  GlasNovations Ltd.

4.10  Guardian Industries Corp.

4.11  Hitachi Chemical Co., Ltd.

4.12  iGlass

4.13  Innovative Glass Corp.

4.14  InspecTech Aero Service, Inc.

4.15  Pleotint, LLC

4.16  Polytronix, Inc.

4.17  PPG Industries

4.18  Pro Display

4.19  Pulp Studio, Inc.

4.20  RavenBrick, LLC

4.21  Research Frontiers Inc.

4.22  SAGE Electrochromics

4.23  Saint-Gobain SA

4.24  SmartGlass International Ltd.

4.25  Soladigm, Inc.

4.26  SPD Control Systems

4.27  SWITCH Materials

4.28  Tilse GmbH

4.29  US e-Chromic LLC

4.30  VELUX

5.  Market Forecasts

5.1  Smart Glass Adoption

5.1.1   High-Profile Applications for Smart Glass

5.1.2   Smart Glass Adoption Case Study

5.1.3   Smart Glass Adoption Forecast

5.2  Smart Glass Cost Forecast

5.3  Market Size by Application

5.3.1   Architectural

5.3.2   Transportation

6.  Company Directory
7.  Acronym and Abbreviation List
8.  Table of Contents
9.  Table of Charts and Figures
10.  Scope of Study, Sources and Methodology, Notes

List of Charts and Figures

• Smart Glass Demand (Square Meters), World Markets: 2012-2020
• Smart Glass Market Value (Revenue), World Markets: 2012-2020
• Smart Glass Patent Filings, United States: 2006 and 2011
• Smart Glass Demand (Square Meters), Market Distribution by Country/Region, World Markets: 2012-2020
• Smart Glass Market Value (Revenue) by Technology, World Markets: 2012-2020
• Smart Glass Unit Cost (OEM to Installer) by Technology, World Markets: 2012-2020
• Smart Glass Demand (Square Meters) by Technology, Architectural Sector, World Markets: 2012-2020
• Smart Glass Market Value (Revenue) by Technology, Architectural Sector, World Markets: 2012-2020
• Smart Glass Demand (Square Meters) by Technology, Transportation Sector, World Markets: 2012-2020
• Smart Glass Demand (Square Meters) by Application, Transportation Sector, World Markets: 2012-2020
• Energy Efficiency Market and Policy Dynamics by Country
• ASHRAE Code Stringency
• Optimizing Energy Performance through Glazing Area and Daylighting
• Existing and Prospective Zero Energy Buildings Regulations
• Electric Utility Lost Revenue or Decoupling Mechanism, by State
• World Green Building Council Activity
• Residential Retrofit Working Group Benefits Assessment
• Flat Glass Demand, World Markets: 2009
• Low-e Window
• Smart Glass Dynamic Range
• Liquid Crystal Privacy Glass
• Suspended Particle
• Electrochromic IGU
• Thermochromic
• Building Energy Consumption, Commercial and Residential (2005)
• ROI Comparison Factors
• Mercedes “Magic Sky Control” Sunroof
• Boeing 787 Dimmable Window
• Chabot College

List of Tables

• Architectural Demand for Flat Glass, World Markets: 2009
• Automotive and Transport Demand for Flat Glass, World Markets: 2009
• IGU Cost Comparison, Static vs. Smart Glass: 2012
• Façade Cost Comparison, Static vs. Smart Glass, North America and Northern Europe: 2012
• Simplified ROI Calculation
• Smart Glass Patent Filings, United States: 2006 and 2011
• Smart Glass Demand (Square Meters) by Technology, World Markets: 2012-2020
• Smart Glass Market Value (Revenue) by Technology, World Markets: 2012-2020
• Smart Glass Unit Cost (OEM to Installer) by Technology, World Markets: 2012-2020
• Smart Glass Demand (Square Meters) by Technology, Architectural Sector, World Markets: 2012-2020
• Smart Glass Market Value (Revenue) by Technology, Architectural Sector, World Markets: 2012-2020
• Smart Glass Demand (Square Meters) by Technology, Transportation Sector, World Markets: 2012-2020
• Smart Glass Demand (Square Meters) by Application, Transportation Sector, World Markets: 2012-2020
• Smart Glass Demand (Square Meters), Market Distribution by Country/Region, World Markets: 2012-2020