Demand for glass used in window and doors is forecast to increase 4.3% per year from $2.6 billion in 2018 to $4.4 billion in 2023, according to a new forecast from The Freedonia Group. The Cleveland, Ohio-based research organization outlines several of the factors driving demand increases in its new report Window & Door Components.
The primary factors driving demand increases include:
- Above average advances in residential replacement window sales and homeowners' tendency to trade up to higher quality products when selecting replacement fenestration.
- Rising sales of insulated glass units and windows with low-e coatings for newly constructed commercial buildings in order to meet the standards of LEED and other environmental certification programs.
- Trends supporting demand for larger windows and patio doors—including multi-panel and multi-fold patio doors—that have expansive glazing areas.
- Growing demand for impact-resistant windows, which are much more expensive and feature significantly thicker glass panes than standard windows.
- Expanding interest in advanced glass tinting technologies, such as "smart glass" products that can be controlled via smartphones.
