Study: Glazing Market Still Growing

The non-residential glazing market continues to expand, according to the American Architectural Manufacturers Association’s AAMA 2015/2016 Study of the U.S. Market for Windows, Doors and Skylights.

The recently released bi-annual report notes that measured in terms of vision area, the non-residential window market increased by 5 percent from 2014 to 2015 and 10 percent since 2013.

Storefront applications and site-fabricated commercial windows combined account for 54 percent of the non-residential market. Shop-fabricated commercial windows, which include residential type and light commercial windows, as well as architectural windows, represents 24 percent of the market, and curtainwall accounts for the remaining 22 percent of non-residential vision area. All of these categories were up from 2013.

Additionally, the U.S. commercial skylight market in 2015 was up 5 percent from 2014 and 10 percent from 2013. The 2015 market for non-residential entry doors has also continued to experience growth, up 5 percent over 2014 and up 16 percent since 2013.

Due to the lag of approximately 12 months between contract awards and actual non-residential construction, the relevant metric for 2015 product demand market is the increase in non-residential contract awards of 15 percent, according to the report. In 2015, the market declined 5 percent overall, and all segments experienced a slight decline. Manufacturing/warehouses declined 7 percent, stores/mercantile building declined 4 percent and office buildings/hotels/institutional declined 5 percent.

Going forward, non-residential contract awards are expected to increase in 2015 throughout 2018.

Meanwhile, the residential market remains healthy, with housing starts projected to continue growing through 2017. The report shows demand for windows in new housing increased by just over 6 percent in 2015, with double-digit increases forecasted for the next two years. Remodeling and replacement window demand increased by just over 1 percent in 2015, with growth in this segment also likely to be somewhat improved in 2016.

Residential skylights grew just over 2 percent from 2014 to 2015. New construction skylight activity was up 8 percent, while remodeling and replacement skylight activity was up 1 percent versus 2014.