Translucent Concrete Market

Market Overview

The global translucent concrete market size was valued at USD 6.56 million in 2022. It is estimated to reach USD 121.61 million by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 32.6% during the forecast period (2023–2031).

Translucent concrete is an energy-efficient material that can be used to reduce the energy consumed during the day for lighting systems in the interior spaces of structures. Energy consumption is decreased when translucent concrete is used to construct building structures. It also reduces the building's total operating expenses. In addition, translucent concrete can be utilized to improve the aesthetic appeal of infrastructure. For instance, infrastructure facades may be constructed of translucent concrete to attract the public's attention, including restaurants, museums, shopping centers, and indoor theaters.

Production expenses are high since translucent concrete has optical fibers in its structure. Positioning optical fiber and concrete in alternation requires specialized labor that is difficult to find. However, the opportunity to use translucent concrete as walls for residential and non-residential infrastructures is anticipated to rise as people become more conscious of energy conservation. As a result of its energy efficiency, translucent concrete can aid in reducing daytime energy consumption and can therefore be utilized in the construction of green structures.

Highlights

• Walls dominate the application segment.
• Non-Residential dominates the end-user segment.
• Europe is the highest shareholder in the global market.

Market Dynamics

Global Translucent Concrete Market Drivers

Growing Awareness of Energy-Saving Material

Transparent concrete, which laminates the interior of the building and allows light to pass through it, uses optical fibers to transmit light. This helps reduce the amount of power consumed during the day for illumination, which is a significant benefit. As a result, the expenses associated with running the facility are cut down significantly. In addition, excessive demand for power production is one element contributing to an increase in the country's overall carbon footprint. Consequently, transparent concrete is an upgraded alternative more suited to reduce the structure's overall energy costs.

Additionally, new laws have been recently passed by several national governments, including those of the United States, Germany, and Italy, to increase general awareness among the general population of the significance of reducing energy consumption. The utilization of transparent concrete decreases the total energy cost incurred throughout the project, driving market growth.

Improves Aesthetic Appeal

People are lured to facilities like restaurants, hotels, and museums because of these businesses' appealing interior designs and other aesthetic components. The desired pattern is created when light strikes the surface of the concrete and travels via the optical fibers to the opposite side of the wall, floor, or roof. This occurs when the optical fibers are implanted in the concrete during manufacturing in a particular pattern, which can be accomplished with any building, such as a house or an apartment complex.

Additionally, translucent concrete blocks or panels with desired designs generated during manufacture are utilized as walls, facades, partition walls, floors, and roofs in the infrastructures to increase the beauty of the structures. This is done to improve the aesthetic appeal of the buildings. The rate at which transparent concrete is used to improve the aesthetic appeal of infrastructure is modest now; however, this rate can expand if the blocks or panels are mass-produced. Currently, the rate at which transparent concrete is used to improve the aesthetic appeal of infrastructure is moderate.

Global Translucent Concrete Market Restraint

High Cost of Translucent Concrete Manufacturing

The associated production costs are extremely costly because translucent concrete must be made with optical fibers. In most cases, two to four percent of optical fiber is mixed in with 98 to 96 percent concrete. Even if the ratio of how much it is used is very low, this tiny fraction of optical fiber costs extremely high. In addition to the variation in the proportion of optical fiber, the concentration of various elements in concrete, such as cement, fine aggregate, coarse aggregate, and other material, must be maintained. These ingredients include coarse aggregate, fine aggregate, and optical fiber.

Additionally, there is a lot of attention to detail during the production process and little room for error. It takes skilled professional labor, which is hard to come by, to appropriately alternate the placement of optical fiber and concrete. This results in increased costs associated with the fabrication of the transparent concrete, hindering market growth.

Global Translucent Concrete Market Opportunities

Increasing Government Focus

The rising population over the past few decades has led to an increase in the need for energy; however, excessive consumption of conventional energy sources has resulted in global warming and the detrimental repercussions that come with it. Translucent concrete is one of the many materials that fall under the "green building material" category that uses sunlight as their primary illumination source. This material is just one of several.

Additionally, the governments of several wealthy countries, like the United States of America and Germany, are leading the charge to encourage the construction of environmentally friendly buildings. These infrastructures will allow the bulk of the building's energy needs to be met by renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and others. Examples of such sources include solar panels and wind turbines. In addition, transparent concrete can reduce the amount of power used during the day since it is efficient. As a result, it can be used to build environmentally friendly structures by reducing the amount of power used during the day.

Regional Analysis

Europe Dominates the Global Market

Based on region, the global translucent concrete market is bifurcated into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA.

Europe is the most significant global translucent concrete market shareholder and is estimated to exhibit a CAGR of 36.01% over the forecast period. Numerous infrastructure projects are in construction around Europe, including hospitals, shopping centers, and other types of infrastructure. Most of these constructions are constructed to lower total energy consumption. For instance, the Cella Septichora Museum, found in Hungary, is a good example of a building that uses translucent concrete in its construction. In addition, most of the world's most well-known manufacturers of translucent concrete have their core operations in Europe. These manufacturers include Dupont Lightstone, Glass Block Technology Limited, and Litracon Ltd. In Europe, the local construction industry is extremely advanced. Local citizens opt for cutting-edge building components such as translucent concrete, energy-efficient windows, and a wide selection of other environmentally friendly buildings and materials that are energy efficient. Such factors drive regional market growth.

North America is estimated to exhibit a CAGR of 51.3% over the forecast period. The United States market will experience the greatest expansion rate over the forecast period. In recent years, there has been a trend in North America toward increasing the use of more complex construction techniques, both in terms of the materials utilized and the design of the buildings themselves. In addition, growth in people's awareness of the need to conserve energy leads to an increase in the development of environmentally friendly structures, which often use translucent concrete. As a result, increasing such construction activities contributes to expanding the market for transparent products in North America.

In Asia-Pacific, construction activities have grown visibly in the past several years, especially in China and India. The national governments of many countries, including Singapore, China, Japan, India, and others, are currently making considerable expenditures in building enormous infrastructure projects. This leads to an increase in the construction of residential and non-residential infrastructure in the countries that were previously listed. The fact that so many construction projects are being carried out in China suggests a huge demand for cement. In the future, translucent concrete may replace cement in the place of cement in the design of infrastructures where it is practical.

In the market for transparent concrete, the LAMEA region is demonstrating indications of growth that are moderate but consistent. The Middle East is experiencing a huge increase in demand for translucent concrete. There may be a market for transparent concrete in the Middle East, but a tiny fraction of the global market exists there. However, awareness about energy saving provided by the government and other organizations is predicted to improve the market's growth for transparent concrete during the forecast period. This growth is anticipated in regions such as Africa and the Middle East.

Segmental Analysis

The global translucent concrete market is bifurcated into application and end-user.

Based on application, the global translucent concrete market is bifurcated into walls, roofing, and flooring. 

The walls segment owns the highest market share and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 35.8% over the forecast period. The application categories of facades, partition walls, and construction walls all include using translucent concrete as a component of the wall segment. Translucent concrete, when used as walls in residential, commercial, restaurant, subway, and sidewalk infrastructure, provides a pleasing appearance while also assisting in energy conservation, which can be a considerable benefit. Another advantage of utilizing this kind of concrete is a decrease in noise pollution. It is possible to build the walls of the structure out of a translucent material, which enables light from the environment to be transmitted through optical fibers.

Additionally, the amount of energy needed to illuminate the interior of the building is lowered when this light penetrates the structure through the wall, resulting in a reduced need for lighting in general. This helps limit the overall energy consumption of the building, which ultimately leads to cost savings connected to the operation of the structure.

Based on end-user, the global translucent concrete market is divided into residential and non-residential. 

The non-residential segment is the most significant contributor to the market and is estimated to exhibit a CAGR of 39.8% over the forecast period. Businesses, houses of worship, public infrastructure, sidewalks, and subways are some examples of end-users who are not residents of the area. Other types of structures also fall into this category. Translucent concrete can build non-residential properties such as walls, flooring, facades, roofing, and staircases. This material also has the potential to be used in the construction of parking garages. In addition, transparent concrete is typically utilized in non-residential applications to allow light from the outside to enter the building. The primary purpose of this project is to cut down on the energy the building consumes. Transparent concrete applications can provide several benefits, including improving the visual appeal of the structures constructed with the material.

Recent Developments

• October 2021- Inventors José Ramón Albiol Ibáez and Miguel Sánchez López of Spain's prestigious Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) patented a groundbreaking new product that will change the face of the construction industry and beyond. HTRANS is a ground-breaking translucent concrete that incorporates 3D-printed graphics made with transparent resin to make custom pavers, facades, and more.
• September 2022- Informa Markets in India announced the return of the World of Concrete (WoC) India, the leading show in the concrete, construction, and infrastructure domain, along with its new offerings for the industry.