Global Nonresidential Insulation

Global Nonresidential Insulation

Global demand for nonresidential insulation is forecast to increase 3.6% per year to 10.8 billion square meters of R-1 value in 2026, driven by:

• growing manufacturing activity and rising income levels spurring gains in the construction of factories, retail buildings, and other nonresidential structures, most notably in China and the developing areas of the Africa/Mideast and Asia/Pacific regions
• efforts in the European Union, US, Canada, and the United Kingdom to greatly improve the energy efficiency of buildings
• rising use of acoustic insulation – largely intended to reduce noise pollution and improve worker safety in loud industrial environments – in many areas of the world

Significant Growth Opportunities in the Asia/Pacific & Africa/Mideast RegionsThe developing nonresidential construction markets in the Asia/Pacific and Africa/Mideast regions will be the fastest growing outlets for nonresidential insulation:

• Market advances in both India and Indonesia will be driven by solid construction growth in the nonresidential markets; both countries continue to substantially increase their manufacturing bases, resulting in larger stocks of nonresidential buildings that require insulation.
• China will continue its dominance in the nonresidential insulation market, attributable to the continued construction of new nonresidential buildings and ongoing retrofit activity to improve the quality of its nonresidential building stock.
• Large-scale, high-end, nonresidential construction projects in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – particularly in the tourism and office sectors – will support demand for nonresidential insulation because such projects use it intensively.

Gains Boosted by Efforts to Improve the Energy Efficiency of Buildings

Nonresidential buildings are the largest source of energy usage in the world; as such countries are making significant efforts to improve the energy efficiency of such buildings, with increased insulation often playing a key role. Western Europe and the US are leading the charge to retrofit existing buildings for greater energy efficiency and to combat climate change. However, countries throughout the world are recognizing the environmental impact of these structures and are taking steps to reduce their energy consumption.

Study Description

This Freedonia industry study analyzes the $19.2 billion global nonresidential insulation industry. It presents historical demand data (2011, 2016, and 2021) and forecasts (2026 and 2031) by material (foamed plastic, fiberglass, mineral wool, all other insulation materials) and project type (new construction and retrofit).