The 2024 UNICMI Report on the building envelope market, published in April, outlines an evolving picture for the windows and curtain walling sector. Valued at €9 billion overall, the market is expected to shrink by 1.9% in 2024 compared to 2023, but the residential and non-residential segments are following very different paths.

This is strategic information for window and façade professionals, who will find MADE Expo 2025 — the leading event for construction and architecture, taking place from 19 to 22 November at Fiera Milano — a key meeting point with major brands.

The Salone Involucro at MADE Expo

Within MADE Expo, the Salone involucro (the area dedicated to building envelope) serves as a key hub for innovation and the evolution of the built environment. Windows, façades, and accessories are complementary areas that intersect across multiple design solutions, fostering an ongoing dialogue between aesthetics, performance, and technology.
Each company contributes its own expertise to outline a comprehensive overview of the solutions available for contemporary building envelopes.
MADE Expo 2025 will be a key event to discover the latest developments in the sector. Numerous companies have already confirmed their participation, including Aluminios Cortizo, Metra, Pilkington, Alubel, Lattonedil, Marcegaglia, Drutex, Fossati, I Nobili, Pellini, Secco Sistemi, and Master.

Residential market: slowdown driven by renovation decline

Residential remains the largest segment, worth over €6 billion — €5.3 billion from renovations and just under €800 million from new builds. However, this segment is seeing the steepest drop in 2024: -4.2% overall, led by a 5.4% decline in renovation, only partly offset by a 3.9% rise in new construction.

According to UNICMI forecasts, this downward trend is set to continue: residential demand for windows and doors is expected to fall by 4.6% in 2025 and 4.9% in 2026, with renovation alone facing yearly drops of over 6%.

Non-residential market bucks the trend: steady growth through 2026

The non-residential sector is more dynamic, reaching a value of €3 billion in 2024 (€1.3 billion in new builds and €1.7 billion in renovation), with an overall growth of 5.3%. This upward trend is set to continue, with annual growth of over 4% forecast for both 2025 and 2026.

Curtain walling — a key element in non-residential construction — grew by 5.5% in 2024 to reach €880 million. It is expected to rise a further 4.8% in 2025 and 4.4% in 2026.

The role of incentives and material impact

Tax incentives remain a major factor in driving demand. In 2024, UNICMI estimates that over €2.8 billion of demand was generated through incentives: around €2.16 billion from the Ecobonus (ENEA data) and €639 million from the “Bonus Casa”.

Material trends are also telling: 65% of Ecobonus-supported installations used PVC windows, worth about €1.4 billion. However, with incentive rates set to fall (to 50% and 36% in 2025, and 36% and 30% in 2026), the appeal of these schemes is likely to decline — particularly affecting the PVC supply chain, which is more reliant on incentive-driven demand.