Seal coating, also known as pavement sealing, is a process of applying a protective layer/coating to asphalt-based road pavements for providing a layer of protection against elements, such as water, oils, and UV damage. Seal coating protects and prolongs the life expectancy of asphalt pavement by filling surface damage and providing a protective layer to keep out damaging UV rays, vehicle fluids, and water. Apart from the above-mentioned, appearance is a big advantage of sealing an asphalt driveway. Using a sealer will ensure that the driveway looks much cleaner, with a smooth and sleek finish. Road construction is rising moderately, owing to the increasing population sizes and GDP, particularly in developing nations. By the end of 2018, there were around 200 strategic projects under construction in Germany. The total investments in value of the projects stood at USD 129.6 billion. The largest infrastructure project under execution in Germany is the expansion of Brandenburg Airport in Berlin, which is valued at USD 7 billion. The German federal government has focused on the infrastructure growth in the country. Under the 2030 FTIP (Federal Transport Infrastructure Plan), the government has planned to invest USD 147.6 billion in the development of roads in the country, between 2016 and 2030.

The Asia-Pacific construction sector is the largest in the world and is increasing at a healthy rate, owing to the rising population, increase in middle-class income, and urbanization. As per the statistics of the Nation Bureau of Statistics of China, the revenues of the construction sector registered a CAGR of ~3.75% between 2013-2018 and was valued at ~CNY 40,000 million in 2018. In 2019, the country’s construction industry is expected to rise by almost ~6%. Real estate investment, which includes investments in the residential and commercial sector and office spaces, rose by ~11.6% in January-February in 2019, compared to the same period in the previous year. The robust investment in the property sector was supported by steady housing prices and an increase in property construction. However, the fallout from the trade feud with China has led to increased volatility in the financial markets and caused businesses to turn more cautious. Manufacturing activity has pulled back considerably, and it is likely to either stall or contract during the first part of the year. Forecast for economic growth has scaled back as businesses have turned more cautious. In Southeast Asia, Indonesia is the largest and one of the fastest-growing markets. With annual population growth at about ~4 million, construction may remain a key economic enabler.

China’s cement industry is characterised by relatively low concentration and severe overcapacity. In 2018, China had about 3,500 cement enterprises. However, restrictions on adding new cement capacity have recently pushed cement manufacturers to expand their production through M&As. The economic imbalance between the coastal and inland parts of China is the reason for the unequal performance of cement producers from different regions. Most of them are located in the regions of the Yangtze River Delta, the Pearl River Delta and Southwest China.

A smart building is a building that automates its processes to control its infrastructure, lighting, security systems, heating, ventilation, air conditioning systems, and more. A smart building uses technology and assimilates it with the basic building infrastructure and other structural and equipment components to make buildings more efficient, sustainable, safer, and reduce costs. The smart building solutions are part of the growing IoT and connected sensor ecosystem. Smart buildings use automation to optimize all or some of the processes that occur inside the building: heating and cooling, ventilation, security, lighting, water usage, and more. Some of the benefits include:  Reduced Environmental Impact

Data centers are the backbone of online business operations and consumers. The growth in data centers is aided by the increased usage of the internet for personal and business purposes by consumers through smartphones and high-speed broadband connectivity.

Indian economy witnessed a growth of 7.3% in 2018, as compared to 6.7% last year. In the last few years, the GDP growth rate trend of Indian economy has changed from being steady to strong and now to fastest in the world. Indian economic growth is fueled by the upswing in private consumption expenditure in the past few years. It is projected to remain robust and the investment growth is also expected to continue in the coming years. As per the analysis, the non-resilient segment holds the major share of the market, followed by resilient flooring and textiles (carpet and area rugs). The Indian textile industry has a noteworthy presence in both the Indian economy and in the international textile economy. The growth in the disposable income of the middle and lower middle-class sections of the society has led to continuous growth of the demand of textile in India. Home textile usually includes products, such as bedsheets, pillowcases, blankets, terry towels, upholstery, table clothes, carpets, and rugs. India provides a cost-effective model of manufacturing for textile players. As compared to the key competing countries, India has competitive labor cost, power cost, and water cost. The higher finance cost, compared to competing countries, is partially mitigated through various government policies, thus the effective cost of capital becomes comparable.

ncreasing construction activity in the infrastructure sector is the primary driver for the growth of the Indian construction sector. According to the IBEF, India needs infrastructural investments worth INR 50 trillion by 2022, to have sustainable development in the countr y. In India, the infrastructure sector is a key driver for the country’s economy and is highly responsible for propelling the country’s overall development. The Indian government has played an important role in developing world-class infrastructure in the country. Investments from the private sector are expected to show moderate- to-high growth, owing to the factors, such as increased stability in infrastructure projects, corporate deleveraging, and implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). In 2018, the infrastructure sector in India witnessed private equity and venture capital investments worth USD 1.97 billion. The private equity and venture capital investments are expected to surpass USD 65 billion in 2025. In June 2018, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) announced its decision to invest USD 200 million in India’s National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF).

Increase in investments and construction activities in the residential and infrastructure sector is the primary driver for the growth of the Indonesian construction sector. Foreign direct investments in the country are expected to drive the growth of the Indonesian real estate sector. The country has eased the regulations by amending the law on public-private partnerships and passing a new land acquisition law, to make the infrastructure sector more investor-friendly. The Indonesian Ministry of Communication and Information Technology is encouraging the 100 Smart City Movement. This, in turn, is expected to propel many innovative real estate developments in the coming years. New real estate projects in the country have driven the Indonesian property sector in the past few years. The architectural layout of the capital city, Jakarta, has attracted various investors from around the world.

Various new measures are taken to improve cyber security. This is impacting the market’s growth positively. For instance, in June 2019, The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) bolstered the cyber security of the nation’s bulk electric system, by expanding the reporting requirements for incidents involving attempts to compromise operation of the grid. This action closes a gap in the prior critical infrastructure protection reliability standards that required entities to report only when an incident has compromised or disrupted one or more reliability tasks. The FERC previously directed the North American Electric Reliability Corp. to improve the reporting of cyber security incidents out of concern that the existing standards might understate the true scope of threats, by excluding from reporting incidents that could facilitate subsequent efforts to harm the reliable operation of the grid.

Noise pollution adversely affects the lives of millions of people around the world. Problems related to noise include stress-related illnesses, high blood pressure, speech interference, hearing loss, sleep disruption, and lost productivity. Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria plays an important role in protecting the community from noise pollution. It develops policies, regulations, and guidelines for preventing and controlling noise. Noise pollution is regulated by different authorities and levels of government. Under the Clean Air Act, the EPA established the Office of Noise Abatement and Control (ONAC), to further carry out investigations on noise and its effect on public health and welfare. However, in 1981, the administration concluded that noise issues addressing noise pollution shifted to the state and local levels, resulting in the closing of ONAC and noise issues transferring to state and local governments.