The construction industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity is driven by an increased focus on environmental sustainability and workplace safety, and the growing importance of technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and robotics. In the last three years alone, there have been over 425,000 patents filed and granted in the construction industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Innovation in construction: waterproof floor drains. Buy the report here.
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However, not all innovations are equal and nor do they follow a constant upward trend. Instead, their evolution takes the form of an S-shaped curve that reflects their typical lifecycle from early emergence to accelerating adoption, before finally stabilizing and reaching maturity.
Identifying where a particular innovation is on this journey, especially those that are in the emerging and accelerating stages, is essential for understanding their current level of adoption and the likely future trajectory and impact they will have.
80+ innovations will shape the construction industry
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According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which plots the S-curve for the construction industry using innovation intensity models built on over 232,000 patents, there are 80+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Within the emerging innovation stage, self-healing concrete, waterproof floor drains, and construction 3D printing are disruptive technologies that are in the early stages of application and should be tracked closely. Smart glazing, regeneration control hydraulics, and floating breakwaters are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily increasing. Among maturing innovation areas are wall surface temperature controls and embossed floor panels, which are now well established in the industry.
Innovation S-curve for the construction industry
Waterproof floor drains is a key innovation area in construction
Waterproof floor drains refer to a type of drainage system that is designed to prevent water from seeping into the subfloor or foundation. These drains are commonly used in areas where water accumulation is a concern, such as in bathrooms, kitchens, and basements. The waterproofing aspect of these drains is achieved through a combination of materials and design features, such as sealing agents and sloped floors.
GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 180 companies, spanning technology vendors, established construction companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of waterproof floor drains.
Key players in waterproof floor drains – a disruptive innovation in the construction industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of applications identified for each patent. It broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of countries each patent is registered in. It reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to waterproof floor drains
| Company | Total patents (2010 - 2022) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| Saint-Gobain | 85 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Mitsui & | 84 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Wrekin | 83 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China Railway Group | 78 | Unlock Company Profile |
| State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council | 50 | Unlock Company Profile |
| ACO Severin Ahlmann | 45 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Lmk Technologies | 43 | Unlock Company Profile |
| EJ Group | 31 | Unlock Company Profile |
| State Grid Corporation of China | 28 | Unlock Company Profile |
| CRH | 25 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Guangzhou Metro Group | 14 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China State Construction Engineering | 14 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hubble | 12 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Langmatz | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| REHAU Automotive | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Porsche Automobil | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Metallurgical Corporation of China | 9 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Ricegrowers | 8 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Compagnie de Saint-Gobain | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| AeroVironment | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China Railway 22Nd Bureau Group Rail Engineering | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| RAIN | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Picote | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Clarksteel | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| McGard | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hangzhou Fuyang Xinyuan New Energy | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Beijing Municipal Construction Group | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Power Construction Corporation of China | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Erchu Co Ltd Of China Railway Tunnel Group | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| AT&T | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China Railway Group | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Orbia Advance | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Chengdu Infoeasy Technology | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Wuhan Shengyu Drainage System | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Genuit Group | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Benito Urban, SLU | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Berthold Sichert | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Samsung Engineering | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Wenzhou Oulin Electronic Technology | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Consolidated Edison | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Kessel | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Mueller Water Products | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Guangdong Yuehai Pearl River Delta Water Supply | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China MCC5 Group | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Orange | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China Communications Construction Group | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Oatey | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Shanghai Construction Group | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Buderus Kanalguss | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Shanghai Tunnel Engineering | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Saint-Gobain is the leading patent filer waterproof floor drains. The company's PAM VortX provides a range of floor drainage products for most applications. Other key players include Wrekin, which provides geosynthetic project design and specification services, and ACO Severin Ahlmann, which provides drainage products and process technology for wastewater management.
In terms of application diversity, leading providers include Mueller Water Products and Samsung Engineering. By means of geographic reach, ACO Severin Ahlmann and Lmk Technologies are among the leaders.
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the construction industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Construction.
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
