by Brianna Crandall — February 24, 2014—As facilities managers may already realize, the market for networked building controls is expanding as building owners and operators realize the cost savings offered by automated, granular, real-time control of every major system within their facilities. Integrated building management and building automation systems (BASs) rely on networks of sensors, switches, fans, alarms, and other devices, along with powerful software tools to provide a real-time view of the current state of a building. According to a new report from market research and consulting firm Navigant Research, worldwide shipments of communications nodes for BASs will reach 387 million annually by 2021.
“Networked together by one or more protocols, building automation systems can drastically reduce energy usage and costs, alert building operators to repair or maintenance needs, and provide significant upgrades to occupant comfort and safety,” says Eric Woods, research director with Navigant Research. “This market is being driven not only by rising energy prices, but also by the increased availability of simple-to-use, Web-based dashboards for building management.”
Since many building systems often do not share the same communications protocol, connecting them can be a time- and resource-intensive process, particularly when the protocols are proprietary in nature, notes Navigant Research. The market is moving toward the use of more open protocols, according to the report, and the introduction of Internet protocol (IP)-enabled devices is helping to ease this transition. However, the conservative nature of the building industry means that the shift away from proprietary standards will stretch well into the next decade, particularly for building retrofits, predicts the report.
The report, Smart Buildings Networking and Communications: BACnet, LonWorks, KNX, Modbus, and Proprietary Building Control Technologies for Networked Building Automation: Global Market Analysis and Forecasts, analyzes the global market opportunity for networked building automation controls across three primary levels of the building controls ecosystem: field devices, floor/room-level devices, and building-level devices. Each of these categories contains devices used in four primary building systems: heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC); lighting; fire and life safety; and security and access.
Global market forecasts for unit shipments and revenue, broken out by region, segment, device type, and technology, extend through 2021. The report also provides a comprehensive assessment of the demand drivers, business models, policy factors, technology issues, and key industry players associated with this rapidly evolving market.
