by Brianna Crandall — May 23, 2014—By employing an array of technologies to create more effective ventilation than conventional heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems, indoor air quality (IAQ) monitoring and management systems can provide a healthy and productive indoor environment while saving both energy and money. While adoption is somewhat limited by the rate of the global economic recovery, new standards and regulations, as well as a heightened sensitivity to how the health and comfort of office workers affects productivity, is driving greater use of these technologies, according to a new report from market research and consulting firm Navigant Research. The firm predicts worldwide revenue from indoor air quality systems will grow from $3.3 billion in 2014 to nearly $5.6 billion by 2020.
“The spread of indoor air quality technology requires a change in mindset on the part of architects, engineers, and building owners regarding the way buildings are designed and built,” says Benjamin Freas, research analyst with Navigant Research. “As IAQ monitoring moves away from passive systems and toward intelligent systems, accurate feedback will help building operators achieve and maintain the desired performance both initially and over the life of the buildings.”
The key technologies that support IAQ systems, according to the report, include carbon dioxide sensors and demand-controlled ventilation (which matches the delivery of the ventilated air supply to the actual occupancy levels of the building spaces). In addition, energy recovery ventilation systems recycle the energy associated with the thermally conditioned air being exhausted from a building to precondition the incoming air, and dedicated outdoor air systems decouple ventilation and thermal comfort so that they no longer compete with each other, explains the report.
The report, Indoor Air Quality Monitoring and Management, analyzes the global market for indoor air quality technologies that are currently available and being used in both new and retrofit applications. The study provides an analysis of the market conditions for IAQ monitoring and management and the drivers and barriers for wider adoption of the technologies.
Global market forecasts for IAQ technologies revenue, segmented by region, building type, and technology, extend through 2020. The report also examines the key categories of IAQ improvements and the related technologies, as well as the competitive landscape. An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the Navigant Research Web site.
