Despite significant energy efficiency improvements in HVAC systems in commercial buildings, there is one technology that can make a real difference but it continues to have a low adoption rate.
Advanced controls technology for HVAC systems is mature, but adoption of the newest technologies remains relatively low.
Another option is a HVAC controls retrofit, which can provide a compelling value proposition yet most of today’s building stock still relies on older technologies.
According to a new report from Navigant Research, shipments of advanced controls devices for HVAC in commercial buildings will grow from 33.8 million units in 2014 to 70.4 million in 2023.
Such devices include a variety of sensors, controllers, and thermostats that assist with the efficient management of commercial HVAC systems.
Navigant Research forecasts that the largest device categories over the coming decade, in terms of unit shipments, will be temperature sensors, airflow sensors, variable air volume or terminal controllers, fan coil unit controllers, and Co2 sensors.
Navigant Research analyst Benjamin Freas said networked digital controls for HVAC systems have been available for many years.
“New building certification and benchmarking regulations are driving faster retrofits of controls in existing buildings, and changing how automation is designed into new buildings,” he said.
“The advanced HVAC controls market remains very dependent on rates of new construction and building renovation, which in turn are driven by the overall economic conditions in each world region. The market has been negatively affected by the 2008 financial crisis, and is only now beginning to experience a modest but accelerating recovery.”
An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the Navigant Research website.
