Integrated building management and building automation systems (BASs) rely on a network of different 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.
A new report from Navigant Research says worldwide shipments of communications nodes for BASs will reach 387 million annually by 2021.
Navigant Research director Eric Woods says 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.
But it is all networked together by one or more protocols and this is driving the market for communication nodes.
“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,” Woods says.
Since many building systems often do not share the same communications protocol, connecting them can be a time-consuming and resource-intensive process, especially if the protocols are proprietary.
As a result, the market is moving toward more open protocols, such as Internet Protocol (IP)-enabled devices. However, the transition is slow due to the conservative nature of the building industry, Woods says.
This means the shift away from proprietary standards will stretch well into the next decade, particularly for building retrofits.
Navigant Research's report, “Smart Buildings Networking and Communications”, analyses global market opportunities for networked building automation controls across three primary levels of the building controls ecosystem: field devices, floor/room-level devices, and building-level devices.