BACS market in North America
The BSRIA BACS North America – In-Depth Report reveals that sales of BACS products (Building Automation and Control Systems) was US$ 1,970 million in 2016, an increase of 2.5% on 2015, while total installed systems sales was US$ 5,801 million.
The total value of service and maintenance was US$ 2,475 million, pushing the total value of BACS business in 2016 to US$ 8,276 million.
Zoltan Karpathy, Manager – Intelligent Buildings and Homes, BSRIA, said: “The main factors driving market growth have been the uptake of data analytics and concern over energy costs.
BACS forecast sales trend (2017-2021), US$ millions
The general performance trend of the BACS industry has been closely related to the USA’s and Canada’s economy and construction. As USA’s BACS market accounts for 86% of North America, the effect of the USA is much stronger than that of Canada. So, looking at the overall picture, Canada’s slowdown in the last two years is less visible.
USA rebounded strongly from 2010, where recession and annual growth of the economy has generally oscillated within the range of 2-3%.
Non-residential construction had a slight decrease in 2014 (-0.4%) but recovered strongly with growth rates within the range of 7-8% in 2015 and 2016.
Market share by value by sensor type, 2016
Overall, in the total market, the main drivers of growth are refurbishment and retrofit (not new construction) which benefit from a continued interest to invest in energy saving HVAC system upgrades. The US BACS market had cautious spending in 2016 due to the presidential election.
The value of DDC controllers was US$ 812 million, of which 63% are field level controllers; their share has been growing faster than the sometimes overcomplicated automation controllers.
Currently the controller market is dominated by the top five manufacturers, Honeywell, Johnson Controls, Siemens, Trane and Schneider Electric.
BACS historical sales trend (2011-2016), US$ millions
Zoltan said: “In terms of value, air-quality type (including CO2) is the most popular type of sensor in North America, accounting for 34% by value. This trend is due to the emphasis placed by companies on healthy living and increased productivity. Also it is policy driven as most states mandate legislation for air quality in schools and universities.”
A major trend is to add energy data analytics (Building energy management systems - BEMS) to existing BACS solutions, which continues to support retrofit/refurbishment sales, allowing BACS systems previously working in isolation to be integrated with other applications via open communication protocols.
Zoltan continued: “With the building automation segment continuing to grow in North America, there is an incentive for new players to enter the market in order to gain a share of this expanding business. This process is reinforced by the increasing trend towards integration of building automation and controls with other areas of smart technology, such as cloud-based monitoring management and smart homes. As one of the world’s largest markets for building automation, North America is a natural target for such activities.”
Market share by project type, 2013 & 2016
The purpose of the study was to provide a detailed quantitative and qualitative assessment of the current and future markets for intelligent control systems in non-residential buildings in North America.
For more information see BSRIA Market Intelligence.
--BSRIA
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
Boiler Upgrade Scheme and certifications consultation
Summary of government consultation which closes 11 June 2025.
Deputy editor of AT, Tim Fraser, discusses the newly formed society with its current chair, Chris Halligan MCIAT.
Barratt Lo-E passivhaus standard homes planned enmasse
With an initial 728 Lo-E homes across two sites and many more planned for the future.
Government urged to uphold Warm Homes commitment
ECA and industry bodies write to Government concerning its 13.2 billion Warm Homes manifesto commitment.
Places of Worship in Britain and Ireland, 1929-1990. Book review.
The emancipation of women in art.
CIOB Construction Manager of the Year 2025
Just one of the winners at the CIOB Awards 2025.
Call for independent National Grenfell oversight mechanism
MHCLG share findings of Building Safety Inquiry in letter to Secretary of State and Minister for Building Safety.
The Architectural Technology Awards
AT Awards now open for this the sixth decade of CIAT.
50th Golden anniversary ECA Edmundson awards
Deadline for submissions Friday 30 May 2025.
The benefits of precast, off-site foundation systems
Top ten benefits of this notable innovation.
Encouraging individuals to take action saving water at home, work, and in their communities.
Takes a community to support mental health and wellbeing
The why of becoming a Mental Health Instructor explained.
Mental health awareness week 13-18 May
The theme is communities, they can provide a sense of belonging, safety, support in hard times, and a sense purpose.
Mental health support on the rise but workers still struggling
CIOB Understanding Mental Health in the Built Environment 2025 shows.
Design and construction material libraries
Material, sample, product or detail libraries a key component of any architectural design practice.
Construction Products Reform Green Paper and Consultation
Still time to respond as consultation closes on 21 May 2025.
Resilient façade systems for smog reduction in Shanghai
A technical approach using computer simulation and analysis of solar radiation, wind patterns, and ventilation.