Global building automation

In May 2018, BSRIA published research showing that growth in software and the Internet of Things (IoT) are the key drivers for the global building automation market.

The total market for controllers (DDC, room and field controllers) as well as software and hardware is forecast to grow from $7 billion in 2017 to $8.5 billion (in manufacturing selling prices) in 2022.

The fastest growth is expected to be software used to manage, control and optimise building systems and building energy management – forecast to grow at 10% annually. This reflects the increasing strategic importance of data and analytics in managing buildings.

The ever-increasing significance of the IoT is revealed by the number of devices now leaving the factory ready for IP connection.

Building managers are increasingly interested in moving beyond HVAC to integrate other systems such as lighting, security, and even in some cases, fire. More than a quarter of building automation projects now integrate at least one of these additional systems. This is especially true for large, new, complex building projects such as transport terminals, retail centres, sports stadiums and universities.

The USA remains by far the largest market, followed by Germany, Japan and China. These four countries alone accounted for almost half the total global BACS market in 2017, but all major markets are experiencing growth.

In terms of suppliers, the global market remains split between the 'big 4'; Siemens, Honeywell, JCI and Schneider Electric, who take almost half the total market between them, and a range of mainly regional players, some of which have achieved substantial sales by concentrating on key national markets, or by focusing on areas such as software development.

Henry Lawson, BSRIA’s Senior Market Research Analyst, commented:

“While on the surface, building automation looks to be a fairly mature and evolving market, BSRIA’s latest market studies dig below the surface to highlight some important trends that all market players need to be aware of.

"In this respect – we are looking at a market that increasingly focuses on the three 'I's: namely IP connectivity, integration of systems and information technology in general and software in particular. Watch this space.”

The World Building Automation and Control Systems (BACS) 2018 report, researched in 2017 and published in April 2018, is available by country or as a package. It includes a detailed assessment of the current and future markets for intelligent control systems in non-residential buildings. See here for more information.

This article was originally published here in May 2018 by BSRIA.

--BSRIA