The rain on the west coast has us stranded indoors in January, coming up with “top trend lists”!
Keeping in mind that many of the projects we work on are retrofits and re-commissioning projects, here are the top three trends that we see impacting the building automation industry in 2018…
- System integration
We are definitely seeing greater demand for integration of building systems such as HVAC, lighting and access systems that traditionally have their own proprietorial systems. Building managers greatly benefit from a common “front-end” to access and control all the systems from a single seat.
- Submetering
With the power to leverage existing building control systems for greater benefit, we see submetering as a strong trend for building retrofits in 2018. The real time collection of granular data on individual equipment and equipment sets can be used to inform decision making at many levels, and with limited additional investment.
- Internet of Everything
With widespread adoption of internet connected devices, from fitness trackers to doorbell cams and cars, the Internet of Things (IoT) is now often referred to as the Internet of Everything (IoE). Internet-connected is the new normal for buildings and all their devices. We will continue to see more ways that information can be collected from building control systems to optimize the balance of building comfort and energy consumption. Watch for greater application of artificial intelligence and “learning buildings”.
