Source: BSRIA Research
The majority of sensors sold are wired analogue followed by wired Bus which mostly use BACNet and EnOcean via gateways. Wireless accounts for 5% and is mostly used when wiring is not possible or is too expensive. The use of batteries is a barrier as these need to be replaced. Wired IoT accounts for a marginal share mostly sold by start-ups. Most IoT sensors are used in residential applications, which are outside the scope of this study.
The suppliers of sensors are control companies and specialist sensor manufacturers with a large share sold via the OEM channel. The market is very fragmented with the top 3 players accounting for around a third of the market. Some of the large suppliers (OEM sales excluded) are Honeywell, ACI, JCI, BAPI, Siemens, Dwyer and Schneider Electric.
This study is confined to the market of HVAC systems for commercial buildings (excluding industrial and processing). It includes intelligent buildings equipped with an HVAC system integrated in a Building Automation and Control System (BACS) and traditional buildings, equipped with standalone HVAC solutions.
The HVAC field device studied includes mechanical elements of HVAC systems, distributing hot and cold fluid and air in the building for cooling and heating floor space (valves and valve actuators, dampers and damper actuators). It also includes fire safety dampers and actuators as they are a part of the controlled ventilation system.
The study includes sensors used for traditional HVAC systems but BSRIA also added to the scope sensors commonly installed with an HVAC system when it is designed to be integrated in a smart building, notably occupancy sensors and light sensors.