According to a new report from Navigant Research, shipments of wireless control nodes for commercial buildings will grow from 12.9 million in 2014 to 57.4 million by 2023.
The new report from Navigant, "Wireless Control Systems for Smart Buildings", examines the state of the global wireless building controls industry with a focus on commercial buildings and four system types: heating/ventilation/air conditioning, lighting, fire and life safety, and security and access. The report provides an analysis of the market drivers and opportunities, as well as technical challenges, related to wireless building controls.
The analyst firm contends that, as building automation and information technology converge, wireless technology is providing a range of potential benefits for commercial building owners and managers. While building automation and controls have been used for decades, wireless communication systems are becoming the catalyst for enabling more granular control over building systems, without many of the design and labor challenges involved with running traditional cabling to support communications and/or power, adds Navigant.
Significantly, a key driver for wireless deployments, according to the report, is intelligent lighting systems. The controllability of LED lighting and the density of devices of lighting systems make wireless an appealing option for control, maintains Navigant. According to the report, as smart lighting continues to gain acceptance, greater expansion into other controls segments is a certainty, as wireless mesh networks established for lighting can also be leveraged by heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, and by security and access control devices.
“The cost of wireless radios has come down enough that wireless versions of some products are being offered at the same price as wired versions,” explains Benjamin Freas, research analyst with Navigant Research. “As a result, wireless deployments, which were previously limited to retrofits of existing buildings, now make sense in an increasing number and variety of projects, including new construction.”
The new report's global market forecasts for wireless node unit shipments and revenue are broken out by region, wireless technology, system, and device, and extend through 2023. The report also examines the development of both propriety and standards-based wireless technologies and provides profiles of key industry players, including lighting controls vendors, wireless controls solutions providers, and enabling technology suppliers.
More information can be found at www.navigantresearch.com.