August 25, 2014—As building automation and information technology converge, wireless technology is providing a range of potential benefits for commercial building owners and managers, points out a new report from Navigant Research. 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.
According to the report, shipments of wireless control nodes for commercial buildings will grow from 12.9 million in 2014 to 57.4 million by 2023. The findings are expected to be useful to commercial building managers and operators, building controls integrators, wireless controls vendors, wired building controls manufacturers, building energy management system providers, industry associations and the investor community.
“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,” says 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.”
A key driver for wireless deployments, according to the report, is intelligent lighting systems. The controllability of LED (light-emitting diode) lighting and the density of devices of lighting systems make wireless an appealing option for control. As smart lighting continues to gain acceptance, Navigant Research expects greater expansion into other controls segments, as wireless mesh networks established for lighting can also be leveraged by heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) and by security and access control devices.
The report, Wireless Control Systems for Smart Buildings: Proprietary Wireless RF, ZigBee, EnOcean, Wi-Fi, Z-Wave, Bluetooth, and Other Wireless Protocols for HVAC, Lighting, Fire & Life Safety, and Security & Access Control Systems, 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. Global market forecasts for wireless node unit shipments and revenue, broken out by region, wireless technology, system, and device, extend through 2023.
The report also examines the development of both proprietary and standards-based wireless technologies, and provides profiles of key industry players, including lighting controls vendors, wireless controls solutions providers, and enabling technology suppliers. An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the Navigant Research Web site.
