2017 HVAC, Building Automation Systems Study

2017 HVAC and Building Automation Systems Study: 7 findings

Respondents to the Consulting-Specifying Engineer 2017 HVAC and Building Automation Systems Study identified seven high-level findings:

  1. Building structures: More than half of mechanical engineers specify products for office buildings, industrial/manufacturing facilities/warehouses, educational facilities, hospitals/health care facilities, and government buildings/military facilities.
  2. Specification involvement: Seventy-three percent of respondents determine requirements/write specifications for HVAC systems, equipment, and controls.
  3. Design value: Engineering firms are annually specifying $2.5 million, on average, in HVAC and BAS products for new and existing buildings, with 28% specifying more than $5 million.
  4. HVAC challenges: At least half of respondents agree that energy efficiency and an inadequate budget for good design are affecting the future of HVAC systems.
  5. BAS challenges: Four out of 10 engineers reported interoperability/complementing systems and inadequate budgets as top challenges when designing BAS.
  6. Products specified: HVAC controls, air handlers, and fans/air movement were the top three HVAC equipment types or control systems currently being specified by mechanical engineers.
  7. Time spent researching: The average mechanical engineer spends 37% of their billable hours/time at work researching and/or specifying HVAC systems and BAS.

Access the full 2017 HVAC & Building Automation Systems Report to view additional findings.