HVAC, BAS in industrial facilities

Fifty-seven percent of respondents to the Consulting-Specifying Engineer 2015 HVAC and Building Automation Systems (BAS) Study specify, design, or make product selections for industrial/manufacturing facilities/warehouses—and seven in 10 of these engineers are responsible for determining requirements/writing specifications and/or supervising or consulting on these projects. Below are five HVAC and BAS findings as they relate to industrial facility projects:

1. Annual specified products value: The average engineering firm specifies $2.46 million in total HVAC and building automation/control products for new and existing industrial facilities on a yearly basis, with one-quarter of these firms specifying more than $5 million.
2. Future of HVAC systems, BAS: When looking ahead to future industrial facility projects, HVAC system design will be most affected by energy efficiency requirements (56%), while BAS will continue to be challenged by designing for interoperability and complementing systems (69%).
3. Researching systems: The average mechanical engineer spends 31% of their billable hours researching and/or specifying HVAC systems and BAS for industrial facilities. These engineers mostly refer to product specifications, best practices, and training/education offerings during this time.
4. Important product considerations: When selecting HVAC products for industrial facilities, engineers compare product quality (83%), energy efficiency of a product (63%), and service support offerings (56%).
5. HVAC, BAS specifications: Engineering firms most often write performance (83%), prescriptive (73%), or open (alternate or substitute; 63%) HVAC and controls specifications for industrial facility projects.

Other research notes:
⅓ of engineers currently specify electrical inspection and test equipment. Source: Consulting-Specifying Engineer 2016 Electrical and Power Study

1 in 5 engineering firms specifies less than $100,000 in lighting and lighting control products for new and existing buildings. Source: Consulting-Specifying Engineer 2017 Lighting and Lighting Controls Study

62% of mechanical engineers recommend the brand of HVAC systems, equipment, and/or controls to be used in a project. Source: Consulting-Specifying Engineer 2015 HVAC and Building Automation Systems Study

View more information at www.csemag.com/2015HVACBAS. Amanda Pelliccione is the research director at CFE Media.

More research

Consulting-Specifying Engineer covers several research topics each year. All reports are available at www.csemag.com/research. 

Do you have experience and expertise with the topics mentioned in this content? You should consider contributing to our WTWH Media editorial team and getting the recognition you and your company deserve. Click here to start this process.