BSRIA’s industry presentation webinar on global HVAC & Smart technology trends took place on Wednesday, 18th March and was attended by a large audience of participants from around the globe.
BSRIA’s market experts delivered insightful presentations about the current and future trends in the global HVAC & R industry and in the evolution of building automation and smart buildings. While the Covid-19 virus is currently creating huge short-term uncertainty, the presentations also highlighted the longer-term trends.
Socrates Christidis, Research Manager for Heating & Renewables segment, presented the market drivers and challenges that the industries are facing in the context of growing concern over the climate crisis and the quest for greener energy. Based on the latest research he concluded that while there is still a market for boilers, fuelled by replacement demand, heat pumps, hydronic as well as air-to-air units, have entered the path of a strong future growth. Heat pumps are supporting efforts towards achievement of decarbonised heating, however other alternative ways of reaching net 0 carbon targets are in view in longer term.
Saziye Dickson, Research Manager for ACV & R segment, spoke about the latest trends in air conditioning, ventilation and refrigeration. She highlighted impact that global trends exercise on the markets and described how different geographies and products are faring in this context. One of the key aspects addressed by her presentation was focusing on changes in AC supply chain in different regions. The presentation embraced the indoor air quality (IAQ) and wellness aspects, describing how technology plays a significant role in this global area of focus and identifying some key opportunities.
Henry Lawson, Senior Research Analyst for Worldwide Market Intelligence, talked about the growth of BACS in Europe and how BACS projects are increasingly converged, covering not just HVAC but other key building services such as lighting and blinds as part of the quest to improve both energy efficiency and wellbeing.
Across Europe, field devices such as AC equipment are increasingly likely to be IP connected. Software is becoming more central to BACS, incorporating more artificial intelligence, and may eventually even replace some of the functions of controllers. At the same time the industry is facing a skills challenge: new technology is displacing or downgrading some skills, while also calling for new ones.