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.

By Consulting-Specifying Engineer April 17, 2017

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:
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.

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