BOULDER, COLO. — The consumption of energy for HVAC in commercial buildings is a key contributor to total global energy use, notes Navigant Research. Although advanced HVAC controls technology is mature, adoption of the newest technologies remains relatively low; however, HVAC controls retrofits can provide a convincing value proposition through reduced energy consumption in existing buildings. According to a new report from the research firm, shipments of advanced controls devices for HVAC in commercial buildings will grow from 33.8 million units in 2014 to 70.4 million in 2023.

Such devices include a variety of sensors, controllers, and thermostats that assist in the efficient management of commercial HVAC systems. Navigant Research forecasts that the largest device categories over the coming decade, in terms of unit shipments, will be temperature sensors, airflow sensors, variable air volume or terminal controllers, fan coil unit controllers, and CO2 sensors.