There’s been a lot of talk about the Internet of Things in recent months as experts predict how the interaction between technology and everyday objects could shape our lives – and the HVAC industry is at the heart of the IoT revolution.

What is the Internet of Things? 

The Internet of Things is a phrase used to describe machine to machine communication: A fridge that tells your computer to add milk to your internet shopping order when the carton is running low, for example, or a road with inbuilt ice sensors that alert the computer system in your car of the danger as you drive along it.

IoT and HVAC innovation 

This kind of machine to machine communication could prove invaluable to HVAC manufacturers, both by informing their product development process and by opening up new opportunities for smart HVAC technology.  

Capturing data through heating, ventilation and air conditioning units

Consumers and businesses are inspired by the idea of being able to monitor their energy usage and remotely control their heating, ventilation, air conditioning and other appliances via a sensor that communicates with a cloud based application through the building’s wi-fi.

The value for HVAC manufacturers is in the data that results from this process. The HVAC industry can now access real time information about their product, its running costs, usage levels and condition. This is enabling manufacturers to respond quickly to faults and improve reliability.

It also means they can build up a picture of their end users. How is HVAC equipment being used in commercial properties and what does this mean for those designing and installing HVAC systems? If manufacturers can answer questions like this from an analysis of the data collected through their HVAC products, this could potentially give them a significant edge over their competitors.

Leading the way in smart building technology 

Looking ahead to the future of IoT and HVAC, manufacturers can potentially be at the forefront of smart building solutions. By building partnerships and innovating their services, they can offer a complete smart building system in which heating, ventilation, air conditioning and other appliances are linked together and can talk to each other. This is already leading to the development of systems that are fully monitored to allow for optimum energy efficiency and trouble free maintenance. Manufacturers are starting to use the Internet of Things to develop solutions that offer real financial benefits to the commercial HVAC market and this in turn is shaping the industry and opening up exciting possibilities within the sector.