Driven by technological advancements, cost reductions, and stringent EU regulations for improving energy efficiency in buildings, the home energy management systems (HEMS) and building energy management systems (BEMS) markets are collectively expected to cross $2 billion in revenue by 2018. Growing demand for an integrated solution for communication between sub systems or machine-to-machine interaction has made the major Tier I companies work on new business models to create an ideal environment for adopting EMS solutions by the end users. In particular, the emergence of cloud-based solutions and Big Data analytics, and their usage in HEMS and BEMS has transformed the traditional EMS into next-generation technology. The contribution of utilities, systems integrators, and telcos in providing end-to-end solutions has intensified competition in the market. Therefore, the entry of new and emerging distribution partners and solution providers has made end users reap the benefits of price competitiveness.
Key Findings
-Pricing, quality, technology, reliability, and customer support and services are expected to be the key competitive factors in the total European home energy management systems (HEMS) and building energy management systems (BEMS) market for companies to have an edge over other participants.
-Alternative technologies in HEMS (like home automation solutions) and BEMS (like building automation solutions) are expected to slow down the market growth. However, implementation of smart technologies (like smart meters, smart thermostats, and In-Home Displays [IHDs]) by emerging participants would create a competitive edge for the HEMS and BEMS markets.
-The United Kingdom (UK), the Netherlands, Italy, and Scandinavian countries are expected to lead the market during the next five years. However, Germany, France, the UK, and Spain are high potential markets for BEMS. Market growth in Poland and other Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries is based on economic growth rates and other political factors.
-High growth is expected in the HEMS market, as the implementation of smart technologies and new business models by the new and emerging participants are imminent.
-However, in the BEMS market, growth is expected to be between medium and high in an overall perspective, as there is a time factor involved in the implementation of European Union (EU) building performance directives.
-Some of the key drivers such as high energy prices, low product prices, and high investment opportunities in sustainable buildings are expected to play a vital role in improving growth opportunities for both HEMS and BEMS markets in Europe.
-Technologies involved in the hardware segment of the HEMS and BEMS markets, such as BACnet and Lonworks, are expected to improve the sophistication and flexibility of networking and communications in both residential and non-residential buildings. Therefore, it is expected to create more demand for energy management systems (EMS) over the next years.
-Technological advancements in Big Data analytics and cloud infrastructure in Software as a Service (SaaS) are expected to deliver a technology leap for the HEMS and BEMS markets to grow at an accelerated rate.
-Tier I participants in the HEMS market are expected to focus on the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) market, as the availability of energy consumption data is set to be high in the future due to smart meter rollouts in many EU member states. Meanwhile, Tier I participants in the BEMS market are looking to forge partnerships with HEMS participants to expand their presence.
