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10 questions for specialists
1. How would you characterize the current state of the Russian building automation market?
Valery Volobuev, Director of the Industrial Automation Department of the IT Group of Companies:
I would divide the building automation market into two different-sized segments: the corporate sector (office buildings and complexes, government agencies, industrial facilities, hotels, university campuses, etc.) and the private sector (cottages, luxury housing, home automation). The goals and objectives solved by automation systems in each of these segments are completely different.
The development of information and communication technologies, increasing requirements for the infrastructure of facilities, the level and quality of customer service, the growth of wages for qualified personnel, increasing requirements for energy saving, ecology, protection from terrorism — all these factors dictate and, to a certain extent, accelerate the development of complex building automation systems both in the world and in Russia.
Vladimir Kostin, head of the representative office of VAGO «Kontakttechnik» GmbH in Moscow:
The market is actively growing and developing in three main areas. Firstly, automation systems for commercial buildings (offices, hotels, etc.). Here, market growth is associated with the general economic growth in the country, on the one hand, and the growth of operating costs, on the other. Secondly, the growth of the market for automation systems for luxury housing (cottages, apartments) is determined not so much by the real need for automation tools as by image factors. Automation of individual utility systems (mainly ASKUE, energy and water supply metering systems) is still developing weakly due to the lack of a clear policy in the housing and communal services sector. But in the future, I suppose, this area will become the most promising.
Ural Latypov, Sales Director, Honeywell CJSC:
In large Russian cities, the market has either been formed or is beginning to form, and potential customers are showing interest. In other Russian regions, the market is in its infancy.
Boris Liberman, Head of the Department of Engineering Systems and Design Solutions. Elevel Company. Engineer:
In my opinion, the market continues to develop intensively. After all, building automation is largely connected with the construction market. On the other hand, the number of non-standard construction projects is growing, including as a percentage of the market volume. This non-standard construction cannot do without automation, both local and integrated (dispatching systems).
Dmitry Smelov, Head of the Automation Department at United Elements:
The market for building automation systems in Russia operates according to the principle of “reasonable sufficiency,” but these systems are more in demand in office buildings, especially in cases where the customer of the construction (reconstruction) and the operating organization are one company.
2. How is your company's business developing and what trends are the most indicative?
V. Volobuyev: IT Company is a large system integrator, which has been working in the field of creating complex automation systems for enterprises and holdings in a wide variety of industries for over 16 years.
Today, the following trends are indicative in the development of the IT market:
— an increase in the share of services and consulting in projects;
— interest in complex solutions from a single supplier;
– integration of traditional IT solutions and systems with specialized engineering systems in projects;
– active entry of large IT companies into the markets of industrial automation, building automation systems, etc.
We are constantly developing innovative solutions and products, and one of these areas is building automation.
V. Kostin:Our company is developing successfully, and we will continue to expand our presence in the Russian market. And the main trend is the transition from one-time installations to serial, large-scale projects.
U. Latypov:Honeywell's business in Russia is developing dynamically, demonstrating growth from year to year. And among the trends, one can note the gradual refusal of the customer from the automation of individual systems in favor of integrated building management systems, including security systems and life support systems. Another noticeable trend is the increase in customer requirements for the quality of the proposed solution and more careful and high-quality development of proposals from engineering companies leading the market.
B. Liberman: Our company's business is focused on both private and corporate customers. The volume of investment in private housing construction is noticeably growing, owners of elite apartments and cottages, with the help of specialists, have learned to set themselves and contractors increasingly serious and interesting tasks to improve the comfort and safety of living.
The corporate customer is seeing stabilization of requirements for the functionality of automation systems. One of the tasks that is most in demand on the market is the integration of ERP and engineering systems. This requires the involvement of engineering systems specialists both at the early stage of project implementation and at the stage of «settling in» the facility. At the same time, promising business facilities are class «A» and «B» centers, hotels, sports and entertainment and shopping centers, residential complexes.
D. Smelov:As a supplier of equipment for automation of engineering equipment, we observe a constant increase in demand for such systems. First of all, this applies to automation of ventilation and air conditioning systems, as well as refrigeration systems.
3. How is the domestic building automation market divided by construction volumes between Moscow and the regions, and in which regions is the largest construction observed?
V. Volobuev:In recent years, there has been a clear trend in the field of automation and IT of moving large corporate projects from Moscow to the regions. IT has a developed network of regional offices. We are present in almost all major cities of Russia: St. Petersburg, Ufa, Kazan, Krasnoyarsk, Irkutsk, 20 offices in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan. A significant part of IT projects are concentrated in the regions. Large-scale construction is underway in Siberia, Tatarstan, Bashkiria. Naturally, in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
V. Kostin:The market is shifting from Moscow to the regions. The first step is the nearest Moscow region, the second is large cities of Russia. The dynamics can be traced by the trends in the growth of real estate prices.
U. Latypov: The pace of development and volumes of construction in the regions lag behind those in Moscow. The most active construction is in large industrial centers (see item 9).
B. Liberman:According to data obtained by analysts of the advertising department of the company «Elevel Engineer», the growth rate of building automation in the regions is noticeably higher than in Moscow. In my opinion, it is incorrect to compare volumes in Moscow and the rest of Russia. In general, large-scale construction is tied to money. In the regions, these are oil and gas centers.
D. Smelov:Moscow and the North-West region headed by St. Petersburg undoubtedly occupy the leading position, while in such regions as Krasnoyarsk Krai, Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug, Tatarstan, Bashkiria, Samara, Perm, Saratov, Sverdlovsk and Nizhny Novgorod regions there is a rapid growth in industrial and business construction, and then housing.
4. What are the new trends in technologies that have appeared on the building automation market?
V. Volobuev:
– Integrated dispatching of engineering systems and creation of the central dispatching system, for large facilities – creation of situational centers;
– integration of various systems, vertical integration;
– implementation of EAM systems;
– growing interest in analytical systems;
– outsourcing;
– active implementation of various resource accounting systems.
V. Kostin: The growing scale of projects dictates the need for serial solutions, for reducing costs for the design part of the work. In addition, the customer's demands on the timing of the entire project are increasing.
U. Latypov:As already noted, the customer's interest in integrated solutions is growing. Integration of life support and security systems in accordance with the latest global trends is implemented on the basis of Ethernet technology. LonWorks technology is gaining momentum in building life support systems, and large projects are appearing that are implemented using this technology.
D. Smelov:A positive trend is the “consolidation” of technologies, a reduction in the number of protocols with the simultaneous emergence of means of interfacing between them, a reduction in the number of home-made “smart” homes that confuse the minds of customers and discredit the very idea of integrated building automation in their eyes.
Simple solutions prevail! In the case of integrated building automation systems, simplicity is the choice of proven technologies and reliable equipment, the key to which is large-scale serial production of a wide range of components, debugged software, detailed documentation, etc. Only serious European manufacturers with extensive experience in solving such problems are able to meet these conditions today. But the level of Russian specialists allows them to use products from Western suppliers with greater efficiency. We see this in the example of automation for ventilation and air conditioning systems, which have to be developed taking into account the harsher climatic conditions of Russia than, for example, Italy.
5. How can we estimate the percentage of projects implemented on closed and open protocols (BACnet, KNX, LonWorks) and how will the situation change in the near future?
V. Volobuev:The variety of «field bus» protocols — the so-called FieldBus — in the field of industrial automation leads to higher equipment costs, complicates and limits the expansion capabilities of systems, requires the use of additional converters and gateways, «ties» the customer to the equipment of a certain manufacturer. In network projects, we are accustomed to using the open Ethernet protocol, which is the «de facto» standard in the field of LAN networks and has practically displaced other protocols, initially ensuring full «interoperability» of equipment from any manufacturer.
In recent years, it has been actively used in MAN, WAN networks, and for production – industrial Ethernet. I will not make any predictions, time will tell. We mainly focus on BACnet for various types of physical environment (Ethernet, RS485), since our partners – equipment manufacturers – use this protocol. If necessary, we use EIB/KNX at the field level, less often – the “echelon” protocol.
V. Kostin:The number of projects based on technologies with a high degree of product readiness, i.e. with minimal costs for design, programming and installation, will grow. And here LonWorks has good prospects, despite the relative high cost of equipment. It is difficult to predict the situation in the future, everything depends on new developments of competing technologies.
U. Latypov:The overwhelming majority of projects carried out by our company are complex solutions, where systems based on open protocols are integrated via TCP/IP with other systems that use closed protocols (for example, fire alarms). Other market leaders, it seems to me, are also moving towards integrated solutions. However, the percentage of such implementations relative to the overall volume is small.
B. Liberman:In my opinion, it is wrong to compare the number of projects implemented using different protocols, since at present in Russia, and I emphasize, specifically in Russia, such an interesting protocol as EIB/KNX is most often used in projects for the automation of private residential buildings, the number of which is large, but the volumes are inferior, in particular, to LonWorks, on the basis of which the main large-scale projects for the automation of buildings have been implemented (according to the same analysts from the company «Elevel Engineer»). The BACnet protocol is rapidly developing in Russia, but in terms of implementation volumes, it is nevertheless inferior to LonWorks. All the described protocols are the most advanced in Russia, but customers are not interested in the name, but in the final functionality and cost of the solution.
D. Smelov:Closed protocols are used by large manufacturers of automation systems to simplify the interaction of components within complex systems built using only their own controllers. Communication with systems based on third-party, «open» protocols is carried out using appropriate gateways. OPC servers, etc. are offered for integration into third-party SCADA systems.
As a result, the coexistence of two approaches to protocols used in automation systems will continue.
The percentage ratio between different protocols depends significantly on the nature of the facility and its automation system. And in order to build effective automation systems, specialists from installation companies must be familiar with the widest possible range of existing protocols.
6. Experts estimate the volume of the Russian building automation market (main equipment at end-user prices) at $220 million. How accurate is this estimate?
V. Volobuev: The figure of $200 million was included in forecasts for 2004, of which about
70 million were in Moscow. There were also forecasts for the growth of this market by 25-30% per year. I find it difficult to comment on the objectivity of these figures, although they seem to be true.
V. Kostin: I think that this estimate is somewhat overstated. In addition, in anticipation of 2008, investments in real estate may decrease, which cannot be ignored.
U. Latypov: We did not conduct a detailed analysis, so it is difficult for me to answer this question.
B. Liberman:Estimates from analysts at Elevel Engineer indicate $150-200 million per year. As you can see, the order is the same.
D. Smelov:The main component of engineering systems subject to mandatory automation is the HVAC component. According to research by the marketing company Litvinchuk Marketing, in 2005 the market volume of such systems was estimated at 93.6 million euros in dealer prices (only the cost of equipment was taken into account). Based on this, the market volume of complex automation systems can be considered realistically estimated.
7. What problems are typical for the modern market of building automation and what is holding back its development?
V. Volobuev:The real estate automation market in Russia is in its infancy, and the solutions used here cannot yet be called mass-produced. It is necessary to accumulate a certain critical mass of implemented projects and positive feedback. Many builders still consider the cost of building automation too high; it is necessary to improve the competence of IT and automation specialists who make decisions on the choice of technologies implemented in buildings; to train designers and building operation specialists so that they can competently influence the choice of design solutions for buildings. The «design — construction — operation» chain must be unified. And I will note that the building automation solutions offered now are focused mainly on the engineering systems of exclusive buildings.
V. Kostin: There are many problems. The main one is the lack of highly qualified specialists.
U. Latypov: It does not seem to me that there are any fundamental problems. The market is growing quite actively. Among the current problems, one can note the lack of a sufficient number of competent project managers and engineers on the market, professionals in the field of sales of complex solutions.
B. Liberman: In my opinion, the two main reasons holding back the development of the market are the relatively low cost of energy resources and, as a consequence, the insufficiently short (in the opinion of investors) payback periods (about 5 years) for investments in more “intelligent” buildings associated with savings in operating costs. Another reason is the lack of a sufficient regulatory framework for the construction of modern buildings regulating the use of integrated building automation.
D. Smelov: The main problem holding back the development of the building automation market in Russia is the relatively low price of energy resources. This does not stimulate the introduction of energy-saving technologies closely related to complex building automation systems.
8. How can these problems be overcome?
V. Volobuev:I have already expressed my opinion on a number of issues. It is also necessary to develop replicable solutions, standard equipment and software built on the principle of the Lego constructor. This class of solutions will be used in standard facilities, middle-class office centers, hotels, and government agencies. Interesting Russian developments in this area are already appearing on the market.
V. Kostin: It is necessary to invest in training specialists. It is necessary to exchange experience with European and American companies and localize the solutions they have developed for Russian conditions.
B. Liberman: I do not propose to raise prices for gas, water and electricity, that would be too much. Standards for the creation of modern buildings are needed that are not advisory but mandatory. Everyone will benefit from this, and first of all those who live, work in buildings and operate them.
U. Latypov: The above-mentioned problem is temporary and is largely a consequence of the powerful growth of the market.
D. Smelov:The situation with low energy prices and low wages for service personnel is gradually but steadily changing towards the world average. A wise and far-sighted owner should already today include the necessary infrastructure in the designed and constructed facilities, including comprehensive automation tools that will reduce payback periods and reduce the cost of operating industrial, office and residential buildings.
Publications in publications such as the Building Automation Bulletin, exhibitions and other ways of conveying key information to the target audience – heads of development companies, large owners of real estate, etc. – should play a major role in this.
9. What major construction projects can be noted and where is a construction boom expected in the near future?
V. Volobuev:Siberia – Boguchanskaya hydroelectric power station, aluminum plant, pulp and paper mill. The Federal program for development of the infrastructure of the resort area in Sochi has been adopted. Construction of business centers, sports and cultural facilities, large shopping centers is actively underway in almost all cities with a population of over one million.
V. Kostin: These are large cities of Russia with a population of over 700 thousand people, cities of the Moscow region and neighboring regions.
U. Latypov: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Ufa, Yekaterinburg, Kazan, the Southern region.
B. Liberman:I am not ready to answer this question specifically, but I think these are the same centers of oil and gas production.
D. Smelov: The raw material nature of the Russian economy allows us to assume further development of oil-producing regions. However, rapid development is also expected in regions such as Krasnoyarsk Krai with its aluminum industry. As a result, this will entail an increase in the volume of industrial and residential construction.
10. What would you like to see on the pages of our publication next year?
V. Volobuev: The Building Automation Bulletin differs from other Russian publications that cover this topic. It is thematically structured, the information is relevant and well-developed, interesting from both a technical and commercial point of view. The publication serves to exchange experiences and opinions of specialists, and to popularize automation and IT systems.
We would like to see more information on real AZ objects, innovative solutions, foreign and Russian experience, discussion of standards and protocols, reviews from exhibitions, conferences, working groups and committees, including international ones.
U. Latypov: We would like to see more information on serious projects at industrial enterprises, on integrated solutions for APCS and, for example, security systems.
In addition, another important topic is the maintenance of both low-current building systems and all engineering systems. Our company is ready to share experience in these areas.
B. Liberman: More information on new technologies, implemented projects.
D. Smelov: Popularization of our activities is of utmost importance for participants in the Russian automation systems market. Therefore, the greatest interest will be presented by publications devoted to specific examples of the implementation of projects for the automation of buildings of various purposes, and information about the equipment used in these projects.