Over the last few years, smart building sensors have become foundational to both occupant comfort and regulatory compliance. The worldwide smart building market is currently forecasted to exceed $50 billion by 2028 (with a CAGR of over 26%). That’s momentum. But why the surge?

A rich network of sensors make it possible for healthcare buildings, commercial offices, school districts, and more facilities to monitor indoor environments continuously and act on that data in real time. The difference is evident in building case studies across industries. Here’s one:

Milesight headquarters deployed over 350 sensors across a 10,400 square meter space: desk sensors, meeting room monitors, people counters, and devices to control lighting and HVAC in real time. That smart setup did a lot for energy savings and employee comfort, including:

• 45% annual energy savings with more efficient lighting, HVAC, and other equipment control
• 13% decrease in outdoor water usage with optimized irrigation scheduling
• 83% higher employee satisfaction due to better indoor comfort and IAQ

All told, those sensors contributed to a $46,000 reduction in yearly energy costs. Systems also lasted longer with less overuse.

What Do Smart Building Sensors Monitor?

We’re not talking just thermostats. Modern smart building sensors go well beyond temperature, with comprehensive setups that may include:

• CO₂ Sensors: Gauge occupancy and ventilation demand.
• VOC Sensors: Detect airborne chemicals and potential contaminants.
• Humidity and Temperature Sensors: Help maintain thermal comfort and reduce mold risk.
• PM Sensors: Monitor airborne particulates such as dust or smoke.
• Motion and Occupancy Sensors: Inform lighting and HVAC scheduling to avoid energy waste.

And more! Facilities teams can feed this information into a centralized system to track trends, set thresholds, respond in real time, etc. — and with a remote platform like ODIN, they don’t even need to be on site or switch between multiple systems.

The Compliance Angle: Stay Ahead of Small Issues Before They Get Big

Indoor air quality standards have steadily become more stringent. Buildings that serve vulnerable populations know this well. Healthcare facilities, schools, and government properties often face overlapping IAQ regulations from OSHA, ASHRAE, local codes, or internal policies.

Smart sensors also act as early warning systems. A small rise in humidity might not trip alarms on its own, but when paired with a trend of rising temperatures or decreased airflow, it can flag a larger issue in the making. Smart building control systems including ODIN allow your team to set clear safety thresholds, receive real-time alerts, and access comprehensive dashboards of building data that will show when something’s trending in the wrong direction. That sort of interconnectedness fuels proactive maintenance before small issues turn into downtime, discomfort, or damage.

You can even configure ODIN to respond automatically to certain conditions. For instance, if airflow drops below a threshold in a lab or isolation room, ventilation systems can kick into override mode. This protects sensitive environments and helps teams respond before users even notice a problem.

Without real-time sensor data, verifying compliance is a struggle. Manual spot-checks or inconsistent HVAC schedules leave too much room for error. Smart building sensors make it easier to stay ahead of compliance requirements with features like continuous tracking and automatic logging or adjustments when limits are exceeded.

ODIN aggregates this data across all your BACnet-connected devices and export reports as needed.

Future-Ready Compliance and Integration

Legacy systems often struggle to keep up with today’s requirements. With that said, a full retrofit is expensive and not always in the cards. ODIN was built for compatibility with open-source protocol devices (like BACnet sensors) already installed in your building. You don’t need to start over or rip out functioning hardware… just bring existing infrastructure into a streamlined, remote-access ecosystem.

Facilities teams can add new sensors over time or integrate existing air quality and performance monitors into a single control plane. This approach reduces system complexity and helps future-proof your facility as new indoor air quality standards and energy targets evolve.

From Sensing to Solving

Smart building sensors are only as useful as your ability to act on what they detect. They may not create comfort or compliance on their own, but they do give you the insight to take action. These sensors can become the eyes and ears of your facility with the help of a cloud-based platform that connects everything together. Empower your facilities squad with real-time information, alerts, and control options that reduce manual oversight.

ODIN would love to help you turn raw sensor inputs into smarter building outcomes. Get in touch to boost comfort and compliance today.