The Year 2025 in the Ventilation Industry: Strengthening Trends and Future Technologies
For the ventilation industry, and particularly for Air Handling Units (AHUs), 2025 marks a period of consolidating established development paths while looking boldly toward the future of new technologies.
Real-Time Control and Regulation
A standard that has recently become mandatory in AHU automation is a control system based on a wide array of sensors, the type and number of which depend on the facility's specific requirements. These may include $CO_2$ sensors, air quality sensors, humidity and temperature sensors, or even signals from external systems, such as local exhaust ventilation. Modern AHUs and AC units are equipped with algorithms that respond to changes in these sensor readings in real-time—for example, by adjusting fresh air volume, changing supply temperatures, or even shutting down completely. Such functionality significantly lowers operational costs and improves thermal comfort.
BMS Compatibility and "Smart" Buildings
Modern Air Handling Units are essential components for integration with Building Management Systems (BMS). Contemporary devices are frequently equipped with communication protocols that enable seamless integration with master management systems. Terms such as Modbus RTU, BacNet, and Webserver are now permanent fixtures in the AHU manufacturer's vocabulary. However, protocols alone do not guarantee efficiency. In 2025, AHUs must be effectively instrumented and feature operational algorithms that make BMS communication genuinely useful. Today, the foundation of a well-designed, energy-efficient AHU is its ability to communicate and cooperate with Renewable Energy Sources (RES), photovoltaics, or heat pumps.
A Component of a Larger System
In 2025, an AHU is increasingly viewed not as an individual device with a single sensor, but as a component of a larger whole. Thanks to integration with master systems and advanced algorithms, it is now possible to perform not only remote control and parameter visualization but also data aggregation and analysis for future use. With advanced systems increasingly based on Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), conclusions drawn from such analyses are faster and more precise.
Remote Access
Modern AHU automation frequently offers remote access. The most advanced units allow for connection even when the facility lacks Internet access. This ensures that these devices can be used in sensitive locations and critical infrastructure, such as hospitals, military facilities, or plants with highly sensitive production processes. Critical tasks like adjustment, diagnostics, or servicing—which previously took days—can now be reduced to mere hours.
A Look into the (Near) Future
The design trend for the world around us is moving toward the widest possible use of AI. The HVAC industry will not be an exception. In 2025, the greatest impact of AI is visible in advanced building integration systems—where bespoke IT systems integrate multiple devices across various sectors. Using AI tools, manufacturers can configure these systems faster, enabling them to aggregate and intelligently analyze data, draw conclusions, and create correlations between different systems, such as lighting, ventilation, and cooling.
While direct AI integration for managing industrial-grade devices is less common, it is becoming increasingly popular in home appliance interfaces and AI voice assistants. After all, it is much easier to say, "I was too cold yesterday," than "Set the temperature to 26°C instead of 22°C."