Building Automation Systems (BAS) are the backbone of modern infrastructure, quietly coordinating HVAC, lighting, security, and other critical systems to improve efficiency, comfort, and safety. With AI, IoT, and data-driven controls driving innovation, BAS technology is advancing at an unprecedented pace. Yet, a growing workforce shortage poses a significant challenge to implementing and maintaining these sophisticated systems.
As the BAS industry faces a workforce crisis, simplifying installation and maintenance has never been more important. Functional Devices has been a trusted partner to building automation professionals for decades, providing products engineered to save time, reduce complexity, and increase reliability. By streamlining labor-intensive tasks, these solutions help organizations overcome staffing shortages while maintaining high-quality system performance. Contact our team to explore how Functional Devices can support your next project.
This blog explores the critical role BAS plays in modern infrastructure, examines the workforce challenges threatening its growth, and highlights how innovative tools and products, like those from Functional Devices, help address these challenges to keep systems running efficiently.
A Shortage That Can't Be Ignored
The skilled labor shortage in trades has reached a critical juncture, deeply affecting building automation. This shortage stems from several factors: the aging workforce, insufficient training programs, and a declining interest among younger generations in trade professions. With baby boomers retiring en masse (30 percent of the trade workforce by 2030) the gap continues to widen.
Globally, 85 million jobs could remain unfilled by 2030 due to a lack of skilled workers. In the U.S. construction sector alone, an estimated 546,000 positions needed to be filled in 2023, with similar outcomes faced in 2024. Building automation, dependent on skilled technicians, faces severe ripple effects.
The Impact on Building Automation Projects
Workforce shortages are reshaping how building automation projects are planned and executed, putting added pressure on budgets, timelines, and quality standards. The effects are far-reaching:
- Delays & Higher Costs. Labor shortages extend timelines, increase overtime, and drive up wages, creating budget strain and financial pressure on clients.
- Quality & Safety Risks. Smaller crews can lead to rushed work, raising the risk of errors, equipment malfunctions, or safety breaches in critical systems.
- Project Backlogs. Workforce shortages create growing backlogs, slowing industry progress and highlighting the urgent need for more efficient solutions.
These challenges underscore the importance of innovative tools, streamlined processes, and products that help teams do more with less.
Building Automation’s Resilient Demand
While new commercial construction is showing signs of softening across the U.S., certain sectors are propelling the demand for building automation systems to unprecedented levels. Among the most prominent drivers are the following:
Data Centers: The Energy Efficiency Mandate
The surge in data center construction, with the North American data center inventory growing by 24.4 percent year-over-year in Q1 2024, has created a new frontier for building automation. Data centers are energy-intensive, with power demands that rival small cities. Automation plays a pivotal role in optimizing energy use, from precise climate control to real-time monitoring of equipment efficiency. As global reliance on cloud computing, rapid AI adoption, and digital infrastructure grows, data centers are becoming a cornerstone of building automation innovation.
Retrofitting Existing Structures
Retrofitting older buildings with modern automation systems is a growing trend. As businesses and property owners strive to enhance energy efficiency and meet sustainability goals, updating HVAC, lighting, and security systems in legacy buildings offers a cost-effective alternative to new construction. Retrofitting also aligns with efforts to reduce urban carbon footprints by bringing aging structures up to current efficiency standards.
Sustainability and Carbon Reduction Goals
Governments and organizations worldwide are intensifying their focus on sustainability. Regulations promoting energy efficiency and carbon neutrality, such as those outlined in global climate agreements, directly impact the demand for building automation. Automation systems enable real-time energy management, predictive maintenance, and integration of renewable energy sources, aligning with broader decarbonization efforts.
An Unwavering Demand Curve
Despite shifts in construction trends, the need for building automation remains robust. The combined impact of data center growth, retrofitting initiatives, and sustainability imperatives ensures continued demand for skilled professionals and cutting-edge automation technologies. At Functional Devices, we witness firsthand how these trends keep our customers pushing forward, even amid workforce shortages.
Adapting to the Workforce Shortage
The building automation industry is finding creative ways to respond to ongoing labor shortages. By combining technology, training, and hands-on experience, companies can ease the strain on their teams and prepare for long-term success:
- Embracing Technological Innovation. Automation, AI, and predictive maintenance reduce manual workloads. Robotics and advanced software streamline complex tasks and maintain quality standards.
- Reimagining Training Programs. Targeted training from organizations like Smart Buildings Academy and Siemens equips the next generation. Expanded investment in training reshapes the industry’s workforce pipeline.
- Leveraging Apprenticeships. Apprenticeships and vocational training combine classroom learning with hands-on experience. Local initiatives offering dual education and certifications attract new talent and fill skill gaps.
By adopting these strategies, the industry can better withstand the workforce shortage while preparing skilled professionals for the future of building automation.
A Future of Opportunity
The workforce shortage in building automation poses challenges but also creates opportunities for smarter solutions. Functional Devices supports customers with products designed to simplify installation, boost reliability, and address real-world labor constraints:
- Simplified Installation
- Fast, straightforward setup saves time and reduces skill requirements.
- Helps bridge the workforce gap on busy job sites.
- Reliable Quality
- Industry-leading reliability minimizes callbacks and delays.
- Keeps projects running smoothly despite limited staff.
- Direct Engineering Support
- Direct access to expert teams for guidance and troubleshooting.
- Resolves issues quickly to keep timelines on track.
- Customer-Centric Innovation
- Products developed with installer and designer feedback.
- Practical, adaptable solutions built for today’s and tomorrow’s needs.
By combining simplicity, reliability, and hands-on support, Functional Devices helps customers stay efficient and resilient—even in a tight labor market.
Navigate the Future of Building Automation with Functional Devices
The workforce shortage in building automation is real—but it’s also a chance to work smarter. With the right technology, training, and partners, projects can stay on schedule, on budget, and built to last.
Functional Devices isn’t just a manufacturer; we’re your partner in solving workforce challenges. Our simple, reliable solutions help you save time, reduce complexity, and deliver better results. Let’s build a stronger, more efficient future together. Contact us today to get started.
About Functional Devices, Inc.
Functional Devices, Inc., located in the United States of America, has been designing and manufacturing quality electronic devices since 1969. Our mission is to enhance lives in buildings and beyond. We do so by designing and manufacturing reliable, high-quality products for the building automation industry. Our suite of product offerings include RIB relays, current sensors, power controls, power supplies, transformers, lighting controls, and more.
We test 100% of our products, which leads to less than 1 out of every 16,000 products experiencing a failure in the field.
Simply put, we provide users of our various products confidence and peace of mind in every box.