Air Quality Monitoring System Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product Type (Indoor, Outdoor), By Pollutant (Physical, Chemical), By Component, By End Use (Industrial, Commercial), And Segment Forecasts, 2019 - 2025

Industry Insights

The global air quality monitoring system (AQMS) market size was valued at USD 4.1 billion in 2018 and is expected to register a CAGR of 6.8% over the forecast period. Rising levels of pollutants in the atmosphere as well as stringent government norms and regulations for monitoring pollution are likely to drive product demand. Moreover, in recent years, there has been a significant rise in the number of casualties as a result of respiratory diseases resulting from environmental pollution. This will subsequently propel product demand.

Air pollution is a major threat to environmental balance. It has a significant influence on the atmosphere, resulting in acid rain, a rise in toxicity levels, and global warming, among others. Increasing demand for work environment safety is leading to the rising adoption of air quality monitoring systems in industries such as manufacturing, automotive, and oil and gas. Mishaps such as the Bhopal gas leak disaster and the Aliso Canyon disaster have resulted in raising awareness regarding monitoring the presence of pollutants in the atmosphere. Besides this, increasing government initiatives for environment conservation, such as the provision of funds for the installation of air quality monitoring systems and smart city initiatives are expected to boost market growth over the forecast period. For instance, in 2018, the Government of the U.K. provided Eastleigh Borough Council with funds worth USD 3.5 million for the installation of air quality monitoring systems across Eastleigh.

Recent years have seen a large number of tie-ups between government agencies and private organizations. Large companies such as Honeywell International Inc. and Intel Corporation are collaborating with government agencies around the globe for the protection of the environment. These partnerships are aimed at developing sensor networks and intelligent systems for monitoring the quality of air and water. Under the Clean Air Act, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments in partnership with the Maryland Department of Transportation, Baltimore Metropolitan Council, and WGL Holdings, Inc. founded the Clean Air Partners. Clean Air Partners has deployed monitoring systems across the Baltimore-Washington region and provides current and forecasted air quality data for the area.

There has been a significant rise in atmospheric pollution in megacities around the world, such as Shanghai, Sao Paulo, Onitsha, Zabol, Aba, Riyadh, Delhi, Dhaka, and Kolkata. Vehicles are a major contributor to pollution as they emit toxic elements such as particulate matter, carbon monoxides, and sulfur dioxide. Particulates are highly carcinogenic as they possess the ability to penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream, which could result in permanent DNA mutations and even heart attacks. As a result, governments have taken initiatives to limit the release of pollutants in the atmosphere. For instance, the Government of India is aiming to install 300 real-time air quality monitoring systems across the country by 2024 as a part of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) initiated in 2017. Additional government initiatives for developing smart cities consist of the digitalization of a city’s infrastructure, including transportation systems and wireless sensors, which are also expected to drive product demand.

The market is witnessing trends such as a rise in the availability of low-cost sensor networks, development of wireless communication, crowdsourcing, and growing public awareness about environment conservation. For instance, regarding the availability of low-cost sensor networks, in 2017, PurpleAir collaborated with The Weather Company to gather real-time data from its sensor units and enable the same to Weather Underground (a subsidized unit of Weather Company). This helped in displaying sensor readings and aligning the same on its website to offer snaps of air pollution in the U.S.

Although air quality monitoring systems are increasingly being adopted, high purchasing costs and costs associated with the maintenance of these systems are expected to restrain market growth to a certain extent. The price of an air quality monitoring system ranges between USD 100 and USD 250. Furthermore, these systems consist of a filter that has to be replaced regularly. A single air filter costs approximately USD 25, which may not be affordable for every individual user.

Product Type Insights

Based on product type, the market has been segmented into indoor and outdoor monitoring systems. The outdoor segment dominated the market in 2018 as a result of increased integration activities of these systems with other smart city infrastructure such as smart poles, traffic systems, and streetlight solutions. Government mandates for the use of air quality monitoring devices in industries such as oil and gas and pharmaceuticals are another factor driving the growth of the segment. The outdoor segment is bifurcated into fixed and portable. The fixed systems accounted for a larger share in 201, fueled by a significant rise in the number of air quality monitoring station installations in public places.

Indoor monitoring systems are being increasingly adopted as a result of the growing popularity of smart homes and green buildings. Most people spend about 75% to 85% of their time indoors daily. Several air impurities can cause respiratory disorders, allergies, and other ailments, which is a major factor attributed to the growth of the indoor segment. Fixed indoor air quality monitoring devices accounted for the largest share in the indoor segment in 2018. These systems provide benefits such as options for analog or digital output, limited sample volume required for air quality analysis, and real-time monitoring capability. Portable indoor devices are expected to gain significant traction over the forecast period due to the rise in the emission of VOCs and growing awareness regarding health risks arising due to VOCs.

Pollutant Insights

Based on pollutants, the market has been segmented into chemical and physical. The chemical segment dominated the market in 2018 on account of growing vehicular emissions, which include harmful pollutants such as carbon monoxide. Based on chemical pollutants, the market has been segmented into nitrogen oxides (NOX), sulfur oxides (SOX), carbon oxides (COX), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and others. The carbon oxides segment held the largest share, which can be attributed to a rise in the number of factories and vehicles, which are a major source of COx emissions. Besides, carbon oxide monitoring systems are extensively used for carrying out capnography in anesthesia and intensive medical services.

The physical pollutant segment in the air quality monitoring system market is expected to exhibit the highest CAGR over the forecast period owing to rising awareness regarding the health and environmental effects of particulate matter. A particulate matter of fewer than 10 micrometers can cause cardiovascular morbidity among elderly people as well as children below 10 years of age. In response to the health risks associated with particulate matter, government agencies such as the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment have laid down regulations for manufacturing industries about the emission of particulate matter.

Component Insights

Based on the component, the market has been segmented into hardware, software, and services. Hardware accounted for the largest revenue share in 2018 owing to modernized designs with real-time applications. The large share of this segment can be attributed to the increasing number of system integrators in the market. Some of the multi-national conglomerates perform the work of system integration and therefore purchase hardware such as sensors and displays from component manufacturers. With the advent of the Internet of Things (IoT), air quality monitoring devices have gained wide exposure. Newer units offer great connectivity and the potential to further relay real-time insights. The hardware is highly compatible with the software to capture data for air temperature, dust particles, VOCs, and carbon dioxide.

The software segment is projected to exhibit the highest CAGR over the forecast period. The growth of the software segment can be attributed to the increasing demand for these devices from smart city authorities. These authorities are focusing on integrating different systems such as environmental monitoring systems, traffic monitoring solutions, and parking management devices in a city into a single software solution. Moreover, air quality monitoring software is widely adopted by industries such as chemicals, oil and gas, and pharmaceuticals for remote monitoring.

End-use Insights

Based on end-use, the market has been segmented into residential, commercial, and industrial. The industrial segment held the largest share in 2018 and is also expected to expand at the highest CAGR over the next six years. The growth of the industrial segment is attributable to the increasing adoption of air quality monitoring systems from various industries in response to stringent government mandates. The industrial segment is fragmented into oil and gas, manufacturing, food and beverages, pharmaceutical, healthcare, and other industries. The oil and gas segment dominated the industrial end-use segment in 2018. Growing demand for natural gas and petroleum has led to the rapid expansion of oil and gas pipeline infrastructure. Also, various oil and gas producers and distribution companies in the U.S. are actively collaborating to devise measures for reducing methane emissions.

The commercial end-use segment is expected to register the highest CAGR over the forecast period. Smart city authorities across the world are increasingly utilizing a network of products that enable real-time monitoring and control of various air quality parameters. Air quality monitoring systems are extensively used for monitoring the air quality in stadiums owing to rising awareness regarding the effect of air pollutants on sportsmen. The International Cricket Council (ICC) is likely to incorporate air quality in its Playing Conditions clause in response to the Sri Lanka Cricket’s (SLC) complaint about the poor air quality during the cricket match between India and Sri Lanka in December 2017.

Regional Insights

North America maintains a strong foothold in the market. This can be attributed to rising levels of acid rain in the region, which has caused 90% of lakes in North America to be acidic. The governments, in response, have mandated strict implications for monitoring the quality of air, which will propel market growth. Also, the presence of well-established distribution channels of leading manufacturers bodes well for market growth.

Asia Pacific is expected to register the highest CAGR over the forecast period owing to the increasing prevalence of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases owing to air pollution in various cities across the region. Of the 30 global cities with the worst air quality index (AQI) in 2018, Asia Pacific is home to 24 cities. Besides, favorable government initiatives bode well for market growth in the region. For instance, the Government of India has mandated manufacturing companies to submit real-time data on air quality to the Central Pollution Control Board (CBCB) of India.

Air Quality Monitoring System Market Share Insights

Some of the key vendors in the market are 3M; Emerson Electric Co.; General Electric Company; HORIBA, Ltd.; Merck; Siemens AG; Teledyne Technologies Incorporated; and Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. Mergers and acquisitions, product launches, investment in R&D activities, and collaborations are some of the major strategies adopted by key players to enhance their business portfolio and geographical expansion. Moreover, most companies’ air quality monitoring systems are based on UV absorption and chemiluminescence measurement principles. Also, companies are developing cloud-based dashboards that display real-time information on the air quality of the city.

Companies are also emphasizing expanding their production capacity. For instance, in March 2017, HORIBA Ltd started operations at its new Houston Office for the Process & Environmental segment, which will carry out the design, production, sales, and service for air quality monitoring devices. Aeroqual Ltd. is one of the leading service providers for smart city authorities and government agencies. The Government of India, in partnership with companies such as Oizom and Aeroqual Ltd., has implemented air quality monitoring systems in cities such as New Delhi, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, and Kakinada.

Report Scope

Segments Covered under the Report

This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2014 to 2025. For this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global air quality monitoring system market report based on product type, pollutant, component, end-use, and region:

• Product Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025)

  • Indoor

    • Fixed

    •  Portable

  • Outdoor

    • Fixed

    • Portable

• Pollutant Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025)

  • Chemical

    • Nitrogen Oxides

    • Sulfur Oxides

    • Carbon Oxides

    • Volatile Organic Compounds

    •  Others

  • Physical

• Component Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025)

  • Hardware

    • Sensors

    • Processors

    • Output devices

  • Software

  • Services

• End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025)

  • Residential

  • Commercial

  • Industrial

    • Oil & Gas

    • Manufacturing

    • Food & Beverages

    • Pharmaceutical

    • Healthcare

    • Others

• Region Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2025)

  • North America

    • The U.S.

    • Canada

  • Europe

    • U.K.

    • Germany

  • Asia Pacific

    • China

    • India

    • Japan

  • Latin America

    • Brazil

    • Mexico

  • Middle East & Africa