Edited by Eamonn Ryan, referencing an article by Chris Smith, senior vice-president for MEA and APAC, RIB Software
As construction moves into 2026, the challenge is no longer whether digital technologies work, but whether organisations can deploy them consistently, at scale, and where they matter most. Once again, HVAC systems provide the clearest lens through which to understand what comes next.
“The technology is ready. The real question is whether leadership and skills are ready to use it at scale.” — Chris Smith, senior vice-president for MEA and APAC, RIB Software. Freepik.com
The past year proved that AI, digital twins and automation deliver real value when they are embedded into system-led workflows. The next phase will reward leaders who treat HVAC not as a trade package, but as an industrialised, data-rich building system that spans design, construction and operation.
Modular construction becomes a capacity strategy – and HVAC leads the way
Modular and industrialised construction crossed an important threshold in 2025. The global modular construction market is estimated at USD91.25-billion (R1 496-billion) this year and is expected to reach USD122.24-billion (R2 005-billion) by 2030.
For HVAC, modularisation is proving especially impactful. Pre-assembled plant rooms, packaged air-handling units, riser modules, and corridor service modules are increasingly used to reduce labour risk, improve quality, and shorten programme timelines.
In regions such as Africa, modular HVAC approaches are closely linked to broader capacity constraints across housing, healthcare, energy and social infrastructure. They allow limited skilled labour to be amplified through repeatable, factory-controlled processes.
From a software and data perspective, modular HVAC is unforgiving. It demands precise configuration control, supply-chain transparency and high-quality digital models. Leaders who invest in standardised HVAC architectures and reusable system data gain a compounding advantage with every project delivered.
Three leadership disciplines for 2026
Looking ahead, three leadership priorities stand out.
- Make digital value explicit – at the system level
Every investment in AI, automation, dashboards or digital twins must be linked to measurable outcomes. For HVAC, this means tracking energy use intensity, commissioning duration, defect rates and operational maintenance costs across projects and portfolios.
- Treat skills as a strategic asset
The industry has no shortage of HVAC technology, but it does have a shortage of people who know how to design, build and operate digitally enabled systems. Structured pilots focused on digital commissioning, modular HVAC, and data-driven co-ordination are proving far more effective than broad, top-down transformation programmes.
- Design for an industrialised future
Even where projects are not fully modular, the direction of travel is clear. Off-site manufacture, repeatable HVAC assemblies and data-rich models are the only viable way to deliver higher-performing buildings with fewer people while meeting increasingly strict ESG and energy regulations.
The construction industry has reached a point where leaders can no longer argue that the technology is not ready. It is. The defining question for 2026 is whether leadership, governance and skills are ready to deploy it – starting with HVAC systems that ultimately define how buildings perform, consume energy, and support the people who use them.
