Proactive Leak Detection and IoT Sensing Combats the Silent Chaos of Leaks, Mold, and Moisture Creating Sick Building Syndrome

A typical building’s lifecycle is 50 to 100 years; based on vertical, operating schedule and maintenance with multiple points of failure across its lifecycle. On average, a facility manager tackles at least 10 leaks in a month, be it a new or old buildings. ABI Research estimates that at least 15% of water damage claims from commercial buildings are due to water leaks caused from issues with roofs, toilets, fire/plumbing systems, Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC), tanks, or boilers.

While most leaks are predictable, they are difficult to find, as they are typically located behind walls or in remote spaces. Obvious signs of leaks include an unexplained increase in water bills, a drop in water pressure, warping building materials, condensation, cracks, or a damp odor. Less evident signals are insect infestation, electrical issues, high indoor humidity levels, HVAC issues, and decreased occupants’ well-being. Moisture damage is a hotbed for mold growth and airborne contaminants to thrive, leading to poor indoor air quality contributing to Sick Building Syndrome (SBS), a key concern for new builds and aging infrastructure.

The key driver for leak detection is to support facility managers identifying leaks early, cut down time, and reduce insurance premiums. Liquid leaks can disrupt business operations, damaging the building assets and encouraging the growth of mold. Sensors are typically located in physically remote space, water risers, flow monitors for HVAC, basements, utility rooms, and fire protection areas to provide visibility and connectivity across the built area. The advantages of early leak detection and sensing for building developers include:

• Protecting building assets from moisture and mold to maintain a healthy indoor environment.
• Digitalized building portfolios encourage data-driven decision-making, identifying hot spots and operational inefficiency.
• Real-time monitoring of potential failing points over time and addressing the problem before it creates more damage.
• Reducing redundant water consumption, thus supporting sustainable and low carbon building operations.
• Streamlining facility management to increase operational efficiency through reduced routine manual maintenance checks, prioritizing risk areas and remote access.

Leak detection is a niche sensor type. Currently, green building regulations like LEED and BREEAM encourage indoor monitoring to prevent water wastage and asset damage. Depending on the location, a point, line, or probe detection system is connected to a wired or wireless connectivity protocol like Wi-Fi, LoRaWAN, or cellular. According to ABI Research, 11 million dedicated leak detection sensors were shipped in 2024 for deployment in commercial buildings, forecast to reach 19.4 million with an advancing Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 8.2%. Up to 20% of buildings in North America and Western Europe deploy leak sensors, with less than 10% adoption in Asia and the Rest of the World (ROW). The indoor sensing segment is poised for high growth over the coming years due to vertical-specific building monitoring regulations, reducing water consumption, and increasing insurance premiums.

Here are two examples of leak detection solutions from Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) supporting building operation and management:

• Over the years, the residence halls at the University of Lethbridge regularly experienced water damage due to flooding, causing damage to the property, operational challenges, and costly repairs. The maintenance team relied on manual inspection, which was time consuming and inefficient. In collaboration with KB Innovations and TEKTELIC, the team deployed 600 Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled leak detection sensors across four halls, providing real-time monitoring to reduce insurance premiums, prevent future flooding, and optimize workflows. The LoRaWAN-based leak detection was chosen for its long-range capabilities, cost effectiveness, scalability, and low maintenance requirement.
• Rentokil Initial’s pest control laboratories and culture rooms are pivotal to the company’s Research and Development (R&D). The facility requires a controlled environment with precise environmental controls to operate and ensure business continuity. A couple of years ago, the humidifier failed over a long weekend—affecting lab operations and straining project timelines. LAIIER proposed quick and efficient detection solutions with accurate alerts and notifications—facilitating continuous monitoring, accurate alerts, and no false positives.

Building operators are gaining value from real-time monitoring and leak detection in remote or unoccupied spaces through an array of detection solutions from SMEs and established smart building providers such as Aqualeak, Johnson Controls, Honeywell, Siemens, and Schneider Electric, to name a few. Technology providers are actively working with building developers to install leak sensors prior to occupancy, thus limiting disruption and improving interoperability and connectivity with allied smart solutions and Building Management Systems (BMSs) for better operational visibility and demonstrating the Return on Investment (ROI) in leak detection solutions through case studies to succeed in a competitive marketplace.   

For more information on the installed base, shipments, and revenue of leak detection sensors for commercial buildings, please refer to Perimeter Security, Fire Safety and Indoor Sensing for Commercial Buildings (MD-ESOCB-24 & PT-3105).