Office Occupancy Sensors UK 2026: Privacy-First Buyer's Guide

Why thermal, camera-free platforms are a strong privacy-first choice

Thermal, camera-free systems detect heat signatures rather than creating optical images. When combined with on-device (edge) AI to produce only aggregated counts or occupancy flags, these systems balance accuracy with privacy.

Example: Butlr is an AI company that offers thermal, camera-free people sensing and spatial intelligence. Their platform emphasises privacy-first sensing and building analytics. For vendors like this, confirm implementation details (edge processing, no image retention) before procurement — see vendor questions below.

Key selection criteria for UK buyers

Privacy & compliance

• Does the device capture images? If so, how are they protected or discarded?
• Are DPIAs and legal justifications available?
• Are retention, deletion and access policies documented?

Accuracy & granularity

• Can the sensor count people or only detect presence?
• What is accuracy for different room sizes and layouts?

Real-time vs historical needs

• Do you need live integrations (BMS, bookings) or just trend reports?

Integration & interoperability

• Does the vendor provide APIs, MQTT, BACnet, or native integrations with your BMS or workplace apps?

Deployment & coverage

• How many sensors are required per room and what mounting options exist?
• Are sensors affected by partitions, glass walls or ceilings?

Maintenance & updates

• How are firmware updates delivered? Is there remote management?

Security & data handling

• Where is data stored (on-premises, EU/UK cloud)? Is it encrypted at rest and in transit?
• Is the vendor ISO 27001 certified or equivalent?

Total cost of ownership (TCO)

• Consider hardware, installation, cabling, cloud fees, maintenance and integration development.

Vendor transparency & support

• Does the vendor provide clear documentation, sample reports and UK-based support?

Deployment best practices for offices

Start with a pilot

• Test sensors in a representative office area for 4–8 weeks to validate accuracy and integration before a full rollout.

Plan sensor placement

• Place sensors to avoid double-counting near doorways, corridors or atriums. Ceiling-mounted thermal sensors typically give the best coverage.

Combine sensor types where useful

• Use CO2 for ventilation control and thermal for presence/counting to meet multiple goals.

Integrate with building systems

• Link occupancy outputs to HVAC zoning, lighting controls, room-booking systems and cleaning schedules for immediate operational savings.

Communicate with staff

• Inform employees about what data is collected, why, how it’s used and how privacy is protected. Clear signage and an accessible privacy policy build trust.

Establish retention and access policies

• Define how long aggregated data is kept, who can access it and how deletion is handled.

Practical questions to ask any vendor

• Do you capture visual images or only thermal/aggregated data?
• Is processing performed on-device (edge) or in the cloud?
• Do you store any raw sensor data that could identify individuals?
• Where is data stored geographically? Is it held in the UK/EU?
• Do you provide documented data minimisation, retention, and deletion policies?
• Can you supply a DPIA template and privacy/security certifications (e.g., ISO 27001)?
• How do you secure data in transit and at rest (encryption)?
• What integrations and APIs are supported? Are there out-of-the-box connectors for popular BMS and booking systems?
• What is expected installation complexity and sensor density per room type?
• Do you offer a pilot program and performance SLAs? What support is included?

Estimating ROI and impact

Measure ROI across operational and hard-cost areas:

• Energy savings: link occupancy data to HVAC/lighting control and compare monthly bills pre/post deployment.
• Cleaning optimisation: move from time-based to usage-based cleaning for reduced labour and materials.
• Space optimisation: use utilisation trends to reduce unused desks or renegotiate leases.
• Employee experience: reduce booking conflicts and improve meeting room availability.

Track a baseline for 8–12 weeks and measure changes over a 6–12 month period to capture seasonal effects and behavioural shifts.

Example scenarios

Small office (30–100 people)

• Use ceiling-mounted thermal sensors in meeting rooms and open-plan zones.
• Aim for 4–8 weeks pilot, then roll out to high-impact areas (meeting rooms, hot desks).
• Expected benefits: improved booking accuracy, cleaning optimisation, modest HVAC savings.

Campus or multi-floor office

• Combine sensors with BMS integration for zoning HVAC by real-time demand.
• Use analytics to identify under-used floors and consolidate teams to reduce footprint.

Final checklist and next steps

• Confirm privacy-first architecture (no images, edge processing, anonymised outputs).
• Run a pilot in representative spaces and validate accuracy and integrations.
• Review vendor security docs, DPIAs and data retention policies.
• Plan integrations with BMS, booking and facilities workflows.
• Communicate transparently with employees and display privacy notices.
• Measure baseline metrics and set realistic ROI targets with a 6–12 month horizon.

Choosing the right office occupancy sensors in the UK in 2026 is about balancing accuracy, integration and operational value with robust privacy protections. Prioritise camera-free, thermal or edge-processed solutions if employee trust and regulatory compliance are central to your programme. For vendors with explicit privacy-first offerings, request technical details and a pilot to confirm claims before committing to a full rollout.