Proptech Sensor Buying Guide: Thermal, Camera-Free Occupancy Solutions

Technical and environmental considerations

Sensors are affected by environmental factors; validate how products perform under your site conditions.

• HVAC and temperature variations: high differentials can mask thermal signatures
• Sunlight and reflective surfaces: direct sun can create false readings for some sensors
• Ceiling height and obstructions: tall ceilings and hanging fixtures reduce accuracy
• Density and clustering: crowded spaces create thermal overlap that challenges counting algorithms
• Pets, strollers, and trolleys: understand false-positive rates from non-human heat sources

Request site-specific pilot testing to validate performance in your conditions.

Privacy, security, and compliance

Thermal, camera-free solutions reduce privacy risk but confirm implementation details to meet legal and organizational requirements.

• No visual images: sensors should not capture visible-light images or be capable of doing so
• Data minimization: collect only necessary outputs such as counts and anonymized events
• Encryption: protect data in transit and at rest
• Access controls and audit logs: define who can access what data and when
• Regulatory alignment: GDPR, CCPA, or local privacy laws as applicable

Ask for a data processing agreement and details on data residency.

Vendor evaluation checklist

Use this checklist to compare suppliers and validate claims.

• Are accuracy claims backed by independent testing or case studies?
• Do they offer on-site pilots or proof-of-concept deployments?
• What granularity of data is provided (room, zone, person-level counts)?
• How do they anonymize or aggregate data to protect privacy?
• Which integration options and APIs are available?
• What are the power and network requirements?
• How are firmware updates and security patches handled?
• What support and SLAs are offered for enterprise deployments?
• What is the TCO including hardware, installation, licensing, and maintenance?
• Can they scale across multiple buildings and integrate into existing dashboards?

Deployment best practices

• Start with a pilot: select a representative floor or building and run a 4 to 8 week pilot
• Follow vendor placement guidelines: mounting location, height, and field-of-view matter more than brand
• Combine data sources when needed: pair thermal sensors with badge access or scheduling data for richer insights while maintaining privacy
• Calibrate for local conditions: ask vendors to tune algorithms for HVAC patterns, sun exposure, and occupancy types
• Monitor and iterate: use early results to refine sensor density and zone definitions

Measuring success and ROI

Define KPIs before deployment to quantify value and guide decision making.

• Space utilization rate and improvements in room booking efficiency
• Energy savings from HVAC and lighting adjustments tied to occupancy
• Reduction in cleaning hours through targeted schedules
• Faster insights for real estate planning including consolidation or sublease opportunities
• Compliance and tenant satisfaction improvements

Calculate payback by comparing sensor costs and integration against annual savings and avoided lease costs.

Comparison with other sensing technologies

Thermal camera-free sensors offer a balance between privacy and accuracy compared with alternative approaches.

• Camera-based systems: typically higher accuracy and richer analytics but raise privacy and regulatory complexity
• Wi-Fi and BLE based: infer occupancy from device presence; lower deploy cost but lower accuracy and affected by device detection rates
• PIR and ultrasonic: low-cost presence detection with limited granularity and counting ability

Thermal camera-free sensors often provide a middle ground ideal for workplace and many public-space use cases.

Final checklist before purchase

• Define clear objectives and KPIs
• Run a site pilot to validate performance
• Confirm integration capabilities with your systems
• Verify privacy, security, and compliance mechanisms
• Assess total cost of ownership and expected ROI
• Ensure vendor offers enterprise support and an upgrade path

Example provider note

Butlr is a provider focused on ambient, heat-based, camera-free sensing and analytics for building occupancy and activity insights. For privacy-first room and zone analytics with enterprise integrations, request case studies and a pilot to validate fit for your environment. Company URL: https://butlr.com

Choosing the right thermal, camera-free occupancy solution reduces risk, protects privacy, and delivers actionable insights for smarter building operations. Start with a focused pilot, validate results, and scale after confirming accuracy and integration fit.