In more than two decades in building automation, I have watched pneumatic controls move from a common building technology to a legacy system that fewer facilities still rely on. The transition to direct digital controls (DDC) has been underway for years, and most comparable buildings have already modernized through full replacements or phased upgrades.
For facilities that still use pneumatics, another challenge is becoming more urgent: the technicians who know how to calibrate and troubleshoot these systems are leaving the workforce. Newer technicians are trained mainly on DDC, which raises a practical question for building owners still operating legacy controls: Who will understand the system when their most experienced technician retires?
Pneumatic Controls Require Specialized Knowledge
In my experience, pneumatic controls require more than general HVAC knowledge. These systems use compressed air signals to operate valves, dampers, relays, and other HVAC components. A technician may need to locate air leaks, understand how the original control sequence was supposed to work, install replacement devices, and calibrate them to the correct pressure range.
Supporting these systems requires specialized expertise built around legacy controls, along with manuals, drawings, product documentation, and knowledge gained through years of hands-on work. Much of that knowledge may never have been fully documented, which makes an experienced technician’s understanding difficult to replace.
Experienced Technicians Are Retiring
What I am seeing is that experienced pneumatic controls technicians are leaving the workforce faster than new specialists are entering the field. Many of them built their careers working with these systems, and their knowledge comes from years of calibration, troubleshooting, and hands-on problem-solving.
As those technicians retire, building owners may lose access to knowledge that was never fully documented. The demand for building controls has not disappeared, but fewer people are prepared to support older pneumatic systems.
New Technicians Are Learning Digital Controls
New technicians are entering the field with a different skill set. Their training centers on DDC, building automation software, connected controllers, and system data because those are the systems they will be expected to support.
That shift reflects where the industry already is. I do not see the answer as training a new generation to maintain pneumatic controls indefinitely. For facilities that still depend on pneumatics, the priority is to manage the transition deliberately rather than wait until legacy expertise or equipment becomes harder to access.
At Albireo Energy, we focus on digital controls while helping owners understand what they already have. Our experience with current and legacy controls helps us address immediate needs and build a phased modernization plan around the building’s operations and budget.
Replacement Parts Cannot Replace Experience
Some pneumatic thermostats and compressors are still available, but finding a replacement part does not solve the larger problem. I have seen building owners replace a compressor without correcting the leaking air lines or failing control devices that made it work harder in the first place.
A new thermostat still needs proper installation and calibration. Without a technician who understands how the system operates, a repair may restore operation while the original problem remains. That is why building owners need a clear picture of their current system before the remaining expertise becomes harder to access.
Plan Before Pneumatic Expertise Is Lost
I recommend that building owners document their pneumatic systems while the people who know them best are still available. Record the equipment in place, gather available drawings, note past repairs, and identify the technicians who understand how the controls have been maintained.
That information gives a controls specialist a stronger starting point for assessing risk and deciding which areas should be modernized first. A phased plan can reduce reliance on a small number of pneumatic specialists without requiring a complete replacement at once. Early planning also gives owners time to coordinate the work with building operations and available budgets instead of reacting after a failure.
Plan Your Pneumatic Controls Upgrade With Albireo Energy
Albireo Energy works with existing pneumatic and digital control systems, giving our team the context needed to plan upgrades around operating schedules, system conditions, and capital priorities.
Contact our team to review your current controls and define the right scope for your next phase.
Tyler Morse is the General Manager of Albireo Energy’s Arvada, Colorado, division. He has more than two decades of building automation experience and has worked across nearly every area of the business since joining the company in 2002.
