Whether for new construction, renovation, or tenant build-outs in an existing building, there are many considerations in designing a business’s electrical system. Some of these considerations are purely aesthetic, such as the appearance and positioning of lights, while others are more functional, such as the positioning of electrical and data sockets. Here are four additional considerations when commissioning industrial electrical work:
Stability
Stability of a system can refer to at least two aspects of industrial electrical work. First, the electrical system should provide continuous service. While this may seem like a foregone conclusion, nearly 70% of healthcare centers and nearly 80% of industrial facilities and IT centers suffer from voltage surges at least once per month that are strong enough to damage equipment. Electrical engineering design services can assist in designing systems that can deliver stable electrical power.
Second, the electrical system should provide continuity in the event that electricity is lost. Significant weather events, such as hurricanes, as well as blackouts due to accidents, fires, or an overtaxed electrical grid, can result in a loss of electrical power. Industrial electrical services can provide backup power supplies, typically in the form of standby generators that automatically start up in the event that power is lost. An electrical design services company can also help determine the amount of standby power needed to keep essential business systems operating, whether those essential systems take the form of safety lights and emergency data servers or medical life support systems.
Safety of Employees and Customers
In any business, the safety of its employees and customers is a top consideration. As it relates to industrial electrical work, safety can take many forms, from ensuring that the workplace and public spaces are properly lighted to ensuring that any electrical hazards have adequate safety precautions. An improperly lit retail space, restroom, parking lot, stairway, or workspace could not only lead to an injury but a personal injury lawsuit. An industrial lighting company can assist in the lighting design of a commercial or industrial space to provide an aesthetically pleasing and environment.
Energy Conservation
Energy conservation includes many changes that may seem small but may add up over the long term. For example, replacing incandescent lighting fixtures, installing sensors to automatically turn off lights when a room is unoccupied, and using alternative sources of energy can all conserve energy and reduce overall energy costs.
energy conservation not only saves money, but it can also increase customers and revenues. Nearly half of consumers say that they would change their consumption habits to reduce their impact on the environment. Moreover, 73% of Millennials say that they would be willing to spend more on products from eco-friendly or socially conscious companies. By working with a commercial electrical company that provides energy conservation services, a business may be able to substantially help its bottom line.
Data
While WiFi is common in homes and smaller businesses, data cables are still more reliable, faster, and more secure than WiFi. Unlike WiFi, which uses radio signals, data cables do not suffer from a drop-off in signal strength based on obstacles and distance between a transmitter and a receiver. Moreover, even the fastest WiFi router is still slower than data cables. Hackers must also physically connect to a network to intercept data transmitted through data cables, whereas WiFi radio signals can be received by anyone within range of the network. Although it may seem old fashioned, industrial electrical work can provide the data cable services to keep a business’s data connections reliable, fast, and secure.
Every business, from factories to retail stores and restaurants, relies heavily on safe lighting, stable electrical power, and data. Industrial electrical services can assist in the design of a system, the selection of the components, and the installation and testing of the system.