Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/292860
Flick The Switch Electrical and communication systems stay ahead of the curve by Adam Currie T he past twelve months have had its fair share of both challenges and successes across the electrical systems and communications sector. According to Deborah Cahill, president of the Electrical Contractors Association of BC (ECABC), intervention and new policies presented the main challenges last year with training and education of professionals the key focal point for the sector moving forward. The ECABC states that an aging workforce, combined with an increased demand for skilled electrical workers, has attracted new individuals to the industry from outside the province, with this inf lux adding to the need for a standardized assessment of education, skills and experience. In response, ECABC has been working with the Industry Training Authority (ITA) on the Enhanced Challenge Pathway, which it plans to execute later this year. Dave Fettback from Western Pacific Enterprises agrees and says he has seen a big change in the electrical contractor market . "Technolog y has changed our scope of work and timelines, so we have to have a much broader skill set and the ability to act much faster." To meet these needs, the company now specializes in condensed schedules. Fettback adds that more design-builds and diversity of technology means "it's no longer good enough to be just an elec- trician, you also have to be a technologist." However, to consider these points as the only hurdles affecting a sector constantly pushing for- ward would be overly simplistic. Ben Rajewski, electrical engineer at Williams Engineering Canada, notes that one of the main challenges faced by the electrical industry is the rapid advancement being made in lighting technology and the impact this has had on building design. "Many fixtures that were installed in buildings 12 months ago are no longer considered to be top-of-the- line technology. This can create difficulty for engi- neers in providing the best possible fixture options for a client at the time of design, while still allowing the client the ability to make future changes," says Rajewski. "The 2012 [Canadian] Electrical Code has also resulted in some challenges as the wire sizing table used by electricians and electrical engineers on a daily basis has been modified and permits, in some cases, lower gauge wire for higher amperage. This is something that will need to be adhered to in order to ensure correct standards are maintained." Meanwhile, Cristian Suvagau, senior lighting and energy management engineer for BC Hydro – Power Smart Engineering , states that while electrical systems continue to become more effi- cient, the electrical load is also increasing, with smaller plug-in equipment being added to build- ings for increased convenience. "Technology change has its own challenges. LED presence in lighting is being introduced aggressively with good merit, however, this sometimes results in the premature displacement of conventional lighting technologies such as f luorescents and High Intensity Discharge (HID)," says Suvagau. Pawel Stefanczyk, also an electrical engineer at Williams Engineering Canada, believes that the fast- est technological advances are occurring in con- trol, communications and lighting systems, with the primary overall design challenge being equipment selection. "There are new products popping up in the market nearly every month, and the ability to assess the performance of this rapidly evolving technol- ogy and equipment can, at times, be difficult. As the assembly of electrical systems occurs at the end of the building project phase, occasionally we need to rede- sign some aspects of the systems to keep the building up-to-date. We also need to adapt to industry trends and ensure that we are aware of new codes, standards and legislations," he explains. Despite these obstacles, engineers are seeing rapid technical advances, especially within the hi-rise multifamily residential space. Anthony Dallazanna, president of Allwest Electric Ltd., notes that his firm is finding modern day homeowners are far more sophisticated today. "[Homeowners] are seeking condominiums that are more energy efficient and want homes that are pre-wired for the latest technology and are smart-home ready. We have satisf ied our customer base by offering Control4 home automation as upgrade options and are finding that homeowners are taking advantage of this innovative technology, which allows them to control all audio, video, lighting and heating from their smartphones," Dallazanna notes. This sentiment is echoed by Steve Nemetz, presi- dent of Nemetz (S/A) & Associates Ltd, who underlines that within the residential sector, the ability for an occupant to use his or her iPhone, iPod or other mobile device to control mechanical devices, security and in- unit lighting is becoming more commonplace. BC Hydro has implemented a Power Smart New Construction Program that has been designed to pro- mote energy-efficient design and the construction of energy-efficient, high-performance buildings. Oscar Ceron, senior program manager, Commercial New Construction Program at BC Hydro Power Smart, explains that this program is aimed at reducing elec- trical consumption in new buildings and is structured to assist developers with co-funding to help identify and establish the cost and benefit of energy-efficient design opportunities early on in the design process. Developers can then elect to implement cost-effec- tive designs and qualify for capital incentives from BC Hydro based on the forecasted energy savings. To support the program a learning component is included to address education gaps that have been identi- fied in the industry. These gaps include awareness of energy efficiency in buildings for decision makers, technical knowledge on building code interpretation and energy modelling. Rajewski adds that many new construction build- ings are trending towards the design-build philosophy, which he feels is a double-edged sword in that it allows costs to be controlled more effectively. It also provides Niko Home Control lets the homeowner control the lighting, heating and ventilation centrally using a touchscreen or smartphone. april 2014 /33 Electrical and Communication Systems p32-35_Electrical-Comm.indd 33 14-04-02 4:53 PM