Electrical Contracting News (ECN) July 2017 | Page 50
SPECIAL
FEATURE
HOME AUTOMATION & INTELLIGENT BUILDINGS
GETTING SMART WITH CABLING
There are clear advantages to making buildings – and construction processes – smarter, but this isn’t just
about harnessing the latest digital technologies. It’s also about taking a smarter approach to the basic
infrastructure elements such as cabling, says Mark Redfern, managing director at Wieland Electric.
B
uildings are undoubtedly
becoming more
‘intelligent’ in terms of
how they are designed
and constructed
and in the ways they
make use of the latest
technological advances.
Many of these advances should also make
the ongoing operation and maintenance of
the building more straightforward through
its life – one of the key drivers behind the
use of Building Information Modelling (BIM).
50 | July 2017
It’s also the case that the ‘building
intelligence’ features that get most
attention are those that are perceived as
‘advanced’ – because they are seen as
being more exciting. For example, there
is a great deal of interest in the Internet
of Things (IoT) and the communication
opportunities that this offers in a wide
range of building types.
However, it’s important not to lose sight
of the ‘basics’ and how the design and
application of the fundamental components
of a building can also be smarter.
As far as the building’s services go, you
don’t get much more fundamental than
the cabling. It’s absolutely essential for all
of the relatively ‘mundane’ aspects of the
building’s performance and habitability, as
well as being a necessity for the connectivity
that is required for smart performance.
Yet because cabling is such a familiar
and commonplace component of the
building it is actually quite easy to overlook
the critical role it plays – in terms of its
impact on construction schedules as well
the building’s performance. In this context,