SPECIAL FEATURE
SPECIAL FEATURE
HOME AUTOMATION & INTELLIGENT BUILDINGS
To remain marketable , modern commercial buildings must be equipped with intelligent building automation .
A word of warning
As with any electrical system there are safety implications that need to be borne in mind when designing intelligent buildings . For example , there have been occasions where we have received requests for maleto-male connectors for plug and play ring main circuits . This is something that our company will not supply – and for very good reasons . The convention is that only female connectors should be live – and the point of a convention is that if everyone follows it there can ’ t be any mix-ups . It ’ s a bit like everyone stopping at a red traffic light ; we all understand the convention so it works well !
In relation to this , there are two points to emphasise . The first is that that the convention should always be observed . The second is that plug and play systems are intended for radial circuits only , not for ring main circuits . And although there is a huge amount of safety built into the higher quality plug and play systems , using them in ring main circuits could compromise safety under certain circumstances .
However , if they are used in conjunction with traditional bulky cabling these aesthetic benefits may not be realised . Structured wiring systems offer an alternative by making use of the latest generation of ‘ microconnectors ’. These will fit into very small spaces and are therefore easy to hide . This can be particularly beneficial for applications such as showcases and display shelving as only small holes are required for the wiring .
Summary
Intelligent buildings are already a reality and smart construction processes will very quickly become the norm as BIM becomes the project delivery model of choice . In ensuring that a smart approach is applied at every level , structured cabling has a key role to play in both the construction and the ongoing management of these smarter buildings .