From office buildings to remodeled old properties, every commercial building has its own construction requirement. Most importantly, electrical design & build for commercial buildings.
Do you know what your commercial building needs? Where to even begin with the electrical design?
Electrical Design for Commercial Buildings
Your commercial building’s electrical design depends on what it will be used for. A clinic will have very different requirements than a restaurant or a nightclub, for example. But there are some common factors for all commercial properties that fall into five categories.
1. Health & Safety Requirements
Whether your building is used by staff, clients, or members of the public, you have a responsibility to uphold health and safety requirements. That is to say, electrics do carry a great deal of risk, which is why it’s important to get your electrical design spot-on in the first place. That means:
- Providing sufficient levels of lighting for safe working: low lighting may cause eye problems
- Lighting particularly dark areas and stairwells, to mitigate the risk of falls and injury
- Ensuring a backup emergency lighting system is in place, in case of a mains outage
- Maintaining basic electrical safety, including plug sockets and cabling
- Safety systems in case of a fire; including smoke and fire alarms, as well as a sprinkler system
- PAT-tested appliances – including toasters, kettles, and refrigerators as well as office equipment
- Lightning protection
2. Voltage
Voltage goes hand-in-hand with safety. Consequently, it’s important to know the voltage class and what your building requires because the size of it will require specific voltages. As an example, a low voltage of under 1000 Volts will usually supply a simple residential building. However, a bigger building will have higher electrical needs and will require a medium voltage class of up to 20KV, and it may have to be supplied by a substation. Commercial property’s voltage usage can quickly become a drain on your wallet. It is important to have efficient energy systems in place to combat the rise in costs.
3. Security
It’s time to turn to security. You must secure your commercial building or you can risk serious consequences. Especially if you have high-value merchandise or confidential information in it. Security systems include CCTV, burglar alarms and an electronic access system. Security systems will diminish the risk of break-ins or internal security breaches.
4. Logistics
Logistics is next. The electrical design should make sure you can actually use the property. How will people reach the top floor? How will they communicate with each other? To answer these questions, you will need to incorporate:
- An efficient communications system, including external and internal telephone systems, teleconferencing facilities, broadband, and WiFi
- AV systems (Audio-Visual Systems)
- A means for getting from A to B; whether that’s elevators or escalators.
5. Ambiance
The next consideration for your electrical design is the ambiance. Heating, air conditioning, and ventilation fall into the must-have category. You can turn to the decorative touches to achieve maximum enjoyment and comfort once the ‘essential’ boxes are checked. Fancy lamps, HD TVs mounted on the wall, or even coffee. These are the kind of touches that will make your commercial property into a 5-star business facility that everyone will enjoy. Read more on the recent commercial lighting trends of 2021 or the benefits of good office lighting for a business.
Don’t Neglect The Specifics
Make sure you dig into the specifics of your property and what it was intended to be used for before you finish your electrical design. In addition, there may be rules and regulations to bear in mind, and it is best to be made aware of these as soon as possible, so you can build with enough time and budget.
In other words, to ensure you are on the right track, the best course of action is to consult an experienced and qualified commercial electrician. They will be able to confirm your electrical needs and give you advice and resources to get it done. Without this, you can fall short of your electric requirements and can potentially have problems later on.
Design-Build Commercial Construction in Clearwater, FL
If you are worried about your commercial building’s electric design or you need some advice, East-West Electric can help. Our Clearwater new construction electricians are fully qualified to ensure the delivery of our high standards and unrivaled level of customer service. For more information, call us at (727) 771-9403 today. We service all of Pinellas County an beyond for commercial projects.
Additionally, you can complete our Commercial Lighting Calculator Form & receive a quick quote for your project.