Modern Building Services

20 MODERN BUILDING SERVICES JULY/AUGUST 2021 FEATURE ELECTRICAL SERVICES ELECTRICAL SERVICES How can electrical technology help building managers deliver more with less? According to media platform, Construction21 International, predictive maintenance is 3-9 times less costly than traditional time-based maintenance. It reduces inspection requirements and means that spares and consumables are only used when they’re needed, rather than according to a schedule. Smart electrical infrastructure also provides the additional benefits of higher resilience and uptime for services. That is essential for mission-critical sites, and it also provides higher tenant satisfaction when system faults can be identified, repaired and re-booted quickly. Climate change and the pandemic are also driving demand for smart systems. The US Green Buildings Council surveyed workers in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified buildings in 2018. It found that they feel happier, healthier and more productive and if given the choice would prefer to work for employers working from LEED- certified buildings. The pandemic has accelerated this trend. How does technology reduce maintenance and operational costs? One example of a building that has deployed smart power distribution is the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. In 2019, the building’s electrical distribution system with digital sensors and control was upgraded. The new system oversees the power supply for 400 electrical loads, including a 24 MWHVAC (heating ventilation and air conditioning) system and 57 elevators serving 163 floors. To meet the goal of reducing operational costs, we deployed an ABB Ability Electrical Distribution Control System. It uses sensors embedded in devices and in the building to provide real-time data on energy, power, current, voltage and temperature. It also monitors for harmonics and power quality issues. The project required the upgrade Nigel Thomas , ABB’s National Specification and Projects Sales Manager, answers our questions about how building services managers can use smart power technology to control energy consumption. Smart power technology