energy

Smart Electrician 

The Internet of Things for Electricians 

Smart Electrician magazine | 2016 ISSUE 03 

Helping 

electrical 

contractors 

to benefit from the 

energy efficiency issue 

Sustainable 

energy 

& the latest state of the technologies 

Smart homes 

are a key element of the 

electricity industry 

Solar PV systems 

& how to install them 

10 

new trends 

that will impact 

green buildings

THIS 

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All things ‘green’… and there’s money to be made! 

Leading climate scientists have only just warned that our world is dangerously 

near exceeding the 1.5oC upper limit for global warming, a mere eight months 

after this target was established at the Paris climate summit. The negotiations, 

deemed highly successful at the time, went further than the previously held 2oC 

limit beyond which climate change would start to become catastrophic – and 

possibly irreversible. 

Smart Electrician 

The Internet of Things for Electricians 

The reasons are clear – the world is simply not de-carbonising fast enough. 

At Smart Electrician, we have a mandate to look at all things high-tech 

electrotechnical, including – of course – the burgeoning Internet of Things (IoT) 

sector. However, we also include the latest sustainable technologies, not least 

because we all (presumably) want to save our world, but also because there’s 

money to be made in saving energy and installing the systems. 

Sustainable 

energy 

& the latest state of the technologies 

Smart homes 




& how to install them 

10 

Helping 

electrical 

contractors 

to benefit from the 

energy efficiency issue 

new trends 

that will impact 

green buildings 

So, we come to this issue, which a cursory glance at page 7 will show is largely 

devoted to sustainable homes and buildings (which are also smart) and improving energy efficiency using the 

latest ‘green’ technologies. 

But first, back to that pesky 1.5oC limit, already so close to being exceeded. To avoid global warming catastrophe, 

the world will have to decarbonise at some speed, to the extent that the world must have no coal-fired power 

stations at all by 2025. That’s not all – by 2030 the internal combustion engine will need to be finished, whatever 

the Jeremy Clarksons of this world think. Even these measures will apparently not guarantee a rise of no more than 

1.5oC, yet the task is enormous – especially as while the IoT can help save lots of energy, the billions of electronic 

devices of which it is comprised also use increasing amounts of electrical energy. 

Still, all this means that increasingly clever use of the IoT in smart homes, buildings, grids and sustainable devolved 

power generation will also be critical in keeping to the 1.5oC limit. And for smart electricians all of this means extra 

work, and lots of it for many years. Better get smarter still….and fast… 

So, in this issue of Smart Electrician, we bring you a veritable smorgasbord of latest ‘green’ trends and technologies 

– the renewables and electricity markets, the benefits for smart electricians, sustainable energy and smart controls, 

smart homes and grids, solar PV power generation (and how to install it), energy saving electrical protection and 

ventilation efficiency. 

That’s not all, as we also cover a method of sending electrical energy over data lines to drive small machines 

and devices. This, Power over Ethernet (PoE), has been around for years in industry, but to date even many smart 

electricians are not fully aware of it - so take a look…. 

….have fun! 

If you are not a member of the Voltimum community sign up for free today at www.voltimum.co.uk 

PRINT & DISTRIBUTION 

Voltimum UK & Ireland Ltd 

e: enquiries@voltimum.co.uk 

t: 020 7751 3900 

SALES & ADVERTISING 

Amy Latchana 

e: amy.latchana@voltimum.com 

t: 020 7751 3902 

DESIGN, EDITORIAL & NEWS 

Soraia Antunes 

e: soraia.antunes@voltimum.com 

t: 020 7751 3906

CONTENTS 

7 

12 14 

Sustainable energy and the latest 

state of the technologies 

‘Green’ technologies and sustainable 

homes are crucial n the fight to 

reduce CO2 emissions to atmosphere, 

save energy, save money and 

provide real business opportunities. 

Ten new trends that will affect 

green buildings 

These 10 trends distill SE’s thinking 

about many issues over the past year 

and forecasts what will shape the 

sustainable development agenda in 

the next year. 

Future ambitions, future markets 

The renewable energy industry has 

had a turbulent 12 months. Too many 

initiatives have either been cancelled 

or simply have collapsed. One ray of 

sunshine is the commercial sector and 

solar PV. 

16 20 22 

Helping electrical contractors to 

benefit from the energy 

efficiency issue 

As more organisations switch onto the 

benefits of energy saving and face 

the pressure to comply, Schneider 

Electric discusses the options. 

PIR controls in commercial 

lighting applications 

PIR controls are becoming the norm. 

However, areas where luminaires are 

controlled by a wall switch are greatly 

outnumbered by those incorporating 

something a bit more involved. 

PEC boosted grid must cope with ten 

million solar homes 

Companies are participating in 

the government’s £9.5m initiative 

to modernise the UK’s energy 

infrastructure so that it will be able to 

accommodate millions of homes. 

25 29 30 


and how to install them 

The greatly increased use solar PV 

panels has been a great success over 

recent years, Smart Electrician takes 

a look at the associated installation 

equipment and techniques. 

Why have two types of wiring to 

operate a network device? 

This seemingly trivial question is 

creating a promising debate and 

laying the foundation of an industry 

with interesting possibilities in the 

future, generically called PoE. 

Smart homes are a key element of the 


Smart Homes are integral 

components of smart grids, but result 

in rising electricity consumption. 

Their successful integration must be 

facilitated with the help of installers. 

32 35 36 

New buildings containing green 

technology - RCD specification 

Domestic, commercial and public 

buildings designed to meet the latest 

energy standards can contain a 

range of energy saving devices and 

technology, Doepke lists them all. 

Smart efficiency 

Ventilation has been raising the bar 

on efficiency, but now it is smarter 

too with a host of clever features 

that benefit installers and households 

alike. Vent-Axia’s Product Marketing 

Manager Ian Mitchell, explains. 

IEA study calls for electricity 

market reinvention 

Electricity markets are currently 

undergoing a vast transformation. To 

ensure electricity sustainability, a new 

International Energy Agency report 

prescribes reinvention. 

38 40 42 

Buildings for better spaces 

ABB recently launched its new 

building portal featuring its full range 

of innovative building technologies 

that offer customers sustainable 

solutions and modern design. 

The future of multi-room audio room 

Multi-room audio has become a ‘must 

have’ – rather than a ‘would like’ – 

feature for many clients. Gary Lewis, 

CEDIA member company, Cornflake, 

looks at challenges and opportunities. 

Savant and Voltimum take center 

stage at Smart Building 2016 

The UK’s only dedicated event to 

integrated building technology, Smart 

Buildings is back and is set to be more 

electrifying than ever.

SuStAiNaBlE EnErGy 

aNd tHe lAtEsT StAtE Of tHe tEcHnOlOgIeS 

‘Green’ technologies and sustainable homes are crucial elements in the fight to 

reduce CO2 emissions to atmosphere and save energy. Such technologies can 

also save money – lots of it – and provide real business opportunities for electrical 

contractors and installers. 

One definition of sustainability is ‘a sustainable 

future in which a healthy environment, economic 

prosperity and social justice are pursued 

simultaneously to ensure the wellbeing and 

quality of life of present and future generations. 

Education is crucial to attaining that future’. 

In practical terms, sustainability technology 

means sustainable equipment and products that 

can be fitted and commissioned by electrical 

contractors and installers into existing buildings 

or into modern sustainable buildings and 

related environs. So, in terms of true sustainable 

technologies, we mean solar PV, solar thermal, 

heat pumps, microCHP, wind turbines and fuel 

cell systems. 

In this article, therefore, we don’t include in any 

detail, technologies that are not ‘sustainable’ 

in the true sense of the definitions, but which 

can be used to save large amounts of energy 

and reduce CO2 emission. Such very important 

‘low carbon’ technologies include whole house 

ventilation systems, fans having advanced 

energy saving motors, low energy lighting (e.g. 

LEDs, CFLs and others with modern controlgear 

and presence detection) and advanced electric 

heating systems that provide heat efficiently ► 

7 Smart Electrician ISSUE 02 | 2016 

2016 | ISSUE 03 Smart Electrician 7

Solar PV systems range 

from small, rooftopmounted 

or buildingintegrated 

types with 

capacities from a few 

kW to several tens of 

kilowatts, to large utilityscale 

power stations of 

hundreds of megawatts. 

only when and where it is needed. 

Smart home technologies are also 

becoming increasingly important. Aside 

from providing added comfort and 

convenience, smart home systems can 

also provide highly significant energy 

savings. Finally, the crucial importance 

of excellent thermal insulation should not 

be forgotten. 

There’s a message to get across… 

Such technologies can provide large 

costs savings to home and building 

owners, as well as helping to reduce 

those all-important carbon emissions 

into the atmosphere, and it is here that 

electrical contractors and installers 

can benefit. Looking at the crucial 

issue of man-made climate change, 

it has become clear that the best way 

to get the message across to many 

people is not to bang on about how 

they are contributing to global warming, 

rather, how they can save money by 

reducing their energy consumption. This 

approach is now starting to work and 

ever more savvy electrical contractors 

and installers can see that they need 

to get the message across, often 

finding new business opportunities in the 

process. For example, they can advise 

their customers on how to reduce their 

energy consumption, which can add 

value to a contract. 

Looking at non-residential buildings, 

the energy consumed for heating 

and cooling is typically more than half 

the total energy consumption of the 

building. The introduction of simple 

design concepts and currently available 

technologies, can lead to significant 

reductions in the energy consumption, 

operating costs, and carbon emissions 

of both new and existing buildings. 

The UK Government still has big binding 

carbon reduction commitments it must 

meet, so there are also regulatory 

drivers for sustainable technology 

developments and take-up. These 

include the Code for Sustainable Homes, 

similar for non-domestic buildings, and 

Part L of the Building Regulations. Others 

include Building Regulations Part G - 

sanitary hot water and water heating 

guidance - Energy labeling for water 

heating, the ErP Directive’ (Energyrelated 

Products) regarding fans and 

heaters, and Standard Assessment 

Procedures (SAPs). 

Ignoring modern lighting, ventilation and 

smart home systems, which although 

adding greatly to energy saving, are not 

strictly ‘sustainable’, the technologies 

are as follows (in no particular order): 

Solar photovoltaic (solar PV) 

This highly successful technology 

comprises solar panels to absorb and 

convert sunlight into electricity, a solar 

inverter to change the electric current 

from DC to AC, as well as mounting, 

cabling, an integrated battery and 

other electrical accessories to set up a 

working system. It may also use a solar 

tracking system to improve the overall 

performance. 

Solar PV systems, for which prices 

have declined rapidly, range from 

small, rooftop-mounted or buildingintegrated 

types with capacities from 

a few kW to several tens of kilowatts, 

to large utility-scale power stations of 

hundreds of megawatts. Today, most 

solar PV systems are grid-connected, 

while off-grid or stand-alone systems 

only account for a small portion of 

the market. A rooftop system typically 

recoups the invested energy for its 

manufacturing and installation within a 

few years and produces about 95% net 

clean renewable energy over a 25 - 30- 

year service lifetime. 

Solar thermal 

Leaving aside massive and highly 

efficient utility-sized molten-salt solar 

thermal plant, what we refer to here is 

the use of the sun’s rays for hot water 

heating. Sometimes known as solar 

water heating (SWH), this sustainable 

technology involves the conversion of 

sunlight into renewable energy for water 

heating using a solar thermal collector. 

In a close-coupled SWH system, the 

storage tank is horizontally mounted 

immediately above the solar collectors 

on the roof. No pumping is required as 

8 Smart Electrician ISSUE 03 | 2016

the hot water naturally rises into the tank 

by thermo-siphon flow. 

In a pump-circulated system, the 

storage tank is ground- or floor-mounted 

and is below the level of the collectors, 

so a circulating pump is used to move 

water or heat transfer fluid between the 

tank and the collectors. 

SWH systems will provide warm or hot 

water for most of the year, but in winter 

there may not always be enough solar 

heat gain to deliver sufficient hot water. 

At such times, a gas or electric booster is 

used to heat the water. 

Heat pump 

This uses an electric motor to drive a 

refrigeration cycle, drawing energy 

from a source (usually the ground or 

external ambient air), and pumps it into 

the space to be heated. Note that this 

is an essentially reversible process, so 

heat pumps can also be used to cool 

spaces. Although heat pumps will not 

be suitable for every application, they 

are very energy efficient and are often 

labeled ‘sustainable’, though some 

say that this technology is strictly ‘low 

carbon’ – it depends on the coefficient 

of performance (COP). The higher the 

COP, the more ‘sustainable’ the heat 

pump is. 

MicroCHP 

This is a small (roughly domestic boiler 

sized) combined heat and power unit 

that generates both heat and electricity 

from the same energy source. The main 

output of a microCHP system is heat, with 

some electricity generation, typically 

at a ratio of about 6:1 for domestic 

appliances. 

A typical domestic system will generate 

up to 1kW of electricity (or slightly more), 

but the amount of electricity generated 

over a year depends on how long the 

system is able to run. Normally mains gas 

(or LPG) is burned to power a small and 

very quiet Stirling (hot air) engine that 

drives a small AC generator to provide 

the electrical power. The waste heat is 

fed back into the gas boiler. This makes 

for a highly fuel-efficient system that 

can be wall-hung or floor standing. Both 

small internal combustion engines and 

fuel cells can also be used to generate 

the electricity. Installation is simple and 

the Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) applies, as it does 

to solar PV. 

There has been much excitement 

about microCHP, but development is 

still needed and costs are relatively high 

– and as modern conventional boilers 

are now so efficient, this technology 

has been relatively little used so far. The 

larger miniCHP systems, however, have 

been much more widely used in blocks 

of flats, and as part of district heating 

schemes - especially in mainland Europe. 

Wind turbines 

This technology comprises a tower, with 

a two- or three-bladed turbine at the 

top driving a generator through upspeed 

gearing. A transformer converts 

the generated electricity into a form 

that can be used. The turbine blades 

turn to face the wind automatically. 

Very large wind turbines are a proven 

technology increasingly used worldwide 

to provide ever-larger proportions of 

sustainable electrical power to grids, 

but smaller turbines – especially those 

intended for domestic homes – are more 

problematic. The airflow to such turbines 

absolutely must not be interfered with 

by nearby buildings, other structures 

or trees. Furthermore, if roof-mounted, 

damage to roofs can occur in storms 

etc. 

Any excess electrical energy generated 

can be sold to the grid, but a problem 

with both wind turbines and solar PV is 

that they only generate optimally (or at 

all) when the conditions are right (lots of 

wind and sun). However, suitable energy 

storage units - such as special batteries 

and other technologies - are being 

developed to overcome this difficultly. 

Fuel cell 

This converts a fuel’s chemical energy 

into electricity through a chemical 

reaction of positively charged hydrogen 

ions with oxygen or another oxidising 

agent. Fuel cells are often likened to ► 

The main output of a 

microCHP system is heat, 

with some electricity 

generation, typically at 

a ratio of about 6:1 for 

domestic appliances. 


atteries but are different in that they require 

a continuous source of fuel and oxygen 

or air to sustain the chemical reaction, 

whereas in a battery, the chemicals 

present react with each other to generate 

electricity. Fuel cells can produce electricity 

continuously for as long as these inputs 

are supplied. There are many types, but all 

comprise anode, cathode, and electrolyte 

that allow positively charged hydrogen ions 

(or protons) to move between the two sides 

of the fuel cell. 

As by-products, fuel cells produce water, 

heat and only very small amounts of 

nitrogen oxides and other emissions. So they 

are very clean, and the efficiency is also 

high, at around 40 – 60% (up to 85% efficient 

if waste heat is captured for use). 

The fuel cell market is growing, and Pike 

Research (via Wikipedia) has estimated 

that the stationary fuel cell market will 

reach 50GW by 2020. A big advantage is 

the technology’s use of hydrogen, which 

will never run out, but other advantages 

include cleanliness, high power output and 

they need little maintenance. However, 

the disadvantages are that to separate 

the atoms of the hydrogen and oxygen 

and generate hydrogen fuel, fossil fuels 

are needed. This defeats the purpose of an 

alternative energy source at least partially. 

Also, while fuel cells are non-toxic, there is a 

flammability (and even explosion) risk, and 

they are also expensive to make. 

The effect of the ‘Internet of Things’ 

There is one technology, which while again 

is not sustainable in itself, is becoming so 

fast growing and important that it must 

be mentioned here. That is the Internet of 

Things (IoT). 

The IoT is the network of physical objects 

or ‘things’ embedded with electronics, 

software, sensors and connectivity to enable 

it to achieve greater value and service by 

exchanging data with the manufacturer, 

operator and/or other connected devices. 

The IoT will lead to automation in nearly 

all fields, including of course, heating, 

ventilation, smart meters - and all things 

sustainable as well. ■ 

Fuel cells are very 

clean, and the 

efficiency is also high, 

at around 40 – 60% (up 

to 85% efficient if waste 

heat is captured 

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10 NEW TRENDS 

THAT WILL AFFECT GREEN BUILDING 

Most environmental resources do not, formally, have a recognised market price, however it is generally recognised that 

nature provides free goods and services that are important to our society, many of which are essential for our survival. This 

is the basis of so-called ‘green economy’. Going green has become very attractive as a business strategy, with the birth 

of many new terms such as green politics, sustainability, renewables, ecological footprints and many others, including the 

phrase, well known in our industry, of ‘green building’. 

The term ‘green building’ was first coined in the 1970s 

by architects and environmentalists. It can also be 

known as ‘green construction’ or ‘sustainable building’. 

In an environmental context, being green means being 

at peace with nature, not attacking her. Applied to 

architecture, a green building, then, is that designed, built 

and maintained with minimum consumption of water and 

energy, giving priority to materials that do not pollute the 

environment during their production and do not harm the 

health of users. 

Exponential growth of the green commercial real 

estate market: this will be seen in both the commercial 

and corporate sectors and will be increasingly 

replicated with government buildings, universities, nonprofit 

offices and schools under construction. Some of 

the reasons for this range from increasing numbers of 

institutional investors, changes in state and municipal 

laws, commercial tenants’ demands, tax credits and 

incentives, total operating costs and green building 

studies. 

With the growth of the environmental movement, strict 

environmental legislation and foreign investors keen to 

invest in high quality sustainable projects, environmental 

management has become more important than ever. 

There are two reasons why green building is becoming 

increasingly important for the industry: 1) green building 

technologies and resources are getting cheaper, thanks 

to technological advances, mass production and market 

competition; and 2) whether fuelled by the green trend 

or by a real need to reduce their footprint, people want 

to be more green. This is important because, as a recent 

UK Government document states, ’projects are generally 

more likely to succeed if they have broad public support 

and the consent of local communities.’ 

The following list of ten trends distils Smart Electrician’s 

thinking about green building and many similar issues 

over the past year and forecasts what will shape the 

sustainable development agenda in the next year: 

Public and commercial buildings are responsible for 

40% of global energy use, mainly driven by heating, 

cooling and lighting. Products from companies such 

as Philips, including energy efficient LED lighting 

combined with smart controls, can save up to 70% in 

lighting energy costs each year. 

Convergence between Business Management 

Systems and IT: energy efficiency measures in buildings 

are being more widely adopted. This will continue on a 

larger scale in corporate and commercial real estate, 

but this year the trend will incorporate government 

buildings, education and housing. The role of 

automation will be the cornerstone of these strategies, 

which aim to maximise the energy efficiency, safety, 

and comfort of buildings, all using cloud-based 

services. 

Operational transparency: the public availability 

of all information concerning the performance of 


green buildings will be a trend driven by government 

programmes worldwide. 

climate change continues to affect precipitation 

systems and water supply worldwide. 

Design and operation of Zero Emissions (Net-Zero) 

buildings: it is a fact that green buildings are the 

foundation of the modern construction and lighting 

industry. But in order to distinguish between projects, 

many owners and developers of buildings have now 

taken the next step: having buildings be completely 

self-sustainable by producing the energy they need 

for their operation from renewable sources rather than 

relying on fossil fuel. 

Photovoltaic systems: the use of solar energy 

in commercial applications continues to grow. 

Considered a viable and cost-competitive energy 

alternative to traditional fossil fuel energy sources, solar 

will continue growing - providing capital for rooftop 

solar systems in low-rise commercial buildings, parking 

lots, warehouses and retail stores as well as in homes. 

Integration of Smart Cities: more and more buildings 

will be connected to electricity grids bidirectionally, 

creating an intelligent or ‘smart’ grid network. Both 

buildings and utilities can optimise their power 

management capabilities. 

Retrofit in existing buildings: the focus of the green 

building industry will no longer only be new buildings 

and instead retrofitting, or technical renovation, will 

be used more in existing buildings. This is expected to 

mark the beginning of a new era with lighting products 

taking the main stage. 

Blue is the new green: better use of water, inspired by 

the increasing awareness of the global crisis in fresh 

water supply, which is expected to increase as global 

Administration in the cloud: green buildings will be 

designed and managed by increasingly innovative 

information technology platforms based in the cloud. 

Collecting the required materials to build a green 

project can be a challenge when availability in the 

market is quite scarce, Cloud-based platforms will 

help everyone to manage and archive materials. 

Many construction projects are being undertaken on 

a daily basis globally, and managing these can be 

an arduous task for those who are working in a crosscountry 

team. This is where cloud computing can 

help - connecting distant individuals, enabling a more 

synchronised cooperation. 

Electric vehicles: as of September 2015, there are over 

30 models of highway legal all-electric passenger cars 

and utility vans available for retail sales, mainly in the 

United States, China, Japan, and Western European 

countries. In the UK alone, plug-in cars increased from 

3,500 in 2013 to more than 63,000 at the beginning of 

June 2016. The automotive industry has made it clear 

that electric vehicles are a reality, but there is no 

optimal infrastructure for them yet. Worldwide, more 

and more companies, governments and regulators 

work on comprehensive programmes to promote 

sustainable mobility, such as charging stations. 

When it comes to sustainability and green building, 

we’ve made important progress as an industry over 

the last decade, but even more important is the work 

that lies ahead. Across the lighting and construction 

sectors, we need to recognise the importance of 

each trend and how to future proof to incorporate 

these new trends as necessary. ■ 


Future ambitions, 

future markets 

The renewable energy industry has had a turbulent 12 

months. Too many initiatives have either been cancelled 

or simply not made, financial incentives have collapsed, 

and the demand from domestic clients for renewable 

technology has fallen. One ray of sunshine is the 

realisation in the commercial sector that solar PV can still 

reduce electricity bills, particularly where there is high 

daytime energy use. 

Yet, as the UK’s energy infrastructure continues to struggle 

under increasing demand for more electricity, the rise 

of energy storage might be a way of providing useful 

energy to supplement new power stations or refurbishing 

existing ones, and giving a much needed ‘second boost’ 

to renewable electricity. 

The clear benefit of energy storage is that it can make 

the most of the productivity peaks associated with 

renewable technology to generate and store energy 

for use at a time of high demand. This effectively means 

that sunny and windy days become times to harness and 

store the energy generated by PV and wind turbines, 

which could then be used at times of peak demand. 

Of course, take-up of these systems would be boosted 

further if the government could incentivise the use of 

electrical energy storage, and if an R&D push results in 

big increases in battery performance. Storage is already 

carried out on a large scale where large electricity 

consumers have applied via an auction process to install 

energy saving measures that reduce power demand at 

peak periods. Storage systems can achieve the same 

thing by time-shifting energy requirements and could 

make a major contribution to smoothing out energy 

demand. The question is whether government has the 

funds to provide incentives for R&D and storage roll-out 

– or the willingness to deploy it. 

Funding aside, if the energy storage revolution is to 

succeed, the right guidance needs to be available for 

installations – and at present, there are few standards 

available. One, IEC 60364 -8-2, is being worked on at 

present, but is unlikely to appear in the first edition of 

the 18th Edition of BS7671 (the IET Wiring Regulations). In 

the short term, a Code of Practice on the Installation of 

Storage systems is being developed and it is hoped that 

this will be available by the end of this year. 

This approach could give a much-needed lease of life 

to small scale domestic PV systems and their commercial 

counterparts. It may lead to existing users wishing to 

extend their renewables capacity, and to more domestic 

and commercial customers benefitting from renewable 

technology – particularly if they realise the potential for a 

significant return on investment. 

Clearly, the potential is there for energy storage to deliver 

real benefits to end users, the renewable energy industry, 

the UK’s energy infrastructure and the UK’s carbon 

footprint. What it needs now is the government’s backing 

- and its willingness to work with industry to turn massive 

potential into speedy reality. ■ 

by Bill Wright 

Head of Energy Solutions 

at the Electrical Contractors' Association (ECA) 


Kevin Snowdon, Managing Director, NES Electrical 

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The ECA operates within England, Wales and N. Ireland. 

Those businesses located in Scotland wishing to consider trade association 

membership should contact SELECT (www.select.org.uk).

HELPING 

ELECTRICAL 

CONTRACTORS 

TO BENEFIT FROM THE 

ENERGY 

EFFICIENCY 

ISSUE 


As more organisations switch onto the benefits of energy saving and face the pressure 

to comply with mounting legislation, increased emphasis is being placed on energy 

efficient products and solutions. Schneider Electric discusses the options available and 

how contractors can play a helping hand: 

In today’s society, commercial organisations cannot 

escape the fact that saving energy has to be a 

priority. Not only does this align with the Government’s 

drive towards lower carbon emissions, but companies 

are understandably looking for ways to save money 

and reducing energy usage can achieve this. 

Electrical contractors have a role to play, not just in 

the installation of technologies, but by understanding 

legislation that affects their customers, they can also 

add value in the specification process. 

Some of the monitoring technologies are now 

recognised by the Government led Enhanced Capital 

Allowance Scheme. For example, Schneider Electric’s 

PowerView software can read up to a considerable 

distance and allows data to be read on the user’s 

computer. This enables businesses to offset the cost of 

energy efficient products and technologies against 

their tax bill, provided they use right equipment. 

Energy management and automation 

When it comes to achieving greater energy efficiency 

within an organisation, the way to manage and 

improve energy usage can be broken into four simple 

steps; measure, fix the basics, automate, and monitor 

and improve. 

Energy audits and metering essential 

Before reducing costs, a business needs to know 

what it spends. By measuring energy usage through 

metering, energy audits and simple bill analysis, it is 

possible to monitor the consumption of installations, 

areas and different systems, such as heating and 

lighting, to identify where savings can be made. 

In a bid to reduce the UK’s carbon emissions, Part 

L2 of the Building Regulations demands new builds, 

major refurbishments and any other commercial 

premises to account for the usage of 90% of each fuel 

type, meaning that metering should be fitted. Today 

there is an array of measuring technologies available 

to help organisations keep track of their energy 

consumptions. These range from individual metering 

and monitoring devices, to products where metering 

is integrated into another technology commonly 

found in an electrical circuit, such as a distribution 

board or circuit breaker. 

The second step in an energy management strategy 

is to fix the basics. This begins with organisations 

encouraging simple behavioural changes within 

the business, like switching off lights or IT equipment 

when not required, which will make significant 

savings. In addition, contractors should highlight the 

importance of considering the power consumption of 

different technologies and installations such as circuit 

breakers, contactors and low loss transformers, which 

work efficiently and will help reduce energy costs. 

The third step, automation, avoids the business of 

having to rely on uncertain human actions and 

ensures energy savings while providing increased 

comfort and safety. Today’s automated solutions 

include ranges such as Schneider Electric’s Control 

and Command. 

Energy efficiency gains based on lighting can 

tangibly be achieved even before entering the 

building itself. By integrating a voltage regulation 

system to operate external parking areas for office 

blocks or loading bays in industrial premises, a 20 to 

30% energy reduction can be achieved. Systems 

such as Schneider Electric’s Lubio work by reducing 

the operating voltage to the light fitting. The system 

allows the operating voltage of the lighting to be ► 


adjusted so that the optimum light level is provided 

at the same time as achieving maximum energy 

efficiency. 

Reducing the levels of electricity also results in the 

longer life of consumables, such as lamps, and 

this can save significant amounts of money on the 

maintenance of commercial properties. 

and therefore money. It is important to recognise 

the benefits of command control components in 

other areas as well as lighting. These controls can 

also be used to manage heating, ventilation and 

air conditioning, leading to a complete building 

management programme. 

Power factor correction 

For commercial buildings with standard working 

hours, it would be worth using pre-set timing for 

switching lights on and off. Time delay switches 

have been in operation for many years, used in 

less frequented areas or those where entry and 

egress is at different points. However, they have 

been revamped for today’s needs. Gone are the 

pneumatic timers which slowly released before 

cutting the power to the light, now they are 

electronic and fully programmable to whatever 

time setting is required, for as little as two minutes or 

as much as two hours. 

Occupancy sensing 

Occupancy sensing will detect the presence or 

absence of people within the parameters of the 

sensor and will turn lights on and off accordingly. 

This solution is most suited to areas of a building 

where occupancy is unpredictable, such as 

meeting rooms and private offices. The use of these 

sensors, commonly known as presence detectors 

or PIRs, in a private office, could save around 45% 

of its yearly energy usage. For spaces where use is 

much more regulated and predictable, scheduled 

lighting controls can be used to turn lights on and 

off at set times. 

Going beyond just switching lights on and off, a 

daylight harvesting control reduces power to the 

lights or turns them off completely, depending on the 

level of natural light. Photosensors linked to dimmer 

devices will vary the lighting output and provide 

an ideal solution for premises that have numerous 

offices and meeting rooms with many windows, or 

even a modern, glass fronted building where the 

space isn’t always being used and the quality of 

natural light varies. This ensures that lighting is not 

used unnecessarily, consequently saving energy 

Other changes that can be made include 

improving the power quality through solutions 

such as power factor correction (PFC), which gives 

significant cost savings with an excellent return on 

investment. Power quality issues can seriously affect 

a site’s power factor and its efficiency. Active 

Harmonic Filters (AHF) provide the simplest and most 

effective means to mitigate harmonics, reduce 

process-related voltage fluctuations and improve 

equipment operating life and system capacity. 

PFC also delivers substantial savings. The quantity of 

electric motors, induction heaters and fluorescent 

lighting installed in buildings has increased, 

reducing the power factor and the efficiency of the 

power supply. Using PFC lowers the current drawn 

from the electricity supply, decreasing reactive 

power charging, consumption and CO2 emissions, 

and therefore creates a greater supply capacity 

through more efficient energy use. 

The final step in the cycle is to monitor and improve. 

By continuously analysing usage, businesses can 

achieve cost savings through maintenance, 

supervision and monitoring, to help make further 

improvements. Software solutions, such as a 

comprehensive building management system, 

can monitor and analyse energy trends and 

consumption, which will help the company to 

strictly manage costs well into the future. 

There is an extensive range of solutions and 

services available to help contractors add value 

to the service they offer customers and spread 

the message about how easy energy efficiency 

can be. By implementing energy management 

solutions, contractors can help businesses to save 

money, lower their carbon footprint and meet 

legislative commitments. ■ 


PIR controls in commercial lighting applications 

By Paul Bellamy, Director at Flex Connectors 

Anyone connected with the commercial lighting sector will be aware that the drive for increased energy 

efficiency has resulted in passive infra-red (PIR) controls becoming the norm. Whatever the type of installation, 

be it a school, hospital, office or retail outlet, areas where luminaires are controlled by a simple switch on the 

wall are greatly outnumbered by those incorporating something a bit more.. involved. 

The absolute basics 

Occupancy control, where lights turn on automatically 

as someone enters a space and off after it’s vacated, is 

the basic control premise and virtually everything else is a 

variation or add-on of this simple principle. Absence control 

differs slightly in that it requires the pulse of a momentary 

switch to turn lights on, but they’ll turn off automatically 

after the area’s vacated. 

Absence will yield greater savings than basic occupancy 

because the user of the space can decide whether to 

initiate the lights on; no pulse of the switch, no lights. Further 

efficiencies can be squeezed out of both occupancy and 

absence methods with the addition of light level sensing. 

This comes in two flavours, daylight dependency and 

daylight linking, and is employed in spaces with good levels 

of natural daylight. Daylight dependency simply switches 

the lights off once a target light level is surpassed, whereas 

daylight linking gradually lowers/raises the output of a 

luminaire to maintain a constant light level. 

Some things to consider 

The temptation to use as few sensor heads as possible in 

a space is common, but the further away from the head, 

the greater the movement required to trigger it. A common 

solution is to increase the timeout to maximum because 

‘Someone’s bound to make a big enough movement in 40 

minutes, aren’t they?’ Granted, it’s a solution, but the wrong 

one. Imagine somebody walks into a room, automatically 

turning on the lights as they do so, picks something up then 

leaves; all the lights are on for the next 39½ minutes. Isn’t this 

completely at odds with the reason for installing the controls 

in the first place? A better solution would be to install enough 

heads to ensure finer movements are picked up anywhere 

in the space. This allows the timeout to be set appropriately, 

resulting in greater efficiency and a swifter ROI as a result. 

Choosing a product that will allow extra sensor heads to be 

easily added will increase the installer’s efficiency too. 

The growth rate of lighting controls could be considered 

snail paced when compared to that of LED during the last 

couple of years. However, one aspect of LED lighting that 

should be given serious consideration is the in-rush current, 

which is generally significantly higher than that associated 

with its fluorescent cousins. It’s sensible therefore to use 

control devices with relays capable of handling this current. 

Unlike the previous point, insisting the control device 

incorporates a high in-rush relay may not increase an LED’s 

efficiency per se, but it will probably extend the life of the 

control device. Efficiency comes in various guises. 

Not all DALI/DSI specific controls incorporate a relay, as 

the connected luminaires can be switched on/off and 

regulated up/down via the sensor’s digital output. This 

requires that the luminaire be permanently live and results in 

a small amount of current, commonly referred to as parasitic 

load, being drawn 24/7; imagine a TV left on standby. 

Selecting a DALI or DSI control device that incorporates 

a relay can allow a luminaire’s parasitic load, which 

could accumulate to relatively significant levels in large 

installations, to be negated. Additionally, such a device is 

capable of controlling regulating and non-regulating loads 

simultaneously. 

The best way to achieve maximum efficiencies out of any 

electrical product, not just a luminaire, is to ensure it’s on only 

when required. As specifiers, installers and manufacturers, 

we’re responsible for ensuring that the electricity bill payer 

is given a system that does just that. Applying a few simple 

thought processes at design and installation can result in 

our client getting a return on their investment sooner rather 

than later. ■ 


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connectors 

Leaders in lighting 

connection & control 

Tracking = 277 

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• Simple plug-in connection. 

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• Smallest sensor head of its type. 

• Protected extra low voltage. 

• Occupancy, absence, daylight 

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Many companies in the electrical industry are participating in the government’s £9.5m initiative to 

modernise the UK’s energy infrastructure so that it will be able to accommodate millions of homes fitted 

with solar photovoltaic (solar PV) panels and electric vehicle (EV) charging facilities. A new Government 

project is now underway with the aim of getting the UK’s electricity grid ready to efficiently accept the 

10 million homes that are expected to have solar PV by 2020. This project, which is being funded by 

Innovate UK, will find new ways in which energy can be supplied and used to address the increasingly 

important issues of sustainability. In addition, it must supply security with affordability. 

PEC boosted grid must cope 

10 MILLION SOLAR HO 


with 

MES 

This new programme - which is part of 

a major government push to help the 

grid cope with two-way generation 

and involves several companies, such 

as Schneider Electric, Western Power 

Distribution, Anvil Semiconductors, Turbo 

Power Systems, Aston University and 

Exception EMS - will improve the grid 

energy infrastructure and is also expected 

to increase the use of EVs to over 

six million by 2023. 

The numbers 

Estimates vary significantly, but there may 

be as many as 1.2 million EVs on the road, 

plus 350,000 Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles 

(PHEVs) on UK roads by 2020 – as long as 

the all-important charging infrastructure (or 

a large part of it) is in place by then. Other 

estimates are significantly lower, but it is 

clear that there will be far more EVs on the 

UK’s roads than now for carmakers to meet 

their increasingly onerous CO2 

emissions targets. 

Looking at domestic solar PV installations, 

from almost zero, this technology has now 

been deployed on well over half a million 

buildings, with total installed capacity in 

2014 exceeding 4 GWp. 

While the UK already has a legally binding 

EU obligation for 15% of its energy to come 

from renewables by 2020, as the sector 

drives the cost of solar PV down towards 

grid parity, there is the potential to install up 

to 20 GWp of solar PV early 

in the next decade. 

Indeed, the Solar Trades Association 

said as much new capacity was 

installed in the first three months 

of 2015 as in the whole of 2014 – 

though this included large-scale 

solar PV as well as domestic 

and business. The government 

has said that there are now 

650,000 solar installations in 

the UK, including 10 million 

panels on homes. 

But whatever the actual 

figures turn out to be 

by 2020, it is clear 

that the extra twoway 

demand for 

electricity on the UK grid means that it will 

have to become significantly ‘smarter’. 

Distribution network operators (DNOs) are 

facing significant challenges in modernising 

existing infrastructures, and investing in 

smart technologies, to cope with this 

transformation. This Government project is 

just one way of addressing the issues. 

Higher network voltage 

One way of improving the capacity 

of the UK’s existing residential energy 

infrastructure is by increasing the local 

network voltage. This approach will allow 

the grid to deliver different voltages 

simultaneously for varying requirements. 

The project, trialed on Western Power 

Distribution’s residential network, aims to 

boost the capacity of an existing residential 

energy network, at low cost, by installing 

high-performance power electronic 

converters (PECs) into individual properties’ 

meter-boxes, and there will also be a local 

sub-station converter for distributing at 

400V. To keep costs low, these PECs will 

make innovative use of silicon carbide 

(SiC) switching devices made utilising Anvil 

Semiconductor’s SiC-on silicon technology. 

SiC can sustain much higher voltages 

(almost 10 times) compared with silicon 

but, to date, silicon carbide switches 

have been prohibitively expensive to 

manufacture. This project should, if 

successful, obviate the problem. 

From generation to use, power and 

electronic semiconductor devices are 

employed in the control, conversion 

and switching of electric power. Their 

efficiency is key in reducing the power 

required by any system or product in a 

host of applications including consumer 

electronics, LEDs, EVs and trains, industrial 

motors, aircraft, ships, commercial premises 

and data centres. 

Other benefits include achieving efficient 

generation of power, particularly with 

the increase in renewables such as solar 

PV, wind and tidal - as well as delivering 

efficient distribution, control and conversion 

of power from many sources 

via the ‘smart grid’. ■ 


enlighten (verb) 

make it easier 

Find all the product data, brochures news and 

technical advice you need in one place 

WAITING FOR 

The IoT revolution is changing the way you work, as an 

individual, or within an organisation or company. The influx 

of smart technology into homes and work buildings, such as 

connected lighting, will also see significant benefits for you 

as an electrical professional in the future. The IoT is officially 

one of Europe’s biggest ever IT projects. In order to roll out this 

project, the UK will need electrical engineers who understand 

IMAGE 

smart technology. Are you one of them? 

All this new technology means there are lots of new terms and 

concepts to learn. But don’t worry if you’re not completely 

up to speed – we’ve collated some of the most important 

changes to the industry so far. And as the electrical industry is 

continually changing, we’ll keep it up to date with new terms 

as they emerge. 

Voltimum is THE ultimate electrical industry definition guide. It 

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Amendment 3 to 

the IET Wiring 

Regulations 

(mandatory from 

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is to (as far as 

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practicable) 

contain any fire 

within the non 

combustible 

Voltimum is updated daily with the latest industry news, key 

manufacturer news, and lots of technical articles covering all 

aspects of the electrical industry. There is also a section with 

over 3,500 entries of FAQs in the Q&A area, a product review 

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essential reading for FREE! 

enclosure and to minimise flames from escaping. 

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Solar systems 

& 

how to install them 

Smart Electrician takes a look at 

installation equipment & techniques 

The greatly increased use solar photovoltaic (solar PV) panels has been a great success 

in the UK over recent years, and even though this is now threatened by the present 

Government’s big cut-backs, the technology still represents business opportunities for 

enterprising electrical installers. 

Solar PV panels can be ground-, roof-, or-mast 

mounted, but the angle, direction and being 

unobstructed are crucially important, as is the choice 

of associated installation equipment. This article looks 

at these issues and the equipment itself. 

Note, firstly, that solar PV and wind power can be 

combined to form a hybrid system, though installation 

will be a little more complex. Whichever type is 

selected, it has to be carefully fitted out with suitable 

electrical and other equipment to function optimally. 

What is required? 

cells adding up (and sometimes many panels too) the 

danger is there - so, a safety reminder: solar PV panels 

produce electricity all the time they are exposed to 

light, so working with them can be hazardous. 

Also, remember that solar PV modules are designed 

to have working lives of typically 25 to 30 years, so 

some components will have to work reliably outdoors 

for this period, unaffected by extremes of weather - 

and even attacks by rodents. 

What’s in a solar PV kit? 

Secondly, it might be thought that solar PV is safe, 

low-voltage equipment. However, with many solar 

Typically, a domestic solar PV kit for smaller homes 

includes 0.5 -1kW solar modules, suitable ► 


controlled 

tracking 

systems can 

provide up to 

40% more 

efficiency than 

fixed solar 

layouts. 

mounting frames for roof or ground, DC 

circuit breaker, a 45A solar regulator, 

pre-wired control cabinet with charge 

controller, a 1500W pure sine wave 

inverter, a 700Ah 12VDC battery bank, 

plus all cables, connectors and mast 

clips etc. 

The kits for larger homes and other 

buildings are broadly similar, but require 

larger powers. Other domestic solar PV 

equipment can include special cabinets 

for network feed-ins, and active switches 

for communication and monitoring. 

Mounting solar PV panels 

and they work, but how to handle the 

resulting power? A suitable inverter must 

be fitted. This converts the PV array’s DC 

output to AC, which is essential for ‘offgrid’ 

applications with power supplied 

from charged-up batteries. If the system 

is ‘grid-tied’, it can export any excess 

electricity into the grid. At night, power is 

imported back. 

Anti-islanding safety circuits and 

interface protection integral with the 

latest solar PV inverters ensure that 

power is only produced when the unit 

is connected to the grid, which is active 

and operating within national standards. 

As stated, solar PV panels can be 

ground, roof- or mast-mounted, though 

for most homes, roof mounted systems 

are the commonest type. However, 

there are simplified types available that 

can be placed almost anywhere using 

fold out legs. In the UK, solar PV arrays 

should ideally be south facing, angled at 

30 degrees. 

In terms of the fittings, the solar PV 

modules have rigid shells that can be 

bolted or clamped to roofs using roof 

anchors. Roof mounting frames are 

provided by various – usually specialist 

- companies. However, to obtain 

optimum solar performance, the time 

solar arrays face the available sun must 

be maximised using solar trackers. This, 

of course, adds to cost and complexity, 

so calculations have to be made of 

performance improvement against 

extra cost to decide viability. 

Bear in mind that controlled tracking 

systems can provide up to 40% more 

efficiency than fixed solar layouts. A 

good modern solar tracker may typically 

use dual-axis active tracking systems for 

free-standing solar PV applications. 

Power conversion 

You have fitted the solar PV panels, 

Miniaturisation is important in homes, as 

the inverters are usually installed indoors. 

Mini string inverters for domestic use are 

available from various companies. 

Inverter-chargers combine inverter and 

battery charger in one unit, and can act 

as an uninterruptible power supply (UPS). 

Pulse width modulation (PWM) controllers 

in 12, 24 or 48V (to 4kW) ratings provide 

reliable solar battery charging and load 

control, or can divert excess power to a 

dump load. 

Connection and cabling 

Solar PV panels (modules) are usually 

supplied factory pre-wired for easy 

connection. Cables, for delivering 

electricity to consumer unit/meter, are 

sometimes supplied with reverse feed 

blocking diode, plus suitable connectors. 

They should be double insulated, 

weatherproof and rodent-proof. 

Cable types range from photovoltaic 

LV cables for linking PV panels to 

copper / aluminum cables carrying 

energy from array boxes to inverters, to 

special halogen-free cables for secure 

rooftop installations, silicone cables for 

cold environments, and earth cables 

to guard against short-circuits. Copper 

and fibre-optic cables can be provided 


for surveillance and control and include 

sensor and bus cables (for tracking 

systems). 

can also be used for protection. 

Batteries, charging and regulation 

When installing cable, it should be laid 

in parallel with looping avoided (except 

where entering a building), and should 

always follow the shortest possible route 

to array combiner boxes - various firms 

manufacture combiner boxes for solar 

power installations. 

For parallel connections, branch 

connectors will be required. All outdoor 

connectors should have a suitable IP 

rating for long-term exterior use. Always 

check for polarity, and that the sum of 

the open circuit voltages of all solar PV 

modules in the string equals the string’s 

open circuit voltage. All DC cable should 

be clearly identified. Important - don’t 

lay cables near lightning conductors. 

A waterproof junction box assembly 

will be required. The latest types may 

contain bypass diode connections, a 

moisture protection filter and PV cable 

terminals. In installation, junction boxes 

are designed to be simply placed on 

to the base already fitted to the PV 

module(s). 

Cabinets and protection 

PV array currents need to be isolated, 

protected and switched. Cabinets 

fitted with fuses and switches may be 

required. Larger cabinets located away 

from homes allow the utility concerned 

to isolate the network, either from a 

consumer or producer perspective. 

These cabinets form a major node 

between private and public networks 

and a security point for maintenance. 

In terms of circuit protection, various 

manufacturers and suppliers provide 

comprehensive ranges, including DC 

switch-disconnectors from 20 - 63A, while 

12 - 63A DC string circuit breakers protect 

PV modules from fault currents. Fuses 

Batteries are used to store the solar PV 

generated electricity until needed for 

use. Modern batteries provide long life for 

solar energy storage, and maintenancefree 

sealed lead acid batteries are 

probably best for the application. A 

good example is provided by carbonfibre 

gel solar batteries, some of which 

have a seven-year unconditional 

warranty. 

However, keep an eye open for the 

latest battery chemistries, as ever more 

efficient ones are being developed all 

the time. Battery monitors and isolators 

are a good idea. 

A voltage regulator/charge controller 

keeps batteries charged and avoids 

overcharging or deep discharge 

damage. Such controllers vary from 

simple types to sophisticated PWM 

versions. To choose a suitable one, 

use the familiar amps = watts X volts 

equation, so that - for example - an 80W 

solar PV array charging a 12V battery 

should be regulated using a 6.7A solar 

regulator (80W/12V = 6.7A). 

The FiT and smart meters 

For householders wishing to export excess 

electrical power back to the grid, the 

Feed-In Tariff (FiT) for micro-generation 

electricity that used to be paid was 

41.3p /kWh / unit exported (less for 

larger systems), but the latest swingeing 

Government cut of 64% - which means 

a headline domestic rate of 4.39p /kWh 

– are in addition to a cap on the tariff of 

£100 million up to 2018. 

This all means that solar PV is not 

nearly so attractive as it used to be 

for homeowners. Even so, electrical 

contactors and installers should be able 

to benefit, as the technology is not ► 

Copper and 

fibre-optic 

cables can be 

provided for 

surveillance 

and control 

and include 

sensor and 

bus cables 

(for tracking 

systems). 


smart meters 

will be 

absolutely 

essential 

to enable 

electricity to 

be sold and 

fed back into 

electricity grids, 

going away and it is needed to help 

meet the UK’s binding carbon emission 

reduction targets. However, for microgeneration 

electricity to be successful, it 

is essential that the latest ‘smart meters’ 

be installed. These allow the monitoring 

of energy being consumed and fed-in to 

the grid. 

Smart meters calculate electricity 

units consumed, plus the amount 

exported. This data is sent to the supplier 

for monitoring and billing through 

connection with the homeowner’s 

consumer unit, or wirelessly transmitted 

to a receiver station up to 100m away 

using radio telemeters (RTMs) – or the 

Internet (perhaps as part of the Internet 

of Things). 

Note that smart meters will be absolutely 

essential to enable electricity to be sold 

and fed back into electricity grids, and 

for ‘smart grids’. In the future, for many 

applications, their use will be mandatory. 

Smart meter technologies include 

real-time sensors, power outage 

notification, power quality monitoring 

and automated meter reading (AMR). 

Importantly, their use will speed microgeneration 

growth. ■ 

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Why have 

two types 

of wiring to operate 

a network device? 

In other words, why do you have to use a network 

cable for data transmission and an electric 

cable for power? This seemingly trivial question 

is creating a promising debate and laying 

the foundation of an industry with interesting 

possibilities for the future, generically called PoE 

(Power Over Ethernet), or inline power. 

PoE describes any of several standardised or 

ad-hoc systems which pass electrical power 

along with data on Ethernet cabling. This allows 

a single cable to provide both data connection 

and electrical power to devices such as wireless 

access points or IP cameras. Unlike standards 

such as Universal Serial Bus (USB), which also 

power devices over data cables, PoE allows 

long cable lengths. Power may be carried on 

the same conductors as the data, or it may be 

carried on dedicated conductors in the same 

cable. 

With the PoE standard, it is not necessary to use 

expensive coaxial cables with recording devices 

or security monitoring centres, such as those 

used with analogue video cameras, key-card 

and intercom systems. With a PoE network you 

use only one cable leading to a centralised PoE 

switch. This switch uses a single cable back to the 

recording device or security centre to transmit 

the data to all connected devices. 

What are the advantages of this approach? 

First, it is sometimes easier to get a network 

cable to a particular point in a building than to 

get an electrical cable. Consider the case of 

the surveillance cameras installed on a street or 

in a building, or an IP phone. The ability to use 

the same cable to power these and transmit 

the data, will greatly reduce installation costs 

by decreasing the amount of cabling required 

for the project and reduce the amount of manhours 

required to install the devices. Removing 

the need for even a single cable saves costs and 

maintenance. Moreover, PoE allows the ability to 

easily install devices that require power at any 

point in the network. For equipment that does 

not already have a power or data connection, 

PoE can be attractive when the power demand 

is modest. 

Another advantage lies in the fact that electric 

power is supplied only to the devices when they 

need it because they can be managed as 

nodes of the network and powered on/off at 

will - the equipment can be powered remotely. 

In other words, you can manage the power 

supply unit by unit at the same point from where 

the network is managed. Therefore, you can 

make an intelligent power management system 

using the devices on the network. For example, 

you can set up a mechanism whereby, in the 

event of any possible failure in the power supply, 

individual devices can be disconnected rather 

than disconnecting the entire network as a 

whole. 

The concept of PoE is only the beginning 

of a major transformation, the scope and 

ramifications of at this stage we can only guess 

at. We can imagine a network of billions of nodes 

(any person, machine and instrument, including 

RFID tagged papers, for example, could be 

a node), and that such a network is versatile. 

Today we do it through a physical cable, 

although in the future, perhaps we do it through 

the air, perhaps using microwaves. The bits are 

already sent wirelessly. Now if only the electrons 

could follow them. ■ 


In a smart home, many of the appliances will 

be networked together, allowing access and 

operation through an EMS (Environmental 

Management System). An EMS provides the 

ability to turn on the heater or air conditioner from 

work or keep track of the energy use of specific 

appliances or equipment - for example, tracking 

the energy use of the pool pump, or seeing 

how much energy is saved by using the new 

dishwasher. 

The residences connected by smart grids are, in 

fact, the final component of the network itself. 

The way energy is consumed, generated and 

stored (or re-injected in the network) by the endconsumer 

influences the management of the 

network. This is a crucial factor when considering 

the issues regarding sustainability and energy 

security, which society faces as this technology 

develops. So we ask: what are smart homes and 

what are their roles? 

Smart homes 


electricity sector 

Most environmental resources do 

not, formally, have a recognised 

market price. However, it is 

generally recognised that nature 

provides free goods and services 

that are important to our society, 

many of which are essential for 

our survival. This is the basis of socalled 

‘green economy’. 

The concept of the smart home first emerged 

several decades ago and predates the smart grid. 

The vision of the futuristic house was of a residence 

that supplied services to make life easier for its 

residents. Daily housekeeping was automated 

and a host of new devices was introduced. The 

incorporation of these new appliances, sensors 

and automation applications for various devices 

has greatly increased residential electricity 

consumption. 

Electricity consumption has advanced rapidly 

in countries where homes already incorporate 

the use of many appliances and automated 

processes. Added to this phenomenon of 

modernisation is population aging, which causes 

people to spend more time at home (and for 

longer), therefore increasing energy usage 

further. Having modernised and automated 

many daily actions, the residential sector now is 

a key factor in the global demand of electricity. 

This is the greatest paradigm shift. While the 

demand of electricity has increased significantly, 

scholars of the energy sector defend it as smart 

homes promote greater efficiency in production 

and energy consumption as well as increasing 

comfort by automating various services. To 

enable this, equipment is built to allow monitoring 

and control. There is software that turns lights and 

appliances on and off automatically according 

to the schedule and habits of its occupants. By 

incorporating such systems, smart homes are no 

longer a source of increased energy demand 


and instead become a source of energy savings, 

making the most of locally generated sources and 

taking into account the specific times you need 

to consume electricity, avoiding consumption 

at peak hours at higher rates where possible. 

However, maximising the benefits of the smart 

home is only possible if the house is well used. 

It’s no use if the house has a passive ventilation 

system and an automatic thermostat if the 

occupants leave the windows open, or schedule 

the equipment to operate during peak hours. 

Therefore, as well as investing in education so 

that people consume energy more efficiently, 

economic rewards and penalties were 

developed to help induce a change in the 

behaviour of companies and individuals, making 

them collaborate with the balance of the 

system. In the past, companies have been most 

heavily penalised in this way, however domestic 

customers will soon suffer in similar fashion, with 

suppliers hiking electricity prices by 99% at the 

peak time of between 4pm and 8pm. 

NEW 

CATALOGUE 

OUT NOW 

Several pilot projects using residential tariffs that 

penalise consumption at peak times led to a 

reduction in demand of around 13 - 20%. When 

associated with modern technologies, the 

reduction was between 27 and 44%. We can 

conclude that these techniques work in driving 

down usage, but it is important that specified 

peak periods are relatively short - up to four hours, 

for example - as this will facilitate the changing of 

consumption habits. 

It is through good integration with intelligent 

networks that consumers will get the biggest 

benefits of houses of the future. Networks can 

help integrate power generation from new 

renewable sources produced in homes, as well as 

promoting the reduction of energy consumption 

at peak times. 

Because smart homes are integral components of 

the smart grid, their good use is vital to circumvent 

the problems of sustainability and energy security, 

which companies face. Successful integration is 

facilitated with the help of installers, specifically 

your participation as an installer is critical to the 

success of integration. 

It is the installer’s duty to inform the end-users how 

can they can maximise the use of their thermostat 

to avoid extra costs. If this doesn’t happen, as 

more and more end-users misuse their devices 

the demand for a professional induction will rise. ■ 

Full of user-friendly information, 

technical specifications and installation 

advice, it’s the industry’s most definitive 

guide, so make sure you choose the 

number one in cable management. 

Call 0844 822 4959 

or visit www.newcatalogue.co.uk 

to request your copy

Domestic, commercial and public buildings meeting the latest energy standards 

contain many energy saving devices and systems. However, many of these 

cannot be used with standard AC RCDs, which must be taken into account when 

designing the installation, to avoid fire and electrocution risk. 

NEW Buildings containing 

Green Technology 

specifying RCDs 

RCD safety for smart homes 

The increasing use of energy saving products and technology in smart 

homes has personal safety implications for UK home owners. Many 

electricians still order and install Type AC RCDs, without any regard to the 

electrical characteristics of the equipment connected to the supply. 

Why does the load affect the RCD selection? 

Energy saving technology, such as LED lighting, induction hobs and 

washing machines rely on power electronics to alter and or chop the 

electrical supply, i.e. producing non-linear load characteristics. Type AC 

RCDs can only be used with loads that generate sinusoidal leakage and 

residual currents (linear loads) see Fig 1. Inverters used in lighting control, 

speed control and power supplies produce complex leakage and residual 

currents affecting the tripping characteristics of standard AC RCDs. This 

phenomenon associated with magnetic saturation of the trip circuit, is 

commonly referred to as ‘RCD Blinding’. 

The risks associated with incorrect RCD selection 

RCDs are installed to provide ‘additional protection’ and or ‘fire protection’, 

when a primary protection method fails. Ensuring they work when called 

on to do so could mean the difference 

between life and death. Those involved in 

Specification, Design and Installation have 

a duty of care under the Health & Safety 

at Work Act 1974. Installation companies 

and the self employed should take note of 

the new sentencing guidelines issued by 

the Sentencing Council in February 2016, 

relating to breaches of H&S regulations. 

Existing guidance relating to RCDs – is it 

clear enough? 

Health & Safety at Work Regulations and the 

Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (EWRs) 

reflect legal obligations as compared to 

non-statutory codes of practice such as the 

Wiring Regulations (BS7671), which only give 

advice. This relationship is important when 

making decisions relating to circuit design 

and the selection of RCDs for applications 

where the nature of the equipment 

connected in circuit could affect the safety 

performance of the RCD. 

Fig 1 

BS 7671 details minimum safety requirements, 

traditionally aimed at improving safety 

through non-statutory regulation in 

domestic and similar premises. This may not 

be sufficient in commercial and or industrial 


environments when considering the safety 

of employees and customers. In the event 

of an employee or customer receiving an 

electric shock from a 230V supply (potentially 

fatal in all instances), just meeting the Wiring 

Regulations may not prevent prosecution 

in the event of a breach of a Statutory 

Regulation. For example, BS7671 Regulation 

331 Compatibility of Characteristics covers 

the ‘assessment of characteristics of 

equipment likely to have harmful effects 

upon other electrical equipment in the 

installation’. 

There are some specific examples given in 

BS7671 (see Part 7) where type AC RCDs are 

not suitable, but this does not cover all the 

possible applications. An obvious example 

would be the connection of three-phase 

VSDs/ inverters into a circuit which has type 

AC or type A RCD protection upstream. 

Although it is not specifically stated in 

BS7671, we all know it is not safe to use three 

phase VSDs with anything other than type B 

RCDs. 

However, there are many applications 

where it is not so obvious and 331 is there 

as ‘catch all clause’. When installing any 

new equipment, either fixed, portable ► 

Equipment 

RCCB 

Type 

Inverters¹ heat 

pumps HVAC 

etc. 

Inverters heat 

pumps HVAC 

etc. 

Lighting¹ 

control 

systems 

Residual / leakage current components 

AC 50Hz AC 50Hz pulse Smooth DC 

Solar/ wind¹ 

generation 

AC 

>50Hz 6mA 

Table 1: Heat pumps use inverter based speed control 

Transient resistant 

3kA 8/20μS 

Current wave 

AC yes no no no no 

A yes yes < 6mA no no 

AKV yes yes < 6mA no yes 

F yes no < 10mA yes yes 

B yes yes yes 1 yes yes 

EV yes yes < 6mA² yes yes 

¹ Type B RCCBs detect DC residual currents and trip if the smooth DC current exceeds 30-40mA for 

30 Type A, AKV and F will function safely with smooth DC residual currents present up to the levels 

indicated, but they do not detect smooth DC. Therefore they must not be installed upstream of 

Type B RCCBs 

² Type EV RCCBs trip if the smooth DC current > 6mA i.e. Must only be used for protecting a single 

EVCP 

Table 2: General summary of RCCB limits of operation - refer to manufacture for full data 


or transportable, where RDC protection forms part of the 

‘Risk Reduction Measures’, the risk assessment must include 

a review of the existing installation and proposed RCD 

protection to ensure it is appropriate. 

Equipment requiring special types of RCD (RCCB) - Table 1 

Table 1 gives some generic examples based on the installed 

technology used and the associated RCCB. Equipment 

manufactures’ installation instructions must be checked with 

regard to advice relating to the minimum sensitivity and the 

type of RCD that can be used safely with their equipment. 

If the manufacture does not give any installation advice 

relating to the connection of its equipment to an RCD 

protected circuit, don’t assume it is safe to connect to any 

old RCD! 

RCCB checklist/ general limits of operation - Table 2 

more complex the design of RCCB required to detect those 

currents. 

Operational leakage currents for nonlinear loads can be 

significantly higher than conventional equipment, and must 

be taken into account when designing the installation. 

RCCB tripping current (sensitivity) must be selected based 

on the operational leakage currents, and the load circuits’ 

sub-divided if necessary to prevent unwanted tripping, i.e. 

leakage currents must be added together for each item of 

equipment connected to the RCCB – see Regulation 531.2.4 

For more detailed information on specific applications 

relating to RCCB selection, please refer to Doepke’s Web 

site – Technical Articles and the company’s RCCB hand book 

(www.doepke.co.uk). ■ 

By Chaz Andrews, 

technical manager, Doepke UK Ltd 

Understanding the different types of RCCB and the 

characteristics that may be specified by equipment 

manufacturers, reduces the risk of installing inappropriate 

and unsafe protection. In addition, it also helps during risk 

assessment for existing installations to identify potential 

dangerous situations and installations. RCCBs are designed 

and calibrated to operate in the presence of specific types 

of residual current, basically the greater the complexity 

of the residual current flowing under fault conditions, the

SMARTEFFICIENCY 

Ventilation has been raising the bar on efficiency, but now it is smarter too with a host 

of clever features that benefit installers and households alike. Ian Mitchell, Product 

Marketing Manager - New Build Residential at Vent-Axia explains. 

Efficiency is king. Manufacturers have been continuously 

re-designing ventilation to be as efficient as possible. As a 

result, mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) 

has now reached incredibly high levels of heat recovery 

whilst specific fan powers are extremely low. 

Just a quick look at the Product Characteristics Database 

(PCDB), an online database that publishes independently 

tested product data, shows this trend. Sophisticated 

computational fluid dynamics used in the design process 

have helped the latest MVHR units achieve the holy grail 

of high efficiency and low sound levels. For example, 

Vent-Axia’s Lo-Carbon Advance is designed for New 

Build Residential applications and tops the PCDB list as 

the best performing MVHR unit in its class, with a specific 

fan power down to 0.38W/l/s, 93% heat recovery and 

trickle settings of up to 40% staying below 20dBA. 

Households also benefit from the App, using it to boost 

the unit and view efficiencies, flow and temperatures, 

enabling occupiers to achieve healthy indoor air quality 

(IAQ). Programmable controllers can schedule Advance 

to boost when it’s very warm or avoid boosting, perhaps 

when a baby is sleeping. And with thermal comfort, a 

significant issue in air-tight energy efficient new build 

properties, Advance includes a fully automatic 100% 

Summer Bypass, featuring an evening or overnight 

purge. This allows homeowners to choose when to take 

advantage of cooler air during hot summer periods. It 

also offers filters up to F7, ensuring that even homes in 

heavily urbanised areas can filter out most impurities, 

including damaging PM2.5 particles. A filter-check 

warning tells households via email or the App when filters 

need changing, therefore helping to maintain good IAQ 

and performance. 

Control is the next step in efficiency 

So with such high levels of efficiency built into MVHR units 

what’s next? As Pirelli once said “power is nothing without 

control”. Having achieved high levels of efficiency, 

ventilation companies are making their products smarter, 

with ever more sophisticated controls. One route is app 

control, which has multiple benefits. It gives homeowners 

more control of their energy by allowing them to control 

their ventilation and showing them their energy usage, 

which is key in reducing energy use. 

The next generation of MVHR therefore provides both 

energy efficient ventilation and pioneering control. By 

making ventilation smarter in this way, manufacturers 

have made ventilation that is simple to install, easy to 

use and even more energy efficient thanks to the greater 

level of control. For electricians, MVHR units offering 

this new connectivity are a great fit in the smart-home 

market, whilst also offering simplified commissioning and 

installation and a host of added value features that will 

appeal to developers and homeowners alike. ■ 

Meanwhile, app-controlled commissioning offers 

simplified installation and improved performance, saving 

time and money. One example is when installers use a 

vane anemometer to measure airflow, they can use a Wi- 

Fi enabled App to control airflows during measurement, 

making it unnecessary to repeatedly return to the unit to 

adjust fan speeds. This simplifies and reduces installation 

time, ensuring accurate commissioning and efficient 

performance, so encouraging best practice. 

£ 

The Advance is the first web-enabled UK-manufactured 

MVHR unit and is fully autonomous but provides interactive 

control via a free App or on-board screen. With a simple 

to use interface. Installers can pre-commission Advance 

through its USB functionality, saving time on developments 

with same specification builds. 



IEA study calls for electricity market reinvention 

To ensure electricity sustainability and supply security, a new International Energy Agency 

report prescribes a changed balance between regulation and competitive markets. The 

organisation believes that the global nations should use the latest technologies to achieve 

this as the world moves to low-carbon power generation. 

Electricity markets around the world are currently 

undergoing a vast transformation, in part because 

the drive towards low-carbon power generation 

is moving the sector towards high investment in 

renewables and other new technologies – such 

as smart grids. This is so despite the fact that 

electricity supply demand is stagnating (and 

even declining) in many countries. So it is timely 

that the International Energy Agency (IEA) has 

just released its latest study entitled ‘Re-powering 

Markets: Market design and regulation during the 

transition to low-carbon power systems’. 

This report draws upon the IEA’s review of best 

practices in electricity market design, principally 

in Europe, the US and Australia. It offers guidance 

to governments, regulators, companies and 

investors on how to transition to low-carbon 

generation and achieve their COP21 pledges. 

Modernised regulation 

The report states that the market rules need to 

be modernised and better matched with low 

carbon policies while still keeping the same 

overall market architecture. It also states that 

what it calls a ‘robust’ carbon price is needed in 

the transition to a low carbon system. This will help 

understand the values of the various existing, new 

and future low carbon technologies. 

The IEA also suggests that regulation of electricity 

distribution be modernised to take into account 

the potential of the massive energy storage 

battery systems being developed (suitable for 

use with wind power in particular). It is also crucial 

to take account of those increasing numbers 

of consumers who also produce renewable 

electricity and sell some of it back to power grids. 

Essentially, the study says that countries should 

reinvent the way they produce, trade and 

consume electricity to make the shift towards 

a low carbon system. Nations, the organisation 

believes, should redesign their energy markets by 

ensuring investment in low carbon technologies 

and energy efficiency, as well as guaranteeing 

security of supply. The essential need is for 

efficient markets that can ‘unlock’ flexibility to 

deal with renewables’ variability, as well as cope 

with weather forecasting errors and network 

congestion. This is crucial, bearing in mind the 

recent Paris COP21 target of 2oC maximum 

atmospheric temperature rise agreed is a part 

of the global deal to reduce greenhouse-gas 

emissions. Exceeding this agreed ceiling will 

trigger the most dangerous disruptions to the 

environment, say UN scientists. 

Meeting the agreed target will be very costly. 

The deal struck at COP21 requires an overhaul of 

historic proportions for energy policies worldwide 

and a huge investment in cleaning up the 

pollution now damaging the Earth’s atmosphere. 

The targets, involving 195 countries, will require 

£11.7 trillion of spending on renewables and 

efficiency through 2030, according to the IEA. Yet 

the world cannot afford to go on as it is. 

Additionally covered in this report are the 

opportunities that demand response offers 

through dynamic pricing and the pooling of 

consumers through new technologies. Such 

technologies include electric vehicle (EV) 

charging – as well as their being used to supply 

electricity back to the grid at certain times – and 

others. 

Cannot be compromised 

Commented Fatih Birol, IEA Executive Director: 

“For a century, a centralised high-carbon power 

system kept the lights on. The price has been 

the generation of over a third of global carbon 

emissions. Thus, to gain the full social and political 

support required for decarbonisation, the level of 

supply security that society has come to expect 

cannot be compromised. “If regulatory regimes, 

market design and system operation end up 

lagging behind technology deployment, the 

result may undermine electricity security and 

ultimately, the low carbon transition itself,” he said. 

Ultimately, the IEA believes, there is no definitive 

market design for the low-carbon energy systems 

of the future. However, governments and industry 

around the world must adjust as new technologies 

prompt constant evolution. ■ 


Buildings for better space 

ABB recently launched its new building portal featuring 

the company’s full range of innovative building 

technologies that offer customers sustainable solutions 

and modern design. 

Recent technology advances, the rise of government 

mandated energy tariffs and regulations as well as 

higher utility costs, have put increased focus on cutting 

building energy costs and reducing their environmental 

impact. Across the full portfolio of ABB, the company 

has a range of solutions to meet the needs of building 

operators, facilities managers, systems integrators, 

developers and electrical installers – and even home 

owners. 

Cutting energy costs 

“Companies are increasingly implementing 

sustainability initiatives that also focus on energy 

efficiency in the buildings they operate,” says Philip 

Juneau, ABB’s Head of Global Strategic Alliances, 

Building Automation, Low Voltage Products division. 

“With buildings consuming about 40% of the world’s 

energy, ABB can help customers achieve 20 to 40% in 

potential energy savings.” 

Your Space 

The new portal focuses on two distinct segments. Living 

Space which features residential and home solutions. 

And with Building Space, ABB offers building solutions 

for commercial and industrial buildings including hotels, 

hospitals or other public buildings such as universities or 

stadiums. With the new building portal, customers can 

now more easily navigate ABB’s broad portfolio that 

offers building owners and their occupants’ the highest 

standards in comfort, efficiency, security and simplicity. 

Energy efficiency and comfort 

“With today’s technology advances, the building 

industry is embracing new opportunities to improve 

energy efficiency and building occupants comfort,” 

added Phil. “We are seeing a trend in building 

automation where all the different types of electrical 

and mechanical components and systems are 

converging to provide an intelligent ‘Smart Building’ 

approach solution to building management and 

automation, especially with the advent of the Internet 

of Things (IoT).” 

Better Space Hotel 

A special feature of the portal is the interactive 

‘Better Space Hotel’ – a virtual hotel application that 

customers can use to easily locate ABB components 

from low voltage products to drives and motors to 

power products. ■ 

38 Smart Electrician ISSUE 02 03 | 2016

Future proof & easy to use home automation? 

Certainly. 

Free@home ® is the new easy to use home automation system. From lights and 

heating, to curtains and door communication. Free@home provides a quick 

and easy way to meet all your customer’s home automation needs. 

Free@home ® is also totally user-friendly - you’ll be ready to use the system after only 

half a day’s training (which is provided free!). For more information or to book a free 

training session please call 0333 999 9900 or visit www.abb.com/freeathome 

ABB UK. 

Tel: 0333 999 9900 

Fax: 0333 999 9901 

E-Mail: LV.enquiries@gb.abb.com

THE FUTURE OF MULTI-ROOM AUDIO 

Gary Lewis, Director at UK home integration firm and CEDIA member company, Cornflake, 

looks at challenges and opportunities within today’s whole-home audio system sector. 

Multi-room audio has become a ‘must have’ – rather 

than a ‘would like’ – feature for many clients. The 

first generation of internet babies is coming through 

strongly now and building homes that are completely 

different to their parent’s generation. They expect 

cinema-grade surround sound, and wireless access 

to their digital music and streaming services… and 

they want it at any time, in every room, without any 

connection complications. 

The major challenge is that clients are often confused 

about wireless technology. They fail to appreciate the 

system doesn’t run on fresh air; or that the equipment 

still needs power from somewhere. It’s an easy mistake 

given all the wireless hype, but once clients appreciate 

the pitfalls of trying to do everything wirelessly, 

especially with multiple, demanding wireless devices 

in their households, they quickly value the advantages 

of wired systems. 

Modern families might have one router with everything 

connected to it, including their TVs, PlayStations, 

printer, mobile devices, and a multitude of teens/ 

guests laptops and gaming equipment too. But 

many routers supplied as standard by broadband 

suppliers often can’t handle that amount of traffic, 

which causes complications with some wireless music 

systems. If the audio system is hardwired, with a 

wireless connection, it is much more stable. 

Usually, our clients are familiar with - and enjoy using - 

a record player or a Hi-FI system, but now parts of that 

system, such as the CD and/or the tuner, are required 

to be distributed throughout the house, often through 

a multi-room system. 

Generally, people love instant online music services; 

making life much easier for CI (custom installation) 

installers as we can simply count all the music zones, 

and scale projects accordingly. Multi-room systems 

used to have limitations of perhaps four zones, six zones 

or eight zones, which incorporated the amplification 

of these zones. Now, the new multi-room solutions are 

highly modular, and everything is addressed by IP, 

40 Smart Electrician ISSUE 02 03 | 2016

which is far quicker and simpler for the integrator. 

New entrants to the CI market may be surprised to 

learn that installing multi room audio systems is not 

as lucrative as they might assume. The streaming 

services we all access are now well commoditised, 

and several multi-room systems are easily available 

through high street and online retailers, plus there 

are a growing number of DIY options. 

It’s a familiar marketing cycle. As soon as a new 

technology goes main-stream, the distribution 

channels increase and specialist installers lose 

margins. This is just natural progression and, as ‘early 

adopters’, it’s important for installers to add value to 

our client’s lives by staying abreast of what’s coming 

next and offering professional advice to help them 

future-proof their investment. Good system design, 

qualified installation and appropriately-chosen 

speakers are all important elements of a professional 

whole home audio solution, with customers willing 

to pay for quality and expertise in these areas. 

There have always been people who love high-end 

Hi-Fi. Many of the clients who pioneered multi-room 

audio – long before the quality was as great as it 

is today - are now on their second or third homes. 

Testimony to the success of their early systems, these 

customers continue to want integrated audio in 

their new properties but are now demanding that 

it sounds far better and are willing to spend much 

more money on higher quality speakers to achieve 

their higher expectations. The top-end of the 

market will always be pushing for excellence, which 

is great for CI installers and for the mass market, as 

the new technology will inevitably trickle down the 

supply chain. 

Advertise 

your 

product 

or service 

here 

That’s why high resolution audio, distributed either 

wirelessly or wired, is the next big thing. But clients 

will, of course, need more robust broadband 

infrastructures able to support this better quality 

audio and 4K video. For instance, Netflix needs at 

least six megabits per device. As a comparison, 

hi-resolution music requires only about a sixth of 

that capacity and radio needs about an eighth. 

If the client’s broadband infrastructure has the 

proper capacity, then the quality threshold will 

duly increase. Many CI installers will have to refocus 

their business models to provide a far greater 

premium experience for ever more sophisticated 

and discerning customers. That is what custom 

installation is all about and what makes it so 

exciting. ■ 

TELEPHONE: 

0207 751 3902 

* 

EMAIL: 

amy.latchana@voltimum.com 

The products and services profiles on these pages are paid-for advertorials

SAVANT & VOLTIMUM 

TAKE CENTRE STAGE AT 

SMART BUILDINGS 2016 

The UK’s only dedicated event to integrated building 

technology, Smart Buildings 2016, is back for another year 

and is set to be bigger and more electrifying than ever. 

Taking place on 18 – 20 October at the Birmingham NEC, 

the show will once again form part of the unique and all 

encompassing line up at UK Construction Week. 

very excited to be working with Smart Buildings 2016, as part 

of the wider UK Construction Week. The show will be of huge 

benefit to our users, who will be able to visit the show and get 

exclusive insights through Voltimum, and to our manufacturer 

partners who will be showcasing the latest technologies at 

the event.” 

Showcasing the latest innovations in smart building 

technology, the event will cater for professionals across the 

full spectrum of the sector from home automation to climate 

control, lighting, access and security, workplace technology, 

entertainment systems and the Internet of Things. 

As a recognised leader in the field of home control and 

automation, Savant will exhibit its range of connected home 

technology at Smart Buildings 2016 and launch its new 

Savant Pro app and Savant Remote. From adjusting lighting 

to controlling entertainment, Savant aims to change the 

way we enjoy homes and create a more interconnected, 

responsive environment. 

As well as exhibiting, Voltimum, the leading portal for 

the electrical industry, will provide support at this year’s 

event. It will use Smart Buildings 2016 to promote intelligent 

connected technologies that can be integrated into the 

Internet of Things. Voltimum will focus on how the market 

can be more prepared for the widespread adoption of the 

Internet of Things and other smart solutions. What’s more, as 

part of a broader educational programme it will host live 

debates from some of its leading partners. 

Nathan Garnett, Show Director at Media 10 commented: 

“We’re delighted to have attracted so many exciting and 

innovative companies to Smart Buildings 2016. This event will 

give attendees and exhibitors alike a real sense of how the 

technologies that surround us are evolving. Registration is 

open for visitors now and we still have some space left for 

exhibitors so don’t miss out and get in touch soon to avoid 

being disappointed.” 

Central to the 1,000 square metres plus of floor space will 

be the Smart Buildings Hub. Playing host to pioneering 

seminars, CPDs, debates and workshops, the Hub will also 

be an exemplar building structure exhibiting the latest smart 

products and technologies. With help from the groundbreaking 

studio Wiki House, the Smart Buildings Hub will 

provide a glimpse into the future of offsite construction and 

its facilitation with smart technology. 

New for 2016, the show will also stage a dedicated Workplace 

Zone. This space allows companies like Framery, who cater 

specifically for the smart technology market in commercial 

applications, to showcase products like connected furniture, 

AV systems, conference technology and virtual workplaces. 

Commenting on its collaboration with Smart Buildings 2016, 

Voltimum Managing Director, Eddie Embleton said: “We’re 

Get your free ticket at www.smartbuildingslive.co.uk and 

follow @sbshowUK on Twitter. ■ 


THE UK’S LEADING EVENT DEDICATED TO 

INTEGRATED BUILDING TECHNOLOGY 

18-20 OCTOBER | NEC 

SEE 

VOLTIMUM 

ON STAND 

SB2/222 

AV | HEATING SYSTEMS | IOT | SECURITY 

REGISTER NOW FOR YOUR FREE TICKET 

smartbuildingslive.co.uk 

9 

Includes: 

SHOWS 

FREE access 

to 9 shows 

during UKCW 

PART OF

energy

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