Commercial Electrical Services

Shop and office fit-outs need to be carefully planned and involves getting together with the different trades so everyone as an understanding on how the electrical installation will be completed. It is also imperative that the commercial electrician has a return dialogue of how other trades are constructing their final product. Clear communication is a must between all trades and having a realistic completion time-frame in place will help construction flow more freely.

As well as planning the electrical installation, the commercial electrician must also look after the data cabling network, especially in offices and most retail outlets. Nowadays computers, printers, phones and workstations are all combined and integrated to work with one another, security systems are also installed through the data network so all can be remotely viewed from mobile devices. We always advise on adding for the future, allowing extra data cabling for smart office equipment and if not installed today, it will sure be installed in the days ahead.

Commercial premises age over time, you buy additional equipment as your business grows, so cable upgrades are needed and additional power-outlets installed to service the new products. A commercial electrician will assess and swiftly create solutions necessary to get the job done, saving you money and time in the long run.

Having the right type of lighting in a commercial premises is a top priority for all business owners. Poor lighting can effect an employees health, eye straining and headaches are ones we hear about all the time. These discomforts can have a harsh outcome on the employees productivity and positive attitude in the workplace and this is why it should be crucial on getting the design right the first time around. A commercial electrician will have the skills, knowledge and experience to map out any type of lighting system, whether in offices, retail shops or any other type of commercial property.

Not all commercial spaces are the same and illumination will be different for each one. Having the correct brightness can be essential for setting the right mood through-out your working area. In offices and retail outlets a neutral to cool white light is advised as productivity is proven to be high when this type of light is used. The lighting Lux levels also need to be spot on, the Lux levels is the light strength from the light and the value indicates the amount of light that will fall on a specific area. Energy efficient lighting will be essential as light in the workspace will be on full time through-out the working day. Motion sensors in bathrooms, meeting rooms, kitchen and stairwells can be installed to reduce energy bills as lights only need to be illuminated when in use.

We always recommend choosing LED lighting, its the next best thing to natural sunlight. As well as the energy savings over incandescent or halogen lighting, you have complete light level control and distribution so your team get the right light to optimise their productivity. Most lighting in offices and retail outlets are recessed, downlights and panel lights are a good choice as light can be evenly distributed in large areas and you also have the option of tri-colour. Pendant lighting might suit the smaller professional firms, adding a gentle ambient light to the office space. The lighting we get asked about so much, track-lighting, can be used in all areas of commercial premises and is ideal for illuminating reception areas, bathrooms and kitchens.

Data cabling plays an important role in the majority of commercial properties and all offices will have some type of IT network system installed in the workplace. Dependant on the size of the premises our commercial electrician will work out on the type network system you need for transporting data. The point to point method can still be used for the smaller type office, its a simple system by connecting one component of a network to another component of the network using fibre optic cabling.

One downfall with this system, if your company grows your network system grows and the point to point method becomes complex and causes problems on the network. The structured cabling system avoids these problems as the system connects the servers and storage units directly to the communication network. Over time this type of system pays for itself, will help you plan for the future and reduces the time necessary to make repairs.

Emergency lighting is wired up to internal batteries so light is continuous when power fails. The building code of Australia has outlined its regulations that commercial premises must have emergency and exit lighting in place. The Australian set standards have general rules that all business must adhere to, some include:

• If the area of a floor is more than 300m2, exit and emergency lighting must be installed
• Fire isolated stairwells, passageways and ramps are areas that must have emergency lighting
• Emergency lighting must be tested every 6 months, ensuring all emergency and exit lighting is functioning

Emergency lighting requirements will vary depending on the building class of the premises, building class must be identified and emergency lighting requirements must be followed for that particular class.

The residual current device, also known as the safety switch, essentially protects you from electric shock in the event of an electrical fault. RCD safety switches will detect earth leakage current faults in under 20 milliseconds or even less, reducing the risk of serious injury and electric shock. Not only will the RCD protect personnel against injury, it will also safeguard premises against fire damage due to faulty appliances or even damaged and over-loaded cabling. As per the Australian electrical standards business’s should have their RCDs tested every 6 months to stay compliant. At km.electric we value this maintenance service as the most important out of all and our commercial electricians have the testing equipment to carry out the necessary tests involved in RCD testing.

Nowadays business owners are turning to access control to allow employees enter the workplace with a key card or even key-less entry code. The entry codes can be added and removed with ease anytime a new employee starts or leaves. The system can also keep detailed records of the different times employees enter and re-enter the workplace. Access control systems can also be used in conjunction with a video intercom system allowing you to see who is trying to gain access to the premises. CCTV security systems can be one of the best bits of equipment a business can have, as well as deterring unwanted criminals, why not see whats going on in the workplace while enjoying a day off. All camera systems these days are IP {internet protocol}, so the cameras can be remotely viewed, checking in on employees through your mobile phone, tablet or laptop.

Does your business premises have the need for flood-lights in a car park or perhaps it needs extra security at night by lighting the outside of your building. In the old days, flood lights used discharge lamps such as metal halide, mercury vapour and high pressure sodium. These types of lamps were also used in conjunction with a ballast and it was slow to produce light as the ballast needed to heat up to produce light. We now turn to LED to produce light from a flood-light, easier to run, don’t rely on a ballast to heat a lamp, extra electricity savings and they use a small LED chip to produce light. As well as floodlighting our commercial electricians have the installation skills for installing LED high bay lighting in commercial warehouse floors.

The testing and tagging of portable electrical appliances. Although not a legislative requirement, the business owner however does have a duty of care to his/her employees. The test and tag will ensure the safety of your employees and minimising the risk of an electrical hazard occurring. Some workplaces carry out this procedure by a commercial electrician every 3 to 6 months dependant on the industry the business is in.