The National Electrical Code® (NEC®) is published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) with the revisions on a three-year schedule. The 2020 NEC, which replaces the 2017 NEC, was issued by the NFPA in August, 2019. This article provides the reader with a guide to the key changes in the 2020 National Electrical Code that are of interest to manufacturers, installers, distributors and users of data/comm cables.
Tomorrow’s challenges can only be solved with intelligent, networked buildings, so called smart buildings. Networking encompasses all parts of a building – from the electricity supply, taking account of regenerative energy (smart grid), via safety and security technology and operational regulation through interconnected building-automation systems, to control via mobile devices. The prerequisite for all this is systems interoperability, the only way network risks can be mastered.
Passwords are outdated and no longer adequate to protect a business’ IT infrastructure and data assets. To resolve this, companies must move towards more heightened security measures, such as using employees’ physical identities and biometric data to authenticate entry to corporate buildings, networks and devices. Once, gaining access to an organisation’s headquarters through hand or fingerprint scanning seemed like something only needed for top-secret offices such as MI5, or in Mission Impossible films. However, thanks to the increasing amount of data stored on company servers, it is becoming a necessity for most organisations to secure their offices and data centres.
Verdigris Technologies’ will bring machine-learning applications to ABB’s global line of connected low-voltage switching fabric products to predict unplanned surges in power consumption for commercial and industrial buildings. The electrical equipment, power, robotics and automation company is launching a new digital energy app-store and Verdigris’s AI technology is their first app.
The Smart City multi-trillion-dollar market has become an umbrella for a lot of smarts – Smart: Healthcare, Building, Industry, Logistics, Transportation, Agriculture, IoT, and more. Each one of those smarts have a gazillion applications and products that support them. But we need a better way to define the market that will allow us to talk more specifically about the needs and discern appropriate solutions quicker. A decoder ring, if you will.
BICSI has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Facility Guidelines Institute (FGI), an independent, not-for-profit organization dedicated to developing guidance for the planning, design, and construction of hospitals, outpatient facilities, and residential health, care, and support facilities. The organization oversees the FGI Guidelines for Design and Construction revision process and publication, fund research, and offer resources that support the development of safe, effective health and residential care built environments.
The Smart Buildings Challenge gives smart building technology suppliers the flexibility to collaborate with their customers to create more targeted, outcome-based solutions. Our goal is to help overcome existing technology barriers to address the high volume of untapped opportunities in the market.
It’s happening again; this time, we’re obsessing over all things “smart.” At first, there were just smartphones. Then came smart watches, smart homes, smart grids, smart switches and smart cities. At some point, the term “smart” became diluted as marketers started applying it to more and more solutions. It’s time to stop and ask: What do we really mean by “smart”? Hidden in that definition is the need for connectivity and the ability to inform the user in order to guide decisions.
The building construction industry touches every part of our lives – from our homes, schools and workplaces, to our community spaces and general infrastructure.According to IFMA, one in every three buildings is more than 50 years old. More than 70% of buildings are 20 years old, or older! It is safe to assume that these existing buildings overall are not “smart” and accessing information about any aspect of them is difficult and in many cases, cost prohibitive.
For commercial building owners and operators looking to find ways to become more energy efficient, identifying your biggest energy offender is a great place to start. According to a study published by the Department of Energy, on average 40% of energy costs in commercial buildings go to HVAC. With this in mind, finding the right HVAC controls solution is crucial to helping commercial buildings manage energy spend.
