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Expert Insight

An invisible cloak of safety: Frank Ackland

Often, the biggest dangers around you are those that you can’t see. Within a home, we know to be careful not to overheat an oven, to keep an eye on burning candles – but what about the dangers of power that we cannot see clearly? These are often the ones that may cause the most harm if not treated cautiously.

Frank AcklandAt the heart of every building lies its source of power. Power is distributed throughout, across a variety of platforms that allow it to function collectively, as well as within individual units. But it is still often something we take for granted as we switch a light on, jump in the elevator or pop on the television.

Power plays a pivotal role in keeping the building secure, safe and operational, yet it is an invisible force that is easily forgotten and taken for granted. Essentially, power sits all around us and keeps us safe in a number of ways we don’t even imagine.

A very simple example of this is the emergency exit lighting that guides us safely out of a building should a fire or other emergency occur. This helps guide tenants to the quickest and most accessible exit route available.

We actually conducted a test at a recent event, where we created a simulation – a dark room, six metres in length but not a straight pathway. With emergency lighting, it takes less than a minute for a person to navigate his or her way to the exit, while without this, it took several minutes. These minutes could result in them getting lost, going in the wrong direction and potentially putting themselves in harm’s way.

The way power is controlled in a building is also an important factor in keeping tenants safe. Switchgears and cabling are all known terminology but it is the way in which these solutions are configured that can make a significant difference to the flow and control of energy. Power generation and distribution goes far beyond the ability to ‘flip the switch’. Technology plays a vital role in ensuring that power is used in the most effective and efficient ways possible, helping operations to perform to the best of their ability.

In addition, the ‘dream to be green’ is a significant weight on construction companies’ shoulders and power can play an integral role in that. Additionally, green products can be safer ones. Some manufacturers invest significantly in research and development of products and solutions specifically to help meet their customers’ needs for reduced energy use and emissions, which result in more controlled and economical power usage. Recent examples of new technologies developed this way have resulted in products with the potential to reduce the CO2 emissions of applications by as much as 60%.

Power supply is an essential part of any commercial building, but the safety which efficient power management brings to those working and living within it can be invisible with quality and well planned solutions.

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