Electrical rooms are at the heart of what makes most businesses function today. It’s very difficult to imagine a time where they only powered the lighting in our buildings—but in today’s tech-dependent world, electrical rooms are essential to making sure all of our machines work the way they should, whether you are in Portland or any other location in the U.S. This is where professional building commissioning comes in.
However, it can be a little difficult to figure out exactly what makes a good enough electrical room (or what exactly are the components that you should find in an electrical room). Here’s a list of things that you can expect to find in there.
Circuit breakers
Circuit breakers are essential to making sure your electrical systems don’t fail. Designed to interrupt power flow when it comes to excess voltage, circuit breakers are a staple in electrical rooms because they prevent disaster from occurring when power surges occur. If they aren’t present, any change in voltage can result in serious damage not only to the electrical room but to all the devices inside the building as well.
Distribution frames
These are used for cutting the connections of wires, allowing them to connect to other wires or systems in the same electrical network. This allows your maintenance team to rewire existing connections to accommodate new ones or to offload some bloated ones into other circuits. While this is high niche equipment to find in any office, it’s still an important part of a business that might need more flexibility with their communications.
Transformers
While usually found outside on large power poles, transformers can also be moved inside buildings for better security and control over the electric current. FThis is especially crucial in the case of large buildings that need a constant supply of power, such as government offices and hospitals. Other buildings such as residential condos also install their transformers within the premises, allowing for easy access and repair if needed.
Distribution boards
Another piece of equipment that can give you some leverage over how electricity flows into your building is a distribution board. Primarily used to control the flow of the current to each circuit (while also providing fuse breakers), it’s an essential part of many buildings that may require a different flow of energy to their rooms.
Electricity meters are also found within commercial buildings’ electricity rooms. These devices are used to measure the flow of electricity from the power grid into the building (or in other words, measuring how much electricity the building uses), and are a key component in any type of electrical system.
Knowing all these essential parts is important in managing a building. Familiarity with these components not only allows you to prevent potential problem areas when it comes to electrical usage; it also gives you more experience to address problems when they arise.
Having a good electrical room—or alternatively, having one renovated to account for existing innovations—is crucial in your business operations and safety. In Portland, building commissioning is easy to inquire and the contractors are thorough when it comes to their work.
