Construction Management

Electrical SystemsName
Institutional Affiliation
Electrical SystemsAn electrical power system is a complete network for power circuitry. It comprises of all the electrical components used in power transfer, its supply, and storage as well as its usage. The electrical system differs in many different ways, and the most common difference is its usage and transmission. The means used for power transmission is primarily dictated by the consumption of the load applied to it. The power consumed by a residential building greatly differs to that consumed by an industrial and commercial building. Industrial and commercial power usage is also of a wide range and as a result, have does not allow installation of a standard electrical power system. Electrical power systems installed in commercial buildings vary depending on the power requirements of the building.
Commercial buildings different systems to control various things within them like access, lighting, alarm, and communications among others. There are some electrical systems used in a commercial building. Some of these systems are power systems, access control systems, lighting systems, alarm systems, and communication system. Power systems are for the distribution of electrical energy; It is a requirement that all power system designs meet the set codes. Some of these codes are National Electrical Safety Code, National Electrical Code, and codes stipulated by local authorities on the building. Lighting systems are deployed to convert electrical energy into visible light and are necessary for every building.

They play a key role at night when darkness sets in and during the day for the bigger buildings where not enough light makes it to the interior parts.
There is a need for setting up a communication system, alarms, and access control systems in commercial building for security reasons. However, all the above factors and systems play a key role in the design of electrical systems for use in any commercial establishment. All these systems use electricity and therefore dictate the kind of electrical power system used. It is the sole reason why industrial and commercial settings are supplied with 3-phase power distribution systems. Smaller commercial setups that consume a lesser amount of electrical power than the average consumer can use a single-phase electric power. (Building Electrical Design Principles) Commercial buildings prefer three-phase systems over single-phase systems due to the overall cost associated with the later. A bonus is that three-phase systems require a much lesser amount of conductor than most systems. The three-phase electric supply is the cheapest.
Control systems are put in place to regulate power consumption and ensure efficiency. Most of them achieve their purposes by embracing upgrades. Most common control systems targeted to ensure that power systems are effective and efficient are light control systems, AC systems, use of smart components and appliances. Adding a presence sensor to a light control system ensures that light only goes on when a person is occupying any given space in a building. Making use of natural light during the day also plays a key role in achieving those targets.
Use of smart appliances and components also helps a great deal in saving energy. It makes it easier to control smart appliances on energy usage and as a result saving energy. Growing need for environmental conservation and economic viability eliminates the need for more power generation and calls for the implementation of smart systems to control power usage. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) awards credits/points on various levels to determine whether or not to approve LEED certification. The decisions made regarding the electrical systems of a commercial building therefore directly dictate how many points the building scores and whether it receives certification or not.
References
“Building Electrical Design Principles,” pp 595-699.