15 July 2015
By Marco Da
Silva, Managing Director of Power Solutions, The Jasco Group
Intelligent, connected technology is a growing
trend, and property owners and managers, particularly in the retail space, are
either constructing smart buildings from the ground up or retrofitting existing
buildings with smart solutions. These include connected security, surveillance
and access control, heating and cooling systems, timed or motion sensor lights
and building management systems that connect all of these systems and provide
holistic data for improved building intelligence. However, all of these smart
solutions rely on having available electricity in order to run, and are also
often highly sensitive, which means that they require a steady supply of clean
electricity. Power assurance and power quality solutions are thus essential for
the continued operation of smart buildings.
As the power crisis in South Africa continues,
retail outlets and businesses are seeing significant loss of revenue, being
unable to operate when the lights (and other systems) go out. For some
businesses, such as supermarkets selling fresh and frozen goods, the impact of
power outages with no backup power are greater than just the loss of foot
traffic. Spoiled perishable goods could cost these retailers potentially
hundreds of thousands of Rands a year. For other enterprises such as banks, no
power means no transactions can be processed and poor customer service,
resulting in significant loss of revenue. Even in instances where generators
are installed, providing power assurance and backup electricity in the event of
outages, this only addresses half of the problem – the power assurance side.
Generator power is subject to a diesel or petrol-driven motor, which can result
in fluctuating power voltages. In addition, generators take a few seconds to start
up when outlet power is lost, and in those seconds of zero power equipment can
be damaged. Power quality is essential, not only during outages but at all
times to protect sensitive equipment from voltage fluctuations that could
damage circuits and corrupt data, and this requires the implementation not only
of generators, but also Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) with Automatic
Voltage Regulator (AVR) capability.
While smart buildings offer a number of
benefits to property owners as well as tenants, they require special
consideration in light of the current power situation. Smart building solutions
are typically controlled by IT infrastructure and equipment such as servers,
which are highly sensitive to power anomalies such as harmonics, surges, dips and
spikes. Protecting this equipment is essential or buildings face the risk of
lost or corrupt data, including all feedback data from smart equipment as well
as the programming that controls this equipment. In addition, in a smart
building, if the building management system goes offline, the entire building
is offline, potentially creating security issues and other challenges. Smart
buildings need to ensure they have a UPS in place that interfaces with the
building management system, to perform a controlled shutdown if the generator
fails, or to provide a bridge between outlet and generator power. An AVR, which
remains online at all times, will ensure that power supply to all connected
equipment is constantly clean and stable, minimising the risk of damage.
In addition to protecting equipment and data,
power quality and assurance solutions also have additional benefits for
building owners. For example, property owners can maximise their rent per
square metre, by offering an integrated solution of floor space with power
assurance solutions. By guaranteeing customer uptime, landlords will attract a
higher rental rate, while providing an essential service to their tenants. Furthermore,
guaranteed uptime can be used as a competitive differentiator, as customers will
be more likely to take up space in a building that can guarantee their
continued operations during load shedding and power outages.
When it comes to implementing power solutions,
it is beneficial to partner with an expert service provider, as there are a
number of considerations that need to be taken into account. These include
correct sizing of generators and identification of essential services to run
off generator power, as well as the actual installation of the generator. This
is often a complex process when generators are retrofitted, as the placement,
environment and cable reticulation need to be taken into account. It is also
essential to ensure adequate ventilation for the generator fumes, while
ensuring it does not exhaust into a populated area, and if the generator will
cause high levels of noise, soundproofing should also be included. In addition,
access control for the generator area is essential.
As the unstable power situation in South
Africa is set to continue for the foreseeable future, power assurance and power
quality solutions are increasingly becoming essential business equipment.
Ensuring businesses can continue to operate even during power failures is
currently a competitive differentiator for building owners, but this is fast
becoming a must-have for attracting tenants. In addition, a UPS and an AVR are
essential equipment for keeping the lights on in any smart building.