A new world of market opportunities has opened for electrical contractors. 
Gone are the days when electricians were only concerned with power. Today, with the ever-growing demand for integrated building systems, electrical contracting firms have a door wide open to building their businesses by offering a variety of low voltage services.
The Growing Market for Integrated Systems
For decades, most commercial buildings have had many of the same physical systems: lighting, HVAC, telephone, computer networks and basic security. Each of these systems operated independently and was installed by a specialized contractor. While these systems may have operated well on their own, they still remained isolated from each other, unable to communicate and rather “dumb” in terms of “smart” building operation.
Today, building owners are looking for greater value from their buildings; and finding that value in the technological advances and resulting efficiencies of integrated systems. Owners want to see their buildings running as a “whole”. They want to be sure that systems are “talking” to each other and can respond accordingly if there is a breach of any part of that system. With the disastrous events of 9/11, they want to be sure that their building occupants are safe and enterprise systems are secure. And from regulatory, economic, and overall humanitarian standpoints, they want to be sure their systems are environmentally friendly and energy efficient. Integrated building systems provide the solution.
The demand for integrated building systems – that is, power, communications and control all interconnected – bring with it the opportunity for electrical contracting firms to expand their business by not only installing these systems, but also getting in on the ground floor of design/build projects. With proper training and knowledge, electrical firms can market themselves as a turn-key provider of integrated building systems – becoming an integral part of the design team, helping to recommend products and systems, and providing specially trained contractors to install these elaborate systems.
Professional Training is Key
While the idea of providing a full service offering may have electrical firms chomping at the bit, it is absolutely necessary to have the proper training involved in installing these new systems. While well trained in the codes of power installations, electricians now need to understand the operations, installation and maintenance of advanced low-voltage areas such as voice and data infrastructure, security surveillance and access control. These systems are complex and bring with them specific rules, standards, and certification requirements. The National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) offers training to introduce fundamental information on integrated building systems. The BICSI organization is a great resource for network infrastructure design and installation training. It is imperative that firms considering entry into the integrated building systems arena contact organizations such as these for proper training.
What’s in a Label?
Some of the standards that electrical contractors may come across when training for low-voltage applications focus on a practice they may not have considered previously: labeling. While labeling electrical runs was less important in the past, labeling the connections in today’s integrated systems is critical. Some of the standards that require labeling as part of an installation include the ANSI/TIA/EIA-606A, TIA 942, and ANSI/TIA 568-B Standard for Installing Commercial Building Telecommunications Cabling.
Why is labeling so important? Depending on the size of the building, contractors may be installing miles of wires and cables, all connected to sophisticated equipment at either end. Keeping these systems up and running at all times is crucial to building and business operations. If an issue should arise and maintenance needs to be done to the system, it could result in thousands (if not more) of dollars in lost revenues, as well as the safety of the building and its occupants, during that downtime. Therefore, the speed at which the maintenance and/or repairs are done is critical… and there’s no easier or less costly way to make sure that happens than ensuring that every wire, every cable, every component is properly labeled.
When a system is comprehensively labeled and documented, it takes only
seconds or minutes – not hours – to identify the connection that needs attention. Without labeling, it becomes a web of wires that all need to be retraced and tested in order to determine what goes where. Retracing means time, and time means money and safety. Labeling is a simple solution.
“The TIA and EIA organizations have spent years studying the importance of properly identifying and labeling network connections and have written the TIA/EIA-606A Administrative Standard for Telecommunications Infrastructure – specifically addressing this need for labeling,” stated Michael Clemens, Sr. Marketing Manager for DYMO RHINO label printers of Stamford, CT. “The process of labeling a system is fast, easy, and very low cost, yet it can have a tremendous impact on the time and cost-savings of maintaining those systems. Even for simple maintenance such as Moves, Add or Changes of personnel or equipment, a little time spent up-front labeling during the installation can pay huge dividends when it comes to maintenance down the road.”
Labeling Considerations
While each standard focuses on specific areas (telecommunications, information technology, data centers, etc.) or components (patch panels, cable termination, pathways, etc.), there are a few common labeling practices that can be applied for all standards.
Since a label is only useful if it is legible, the first practice is to create labels that are clear and easy to read. While some installers opt to use hand-written labels, an electronic/mechanical printer is a better choice because of the superb legibility it provides. In addition, be sure to select a printer whose type will not smear or fade. Thermal-transfer print is optimum because it “lasers” the print into the labels, rather than merely applying ink on the label surface. Again, long-term legibility is imperative.
A second consideration is the durability and longevity of the applied labels. This is where many label printer manufacturer differ. Not all label materials adhere securely to various surfaces, and therefore curl and fall off. Office printers and labels are not appropriate for integrated building system applications. Choose a label printer manufacturer that offers various label materials specifically designed for cables, electronic components, and outdoor applications, as well as industrial-strength adhesives that can stand up to temperature extremes and other building conditions.
Lastly, labeling an installation should be easy, not a chore. It should be fast and simple – keeping the installer’s time to a minimum while providing value to the system through easy maintenance and standards compliance. Look for label printers that are specifically designed for system installations. You’ll find that a printer such as DYMO’s RHINO 6000 label printer offers short cuts and other built-in features to help contractors label their systems in no time.
Bonus: The Aesthetics of Labeling
One last benefit of labeling system installations is purely aesthetic: labeling a system looks goods and enhances the professional image of your firm. Face it, what does a building owner see when he views your installation? Wires and cables. It’s up to you whether they are messy and unkempt, or neatly bundled and clearly labeled. What do your installations say about your firm? What will a building owner say about your work? Labeling will help you create the enhanced professional reputation that sets you apart from your competition.
New Roles, New Rules
The increasing demand for advanced integrated systems is providing an exciting opportunity for growth for electrical contracting firms. But getting started requires being properly trained and following the standards – including labeling – set forth for these systems. The good news? The up-front training involved in entering the integrated building systems arena gives electrical contractors a tremendous market advantage not only in procuring the work, but also in obtaining a bigger piece of the contracting pie. And doesn’t everyone love pie?
Katherine Helman. (Katherine Helman is a Marketing Communications Consultant specializing in the telecommunications industry. She resides with her family in East Liverpool, Ohio.)
