Electrical contractors installing solar photovoltaic (PV) panels should only carry out work they are qualified to do, warns Queensland's electrical safety regulator. [ + ]

Smart buildings demand robust infrastructure that is available, reliable, cost-effective and otherwise suited to their mission-critical role. They rely on the Internet of Things and the organisation's existing network, so it's essential to put the right strategy in place to adequately support the demands of smart buildings. [ + ]

Incorporating a synchronism check function is the key element in securing switching operations against cyber attacks and unsafe operations. [ + ]

Field service management (FSM) software is becoming increasingly sophisticated, and ever-more robust feature sets can be something of a red herring. [ + ]

​Electrocution is one of the leading causes of death for construction workers and electricians. [ + ]

ABB Australia, in association with Legend Power Group, has designed and developed a magnetic insulating mat that acts as a barrier when placed over potentially live electrical components. [ + ]

Voice activation for taps, lights, music, (even the toilet flush!), lowering the too-high clothes rail, lighting, speakers, sprinklers and movie theatre; facial recognition; switch lights in the bathroom glass panels — The Block 2016 shone a spotlight on a few lust-haves in the home automation market. [ + ]

Energy storage is disrupting the electricity market and changing the way we operate and manage the grid. [ + ]

Thanks to the proliferation of IoT in recent years, automation today is part and parcel of an electrical contractor's toolkit. Indeed, an electrician's role is so much more than lights, switches and power points. [ + ]

We have hardly scraped the surface of the potential in lighting. There are more than 60 billion lights installed in the world and, with ever-evolving technologies, each of these has the potential to enrich life beyond simple illumination. [ + ]

Australian businesses are being urged to sharpen their focus on their environmental footprint in the lead-up to Earth Hour's tenth birthday, taking place on 25 March. For any organisation operating a fleet of vehicles, driving inefficiency out of their business at every given opportunity, in order to 'go green', is a challenge. [ + ]

Years ago, manufacturers made AV equipment and others made information technology equipment and crossovers between the two categories were rare. Fast forward and the line between audiovisual devices and computers is extremely blurred, with AV integrating Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet and other technologies. [ + ]

The Solar Energy Exhibition and Conference, presented by the Australian Solar Council and the Australian Energy Storage Council, will be held in Melbourne from 3–4 May. [ + ]

Intelligent buildings, home automation, smart cities, the Internet of Things. With the promise of more connectivity and a better life, these topics have been talking points for decades, but will new arrivals in the automation market change our approach for good? [ + ]

With more businesses, public spaces and educational institutions offering Wi-Fi, understanding how to troubleshoot Wi-Fi network issues is crucial. There is an expectation for Wi-Fi networks to work seamlessly. When they don’t, it can be frustrating both for users and for network engineers. [ + ]