Articles
Australian PCI shows continued construction decline
Australia’s construction industry continues to decline, a result of drops in activity and new orders. January 2012 was the 20th consecutive month that the sector has contracted. [ + ]
Hervey Bay Hospital to install Queensland’s largest hospital solar power system
A hospital in the Sunshine State is making the most of the weather to cut costs and reduce carbon emissions. The Hervey Bay Hospital will install a 266 kW roof-mounted solar panel system later this year that will save an estimated $20,000 on electricity costs and reduce carbon emissions by around 400 tonnes annually. [ + ]
Cut costs through sustainable energy management practices
A key issue for businesses in 2012 will be the new energy reporting regulations. The Commercial Building Disclosure (CBD) scheme is the first regulatory step in making business more energy wise and penalties will apply for non-disclosure. Programs such as the NSW Government’s Energy Saver program are available now to businesses wanting to take the important first step towards understanding their energy footprint. [ + ]
New BCA lighting requirements - a careful balance of lux and watts
The new BCA lighting requirements restrict lighting to 5 W per square metre, as opposed to the previous 25 W per square metre. [ + ]
ISO/IEC plug-and-play standard enables seamless technology
The newest parts of an International Standard for Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) will help devices to seamlessly cross multivendor and multitechnology networks - another step forward for intelligent homes and offices. UPnP technology together with enabling home automation technologies such as KNX (ISO/IEC 14543-3) or Echonet (ISO/IEC 14543-4) makes this possible, because it allows devices to connect and work together, facilitating multiple applications like entertainment, energy efficiency, security and building control, through data and resource sharing, communications, the internet and simplified network establishment. [ + ]
BICSI South Pacific 2012 Annual Conference
The event, featuring the theme Delivering Best Practice, will focus on raising the knowledge and skill levels of information technology systems (ITS) professionals in the many facets of ITS infrastructure through technical presentations, exhibits, guidance on NBN deployment, ‘best practice’ workshops and networking opportunities. [ + ]
Software to control field workers’ schedules and re-deploy them
With the simPRO software, A&K can now quickly track all of their electricians utilising in-built mapping and easily reschedule their jobs in order to give priority to emergency jobs. [ + ]
LEDs: leading the future of lighting
Lighting, in the home, in commercial and industrial situations and even on the streets, has come a long way in the last 70 years or so. Tungsten lights, sodium lights, cold cathode tubes, mercury vapour, halogen, neon, iodine, CFLs and fluorescent are all still with us but beginning to take a back row compared with the all-advancing, all-shining LED (light emitting diode) that threatens to take over any time soon. [ + ]
How do you determine if a worker is an employee or a contractor?
Many businesses enjoy the flexibility of engaging contractors for certain projects or to assist during busy periods. However, confusion often arises as to whether these so-called contractors are regarded by the law as such. Whether a person is a contractor or an employee will be a question of fact to be determined on a case-by-case basis, taking into account all the relevant factors of the relationship. [ + ]
The significance of network integrity in premise cabling
Premise or customer cabling is defined as “cabling beyond the carrier’s network boundary” in the Telecommunications Act (the Act) and involves any cabling that can connect a device to the telecommunications network. [ + ]
New lighting regulations in the US in 2012
The upcoming lighting legislation in the US will mandate that lighting manufacturers cease the production of non-efficient lighting and related products, which will change the way facilities consume energy and maintain lighting. [ + ]
Save billions in energy costs by developing a sustainability culture
Businesses considering energy reduction strategies due to projected volatility of energy costs or increased pressure from the investment community to lower the corporate carbon footprint can now make up to more than 40% of energy-efficiency improvements with little or no capital investment. Below are six starting points for an effective energy management system. [ + ]
SF6 gas recycling centre to lower carbon emissions and generate cost savings
SF6 gas is extensively used in the electrical industry for dielectric insulation and current interruption in circuit breakers, switchgear and other electrical equipment. Using recycled SF6 gas will help reduce carbon emissions and could result in a cost-saving potential of up to 30%. [ + ]
The significance of True RMS
The rapid changes in technology have meant that methods previously used for testing equipment are no longer accurate in many cases. Because an electrician comes across new technology on a regular basis, not to have a True RMS (root mean square) meter can be compared to a boxer going into a fight with one arm tied behind his back. In this article, Phil Collins, Engineering Support Manager, Techtronics Australia, explains what True RMS (TRMS) is and how to find it.
[ + ]Don’t confuse price with total cost
The following cautionary tale, which shows the pitfalls of confusing price with cost, is a fairly accurate example of what we have been seeing in customers’ buying practices. What this story shows is that the true cost of wire includes so much more than the material cost. Those looking for true bargains need to consider a variety of factors such as rebates, product guarantees and return policies, and value-add features that may end up saving money in the long run. The calculation of costs must also consider lead time, fill rates, number of shipments to complete an order, as well as payment terms. All play a role in determining the true cost.
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