Trends in the Construction Electrician trade
Technology
There is an ongoing growth of new technologies that influence a number of areas of the industry. Some emerging technologies include solar power systems, wind power systems, smart buildings and smart grid.
There is a growth of renewable and alternative energy technologies such as solar photovoltaic, wind, hydrokinetic, geothermal, and tidal power systems in Canada which opens additional employment opportunities for qualified construction electricians. The emergence of electric vehicles (EV) in the Canadian market means there is an accompanying need for EV charging stations. Construction electricians would be responsible for installing and maintaining these EV charging stations. In some jurisdictions, construction electricians are responsible for the installation and maintenance of communication systems such as voice, data, audio, video and signalling. These systems are constantly evolving.
Also emerging are cloud based monitoring and diagnostic systems. Control and monitoring of electrical equipment is starting to migrate to both wired, such as Power over Ethernet (PoE), and wireless technology utilizing the platform of Internet of Things (IoT). Construction electricians continue to work with modular wiring systems such as plug in luminaires, as well as traditional systems. A safer method of distributing power via Fault Managed Power (FMP) utilizing pulsed power or packet energy transfer is also surfacing. A promising technology is the solid-state overcurrent protection device that permits very fast activation, thereby greatly reducing arc flash hazards and potential equipment damage. Another disrupter technology is motors and generators that use a printed circuit stator, allowing for thin, compact and lighter (up to 70%) motors with equal torque and thermal performance of traditional steel stator motors.
Construction electricians are starting to use three dimensional (3D) modelling and building information modelling (BIM) to facilitate construction methods such as interpreting and updating drawings. They are using mobile devices to receive specifications and other information and assist in diagnostic procedures.
Training and upgrading
The combination of new opportunities for construction electricians, new technologies and specialized skills has significantly impacted the electrical industry and triggered the development and delivery of related training. For example, upgrading and training could include areas such as fiber optics, structured cabling, wireless and local area networks (LAN), wireless Internet Protocol (IP) based lighting and building automation, and renewable energies. More than ever, construction electricians need to constantly upgrade and acquire new skills either through formal training, manufacturers’ training or on- the-job training to stay current.
In some parts of the industry, more and more variable frequency drives (VFDs) are being installed. The VFDs along with other electronic components have the potential to create power quality problems. This requires electricians to become trained in the procedures for measuring electric power quality and the methods needed to monitor and improve the power quality.
Even though it is sometimes more cost effective to replace rather than repair electronic parts, a greater knowledge of electronic systems is still required to work with more complex electrical systems such as solid-state or computer-controlled.
Safety and environmental considerations
Safety standards continue to be emphasized and recognized in all aspects of the trade. Safety training is branching out to include areas such as arc flash, high-voltage, lock-out and tag-out, working at heights and supervision.
Incidents of serious injury and death of electrical workers underlines the dangerous nature of the work that electricians may be engaged in, and the shared responsibility that construction electricians have to implement safety training and follow safe work procedures. Electricians have to use their expertise on the worksite to assess risks, manage hazards and report issues as they arise.
The electrical industry in Canada embraces efficient and environmentally friendly construction techniques and energy saving devices such as light emitting diode (LED) lighting, automated lighting control, integrated control systems and variable speed drives. Additionally, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a growing trend for building construction. Many projects where construction electricians work are starting to migrate to a more sustainable environment. These include ‘Net Zero’ (carbon neutral) sites that are striving to reduce their carbon footprint. Carbon neutral includes lower carbon emission and lower energy consumption. Technologies required to achieve these goals include renewable energy, energy storage, and building automation to monitor and control energy production and consumption. Along with lowering the carbon footprint comes a complementary environmental initiative to recycle components such as ballasts and transformers.