Electrical wiring is one of the biggest expenses when constructing a new commercial building. As the building owner, I want to reduce these costs as much as possible without compromising safety or functionality. In this article, I will provide tips on how to minimize electrical wiring costs for commercial buildings.
Plan Ahead for Electrical Needs
The first step is to carefully plan out the electrical needs of the building. I should work closely with electrical engineers and contractors early in the design process to determine an accurate estimate of electrical loads. This helps size the electrical service and wiring appropriately without overbuilding.
Some things I can do during the planning process to optimize electrical costs include:
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Conduct an energy audit on the building plans to identify ways to reduce overall energy consumption. The less power the building uses, the smaller the electrical infrastructure needs to be.
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I can install energy efficient lighting, HVAC, and appliances to lower electrical demand. This allows me to specify smaller gauge (less expensive) wires.
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Only install electrical capacity and outlets that are absolutely necessary. Adding extra capacity now costs more upfront.
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Strategically place large electrical loads together to minimize wire runs.
Specify Cost-Effective Wiring and Components
Once the electrical plans are finalized, I should work with the electrical contractor to source economical wiring and components.
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For branch circuits, specify lower cost copper wiring instead of aluminum where permitted.
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Use MC cable for lighting branch circuits instead of conduits where possible. MC cable installs faster with less labor.
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Consider lower ampacity branch circuits (15A and 20A instead of 30A and up) to allow smaller wire gauges.
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Specify standard circuit breakers instead of more expensive GFCI and AFCI breakers where not required.
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Use standard receptacles instead of tamper-resistant or weather-resistant receptacles where not needed.
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Take advantage of pre-fabricated wiring assemblies and wiring harnesses where possible.
Leverage Energy Efficient Designs
There are opportunities to reduce wiring costs through energy efficient designs:
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Install lighting controls like occupancy sensors and daylight harvesting to reduce lighting load. This requires smaller electrical wires.
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Segment lighting circuits according to use patterns. Circuits that are frequently turned off need less capacity than always-on circuits.
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Use LED lights which use significantly less electricity than older lighting technologies.
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Implement high efficiency HVAC systems to lower energy usage.
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I should ensure the building envelope is properly insulated and sealed to minimize heat gain/loss.
Review Contractor Bids Critically
I must thoroughly review all bids from electrical contractors and be willing to push back on unnecessary charges. Some areas I should scrutinize include:
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Overly conservative wire sizing. Ask them to justify large wire gauges.
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Unnecessarily long wire runs. Identify more optimal routing.
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Too much capacity versus actual demand. Request they match capacity closer to the expected loads.
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High labor costs. I can request itemized justification for labor charges.
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Overpriced components and wiring. Research competitive pricing from other suppliers.
Conclusion
By planning ahead, purchasing cost-effective materials, leveraging efficient designs, and critically evaluating contractor bids, I can significantly reduce electrical wiring expenses for commercial buildings. The savings from reduced upfront costs and ongoing energy consumption can be substantial. At the same time, I must take care not to sacrifice safety, code compliance or functionality purely to cut costs. With some strategic planning and disciplined execution, I can strike the right balance and minimize wiring costs.