Services
- Electrical design for buildingsElectrical engineering design for new buildings, additions and renovations, from load calculations and single-line diagrams to permit drawings.
- Power distribution designDesign of building power distribution from the utility service to the panelboards: switchgear, transformers, feeders, voltages and room for growth.
- Lighting design and controlsLighting and lighting control design for new spaces and LED retrofits: light levels, glare, daylight and occupancy controls, and emergency lighting.
- Emergency and standby power designDesign of generators, transfer switches, UPS systems and emergency distribution so life safety and critical loads keep running when utility power fails.
- Short-circuit and coordination studiesStudies that check your equipment can safely interrupt the fault current available and that the breaker nearest a fault trips first.
- Arc flash studies and labellingArc flash incident energy studies and equipment labels to support your electrical safety program under CSA Z462, with practical ways to reduce the hazard.
- EV charging designElectrical design for EV charging in parkades, workplaces, condos and fleets: capacity checks, load management, layouts and permit drawings.
- Solar PV system designElectrical design of rooftop and ground-mount solar PV for commercial and multi-unit buildings, from feasibility and layout to utility interconnection.
- Service upgrades and load calculationsLoad calculations that show whether your electrical service can take new equipment, and the design of service upgrades when it cannot.
- Fire alarm system designFire alarm system design for new buildings, renovations and upgrades, from code review and device layout to sealed drawings, verification and handover.
- Data centre electrical designElectrical design for data centres and server rooms: utility and generator supply, UPS, distribution to the rack, redundancy and monitoring.
- Sound masking systemsDesign, installation oversight and tuning of sound masking systems that improve speech privacy and reduce distractions in offices and clinics.
- VESDA and OSID smoke detectionDesign and coordination of aspirating and open-area beam smoke detection for data rooms, warehouses, atriums and other spaces where spot detectors struggle.
- Distributed antenna systems (DAS)Design and build of distributed antenna systems for cellular and public safety radio coverage inside buildings, from survey and design to acceptance testing.
- Network design for buildingsWired building networks planned around how you use them: topology, segmentation, redundancy and room for building systems, documented for the build.
- Building automation system designBuilding automation system design: architecture, points lists, sequences of operation, open protocols, integration and cybersecurity for BAS projects.
- Instrumentation and controlsDesign and build of instrumentation and control systems: sensors, transmitters, control panels, PLC logic, HMIs and the documentation to maintain them.
- UPS system designUPS system design for server rooms, data centres, healthcare and building controls: sizing, topology, batteries, bypass, redundancy and generator coordination.
- Access control systemsDesign and build support for electronic access control: door hardware, controllers, credentials and integration, with safe egress built in.
- Intrusion and security systemsDesign of intrusion alarm systems for commercial and industrial buildings: sensors, zoning, monitoring and integration with access control and video.
- Video surveillance designIP camera system design for commercial and institutional buildings: camera layout, image detail, network, storage, privacy and verification.
- Perimeter intrusion detectionDesign and build of perimeter intrusion detection: fence and buried sensors, video analytics and radar, zoned and tied to cameras so alarms can be assessed.
- Duress and panic alarm systemsDesign of fixed, wireless and wearable duress and panic alarm systems, including staff locating, alarm routing and integration with security systems.
All 91 guides
- How power gets from the street to the outletA plain walk through a building's electrical system, from the utility line and service entrance through switchboards, transformers and panels to the outlet.
- Single-line diagrams explainedWhat a single-line diagram shows, how to read its symbols and ratings, and why keeping it accurate matters for maintenance, safety and future projects.
- Transformers in commercial buildingsWhat transformers do in a building, the common types and connections, how they are sized and placed, and what keeps them running for decades.
- 120/208 V vs 347/600 V systemsHow the two common Canadian three-phase building voltages differ, where each one fits, and what the choice means for equipment, cost and safety.
- Three-phase power basicsWhat three-phase power is, why buildings and motors use it, how to read its voltages and currents, and the problems facility staff most often meet.
- Panelboards, switchboards and MCCsHow panelboards, switchboards and motor control centres differ, what each one does in a building, and what owners should check and record.
- Conductor sizing and voltage dropHow wire and cable sizes are chosen for feeders and branch circuits, what derating means, and why long runs need larger conductors to limit voltage drop.
- Canadian Electrical Code basics for ownersWhat the Canadian Electrical Code is, how provinces adopt and enforce it, how it is organised, and what it means for building owners and managers.
- Electrical permits and inspectionsWhen electrical work needs a permit, who takes it out, what inspectors check at rough-in and final, and how permits differ in Alberta, BC and Ontario.
- Reading electrical drawings and specificationsWhat is in a set of electrical drawings and specifications, how to read plans, circuit tags and panel schedules, and how the set changes during a project.
- Electrical design for tenant renovationsHow electrical work for a tenant fit-out is planned, from checking capacity and the lease to demolition, life safety changes, permits and record drawings.
- Receptacle and circuit planningHow to plan receptacles and branch circuits for offices, kitchens and equipment so breakers do not trip and there is room to grow.
- Power quality and harmonicsWhat power quality problems look like in buildings, how harmonics overheat neutrals and transformers, and how problems are measured and fixed.
- Surge protection for buildingsWhere electrical surges come from, how surge protective devices at the service, panels and equipment work together, and how to choose and install them.
- Electrical load calculationsHow electrical load calculations work, from connected load and demand factors to measured data, and what they tell you about service capacity.
- When to upgrade your electrical serviceThe signs that a building has outgrown its electrical service, the alternatives to an upgrade, and how a service upgrade project runs from start to finish.
- Demand charges and power factorHow commercial demand charges and power factor show up on a utility bill, what drives them, and practical ways to bring them down.
- Available fault current explainedWhat available fault current is, why it is highest near the service, how it is calculated, and why equipment interrupting ratings must exceed it.
- Selective coordination of breakers and fusesWhat selective coordination means, how time-current curves show it, where codes call for it, and the trade-offs with arc flash and cost.
- Ground fault protection: GFCI and GFPThe difference between GFCIs that protect people and ground fault protection that protects equipment, how each one works, and how to test and maintain them.
- Reading an arc flash labelWhat each field on an arc flash warning label means, from incident energy and boundaries to PPE, and what to do when a label is missing or out of date.
- What happens in an arc flash studyThe steps of an arc flash study, from data collection and system modelling to labels and the report, and what you need ready before it starts.
- Lighting levels and good lighting designHow lighting levels are measured and set, why uniformity, glare and colour matter as much as brightness, and how a lighting design comes together.
- LED lighting retrofitsThe main ways to convert existing lighting to LED, from tubes to kits to new fixtures, with their trade-offs, certification issues and how to plan a retrofit.
- Lighting controls: sensors, daylight and schedulingHow occupancy sensors, daylight dimming, scheduling and networked controls work, what energy codes expect, and how to get controls that occupants accept.
- Emergency power vs standby powerThe difference between emergency power for life safety and standby power for business continuity, which loads go where, and how the systems are kept separate.
- UPS systems for buildingsHow uninterruptible power supplies work, the main UPS types, how they are sized and arranged with generators, and what maintenance keeps them reliable.
- How generators are sizedHow standby and emergency generators are sized for running load, motor starting, load steps and non-linear loads, and the mistakes that lead to the wrong size.
- EV charging levels explainedThe differences between Level 1, Level 2 and DC fast charging, what each needs from a building's electrical system, and which suits which kind of site.
- EV load managementHow EV load management lets many chargers share limited electrical capacity, the main approaches, and what to check before relying on one.
- EV charging in condos and multi-unit buildingsHow condo boards and multi-unit building owners can plan EV charging: capacity, building-wide versus one-off installs, billing, approvals and provincial rules.
- How a building solar PV system worksThe parts of a grid-connected solar PV system on a building, how power flows from panels to loads and the grid, and what affects output in Canada.
- Net metering and microgeneration in CanadaHow net metering and microgeneration programs credit the solar power a building exports, how the approach differs by province, and how to apply.
- Battery energy storage for buildingsWhat building battery storage does, from peak shaving to backup power, how it works with solar PV and the grid, and the safety questions to settle.
- Motors, starters and VFDsHow building motors are started and controlled, the differences between across-the-line starters, soft starters and VFDs, and what to watch for with each.
- Electrical equipment in hazardous locationsHow hazardous locations are classified into zones, how electrical equipment is protected against igniting gas or dust, and what owners need to keep on file.
- How a fire alarm system worksHow a building fire alarm system detects fire, sorts alarm, supervisory and trouble signals, warns occupants and calls the fire department.
- Fire alarm devices: detectors, pull stations and signalsWhat each fire alarm device does, from smoke and heat detectors to pull stations, horns and strobes, and how placement decides whether it works.
- Addressable vs conventional fire alarm systemsHow conventional zone-based and addressable fire alarm systems differ in wiring, information, false alarms and cost, and when an upgrade makes sense.
- Voice evacuation and two-stage alarmsHow single-stage, two-stage and voice evacuation fire alarm systems work, where each is used, and what makes spoken messages clear enough to act on.
- Data centre redundancy: N, N+1 and 2NWhat N, N+1, 2N and concurrent maintainability mean for data centre power, how each handles failures and maintenance, and how to choose.
- The data centre power chain, from utility to rackFollow power through a data centre from the utility service, generator and UPS to PDUs, rack power strips and server power supplies.
- Rack PDUs and power monitoringHow to choose rack PDUs, load A and B feeds safely, and use power monitoring to catch overloads and plan data centre capacity.
- How sound masking worksHow sound masking reduces speech intelligibility and distraction, what the masking sound is, how speakers are placed, and where it does not help.
- Speech privacy in open officesHow sound travels in open offices, how speech privacy is measured, and how absorption, blocking and sound masking work together to improve it.
- Tuning a sound masking systemHow a sound masking system is tuned zone by zone to a target level and spectrum, what to measure and record, and how to fix common complaints.
- How aspirating smoke detection (VESDA) worksHow aspirating smoke detectors draw air through sampling pipes, measure smoke, raise staged alarms, and what good pipe design and maintenance look like.
- Open-area beam smoke detection (OSID)How imaging beam smoke detectors watch large open spaces, tell smoke from dust and objects, and what to consider when designing them in tall buildings.
- Where very early smoke detection makes senseWhich spaces benefit from very early warning smoke detection, which do not, and the response planning that decides whether it is worth the cost.
- What is a distributed antenna system?What a distributed antenna system is, why buildings block radio signals, how a DAS works, and how it compares with small cells, boosters and WiFi calling.
- In-building public safety radio coverageWhy firefighters' radios fail inside buildings, how responder radio coverage systems work, how they are tested and accepted, and what owners should plan for.
- Passive, active and hybrid DASHow passive, active and hybrid distributed antenna systems carry signals to antennas, what each costs in losses, power and flexibility, and how to choose.
- Network topology for buildingsHow building networks are laid out, from star and ring layouts to two-tier and three-tier designs, and how to choose one that fits your building.
- VLANs and network segmentationWhat VLANs are, how they split one physical network into separate segments, and how to plan segmentation for staff, guests and building systems.
- Building network redundancyWhere single points of failure hide in a building network, how dual uplinks, diverse routes and backup power remove them, and how to test failover.
- Converged networks for building systemsHow building automation, video, access control and IT can share one network safely, what stays separate, and who should own which part.
- BACnet and Modbus explainedHow the BACnet and Modbus protocols work, how they differ, how they are wired, and what to specify so building systems can talk to each other.
- BAS points and sequences of operationWhat BAS points and points lists are, how to write a clear sequence of operation, and how both are tested so the building runs as designed.
- Cybersecurity for building automationWhy building automation systems are a cyber risk and how segmentation, controlled remote access and basic hardening protect them.
- Sensors and transmitters: instrumentation basicsHow sensors and transmitters measure pressure, temperature, level and flow, how to specify them, and the installation details that decide accuracy.
- 4–20 mA current loopsHow 4–20 mA current loops carry instrument signals, how to scale them and check the power budget, and how to troubleshoot a loop that reads wrong.
- PLCs and control panelsWhat a PLC does, how a control panel is laid out and protected, and the design and documentation practices that keep a control system maintainable.
- Instrument calibrationHow instrument calibration works, how to set tolerances and intervals, what a calibration record should contain, and the mistakes that make results meaningless.
- Generator installation: room, exhaust and fuelWhat a standby or emergency generator installation needs: room or enclosure, cooling air, exhaust routing, fuel storage, noise, access and permits.
- Generator parallelingHow several generators are synchronized onto one bus to share load, why sites parallel them, and how load priority and shedding keep critical loads powered.
- Transfer sequences: what happens when the power failsStep by step, what an automatic transfer switch and generator do when utility power fails and returns, the time delays involved and how to test them.
- UPS topologies: standby, line-interactive and onlineHow standby, line-interactive and online double-conversion UPS units work, what each protects against and which loads each one suits.
- UPS batteries and runtimeHow UPS battery runtime is worked out, why batteries deliver less than expected as they age, and how to choose, house, test and replace them.
- UPS bypass and maintenanceHow static and maintenance bypasses let a UPS be serviced without dropping the load, the safe switching sequence, and what UPS maintenance should cover.
- How access control worksThe parts of an electronic access control system, what happens when a card is presented, how door alarms work and how systems keep running offline.
- Access control credentials: cards, mobile and biometricsCompare proximity cards, encrypted smart cards, mobile credentials, PINs and biometrics, and learn how to choose, migrate and manage access credentials.
- Access control, door hardware and safe egressHow access-controlled doors stay safe to exit: fail-safe and fail-secure locks, maglock release, fire alarm interfaces, fire doors and testing.
- Intrusion alarm systems explainedHow intrusion alarm systems work: perimeter, interior and point protection, detector types, zones and partitions, entry delays, communication and testing.
- Security alarm monitoring and responseWhat happens after a security alarm is sent: signal paths, monitoring centres, alarm verification, call lists and guard or police response.
- Layered security designHow layered security works: concentric zones, deter, detect, delay and respond, and how access control, intrusion, video and lighting fit together.
- IP camera system designHow an IP camera system fits together, and how to choose cameras and size the network, PoE, streams and security so it records reliably.
- Camera placement and pixel densityHow pixel density decides whether a camera can detect, recognize or identify people, and how to place cameras and choose lenses to get it.
- Video storage and retentionHow to work out how much storage a camera system needs, how long to keep recordings, and how to protect and export video when it matters.
- Video surveillance and privacy in CanadaWhich privacy laws apply to security cameras in Canada, the principles they share, and how to design a camera system that respects them.
- Perimeter detection technologies comparedA comparison of fence, buried, beam, video analytics and radar perimeter detection: how each works, where it fits, and the nuisance alarms to expect.
- Fence-mounted and buried perimeter sensorsHow fence-mounted and buried perimeter sensors detect intruders, what the fence and ground need, and how to install, tune, test and maintain them.
- Perimeter detection with video analyticsHow video analytics detect intruders at a perimeter, visible and thermal cameras compared, and how to lay out views, rules and testing to limit false alarms.
- Duress and panic alarms explainedThe types of duress and panic alarm, how an alarm travels from the button to a responder, where to place buttons, and how to keep the system working.
- Personal duress systems that locate staffHow wearable duress systems locate staff, how the locating technologies compare, and how to plan and test coverage and accuracy.
- Planning the response to a duress alarmHow to plan who receives a duress alarm, how they assess and dispatch, what responders do, when police are called, and how to drill and review.
- Exterior and security lightingHow to light parking lots, entrances, walkways and building perimeters for safety and security, with even coverage, low glare and sensible controls.
- Lighting for video surveillanceHow lighting affects security camera images at night and in difficult scenes, and how to coordinate fixtures, infrared and controls with cameras.
- Emergency lighting designHow emergency lighting and exit signs are laid out along exit routes, how they are powered, and what to check in a design so it works when the power fails.
- Cable pathways, conduit and trayHow communications cable is routed and supported through a building with conduit, tray and J-hooks, and the fill, separation and firestopping rules that apply.
- Telecom grounding and bondingHow telecom rooms, racks, cable tray and entrance protectors are bonded back to the building electrical ground, and why separate ground rods cause trouble.
- Fire alarm interfaces with HVAC, doors and elevatorsHow a fire alarm system controls fans, dampers, door holders, locked doors and elevators, and how to make sure those interfaces work when tested.