Electrical Contracting News (ECN) October 2016 | Page 36

DISTRIBUTION BOARDS

Traditional basic metering systems
cannot meet such requirements and have
normally only been capable of monitoring
total energy use, rather than collecting
the intelligence and information needed to
analyse how and where energy is being
used. The old adage ‘if you can’t measure
it, you can’t manage it’ rings true, but the
ability even with new distribution systems
to make extensive provision for metering
on the scale demanded is costly and often
inconvenient. When it comes to retrofitting
systems, the challenges, complications
and issues are further multiplied.
In the intervening years Hager has
worked with the industry to provide
solutions designed to support compliance
with the legislative requirements of Part L2.
This has now led to the recent launch of a
new integrated power and lighting board
with plug-in metering systems. The market
demand to help satisfy the requirements of
Part L2 has driven development in this area,
with calls from electrical contractors and
engineers for easy and quick submetering
installation solutions.

Power and lighting

The proven savings in terms of installation time,
labour cost and system flexibility are tangible.

35-36 Distribution Boards – Hager.indd 36

The answer now lies in the availability of
a single, off-the-shelf power and lighting
board metering system that can provide
safe, reliable and proven performance
characteristics across install, connect and
reconnection projects, both in bespoke
factory assembled power and lighting
boards, as well as retrofit installations.

The new solution provides an integrated
plug-in metering answer which drastically
reduces installation and testing times,
labour cost and resource demands on
site, as well as impacting positively on
wiring error rates. Projects can be finalised
without delay, allowing contractors to move
swiftly to the next stage of installation.
The introduction of a combined pulsed/
Modbus output meter means the installer
can fit a single solution regardless of the
monitoring or data capture requirements
for the commercial building under its
Part L2 commitments. Plug and play
connections for both current and voltage
inputs and outputs (whether pre-wired or
as a fully pluggable system) ensure that
the metering is connected correctly and
the results can be relied upon totally.
With the continued competitive pressure
on electrical contractors and engineers to
maximise operational efficiencies and get
to project completion without delay, the
proven savings in terms of installation time,
labour cost and system flexibility are tangible.
Simplified solutions of this type offer greater
connectivity, increased energy monitoring and
measurement capability for building operators
and managers who, by law, have to comply
with an ever stringent regulatory regime.
Electrical contractors who seek out the
benefits of a new, innovative and integrated
approach to commercial building metering
can now reap the rewards of quicker and
cheaper installations, without any long
term compromise to system performance,
productivity and effectiveness.

12/09/2016 12:36