Electrical engineering: power and low current
From sizing the incoming supply to the last outlet — load balances, distribution strategy, schematics, construction drawings and acceptance.
Power
Everything starts with a load balance. It determines the incoming supply, and therefore the price of any future upgrade with the distribution network operator. Size it too tightly and the installation will not carry the electric vehicle chargers or the heat pump added five years later; size it too generously and the connection charge buys capacity nobody uses. We put the assumptions on the table so the decision can be defended.
Then come the main board, the risers, floor and apartment boards, discrimination, short-circuit calculations and the protection strategy — all to NIBT, with schematics a contractor can build from without ringing up.
Low current
Structured cabling, entry systems, access control, CCTV, fire detection and building automation. The common mistake is to design these late: by then the risers, the plant rooms and the containment are not where they need to be.
Lighting
Lighting calculations by use, compliance with SIA 380/4 for electrical demand, emergency lighting and standby supply, a control strategy — and maintenance that does not require a specialist tool.
Typical commissions
- New build
- Full electrical design from SIA 31 to 53, coordinated with the architect and the other consultants.
- Riser replacement
- Replacing rising mains and boards in occupied buildings, phased, with announced shutdowns.
- EV charging
- Load management, sizing of the supply, metering and billing strategy, phasing for co-owned and rented buildings.
- Photovoltaics
- Integration of generation, self-consumption grouping, protection and metering strategy, grid connection application.
- Due diligence
- Assessment of an existing installation before purchase, sale or refurbishment: condition, remaining life, cost to put right.
Questions about electrical design
Are you electrical contractors?
No. We are engineers: we design, tender and inspect. The work is carried out by a contractor selected competitively. That separation is what gives our inspection weight.
When do we need an engineer rather than going straight to a contractor?
As soon as something has to be compared, coordinated or evidenced: several bids, several disciplines, a planning application, or an owner who must justify a decision.
Are you an energy utility?
No. We supply neither electricity nor equipment. We are an independent consulting practice acting solely for the client.
A project that needs a technical opinion?
Tell us the building and the stage it is at. You will get an assessment and a fixed fee per phase, with no obligation.