b'Partner News Spring 2021 41Corporateworking together and how additions couldSmart, connected devices allow managersVital to visibility is the integration of building affect the installation. Incompatibility isto access insights into earth leakages,software. Only by uniting and simplifying another major issue, causing potentiallypredict maintenance timeframes, andpower systems can energy usage and disastrous circuit issues. Managers mustproactively prevent issues. These deviceselectrical network health be monitored, adopt applications that enable electriciansare no longer responsible for only controllingwhilst analysing power quality. Ultimately, the to save their progress digitally, to ensuresingle mechanisms - they now measure andmore holistic and granular the data available, their work can always be accessed andcollect data and provide control functions.the better the decision-making process that understood after installation. Furthermore, they enable facility andsafeguards assets, maximises operational maintenance personell to proactively seeefficiency, ensures business continuity and Prevention over cure faults before they occur, to minimise outages. maintains regulatory compliance.When it comes to outages, attention is generally on the rules and procedures onceWithin a power network, intelligence isOutages arent inevitable the issue has arisen. Clearly, an outage thatembedded inside equipment, such asConnectivity underpins all the fundamental has or is taking place is far more visible thanthe trip units of circuit breakers. Theseprinciples of fighting outages. In a modern those yet to, both to internal and externalsmart breakers can provide power andinfrastructure, all systems must be easily parties. energy data, as well as information onmonitored and controlled from a single digital performance, including alarms and alerts.application.However, being reactionary is not anHardware has evolved to include digital option. Outages at a defence base havecapabilities, including communicating withLoad levels, leakage, energy consumption, wide-ranging, life-critical, implications. Athe building analytics software, buildingpower quality and warnings, on events, are response plan is not enoughthere mustgreater intelligence and achieving predictivethe backbone of any effective strategy. be a comprehensive strategy that utilisesmaintenance. Innovative solutions ensure effective the latest technologies for preventativecommunication between a system and detection and proactive response. Enhancing capacity enable cause investigation and power While network capacity is frequentlyrestoration action to be taken, before The only means to shutdown risk, minimisereferenced from productivity and energydamage is done.damage and optimise output is to integrateefficiency perceptive, it is vital in mitigating passive and active protection technology.downtime. As discussed, complexity systemsOutages arent inevitable. In critical New technology has been introduced whichcan lead to increased electrical risks. Toapplications, a combination of the right not only acts as a barrier to electrical issuesmitigate these, managers need technologyapproach and the best tools can meet any but also helps to prevent causes fromthat accurately identifies energy use andchallenge before it begins. From a technology originating, through trip status and real-timeavoids power demand failures. standpoint, the introduction of digital, measurement updates. connected technology enables managers to In a sprawling environment like defence,predict maintenance needs, optimise network Creating a prevent-first culture is alsomanagers must have complete visibilitycapacity and avoid electrical overloads. On crucial. Developing and auditing electrical- into network performance and the tools tothe ground, managers must create a culture safe work practices, conducting riskcontinually optimise. This not only improvesof opennessany issue is a chance to assessment training, and mitigationperformance and reduces costs, but alsoimprove. Not only will these advancements strategies cannot be overlooked. prevents the overstressing of the networkcreate a more resilient and productive which leads to degradation and, eventually,environment, but will also help the MoD meet Predictive maintenance outages. its goal of carbon-neutrality by 2050.Due to their impact, outages are frequently thought to be the symptoms of large-scale technical issues, like power generation failure or unforeseen demand peaks. In reality, most are caused by existing equipment performing sub-optimally. Many components become prone to breaking and failing, causing the gradual decline of an estates efficiency. Indeed, budget reductions force owners to manage building systems with fewer resources, further exacerbated by ageing systems becoming inefficient over time. Even with the budget, maintenance is time-consuming, difficult and can be demoralising for staff. These issues combined with the cost of downtime, call for a new predictive approach.'