Wired for flexibility
With office tenants increasingly requiring flexible space, Mark Evans shares his ideas on the role of electrical installations in delivering appealing commercial properties.
With the commercial property market awash with vacant offices, flexibility of office space is becoming increasingly important in attracting new tenants. Simply offering a set floorplan that very much dictates the use of the space is no longer viewed as sufficient.
Today’s businesses want more. They want space they can then use in their own way and, if needed, turn around, re-plan and re-structure. On the flip side, many businesses now operate short-term leases, so property owners need to be able to return their premises to their original state quickly and easily.
Historically this was simply not the case. Office space would have had a central spine of flush floor trunking and maybe a perimeter system, but this kind of distribution solution is fast becoming outdated because it lacks the capacity needed for today’s power and data infrastructures and is far from flexible when it comes to updating and refurbishing.
For example, if you wanted to increase capacity the only real option would be to chase out more floor and install more trunking runs. As you can imagine, this is not a simple task and the restrictions posed by fixed floor outlet positions is a major stumbling block in successfully completing such a job.
As a result, the electrical backbone of a commercial property installation has been undergoing a process of reinvention that has led to an array of different solutions coming to the fore.
Among recent developments are cable-management systems with a very low raised floor, such as our Soluflex system, which deliver a level of flexibility that would never previously have been deemed possible. These simple systems just clip together and allow cables, connectors and power points to be run underneath and be configured and reconfigured where and when they are needed. Additionally, they do away with nuts, bolts and other fixtures and fittings, can be manufactured entirely from recyclable materials, and be covered with pretty much any floor covering.
Meanwhile, underfloor distribution systems, such as our Electrak power track, are now very much the first choice for commercial installations. Designed specifically for use in cavity floors, and so ideal for the new raised-floor systems, such systems are quick and easy to install. They have numerous tap-in points that enable the end user to easily add to, remove and reconfigure the location of power outlets.
This flexibility also extends to a new breed of modular desk modules that can have different functions added to and interchanged with ease — including, in the case of our Rotasoc modules, the ability to upgrade with an RCD in order to achieve 17th Edition compliance.
Mirroring the need for flexibility in commercial interiors has been the growing emphasis placed on sustainability, which will become even more important with the imminent introduction of the Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme (CRCEES) and Part L and lead to even more pressure being placed on electrical manufacturers to deliver green solutions.
While the kind of systems mentioned above play their part by reducing installation time and cost, utilising environmentally friendly materials in their construction, having longer projected life spans and being able to be safely disposed of when no longer needed, there are other solutions that will deliver tangible energy savings.
These smart solutions cover everything from dynamic energy-management systems using smart metering to monitor and respond to energy usage and peaks, through to lighting-management systems that deliver light at the right level when and where it is needed, while also switching off lights in rooms and areas where nobody is present. They will not only help in delivering significant carbon reductions, but will also transform a commercial property and make it stand out from the crowd.
With so many possibilities in terms of flexible and green electrical solutions, it is fair to say that the time of the traditional office space is up. Owners and developers need to embrace these newer solutions and provide commercial property that meets the demands of today’s business community.
Mark Evans is marketing director with Legrand.
