The Crowne Plaza hotel in Melbourne’s central business district has recently implemented the latest part of its wider sustainability strategy through the installation of a number of mySmart enGauge screens. These screens provide employees and customers alike with visibility into real-time and historical energy usage data from across the hotel. enGauge, a ‘sustainability indicator’ which allows the hotel to visually share its sustainability strategy, is provided by mySmart, a supplier of energy- and resource-efficient solutions for building environments.

A recent survey of data centre managers in Australia identifies a focus on investing in ‘green’ infrastructure.

Master Builders Association of Victoria announced a new category of membership for properly qualified trades associated with the construction industry.

Peak electrical industry body NECA is urging residents to undertake four simple steps to help make their homes safe after a recent spate of house fires.

New developments in metallic and nonmetallic conduits provide cost-effective alternatives for installing electrical and communications cabling in hazardous areas.

All electronics in an organisation - from desktops to data centres - require continuous, clean power. Anything less puts businesses at risk of data corruption, equipment damage and unplanned downtime. Most organisations meet this requirement by having a central UPS that serves an entire building/data centre, or distributed UPSs placed closer to the equipment being protected, or both.

Numerous reports from around the world indicate that around 40% of the world’s energy is used in buildings, so taking the lead in energy efficiency in buildings is a key area to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This therefore, represents tremendous opportunities for the electrical industry to assist in reducing emissions, as well as operating costs, for their clients.

Not long after I first arrived here in Australia, I met an architect who told me that he didn’t want light switches to be visible in homes. When I asked him why, he simply said: “Because they’re ugly.” I suspect such an attitude is not uncommon amongst many architects, and even some home owners, given the universal use of basic white switch plates and GPOs in this country.

While we all have our opinions on what’s driving or holding back the uptake of home automation, I’ve personally reached the conclusion that the real ‘gatekeepers’ of the rate of adoption of home automation are electrical contractors. That statement might ‘ruffle a few feathers’, but I’ve drawn that conclusion from lots of market analysis, speaking with home owners, builders, developers, real estate agents, integrators and equipment suppliers. If you’re an electrical contractor, I believe the future of home automation is in your hands. So what’s holding you back?

A recent survey of 400 CEOs of Australian companies has identified skills shortages as a major challenge facing business.

New legislation requiring the disclosure of buildings’ energy ratings means the electrical industry will play an even more important role on the performance of buildings.

Standards Australia provides an update on its activities in the continuing development of smart grid standards for Australia.

A recent US report states that important factors such as climate change, emerging renewable technologies, carbon costs and volatile fossil-fuel prices are the driving forces behind new business models in the electrical industry in the 21st century.

The city of Brisbane’s 6.8 km long Clem Jones Tunnel, known as ‘CLEM 7’, is one of the largest infrastructure projects ever to be undertaken in the state of Queensland. Built as a solution to Brisbane’s inner-city traffic gridlock, the tunnel has been built under the Brisbane River and connects the north- and south-bound traffic, has five traffic connection points, and a sixth connection to the Airport Link is planned for completion in 2012.

NECA has been instrumental in a Fair Work Australia decision to enable NSW businesses to continue to choose between two types of apprenticeships in the electrical industry.