Today’s business managers are confronted by complex financial situations that require reliable, robust communication infrastructures to support successful decision making processes. Though there are various types of data centres, each needs to deliver goals set by the business plan. As we know, these plans change to suit the altering business climate over time. This requires a versatile, highly adaptable communications cabling system, supported by the other services such as air-conditioning and electrical systems.

Tyco Electronics is a valued member of The Green Building Council of Australia, a governing body of the Green Star Rating program.

Tyco Electronics solutions are made to comply with strict RoHS requirements. RoHS is a global program which restricts the use of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment.

New buzzwords such as carbon footprint, green buildings, green applications, power-demand reduction strategies, green star ratings, sustainable development and other catch phrases only make sense in their proper context.

The new 2010 Building Code of Australia is released this month, with a large number of changes that will have a significant impact on the electrical industry.

A consortium led by CSIRO has developed Australia's first eight-star, zero-emmission house to demonstrate what can be achieved in reducing carbon emmissions using off-the-shelf products.

NECA is amplifying its call to the federal government to adopt adequate safety measures in dealing with the controversial insulation installation program.

Most of us are averse to reading instruction manuals when we take delivery of some piece of equipment. We used to joke about getting the kids to program the home VCR because it was so complicated and the instruction manual was too hard to follow. But when it comes to electrical systems that are even more complex that we have to install and commission, we don’t have the luxury of being able to fob it off to the kids to get it working.

Because HVAC systems comprise a large amount of a building’s operating costs, it makes sense to ensure these systems are running as efficiently as possible. The key to identifying the energy-savings opportunities in HVAC systems is understanding the operating electrical profile of the system as it pertains to heating and cooling.

The latest Dun & Bradstreet National Business Expectations Survey shows strong employment and selling price expectations that point to capacity constraints.

Over the past few decades, Australian homes have been getting larger and more sophisticated, with consumers happily spending considerable money on their homes. We have more space, better quality and far more technology in our homes than ever before. And because of those increases, the electrical industry has experienced growth in its net worth. But that increase hasn’t been at the same rate as some other industries.

Solar energy has the potential to become the leading source of ‘green’ energy in Australia, however, with so many means of delivering it and the various complexities associated with them, there is a danger that we may choose the wrong path and impede the effectiveness of solar energy in curbing greenhouse gas emissions. These choices not only need to be made by governments, but also private enterprises, the community and the electrical industry.

Industry is undoubtedly a major contributor to climate change. But while technology has contributed to accelerating carbon emissions, it also presents solutions to reduce it. Some analysts suggest that global energy consumption will double in the next 30-40 years - India and China’s rapid development is resulting in huge demand for electricity, while the surge of data centres in developed countries is the leading growth area in electricity consumption. So how can we curb energy consumption without impeding development?

Everywhere you look there is a tagline about ‘going green’. Al Gore brought the climate change issue to the masses in the film An Inconvenient Truth and then many of the world’s leading musicians did their bit to raise awareness in the series of Live Earth concerts.

My message to electrical contractors is to make the most of the opportunities that present themselves. There’s never been a better time to be aggressive. There’s no easier sell than an upsell. That’s a lesson we all need to learn and apply in our businesses.