Ain’t Technology Wonderful?

My company exists because people need help with technology. Not that they want some one to show them how to operate their DVD player or how to take professional pictures with their new digital camera. That’s not what I mean by technology. What I refer to are building-wide technology systems that provide communication, life safety, or security functions. Over the last twenty years technology and its impact on building systems has caused a critical gap between the traditional building designers — architects and engineers — and building Owners who depend on technology in order to operate their organizations efficiently. This gap has occured primarily because technology has had such a wide spread impact on almost everything in our lives.

Architects by nature are generalists from the standpoint that, aside from their primary purpose of designing buildings, they are responsible for coordinating and managing the overall design team and the design/construction process. As a result, they must know a lot about a lot. And that creates a dichotomy in that it’s only possible to know so much and still get the project completed. Architects understand that technology and building systems are imporatant. And many Architects are fairly knoweldgable in regard to the overall picture of how technology should be applied. However, they usually don’t know — nor do they necessarily want to — the details related to why certain design decisions are made.

Engineers suffer from quite the opposite problem. Technology has affected power and lighting systems to the point that the typical Electrical Engineer has a monumental task in staying up with advances in those areas and the resultant complex designs required for today’s projects. To ask the typical electrical engineer to also be fully knowledgable about a couple dozen diffiernt low-voltage systems, while simultaneously handling the management and administrative tasks of running anywhere from three to a dozen projects, has reached the point where it’s practically an impossible task. In reality the power and lighting systems, because of their potential for errors and omissions claims if designed incorrectly, will almost always be considered more important than the “simple” low voltage systems such as voice/data networks, security systems, and audio/video systems. These systems will almost always take a back seat in the design process and be given limited attention usually near the end of the design process.

The result of all this is that often the final design documents do not properly address the Owner’s requirements in a complete and accurate manner. Consequently, many projects cry for a consultant dedicated to ensuring the design of the low-voltage and technology systems is done in a logical, informed manner that ensures the construction of those systems is complete and proper.

It’s not a simple process this designing a modern building. And as a result, many Architects and project Owners are beginning to understand the need for an experienced consultant dedicated to the building’s technology systems. That is why my company exists. To help those who need their building projects to be complete, accurate, and ready to meet their needs the day they take occupancy.

Just as important though, and as much a part of the design process of creating the construction drawings, is providing assistance in understanding issues and options related to the design details associated with these systems. We provide that service as a normal part of our projects. However, there are much more global technology issues that are constantly arising and affecting all types of companies and organizatinos. And when these technology issues arise it is sometimes difficult to obtain clear concise information that allows a proper evluation of effects and impacts on an organization. As an example, Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP as it is commonly called, is a complex issue when an organization of any size tries to determine if and when they should consider an implemention.

There is often more than enough information to sift through on the Internet. And manufacturers will always offer up a myriad of reasons why their solution is the only solution. Further, when organizations are ready to seriously consider expending funds for a new or upgraded system if they have an Information Technology department it will act as a ready source of information. But the wide array of opinions available on the World Wide Web, the scores of glossy documents provided by eager sales people, as well as the technical recommendations by IT Departments who, athough knowledgable about their areas of responsbility but not necessarily adept at accomplishing “construction” projects, do not always add up to a clear picture that allows management to determine the best course of action based on a balance between cost effectiveness and true technology needs.

Thus the reason for this blog. Hopefully it will become a reliable resource for both those who need detailed information as well as those who need a quick answer.

Feel free to post here if you have a question or if you want to challenge our opinions and assertions.

Larry J. Trobough, RCDD
LinkedIn Profile