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Electrical upgrades aren’t just a regulatory necessity, but they are also crucial for ensuring that a building operates efficiently and without risks related to electrical faults.
Whether it is an office space, a shop, a retail store, or a rental, the importance of a properly functioning electrical system cannot be overstated. Even if you decide to change the use of a building, for example, from residential to office, retail, or restaurant, you will need to recheck and go over every aspect of the installation from the ground up.
Building electrical system upgrades involve a more complex and comprehensive approach. Planning for it requires comparatively more focused planning and coordination to ensure all the work follows local building codes and electrical safety standards.
Read on to find out all about how to plan electrical upgrades when changing building use and the important aspects of electrical installation to look out for:
In the UK, changing building use requires a thorough check of electrical systems that often warrant upgrades as well. The electrical system often needs substantial upgrading to comply with the Building Regulations BS 7671.
Furthermore, the building also needs to comply with Wiring Regulations, insurance requirements, and the demands of the new occupancy type. For example, depending on the type of building, you will have to revisit every aspect of the installation, including the emergency lighting system.
These checks and upgrades are important because they help determine the overall fitness of the components. Think about it this way: you are not going to get another chance to thoroughly go through every electrical component and make building-wide changes without causing disruption.
This is why the transition period between the change is the best way to ensure that the new system is optimised and free of faults.
Here are the main electrical upgrades typically considered while changing the use of buildings in the UK:
This is one of the first things that is checked when conducting an electrical audit of a transitioning building. The incoming supply capacity upgrade checks whether the existing electrical supply is adequate for the new use.
For example, when changing use from office to restaurant, you will need a major increase in load since a typical large-scale restaurant will have high-load appliances that work non-stop during business hours.
Similarly, when going from commercial to residential, in the case of going from a warehouse to residential apartments, you will need multiple consumer units.
Even when going from a shop to a gym, you will need to upgrade the HVAC, and the equipment demand will also probably rise since gyms require specialised lighting, sound systems, and several other electrical components.
Typically, you would require the following:
This is especially important for older buildings that often fail modern compliance standards.
A common reason to revisit wiring requirements for transitioning buildings can be due to rubber or VIR cabling that can degrade over time. These buildings may also not have RCD protection and have undersized circuits.
Some older buildings may have insufficient socket provision across the layout and may also have damaged components that need to be upgraded.
In general, during a building use change, the property owner will have to revisit the following:
Distribution board systems or consumer units may need to be installed or revisited depending on the previous or currently intended use of the building.
Old fuse boards are commonly replaced either way because they usually lack modern RCD protection and cannot handle additional circuits.
More importantly, insurance companies may reject outdated equipment and may even charge you higher premiums based on the overall health of your electrical system.
Modern upgrades to these types of buildings can include metal-clad consumer units that offer superior protection, surge protection devices and, in the case of apartments, separate landlord or tenant boards.
As per building regulations, emergency lighting and its proper installation and maintenance are mandatory. If the change of use brings about an increase in public access or occupancy, then upgrading the emergency lighting system will become critical.
Emergency lighting systems are common in HMOs, offices, shops, gyms, and apartment buildings.
Property owners will need to fulfil requirements such as ensuring the effectiveness of escape route lighting and having properly illuminated exit signage.
These systems also need battery backups and periodic testing so that they work optimally when they are needed the most.
When changing the use of the building, property owners will need to have the fire alarm and detection system reevaluated by a professional installation company.
Certified installers like Calder Electrical are specifically trained to conduct thorough audits and implement the necessary changes to make the building premises compliant with building regulations.
The fire alarm category will be decided depending on how the building is going to be used. For example, office buildings to HMO may require LD1 coverage, while retail may require category L2/L3.
There are several upgrades that you can go with, including the following:
Buildings that are likely to change to commercial activities will frequently require structured Cat6/Cat6a cabling, extensive CCTV, door access systems, intercoms, smart controls, and intruder alarms.
These are baseline changes that need to be implemented to make the building safer for the occupants and are especially relevant for uses such as co-working spaces, HMOs, multi-let commercial buildings and mixed-use developments.
Energy efficiency is probably the most important objective of every building owner. Since these properties can take up a lot of energy, you will need to install an efficient system that is designed for maximum output with minimum input.
This makes the building more affordable for the owner, and the operational costs aren’t as heavy on the occupants as well.
Energy efficiency is also a regulatory requirement and is part of the Part L compliance and EPC targets.
These additions or changes can be:
If there is one thing that modernises buildings like no other, it is a spot for EV charging.
With EVs becoming ubiquitous in the UK, it has become important for buildings to offer EV charging infrastructure to increase footfall, especially in the case of commercial buildings.
If the building already has a charging station, then the changes to its use may warrant an upgrade.
Changes to EV charging stations can include installing additional EV charge points, sparing capacity in boards, cabling routing for future chargers, and installing adequate load balancing systems.
In the case of older buildings, you may see damage to the earthing components that may lead to inefficiency and may even increase fire risk.
Upgrades commonly include replacing the main bonding, installing earth rods, assessing PME/TN-C-S systems, and ensuring the effectiveness of lightning protection components.
Electrical workings need to be done in a way where they are fully fire-rated to decrease the risk of fire and protect the electrical system from damage.
This is why, when rewiring, cable penetrations may require fire stopping, and risers may need sealing. These small but important changes increase the fire rating of the system and can also help the building become more compliant.
While newer buildings may have a fully functioning fire-rated system, a use change will trigger a re-evaluation. This is important because it allows the building owner to revisit the system without causing any disruption during the transition period and get the building ready before implementing any changes to its usage.
When buildings change their use, they usually require a fresh new set of documentation.
This includes generating a new EICR or Electrical Installation Condition Report that acts as a guarantee for the quality and safety of the electrical system. It is provided by the installer and is a mandatory document.
Similarly, you will also need to furnish an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) or a Minor Works Certificate, depending on the extent of the upgrades in the building.
To finish off the required documentation, you will need to obtain a Fire Alarm and Emergency Lighting Certification as well.
If the building is going to be used for residential purposes, then you will require periodic inspections every 5 years.
Electrical installation or upgrades require extensive work. Thankfully, when transitioning a building, there is a lot of downtime in between. This time should always be used for revisiting old systems to ensure that all the electrical requirements are fulfilled.
This includes checking electrical components, wiring, lighting, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and operating appliances and machinery.
The first step in going about upgradation or repairs for a building is to conduct a thorough audit by a professional electrical company like Calder Electrical.
The report is done according to the size and type of the property, the number of occupants in the building, the nature of the work being carried out, and the type of equipment used.
The audit will highlight the total power requirement of the property, which will be determined by assessing the change in use of the building. For example, an office converting into a retail space will require a lot of changes to the load-balancing systems.
This can be done by performing an electrical load calculation to ensure that the electrical system can handle the electrical load. The test accounts for peak usage as well to ensure that the system does not cause any issues, such as circuit overloading or disruption of power.
Keep in mind that regardless of the change of use of your building, you will need to go through a thorough examination of the current system.
Whether it’s an office space, a retail store, or any other commercial property, a detailed assessment is conducted to evaluate the existing infrastructure and create an electrical plan that aligns with the property’s energy needs and requirements.
This strategy allows the property owners and technicians to create a customised plan suitable for the commercial property’s unique electrical needs.
The good news is that the electrical company will work in close coordination and collaboration with the property designers, architects, engineers, and plumbers to create an integrated electrical plan that seamlessly works with the rest of the building.
For the best experience, we recommend dividing the upgradation plan into three phases. You can work with the electrical company to figure out the milestones of each phase so that nothing is left to chance and everyone is on the same page.
Proper planning ensures that the electrical installation process is smooth, safe, cost-effective, and perfectly tailored to the property’s needs.
Keep in mind that you will also need to do extensive budgeting and timeline estimations to figure out the ROI and completion time of the project.
Always make sure that you work with realistic goals and lock the scope of work at the start of the project. This way, you, the electrical company, and the workers will all be on the same page and can work according to a singular vision.
Wiring and electrical installations are tasks that require a certain skill set to be performed successfully. When hiring an electrician to plan and conduct a full electrical installation for your property, make sure that they are fully certified, qualified, and that they understand your requirements.
At Calder Electrical, we have been providing electrical services to residential, commercial, and industrial properties for over 40 years and are specialists in all aspects of electrical installations, maintenance, and testing.
All our work is fully insured, and we work to meet the standards set by the NICEIC to make sure all your electrical installations meet the current regulations, and all the notifiable work is signed off by the local authorities.
If you have unplanned issues within your home or business, we can provide a call-out service to rectify and solve any problems, such as circuit tripping, loss of power, broken items that need repairing, or to check if you feel something is unsafe or a potential hazard.
Our team can generate a Visual Inspection Report (VIR) to identify anything visual that does not comply with the standards or looks unsafe, as well as a full Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), where we will identify and test each circuit to make sure they are not deteriorating and are safe for use within the current standards and regulations set by the BS 7671.
We can also provide PAT testing of appliances to make sure that any items such as kettles, computers, and microwaves are safe for use in the home and workplace.
Contact us here or call us at 0800 612 3001 to get in touch with our professional electricians for more information on how to plan an electrical installation for a property and electrical upgrades to consider when changing building use.
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