Building Utilities Overview

Building Utilities

• Covered equipment permanently installed in a building to provide services like heating, electricity, water, and telecommunications.
• Essential building utilities include:
  • Electricity
  • Water
  • Wastewater removal
  • Telecommunications

Building Services vs Utilities

• Building Services refer to internal systems that ensure comfort and safety, including heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC), lighting, and fire safety.
• Utilities are external services required for building operations, such as electricity, gas, water, and sewer systems, typically provided by public or private companies.

Importance of Basic Electricity for Civil Engineers

• Understanding basic electrical concepts helps civil engineers ensure structural framing does not compromise electrical component installation.
• Projects often involve integrating electrical systems into infrastructure, such as lighting and power distribution.
• Knowledge of electrical engineering aids in enhancing the energy efficiency and sustainability of civil engineering projects.

Electricity Fundamentals

• Electricity is vital for daily activities but is often poorly understood.
• Key Units:
  • Current (I) measured in amperes (A) represents the flow of electrons.
  • Voltage (E or V) is the force driving the electron movement, measured in volts (V).

Electric Charges and Components

• Three main particles in an atom:
  • Protons: positively charged
  • Neutrons: no charge
  • Electrons: negatively charged
• Electric current is measured with an ammeter.

Voltage

• Voltage is also called Electromotive Force (EMF) and can be either direct (DC) or alternating (AC).
• Voltage increases with the rotation speed of generators and the number of coil turns.

Conductors, Insulators, and Semi-Conductors

• Conductors: Allow electricity to flow through (e.g., metals).
• Insulators: Resist current flow (e.g., rubber).
• Semi-conductors: Have properties of both conductors and insulators, critical for electronic devices.

Current

• Defined as the flow of free electrons in a closed circuit.
• Sources of electrical current include:
  • Mechanical means
  • Chemical means
  • Photovoltaic means
  • Thermal means

Faraday’s Discovery

• Moving a conductor through magnetic lines generates voltage.

Resistance

• Resistance opposes electrical current flow, measured in ohms (Ω).
• Ohm's Law describes the relationship between current (I), voltage (V), and resistance (R): I = V/R.

Power

• Power is the rate at which energy is transferred or converted, measured in watts (W).
• Key Conversions:
  • 1 horsepower = 746 watts
  • 1 kilowatt = 1000 watts
• Energy can be calculated using the formula: Energy = Power x Time.

Buying Energy

• Energy is purchased from suppliers like CENECO, billed in kilowatt-hours (kWh).

This quiz covers the basics of building utilities, focusing on essential services such as electricity, water, and wastewater management. Learners will understand how these utilities function in various settings, including shopping malls. It's an essential introduction for those involved in facility management or utilities engineering.