2015 Electrical and Power Study

Consulting-Specifying Engineer 2015 Electrical and Power Study

Seven key findings for the electrical, power industries

Respondents to the Consulting-Specifying Engineer 2015 Electrical and Power Study identified seven high-level findings impacting the electrical and power industries today:

  1. Source: Consulting-Specifying Engineer, CFE Media LLCElectrical, power revenue: The average engineering firm specifies about $3.1 million annually for electrical and power systems in new and existing building projects, up 2.5% from 2014.

    • Forty-two percent of last year’s design revenue was spent on new construction projects; 35% on retrofit/renovation; 13% on maintenance/operation; and 7% on commissioning/retro-commissioning.
  2. Systems specified: Eighty-two percent of engineers currently specify electrical distribution and/or circuit breakers, fuses, or similar electrical or power systems/equipment.

  3. Selection involvement: Seventy-seven percent of respondents are responsible for determining requirements/writing specifications for electrical or power systems. Another 69% research and evaluate options, while 66% supervise or consult on the project.

  4. Specifications: Twenty-seven percent of respondents always use performance electrical or power specifications issued by their firm, and another 49% frequently use these specifications.

  5. Building structures: The top three building types for which respondents specify, design, or make electrical or power product selections are industrial/manufacturing facilities/warehouses (64%), office buildings (63%), and educational facilities (47%).

  6. Design factors: Ninety-nine percent of engineers agree that product quality is the most important factor to their specification of electrical and power systems over another, followed by manufacturer’s reputation (93%), technical advantage (92%), and previous experience with manufacturer (92%).

  7. Top challenges: Eight in 10 engineers agree that an inadequate budget and project delivery speed are fairly difficult challenges that they are currently facing in electrical or power systems and design.

Access the full 2015 Electrical and Power report to view additional key trends and findings.

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