Recently, RJ Martin Electric completed a rehabilitation center in the Greater Cleveland area for a prominent hospital system, and we used colored conduit that identified each of the different electrical systems within the building to maintain clear separation among sub-systems. It’s an approach we’ve used for other building types to simplify how otherwise complicated wiring is identified. However, until our involvement in this project, we hadn’t seen it used in health care settings.

Why not? We’re not entirely sure. Tracking power and wiring system conduit can be a difficult challenge once it’s installed, so standard practice in health care settings calls for uniquely identifying different power and wiring systems with stickers, or even painted conduit. Perhaps other electrical contractors employ color conduit for projects in which we have no involvement. Yet, we weren’t aware of its adoption for health care projects before this one, and neither was our client. We believe color conduit just works better to identify conduit types—it’s a better solution for built structures in other industries, and we think it works equally well for health care projects. Our client agreed; in fact, they now want it to be the gold standard for all their buildings. 

The takeaway here is that our experience in industry sectors like commercial, retail, industrial and educational enabled us to provide a creative solution to our rehabilitation center project. This, in turn, will make it easier to service the electrical system in the facility over time.

When it comes to electrical contracting, the firm you choose must have the experience and expertise necessary to get the job done right the first time within strict project parameters. That means utilizing time-tested processes and strict protocols throughout an electrical project scope. It also means staying safe and avoiding jobsite accidents and injuries. That said, there are many instances where more than one approach is possible—and alternative approaches may in fact be better. Therefore, creative approaches by an electrical contractor can be a general contractor’s (GC’s) secret weapon when it comes to staying on time and on budget—or even exceeding those goals.

So what enables creativity in electrical contracting projects?

1. The ability to identify cost-saving techniques and recommend alternative approaches. Our colored conduit example illustrates this perfectly. Here’s another: Say it’s determined that a 1,200 amp feeder must run from one end of the building to the other. That necessitates the use of four large conduits, and running those is a labor-intensive proposition. Rather than running all that conduit, a creative alternative wiring method could be to utilize a Bus Duct—i.e., prefabricated assembly of heavy bus bars run in continuous sections. We used this value engineering approach for a recent project, and doing so saved the customer time, materials and money. When implemented, ideas like these can save significant dollars in the short- and long-term.
2. The ability to identify potential design issues and oversights, then mitigate the damage with minimal or no effect on scheduling or budgets. Think about the enormous challenges most health care projects present, and then imagine having to reroute conduit down a patient wing that’s already painted and completed due to early stage engineering errors. If the prospect of doing so sounds expensive and time-consuming, you’re absolutely correct. Through our decades in the business, we’ve seen numerous instances where construction drawings were incorrect. Catching mistakes early on can mitigate the associated cost and help ensure trouble-free electrical operations over time. That’s why your electrical contractor should have the experience, insight and courage to speak up, ask intelligent questions and get the answers needed to keep the electrical portion of the project on track and on budget.
3. The ability to set a scope of work and a workable budget solely on conceptual drawings. Many projects, from small-scale to large-scale, aren’t 100 percent engineered. As an example, RJ Martin Electric’s electricians were retained for an industrial project in which only old drawings existed. We needed to track everything that was disconnected first in order to reconnect it properly—and then we had to merge that with updated controls. Without new engineering drawings in hand, doing this can prove a significant challenge. Yet, our electricians had the experience, know-how and adaptive mind-set necessary to get the project up and running. For another project, the electrical equipment sat idle for seven years in a facility and needed to be reconfigured. This was a fast-track project, so we worked closely with the engineer to reinstall that equipment literally minutes after it was engineered.

Barriers to Creativity in Electrical Contracting Still Exist

Some electrical contractors remain entrenched in established ways of doing things. After all, it’s what they know, and it lies within their comfort zone. Other contractors have limited experience with certain industry sectors. They only know what they know, so they aren’t equipped with a diversity of experience that can fuel creativity.

At RJ Martin Electric, we believe adaptability, ingenuity and confidence are key traits that enable a successful electrical contractor to recommend creative, money-saving approaches in any setting.

Contact RJ Martin Electric to learn more.

We hope this blog helps you understand the value of creative thinking and approaches in electrical contracting projects. If you’re looking for an exceptional electrical contracting firm for your next project, or if you want information about RJ Martin Electric’s experience in industrial, health care, commercial, education and retail markets, please call Robert J. Martin at 216-662-7100 or email rmartinjr@rjmartinelectric.com.