Electrical building services Design-An intro

Electrical services for a building generally includes the following activities:

1. Load estimation and Load calculations
2. Transformer sizing calculations
3. Circuits
4. Distribution planning
5. Choosing protective devices
6. Selection of cables, cable sizing calculations
7. Cable trunking and Tray sizing
8. Lighting design
9. Emergency lighting
10. Standby systems- Diesel Generator
11. Standby systems- UPS
12. Power factor compensation
13. Lightning protection
14. Earthing systems
In the following pages I am trying to give few details about each of these.
Usually, the design of a building starts with the load estimation, and then proceeds to equipment selection, lighting design, deciding small power/power socket outlet positions, mark up of plans for drafting etc.
Most of the design activities  outlined above   can be done by manual hand calculations. It is better to use a software package for accurate design of Lighting.

Some useful packages would be
·        DiaLux,
·        ReLux,
·        Visual Lighting software etc..
For power calculations
·        AMTECH
·        HEVACOMP
·        ECODIAL
·        SIMARIS
are popular software available.