Building Electrical Design Course

Lesson 1 • Electrical Safety Principles

Introduces shock hazards, arc flash risks, and safe work practices. Safety awareness is integrated throughout all design decisions covered in later chapters.

Lesson 2 • Electrical Theory Essentials

Covers voltage, current, resistance, and power relationships. Provides the quantitative foundation required for all subsequent load and circuit calculations.

Lesson 3 • Building Electrical System Overview

Maps the complete path of electricity from utility service to end-use devices. Contextualises each subsystem within a typical commercial or residential building.

Lesson 1 • Power Factor and Harmonic Considerations

Explains how poor power factor and harmonics inflate apparent demand. Introduces correction strategies that affect equipment sizing and energy efficiency.

Lesson 2 • Load Types and Classification

Distinguishes lighting, receptacle, HVAC, motor, and special loads. Correct classification drives accurate demand factor application in later calculations.

Lesson 3 • Commercial Load Calculation Methods

Extends load calculation skills to office, retail, and mixed-use occupancies. Addresses larger feeder and service sizing with multiple load categories.

Lesson 4 • Residential Load Calculation Methods

Performs standard and optional residential service calculations. Builds proficiency with the two primary methods used for single-family and multifamily buildings.

Lesson 1 • Panelboard Layout and Scheduling

Designs branch circuit panelboards and produces panel schedules. Proper load balancing and circuit organisation are emphasised as professional deliverables.

Lesson 2 • Distribution System Topology

Evaluates radial, loop, and selective coordination topologies for reliability and cost. Matches distribution architecture to building occupancy and criticality.

Lesson 3 • Grounding and Bonding System Design

Designs system and equipment grounding for safety and fault clearing. Distinguishes grounding from bonding and sizes conductors per code requirements.

Lesson 4 • Switchgear and Switchboard Selection

Compares switchgear and switchboard ratings, bus configurations, and protective device options. Guides appropriate equipment selection for building size and fault level.

Lesson 1 • Raceway System Types and Selection

Compares conduit types, cable trays, and wireways for different environments. Matches raceway selection to installation conditions and code requirements.

Lesson 2 • Conductor Ampacity and Sizing

Applies ampacity tables and correction factors to select conductor sizes. Ensures conductors are thermally safe under all expected operating conditions.

Lesson 3 • Conduit Fill and Routing Design

Calculates conduit fill percentages and plans efficient routing paths. Proper routing minimises installation cost and supports future circuit additions.

Lesson 4 • Special Wiring Methods

Addresses armoured cable, mineral-insulated cable, and bus duct applications. Expands the designer's toolkit for high-reliability and high-capacity installations.

Lesson 1 • Feeder Design and Sizing

Sizes feeders from service or main distribution to sub-panels and equipment. Applies demand factors and voltage drop criteria to feeder conductor selection.

Lesson 2 • Motor and HVAC Circuit Design

Applies motor circuit design rules for conductors, disconnects, and overload protection. Covers rooftop units, chillers, and variable-frequency drive installations.

Lesson 3 • Circuit Documentation and Schedules

Produces panel schedules, circuit directories, and one-line diagrams as design deliverables. Accurate documentation supports construction, inspection, and future maintenance.

Lesson 4 • Branch Circuit Design Principles

Establishes rules for circuit loading, outlet spacing, and dedicated circuit requirements. Correct branch circuit design prevents overloads and ensures code compliance.

Lesson 1 • Short-Circuit Current Calculations

Calculates available fault current at each distribution point using impedance methods. Accurate fault current values are essential for device interrupting rating selection.

Lesson 2 • Selective Coordination Study

Performs time-current curve overlay analysis to achieve selective coordination. Ensures only the nearest upstream device operates during a fault.

Lesson 3 • Ground Fault and Arc Fault Protection

Designs ground fault protection schemes for services and feeders above threshold amperage. Addresses arc fault circuit interrupter requirements for occupancy-specific applications.

Lesson 4 • Overcurrent Protection Fundamentals

Explains fuse and circuit breaker operating principles and time-current characteristics. Provides the basis for all device selection and coordination work.

Lesson 1 • Luminaire Types and Selection

Compares LED, fluorescent, and HID luminaire technologies for interior and exterior use. Guides specification based on efficiency, maintenance, and application requirements.

Lesson 2 • Lighting Control Systems

Designs occupancy sensing, daylight harvesting, and dimming control strategies. Integrates controls with branch circuit design to meet energy code requirements.

Lesson 3 • Photometric Principles and Metrics

Introduces lumens, foot-candles, luminance, and colour rendering as design metrics. Establishes the quantitative language used throughout lighting layout and specification.

Lesson 4 • Illuminance Calculation Methods

Applies the zonal cavity and point-by-point methods to calculate average and task illuminance. Validates layouts against recommended illuminance targets before finalising designs.

Lesson 1 • Generator Sizing and Selection

Sizes standby generators based on connected load, starting kVA, and harmonic content. Addresses fuel systems, exhaust routing, and installation requirements.

Lesson 2 • Fire Alarm and Life Safety Electrical Systems

Covers fire alarm system wiring, power supply requirements, and integration with building systems. Addresses survivability and circuit integrity requirements for life safety wiring.

Lesson 3 • Emergency and Standby Power Requirements

Distinguishes legally required emergency, optional standby, and critical operations power systems. Identifies which loads must be served by each system class.

Lesson 4 • Uninterruptible Power Supply Systems

Designs UPS systems for critical loads requiring zero transfer time and power conditioning. Covers topology selection, battery sizing, and maintenance bypass provisions.