Cabling technology continues to evolve to meet rapidly growing network needs

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Commercial building renovation

Commercial buildings have always been at the forefront of rapid technological advancement. The impending arrival of 5G and the Internet of Things (IoT) that is expected to connect more than 30 billion devices in the next few years, along with as-yet-unknown innovations and inventions that will place additional demands on bandwidth, are major drivers of transformation for buildings and businesses.

Another change that places further demands on building networks is the shift from “building security” to “building peace of mind.”

This subtle but significant shift is happening because businesses must not only include traditional physical security systems, including door lock hardware, access control, alarms, and video surveillance, but also implement and manage health and safety monitoring systems, such as temperature checks, social distancing measures, and room occupancy, to name a few.

As new technologies are constantly introduced, there is a pressing need to not only meet new and existing requirements, but also to plan how to support new systems well in the future. Because the transformation is so rapid, an advanced infrastructure layer is essential to support the connectivity of evolving new technologies and provide flexibility for future elements that we don’t yet understand.

The essence of seamless connectivity of building automation and control and the convergence of IT and OT applications on a common platform is to view data communications as a utility – the fourth utility. This is not a new concept, it has been around for at least 15 years, but viewing information as a utility has never been more important.

In the past, some have claimed that various services or products are the fourth utility, while others have said that the fourth utility encompasses the entire network infrastructure.

In reality, it is a concept; an approach to digital transformation that helps address fundamental business challenges and goals. It highlights the reality that today, intelligence and information gathered from connected devices are now as important as gas, water and electricity.

The convergence point for these connected devices is within commercial buildings. Convergence is nothing new—it started with a single network supporting voice and data and evolved to support other systems such as video surveillance and access control.

And now, the amount of connected technology throughout buildings is placing new demands on infrastructure to support higher levels of performance and reliability. Smart cities cannot develop without the buildings within them having smart capabilities. Smart devices, automation, and controls require infrastructure to support them, and at the heart of the technology growth lies in the buildings themselves.

If predictions are correct, the number of buildings worldwide will double by 2060. From campuses built to educate future generations, to facilities that care for older generations, technology is sparking a smart building revolution to improve our use of these spaces, making them more efficient, flexible, and productive.

But connecting a fourth utility isn’t exactly the same as water or gas. Technology is forcing building operators to change the way they think about managing buildings and require a greater focus on mitigating cyber threats. Success depends on leveraging advances in convergence and managing multiple systems, and cabling infrastructure can bridge the gap between information and operational technology.

It may seem like an unlikely correlation, but the future of commercial building connectivity and convergence will depend on the data cables selected during building construction. This will not only significantly impact the growth and convergence of technologies, but also:

• Available space
• Construction costs
• Operating expenses

Facing security technology challenges

Security is not just dependent on infrastructure for access control and surveillance needs. With health, safety and well-being at the forefront, businesses are expanding how they use existing tools and infrastructure resources to meet these expanded needs.

One example is using network cameras and occupancy counters to accurately measure real-time occupancy levels to better enable social distancing. Cameras can also be used for thermal imaging and PPE detection, essentially IoT sensors. Whether you are identifying visitor trends and peak visitor times, or comparing performance across locations, data-based decisions can help plan operations based on occupancy levels.

Businesses are also adapting to security monitoring within buildings. The monitoring requirements for a commercial building filled with people due to health and safety concerns are very different from a building with low or no occupancy due to hybrid or offsite work agreements. The potential for burglary, environmental damage, and vandalism requires monitoring of vacant areas where there may be little or no security.

These changes and adaptations, from health and safety to surveillance requirements, are part of an overall IP migration where video surveillance, access control, fire, intrusion detection and data communications are integrated and aligned on a single network.

For example, a commercial building intrusion system alone might have dozens of security sensors on doors and windows, all the way up to the roof. Add control and communications with perimeter security - this is creating a ton of technology, all converging on an overtaxed system.

To sustain this and subsequent network convergence, buildings rely on new approaches to the infrastructure layers that support subsystems, technologies, and applications.

The need for utility-grade infrastructure

The key to keeping pace with the rate of change in building technology is an advanced infrastructure layer that supports seamless connectivity, building automation and control, and the convergence of IT and OT applications across a common platform.

As mentioned previously, cabling choices have immediate and long-term impacts on space and cost, but also impact the ability of building owners and operators to meet current and future needs. The need for an infrastructure layer that supports the OT lifecycle should also support the longer IT lifecycle.

Cabling infrastructure can be value engineered to reduce costs, but this approach does not necessarily support the evolution of building technology and deliver the performance and reliability expected in the Fourth Utility. To maximize your return on investment, your organization needs an infrastructure layer that enhances network performance, supports optimized power delivery, and reduces security vulnerabilities.

Utility-Grade Infrastructure (UTG) from WESCO and Anixter is a technology platform, assurance program, and design methodology that supports everything needed for multiple subsystems and technology applications on a common platform. Comprised of utility-ready structured cabling systems, advanced power delivery, and enhanced cybersecurity protection, UTG enables the evolution of smart buildings and aligns cable infrastructure with the building lifecycle.

Edge convergence and expansion distance

UTG cable is tested and certified by Underwriter's Laboratories and third-party validation to go farther than standard UTP cable. The distance limitations of commercial-grade cable require building a wiring closet every 100 meters to achieve full coverage within a commercial building. An immediate benefit of UTG is that it reduces the number of telecommunications rooms required, potentially providing more usable space in a facility and reducing the cost of building those rooms.

UTG cables can transmit data and power up to 150 meters or 492 feet, an additional 164 feet beyond the standard. Powering more devices with superior infrastructure means fewer different subsystems, less field swapping, and faster buildout. This reduces costs and makes it easier for crews to maintain social distance during construction.

Overcoming global challenges

The inherent complexity in global deployments comes from a variety of stakeholders working in multiple languages ​​and currencies across multiple countries, regions, continents, and time zones. Trying to coordinate project deadlines with local customs and logistics can be challenging, time-consuming, and costly.

Available globally, UTG helps you define enterprise infrastructure standards, making your organization's system functionality globally consistent by:

• Install future-proof infrastructure in all facilities.
• Delivers guaranteed performance and interoperability while simplifying media selection and design.
• Leverage UTG's network of certified integrators in over 50 countries around the world.

The future of commercial buildings

As technology continues to evolve, the growing demands it places on your network means your infrastructure must be future-ready to avoid costly refurbishment and replacement upgrades. If you consider information the fourth utility, you need to build the infrastructure to support it. UTG uses the fourth utility by building a common platform that can support multiple subsystems with connectivity, power, and security while better aligning with long-term building lifecycles. This is not possible with commodity-grade cables.

Minimum compliant commodity-grade cables are limited by distance. UTG is built on a standards-based architecture that allows direct connectivity and extended distance for data and video. The benefits of extended distance allow you to support more devices over a larger area with fewer telecom rooms, so you can use your retail or office space more efficiently while reducing build time and costs. UTG also provides power optimization, helping organizations improve energy efficiency by adopting PoE to reduce building plug loads.

The choice of infrastructure cabling does have significant immediate, short-term and long-term impacts. Utility-grade infrastructure simplifies the overall design, provides more usable floor space, reduces construction costs and provides a future-proof commercial building.