Building owners and developers are realizing the importance of energy infrastructure, along with a growing understanding of the importance of advanced systems in the new construction or retrofit markets. Technology options in the industry have exploded over the last few years, with sophisticated systems evolving. Owners and developers, particularly on the energy side, must make an array of choices ranging from energy efficiency initiatives to demand response.

State and federal policies like energy efficiency standards and renewable energy incentives combine with evolving technology (i.e. cheaper solar panels) to inform the landscape. Most owners and developers have figured out the importance of understanding these issues, and the value of bringing in experts to navigate the waters to create the best designs. Many turn to the larger BAS Companies for their hardware and engineering solutions. However, they should not lose sight of the last critical step in the process, installation.

With these new and complex systems, the installation process has become challenging and is the one piece that is often overlooked, sometimes at great cost in time and money. Even the best-designed systems need to be optimized, and that happens on the ground during installation. Making sure that the installers come to the table with as much expertise and trouble-shooting skill as the designers is critical to meet milestones on time and on budget.

This is where a quality management (QM) approach makes all the difference. While we typically think of it in a manufacturing context, applying QM standards to advanced automated system installation means that every step in the process is optimized as will be the end product. For example, the best installers will have dedicated project managers to work seamlessly with the customers to solve problems proactively. Quality management and deep expertise are critical differentiators when working with state-of-the-art systems, and savvy customers realize the need for both.

Paul Guarracino, president of J.M. Electrical Company, Inc., Lynnfield, Mass.