Did complete office fit-out electrical for accounting firm moving into renovated building in central Christchurch. They leased 200 square meter space that was just empty shell. We installed distribution board sized for office loads, ran power circuits to every desk location - 24 workstations total with dual outlets each, installed dedicated circuits for server room including UPS and air conditioning, ran cat6 data cabling to every desk plus meeting rooms, installed LED panel lighting throughout with separate zones and occupancy sensors, wired kitchen area with proper outlets and circuits for appliances, emergency lighting and exit signs for code compliance. Coordinated with office furniture company on exact desk locations so outlets lined up perfectly. Installed cable management throughout keeping everything tidy. Office opened on schedule with everything working perfectly. Staff love having power and data right where needed without extension cords everywhere.
Office electrical requires proper planning and coordination with other trades. Modern offices have lots of technology needing reliable power and data infrastructure. Getting it right means productive workplace without electrical problems.
Office Electrical Planning
Planning office electrical starts before any wiring happens.
Understanding office layout critical. How many workstations? Where are meeting rooms? Server room location? Kitchen and break room placement? All this drives electrical design.
Power requirements per workstation. Modern desk needs computer, monitors, phone charger, maybe desk lamp. Figure two outlets minimum per desk, better to have four. Prevents overloaded power strips.
Special circuits for equipment. Printers, copiers, servers need dedicated circuits. Heavy equipment shouldnt share power with workstations. Prevents nuisance trips.
Data infrastructure planning. Every desk needs data connection. Meeting rooms need multiple. WiFi access points need power and data. Plan complete network infrastructure.
Lighting design for productivity. Proper lighting levels matter for work. Mix of overhead and task lighting. Natural light integration. Controls for different zones.
Future expansion consideration. Offices change and grow. Install extra conduit, leave spare circuits. Makes future modifications easier and cheaper.
Distribution Board Sizing
Office electrical starts with properly sized distribution board.
Load calculation determines size. Count all workstations, equipment, lighting, HVAC. Calculate total load then add margin for growth. Typical office maybe 50-100 amps per 100 square meters.
Three phase power common in commercial. Balanced load across phases. More capacity in smaller service size. Most office buildings have three phase available.
Sub-boards for large offices. Main board feeds sub-boards in different areas. Keeps wire runs reasonable. Makes future modifications easier.
Circuit protection and labeling. Every circuit properly sized breaker and clearly labeled. Saves time troubleshooting. Required by code anyway.
Workstation Power Installation
Desk power needs proper installation for functionality.
Outlet quantity and spacing. We install minimum two double outlets per desk. Four outlets per workstation better. Computers, monitors, phones all need power.
Floor boxes for open plan offices. Outlets in floor boxes at desk clusters. Cleaner look than wall outlets everywhere. Good for flexible layouts.
Power poles from ceiling. Ceiling mounted power drops for desk islands. Includes power and data. Works well in modern open offices.
Cable management integration. Coordinate outlet placement with desk cable trays. Hide cables properly. Looks professional and prevents trip hazards.
Dedicated circuits prevent overloads. We separate workstations across multiple circuits. Maybe six desks per circuit. One problem doesnt kill whole office.
USB charging outlets increasingly common. Built-in USB ports at desks convenient for phones and tablets. Modern feature employees appreciate.
Data Cabling Infrastructure
Modern office absolutely requires proper data cabling.
Cat6 cabling standard now. Handles gigabit speeds easily. Future proof for faster networks. Cat5e outdated for new installations.
Structured cabling to comms room. All data cables home run to central comms room. Star topology standard. Makes network management simple.
Outlet locations match power. Data outlet right beside power outlet at every desk. Meeting rooms get multiple data points. WiFi access points need data too.
Cable management and labeling. Proper cable trays in ceiling. Every cable labeled at both ends. Makes troubleshooting and changes easy.
Testing every connection. We test every data cable after installation. Certify it meets Cat6 specifications. Provides documentation for IT team.
Server Room Electrical
Server room needs special electrical treatment.
Dedicated circuits for server equipment. Servers shouldnt share power with rest of office. Usually multiple 15 or 20 amp circuits depending on equipment.
UPS power for critical equipment. Uninterruptible power supply keeps servers running during outages. We wire UPS with dedicated circuit then UPS feeds server outlets.
Air conditioning circuit. Server room gets hot. Dedicated AC unit needs proper electrical. Maybe 20-30 amp circuit depending on cooling capacity.
Separate circuit for networking equipment. Switches, routers, patch panels. Keep network gear on different circuit from servers. More reliable.
Emergency shutdown capability. Big red button outside server room cuts power in emergency. Fire suppression integration. Code requirement for server rooms.
Monitoring and alarms. Temperature sensors, power monitoring. Alerts if problems develop. We wire these as part of installation.
Office Lighting Installation
Lighting makes huge difference in office environment.
LED panel lights most common now. 600x600mm panels in grid ceiling. Energy efficient, good light quality, long lasting. We install these in most offices.
Lighting levels by area. Workspaces need 300-500 lux. Meeting rooms maybe 200-300 lux. Break rooms lower. We design to proper levels.
Zoned lighting control. Different areas on different switches. Dont need to light whole office when few people working late. Saves energy.
Occupancy sensors for efficiency. Lights turn off automatically when area unoccupied. Common in meeting rooms and bathrooms. Good energy savings.
Daylight harvesting in perimeter zones. Dim lights near windows automatically based on natural light. Reduces energy use significantly.
Emergency lighting requirements. Exit signs and emergency lights required by code. Battery backup so they work during power failure. We install compliant system.
Kitchen and Break Room Electrical
Office kitchen needs adequate electrical capacity.
Appliance circuits properly sized. Microwave, kettle, toaster, dishwasher, fridge all need power. Multiple circuits prevent overloads during lunch rush.
Outlet quantity matters. People use kettles, toasters, phone chargers simultaneously. We install outlets generously around kitchen.
Water proximity means RCD protection. Outlets near sink must have RCD protection. Safety requirement in commercial as in residential.
Dishwasher hardwired connection. Commercial dishwasher usually hardwired not plug-in. We install junction box and dedicated circuit.
Did office in Sydenham where break room kept tripping breaker during lunch. Microwave, kettle, and toaster all on same circuit. We split them across two circuits fixing problem completely.
Meeting Room Technology
Meeting rooms have specific electrical needs.
Presentation equipment power. Projector or large TV needs dedicated outlet. Ceiling mounted projector needs power at ceiling.
Table connectivity boxes. Power and data at conference table. Floor boxes or table-mounted units. Laptops and phones need charging during meetings.
Video conferencing equipment. Camera, microphone, screen all need power. Multiple data connections for network. Proper planning prevents cable mess.
Lighting control for presentations. Dimmer switches so lights can be lowered for screen viewing. Separate control for screen wall versus rest of room.
HDMI and audio cabling. We coordinate AV cabling with power and data. Everything integrated properly.
Emergency Systems
Commercial offices require emergency electrical systems.
Emergency lighting throughout. Battery backup lights maintain minimum lighting during power failure. Required by building code. We install at required spacing.
Exit signs with backup. Illuminated exit signs with battery backup. Must stay lit during power outage. Green running man signs standard now.
Fire alarm system wiring. Smoke detectors, manual call points, sounders. Addressable system typical for offices. We rough in all devices and cabling.
Emergency power off systems. Server rooms and areas with special equipment might need emergency shutoff. We install and clearly label.
Coordination with Other Trades
Office fit-outs require coordinating multiple contractors.
Working with office furniture suppliers. They need to know exact outlet locations. We get desk layout from them before roughing in. Ensures everything lines up.
Ceiling grid and lights coordination. We work with ceiling installer on exact light positions. Lights centered in tiles looks professional.
Data and AV contractors. We provide power where they need it. Coordinate cable routes. Make sure everything works together.
HVAC coordination. AC units need power. Thermostats need wiring. We coordinate locations and circuits with HVAC contractor.
Timing matters. Electrical rough-in happens after framing before ceiling. Final devices after painting and carpet. We schedule appropriately.
Access Floors and Cable Management
Some offices use raised access floors.
Access floor benefits for cabling. Power and data run under floor. Outlets pop up where needed. Very flexible for changing layouts.
Floor boxes at workstation clusters. Power and data outlets in floor boxes. Cleaner than running cables from walls.
Cable trays under floor. Organized cable routing under raised floor. Prevents tangled mess. Makes future changes easy.
Ceiling cable management alternative. If no access floor we use ceiling space. Proper cable trays and organization. Drops down to workstations.
Testing and Commissioning
Complete testing before office occupation.
Circuit testing verification. Every circuit tested for proper operation. Correct voltage, good earthing, no faults. We document everything.
Data cabling certification. Every data cable tested and certified. Provides performance documentation. IT department needs this.
Emergency system testing. Fire alarm, emergency lights, exit signs all tested. Verified working properly. Required for building consent.
Load balancing verification. Check loads balanced across three phases. Prevents voltage imbalance issues.
Labeling completion. Every outlet, every switch, every circuit labeled. Electrical panel schedule complete. Makes future work easier.
Code Compliance and Certification
Commercial electrical must meet strict standards.
Building consent required. Office fit-out needs consent. Electrical is part of consent package. We provide required documentation.
Compliance with AS/NZS 3000. Commercial electrical must meet wiring rules. We design and install to code throughout.
Inspection at key stages. Inspector checks rough-in before closing walls. Final inspection after completion. We coordinate inspections.
Certificate of compliance issued. We certify electrical work compliant. Required for consent completion and building occupation.
Warrant of electrical fitness. Commercial buildings need periodic WOEF inspections. We ensure installation supports future compliance.
Cost of Office Electrical
Office electrical costs vary with complexity.
Basic office fit-out runs $80-120 per square meter. Standard workstations, normal lighting, basic data cabling. Small to medium office.
Full featured installation $120-180 per square meter. Includes everything - extensive data, server room, meeting room tech, good lighting design. Quality commercial installation.
High-end tech office $180-250+ per square meter. Premium finishes, extensive smart controls, high-end meeting room setups, sophisticated lighting. Top tier offices.
Small office might be $8000-15000 total. Couple rooms, few workstations. Straightforward installation.
Medium office maybe $25000-60000. Proper setup with all features. 150-300 square meters.
Large office installation $60000-150000+. Multiple zones, extensive infrastructure, sophisticated systems.
Factors affecting cost include ceiling height, building access, working hours restrictions, existing infrastructure, design complexity.
Maintenance and Ongoing Support
Offices benefit from ongoing electrical support.
Regular maintenance prevents problems. Annual inspection finds issues before they cause downtime. Check connections, test RCDs, verify earthing.
After hours support for emergencies. Power problems disrupt business. We provide emergency service to minimize downtime.
Modifications as office changes. Add workstations, move walls, reconfigure meeting rooms. We handle electrical changes.
Testing and tagging of equipment. Portable electrical equipment needs regular testing. We provide this service.