Skip to main content
search

Company Culture: The Key to Long-Term Success

By Conduit
Many companies in the United States measure their success by benchmarks known as key performance indicators (KPIs) - most commonly revenue growth, profit margin, and labor productivity. Best practices state that KPIs must be clear, meaningful, cost-effective, realistic, aligned with objectives, and measured regularly. Investor-owned and large companies in the service industry are likely to be data-driven, but what happens to these companies and their cultures when they are primarily accountable to reports, metrics, and...
Read More
May 31, 2023
Love0

Are You Safety Compliant? The Importance of Safety, Health, and Environmental Audits

By Conduit

Facility managers should review safety practices often to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. A safety, health, and environmental audit assesses an organization’s ability to protect against occupational injuries, illnesses, property damage, and negative environmental impacts while ensuring regulatory compliance, protecting the organization’s brand, and potentially preventing financial losses. Where Do I Start? Safety, health, and environmental audits are essential for protecting people, profits, and the environment. While safety audits are not required for every workplace,…

Read More
April 12, 2023
Love0

Have You Been Snubbed? A Transformer Case Study

By Conduit

A manufacturing company was building a small data center fed by several 3000kVA, 4160/480V, dry-type, delta/wye transformers. Upon energization of one transformer from an alternate feed, a fault occurred, which caused its upstream medium voltage (MV) breaker to trip. The transformer was then re-energized from the primary feed, and facilities management personnel observed a flash. Assuming the breaker was the issue, the team inspected and tested the breaker.  Finding no obvious problems with the breaker,…

Read More
March 28, 2023
Love0

Modernizing Aging Data Centers

By Conduit

Data center design practices have improved over the years due to industry lessons, equipment design improvements, increased operational reliability, innovations in mechanical system control technologies, and enhanced programming capabilities. However, electrical equipment’s reliability rapidly decreases after 20 to 25 years; parts availability dwindles, compatibility between new and older technology becomes problematic, and failures become more frequent and difficult to repair. Built in 1978 as an office building for an aerospace company and later converted to…

Read More
February 22, 2023
Love0

Relay Replacement in Live Data Centers

By Conduit
As data center construction ramped up in the 1990s and the size of facilities grew, electrical distribution transitioned from low voltage (480 volt) to medium voltage (12-14kV). These design changes brought about the need for more sophisticated electrical distribution protection, which coincided with the early generations of electronic protective relays, including the widely used GE MultiLin relays. As with all electrical equipment, relays have a life expectancy. The majority of 1990s and early 2000s installed...
Read More
January 18, 2023
Love0

Hood Patterson & Dewar Named 2022 Commissioning Giant

By Conduit

For the fourth consecutive year, Hood Patterson & Dewar is pleased to be in the top tier of the 25 firms recognized on the Consulting-Specifying Engineer’s 2022 Commissioning Giants list. “This recognition is a testament to the faith our clients have put in us, and we feel honored to be in this position,” said Mike Bryan, President and CEO. “Our success is truly due to the hard work of our people and the relationships we have…

Read More
December 15, 2022
Love0

Making the Case for Data Center Maintenance

By Conduit
Proper acceptance testing, preventive maintenance, and a recovery plan go a long way toward eliminating facility failures. Below are a few painful lessons learned from the field. Telecom Provider Learns More is Not Always Better This owner was performing generator testing with 100% block loading every week, causing insulation breakdown in the alternators. As a result, they experienced damage to multiple alternators leading to two generator failures and prompting testing of all their generators to...
Read More
November 16, 2022
Love0

Nine Key Components to Consider When Developing an Electrical Safety Program

By Conduit
The discovery and harnessing of electricity changed the world more than any other invention. Unfortunately, electricity can be a serious workplace hazard, potentially causing severe employee injuries and property damage. In the United States, one person dies every day from an electrical incident. As a result, many companies need help creating a plan to protect their employees that includes the appropriate use of engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment (PPE). This can be...
Read More
October 25, 2022
Love0

What P&D Has Meant to Me: From Joe Perry, PE, Former V.P. & Chief Electrical Engineer and the Oldest, Living P&D Electrical Engineer

By Conduit

In the Beginning 1973 was an extraordinary time in my life; my family and I moved to Atlanta and started our new adventure. A big part of that adventure was starting work at Patterson & Dewar Engineers, Inc., which turned out to be one of the most satisfying experiences in my life. In high school, I always wanted to be an electrical engineer. A neighbor who was an engineer and another friend who was a…

Read More
September 21, 2022
Love0

Grounding Gotchas: Common Testing Mistakes

By Conduit
Grounding in electrical systems is a simple concept – theoretically. When it comes to testing, grounding quickly becomes more complicated. Grounding system testing is based on mathematical formulas comparing the system under test to "remote" earth and can't account for real-world installations. Site testing is complicated by connections to other grounding systems and other grounded equipment that can influence the results, such as water and gas pipes, building steel, concrete footings, and any nearby buried...
Read More
August 23, 2022
Love0
Close Menu