CHANGING LIVES AND
CONNECTING THE WORLD
March/April 2019 I 5
From the President, Jeff Beavers, RCDD, OSP, CFHP
The market drivers of our connected ecosystem are societal
and technological. Society is increasingly demanding data and
connectivity, faster internet speeds and capacity. Technological
advancements include network densification, Internet of Things
(IoT), smart cities, machine learning, upcoming 5G and a host
of yet unidentified emerging technologies. As with many
advancements, the barriers to deployment are legislative,
not technological.
Smart city networks require extensive work involving
old fashioned rights-of-way and the installation of poles
and ducts throughout city streets and in neighborhoods.
State and local infrastructure permitting policies are vital
for timely deployment.
Regulations that reduce state and local infrastructure
permitting hurdles are key drivers to success. States that
have already started to evaluate their policies to encourage
5G technologies will be the first to see significant economic
and consumer benefits according to The American Consumer
Institute Center for Citizen Research.
Change and the emergence of advanced technologies does
not diminish the effectiveness and value of older technologies,
therefore we should welcome mixing the old with the new.
Smart cities, IoT, and 5G, described as “the most significant
data network advancement to date,” will require an extensive
optical fiber-based foundation, built largely with decades-old
construction methods and apparatus. By the way, aerial is still
a popular approach to deployment. Moving forward, the phrase
“in with the new, out with the old” should be changed to
“in with the new, using the old.”
Inspecting and Testing Wood Poles (Occupational Safety
and Health Administration, standard 1910.269 App D) is still
performed with a Hammer Test by “rapping the pole sharply
with a hammer weighing about 1.4 kg (3 pounds).” The other
approved method is the Rock Test: “Apply a horizontal force
to the pole and attempt to rock it back and forth in a direction
perpendicular to the line.” These effective but low-tech methods
are accompanied with automated design tools much like those
used in the ISP environment, such as Building Information
Modeling (BIM) that provides architects, designers, engineers
and construction professionals with the insight and tools
to better plan, design, construct and manage buildings
and infrastructure.
Artificial Intelligence and automated design tools are
changing the way we design. Automation performs many
tedious design tasks, reduces errors and aids in overcoming
a steep learning curve. Coordinating designers and trades
no longer needs to be a manual process either. Cross-checking
of various disciplines through the design, pre-construction,
and construction phases of a project can be automated as well.
Automation tools are just that— tools used by a talented
workforce. Now more than ever, the design, construction,
installation, operation and maintenance of a connected
community, including autonomous vehicles dependent on
low-latency connections for “human-like” reflexes, demand
the expertise of a BICSI credential/certificate holder. BICSI
fills the much-needed gap in technical learning.
According to the IEEE SPECTRUM article, IoT for
Buildings Creates a Hot Job Market, “As buildings and
technology become ever more integrated and the Internet
of Things expands into workplaces, manufacturing plants,
and the hospitality industry, the demand for engineers who
can design the infrastructure to support this integration is
soaring.” “And yet, low-voltage engineering isn’t taught at most
universities, and not many electrical engineers know about
the field.”
“The desire for a more intelligent built environment is driving
a need for consulting engineers with the ability to facilitate
these complex systems, and to work with commercial real estate
developers, multinational companies, and architectural firms to
design buildings ’from the internet up’.” 1
It is no wonder that many companies with these rising labor
needs are in full pursuit of BICSI expert and credentialed
designers, installers, and project managers. In fact, BICSI
plays a key role in all areas of a connected world by advancing
technology to improve society and the way people live.
And, BICSI’s fingerprints are clearly embedded in the growth
of intelligent buildings and cities worldwide now and into the
future. BICSI’ s message is a great one — Changing Lives
and Connecting the World.
Be safe; someone is counting on you.
REFERENCES:
1. https://spectrum.ieee.org/at-work/tech-careers/iot-for-buildings
creates-a-hot-job-market?referrer=IEEE