Sustainable, trouble-free building and electrical engineering requires a system that combines even complex processes smoothly. A detailed electrical installation plan lays the foundation for the long-term functionality of the electrical systems.
Switches and sockets are only the externally visible components and results of the electrical installation plans. The actual electrical cables, which are based on the electrical installation plan, run through the building like fine veins in the human body and determine the long-term efficiency of the electronic installations. Electrical planning software can help to keep the installation plans up to date at all times.
But which components are mandatory in the electrical installation plan? And how do you increase the precision and effectiveness of the construction plan with software support? In this article, we have summarized the decisive factors for efficient and sustainable installation planning based on our practical expertise.
The most important facts at a glance
The electrical installation plan covers all essential parts of a building's electrical systems
There is a comprehensive documentation obligation for electrical work
With modern CAD software, the plan can be displayed in detail and, if necessary, supplemented and expanded in a legally compliant manner
What is an electrical installation plan?
An installation concept for electrical engineering documents all the elements that belong to an electrical system within a building. All connections are mapped in a floor plan diagram using circuit symbols. This primarily serves as a pattern for the precise arrangement of all electronic components in the newly constructed building.
Basis for sustainable processes
The installation plan is the essential basis for every electrical installation. It shows all the necessary information about the planned cabling and connections. The plan is a kind of blueprint used by electricians to ensure that the installation complies with the applicable regulations and functions safely.
It contains detailed information on the placement of switches, sockets and other electrical devices. It also shows how the cables should be laid and where they need to be connected. A detailed installation plan must be precise and contain all relevant details to ensure a safe and reliable power supply.
Without a detailed plan, it is a challenge for the electrical specialist to lay the electrical connections in a new building. Such a plan is therefore essential to determine the exact positioning of the connections.
What is part of professional electrical planning?
Ideally, the plan is drawn up in close cooperation between the builder and electrician. This is because the final electrical installation must always comply with certain building regulations and DIN guidelines such as DIN standard 18015-3.
The basis for installations - floor plan
For precise planning of the electrical systems, it makes sense to use a copy of the building floor plan - ideally with detailed information on the later use or furnishings. This allows the planning to be adapted to individual requirements in advance.
The future layout of a building forms the basis for the positioning of sockets, light sources and switches. This information should therefore also be taken into account. The design of the interior plays a decisive role in the arrangement of electrical connections, lighting installations and control elements.
Interpreting signs correctly - the switching symbols
The floor plan merely lays the foundation for the actual detailed work - the correct and precise integration of corresponding circuit diagrams and symbols. Only in this way can the function of the subsequent installations be fully understood by experts. The right documentation is therefore crucial, especially for subsequent reworking.
This template shows the basic and most common elements of electrical engineering in the form of circuit symbols.
Switches, for example, are symbolized by a small circle accompanied by lines that identify it as single or multi-pole, as a series, changeover or cross switch, as a circuit breaker or as a dimmer. Specialist knowledge is required to distribute the switch symbols and the objects they represent in a meaningful way. The simple, fast integration of the respective symbols can be facilitated and accelerated by appropriate software solutions.
Thinking about conversion and expansion
The functions and purposes of a room can change over time. An expansion of existing production areas, the conversion of offices or the integration of new installations - all of these developments should potentially be considered in advance when planning an installation.
A new installation or relocation of production facilities, for example, can mean that sockets, switches and connections are no longer optimally positioned. If you are then forced to re-route the required cables, this may mean that the wall has to be chiseled open or the cable has to be laid open through the room. It is therefore advisable to take possible conversions into account during electrical planning in order to minimize subsequent costs.
Duty of documentation - this must be observed
The five-part DIN 18015 series of standards is essential for legal certainty when planning electrical installations. Complete documentation of the work carried out is therefore not only advisable, but legally mandatory. This makes it all the more important to precisely summarize all relevant factors and make them accessible to all parties involved.
With an appropriate software tool such as Trimble Nova, planning can be presented in a legally compliant and efficient manner.
What must be documented in an installation plan
The installation of an electrical system requires detailed planning and organization. As already mentioned, an important basis for this is DIN 18015, which specifies regulations for planning an electrical system. The installation plan must contain all relevant information to ensure safe commissioning of the system.
The installation plan must contain at least the following points:
Type and size of cables and lines
Protective measures against overvoltage (e.g. lightning protection systems)
Floor plans with the positions of switches, sockets and distribution boards
Selecting the right protective devices for safety operation
Necessary earthing measures
Details of the measuring devices and tools required.
In addition to the plan, all necessary technical documents such as calculation sheets, measurement logs and manuals should also be kept. It is also highly recommended to keep a logbook, ideally a digital one, of all work carried out. In this way, it can be traced at any time which work steps were carried out during the installation of the electrical system and which components were used.
Various DIN standards must be observed when implementing the electrical installation plan. In addition to DIN 18015, these include DIN VDE 0100 Part 705 (protective measures against electrical hazards) and DIN EN 61439 (distribution cabinets). Compliance with these standards is essential to ensure that the electrical system operates safely and without interference - it is therefore essential to study and follow the requirements carefully.
Documentation of circuit diagram and room plan
The documentation obligation in the use phase of a property enables a smooth change of user or owner with security and transparency.
An important prerequisite for this is the entry of the connection and switching points on a room or floor plan with graphic symbols in accordance with DIN EN 60617.
This ensures complete documentation for carrying out tests in the systems. In addition, a circuit diagram must also be created for circuit distributors in the premises in order to clearly show protection, disconnection and switching functions.
The circuit diagram supports the identification and recognizability of the entire structure of the electrical system. These measures improve safety and transparency in the utilization phase of a property.
It depends on the equipment - RAL-RG 678
The RAL-RG 678 regulation defines electrical equipment standards for apartments (single and multi-family houses) and independent economic units in buildings that are not used exclusively for residential purposes. Among other things, it applies to all electrical systems that provide high voltage current or building systems technology.
The standard distinguishes between minimum, standard and comfort equipment. For building owners, it is an important planning aid for defining the design of a building's future electrical installations.
Don't forget - it's all about the comfort of future users
The electrical installation plan lays the foundation for the subsequent use of the respective building. Accordingly, the planning of the electrical systems must be considered in the long term in order to optimize the subsequent ease of use for users, particularly through possible extensions or additions to the plan.
The installation of the electrical plan is not only about safety, but also about comfort. When designing the plan, care should therefore be taken to ensure that it gives users a pleasant feeling of use. This means that the electrical appliances work reliably and that the right connections are available in the right places.
A system for sustainable user comfort
The installation plan must therefore be tailored to both functionality and room design. It must be verifiable to ensure that all connections are properly wired and risks are minimized. Furthermore, the plan should take into account what type of electrical appliances will be installed. It is important that the plan clearly defines which plugs need to be connected where and where other cables may be required for a connection.
There are various tools, CAD programs and electrical planning software that can help you create such plans. Modern planning solutions such as CAD software from Trimble offer an intuitive user interface and help to identify and solve problems. This allows you to create a plan that is easy to understand for all project participants, even after the project has been completed. At the same time, this ensures optimization in terms of safety and function at every step of the installation.
The electrical plan should also take into account the comfort of the actual room users. After all, it is in the interest of all users and project participants that all devices work without any problems - so it must be ensured that the right number of sockets and switches are available and that the right connections have been made.
An electrical installation plan covers more than just the laying of power cables
A detailed electrical installation plan is more than just laying power cables or selecting suitable switches. It runs through the planned building with electrical lifelines and fills the construction project with usable life.
The relevant DIN standards provide a legal framework that forms the basis for the respective planning and must be taken into account. Given the complexity of the relevant requirements, it is therefore advisable to ensure planning reliability with the help of modern software support from a CAD program. However, modern CAD programs are much more than just electrical CAD solutions.
Trimble Nova is a particularly powerful CAD and calculation software that makes it possible to comprehensively display electrical installation plans and integrate them into existing processes. With its own CAD core, integrated calculations, 3D modeling capability, collision checks and the ability to display complex circuit diagrams, it ensures a smooth workflow.
In addition, Trimble Connect is the perfect extension for improved networking within large teams. This tool allows you to provide all project participants with the necessary information at the right time.
With both tools, you can bring the electrical cores of your construction project to life - and ensure that the complex electrical installation plan ensures the optimum electrical supply for the building in the long term by networking through the shared data environment.
