History of the Commercial Buildings Power Systems Committee

FROM the 1950's and 1960's the Industrial and Commercial Buildings Power Systems Committee of the IEEE served as the home of the Commercial Buildings Subcommittee. Charles Maust was the Chairman in 1964 of this subcommittee at the time of the publication of the first modern version of the Gray Book. The subcommittee continued unchanged in structure until 1977 when the Commercial Buildings Subcommittee became the Commercial Power Systems Committee. Richard Koestner, was elected as the first Chairman of the Committee. The makeup of the Commercial Buildings Subcommittee (and later the committee) has always consisted of a relatively loyal cadre of engineers conversant with commercial building techniques. The very nature of commercial building design is such that almost all of the committee members are involved in related committees such as Systems Protection, Codes and Standards, and Industrial Power Systems. In addition to the cadre type of membership a number of individuals primarily active on other committees have a corresponding interest in commercial buildings and as such attend and participate in commercial buildings activities. The Commerical Buildings Committee is closely related to the Space Conditioning and the Production and Application of Light Committees. In fact, the Space Conditioning Committee, which is involved with heating and cooling of buildings and more lately the sophisticated control of building systems, has overlapping membership with the Commercial Buildings Committee. There has been a strong effort to coordinate the activities of the two committees, since building automation is becoming one of the most important aspects of commercial building design. From the early days of the Commercial Buildings Subcommittee the major emphasis was, and still is the Gray Book, IEEE Standard 241. A new publication which provides information on electrical systems for health care facilities is nearing completion. Over the years, in the move from subcommittee to committee status and with the creation of many more areas of activity, the need for expanded liaison intermeshing with the Production and Application of Light Committee, the Codes and Standards Committee, the Protection Committee, and others has been important. The Commercial Buildings Committee and the Space Conditioning Committee have often had common sessions at conferences. As time goes on, there will be an increasing emphasis in the area of building technical sophistication which will be reflected in the types of papers published and in newer editions of the Gray Book. The earliest edition of the Gray Book dealt primarily with building wiring and as editions have evolved, controls have been increasingly emphasized and the impact of electronic systems is now in vogue. It is interesting to note that the earlier chairmen of the subcommittees and committees were oriented in the power area of building design, but in later years individuals, such as Al Marden who has served as Chairman, have been heavily involved in the area of building control. Energy conservation has had a significant impact on the activities of the Commercial Buildings Committee and with common membership there has been participation with the Energy Subcommittee of the Industrial Power Systems Committee. The topics covered in the Commercial Buildings paper have included lighting, energy conservation, building automation rehabilitation, system protection, and high-rise designs; and of them are all prepared in a manner which reflects the unique commercial buildings aspects of design.