Energy Efficient Electrical Designs for New Homes

What's the Best Way to Supply Electricity to Your New Residential Development?

15 November 2022

Kimberly Garrett

When you're developing a suburban community from scratch and designing the layout of the roads, buildings and infrastructure, you need to pay close attention to utilities. When it comes to electricity, you need to supply the new development as efficiently as possible while keeping the footprint in check and paying attention to safety at all times. What are some of the factors to consider as you start working with electricians and installers?

Connecting Your Development

To supply electricity to every property in your new subdivision, you will first need to connect the development to the electrical grid. Depending on how far away this primary connection is, you will need to lay cables above ground or below.

The Benefits of Underground Electrical Supply

Many people in your situation are turning to underground installation for good reasons.

For example, you need far less space to run cables below ground than you would if you had to place them on top of towers or pylons. These structures must be sturdy and require sizeable foundations, and you also need to add tracks for regular access.

Accordingly, you need to block certain corridors for your electrical installation, which will cut down on the available land for sale. However, if you run those lines underground, you won't need as much space for access. Furthermore, underground systems require far less maintenance. You don't need to maintain the support towers to help fend off corrosion or worry about weather hazards associated with ice, lightning or storms.

Additional Considerations

If you run your wires overhead, you will need to keep the supply channels clear of any large trees or buildings of any kind. After all, you'll find it difficult to sell any property that sits under all the headlines. Any trees in the vicinity will need to be pruned back frequently to avoid unwanted contact and electrical arcing.

Underground cables are less likely to be problematic in the event of severe weather events. This means that you may be able to avoid blackouts, which could certainly annoy some of the new residents at your development. They're more likely to be impressed if they see that you took a shrewd decision and hid all those lines below ground instead.

Making Your Decision

Indeed, there are pros and cons associated with each option, and it's best if you talk with a professional electrician to get guidance. They'll help you design your electrical network for maximum efficiency and ensure it is installed correctly. 

For more info about power installation, contact a local company. 

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