Author Archives: Ben Prehoda
Electrical Accidents and How to Avoid Them
By Ben Prehoda Accidents happen every day and unfortunately some happen due to electricity. Though we’re around it every day, it’s important to remember that electricity is really dangerous. That’s one of the reasons careful electrical designs and safe operating procedures are important – one wrong move and someone can get seriously hurt. I’ve compiled […]
10 Not-So-Electrifying Facts about Electricity
By Ben Prehoda Now that I’ve boggled your mind with interesting facts about electricity, let’s turn down the spice meter for some general electricity facts that are good to know, and of which you are probably already aware.
10 Interesting Facts about Electricity
By Ben Prehoda Electricity is a fascinating thing, and a vital component of our everyday modern lives. Do you want to learn something about electricity that you might not have known before? Do you have a couple of minutes to spare? Then step right up and behold this thrilling compilation of interesting facts about electricity!
Virtual Reality in the AEC Industry: Bringing Design to Life
By Ben Prehoda Virtual reality, and the technology that creates it, has been all abuzz lately. Have you heard of Oculus Rift and Google Glass? Oculus VR bills the Oculus Rift device as a “virtual reality headset for 3D gaming.” But there are more uses for it than meets the eye (Ha! See what I […]
Smart Devices for Smart Design, Part I: the Case for Technology in the Field
By Ben Prehoda Wouldn’t it be cool if… …you were an experienced engineer or designer conducting a field investigation and the only thing you had to bring with you was one smart device? I recently spent a number of days verifying electrical as-builts for a hospital near Tacoma, WA. After the third day of flipping […]
Arc Flash Dangers
By Ben Prehoda Imagine… …You’re an electrician, fresh out of the academy, out on the job site going through your list of various electrical devices that need to be installed. The Owner, Joe Schmo, decided he didn’t have enough power to sustain his gaming company and now it’s up to you to make sure things […]
Volcano Powered Energy, Sort of…
By Ben Prehoda What is the first thing that comes to mind when I say that volcanos could be used to power the country? Believe it or not, that is exactly what is being done right in our own backyard. It is called enhanced geothermal engineering and, if proven successful, it could power 10% of […]
The Future of Lighting
By Ben Prehoda The costs of LEDs (light emitting diodes) are coming down. I mean, somewhat, but it is a start. That is good news for those trying to reduce their carbon footprint and make the environment greener; one building at a time. But just in case you didn’t know (like me, until I learned) […]