The electrical systems project manager is the person designated to oversee the electrical installation of a project, in today's modern buildings the supply of power is the most critical of all the disciplines of the building trade, and yet is one of the least appreciated.
The heating and ventilating, lift, fire protection and mechanical engineers will insist that their plant be delivered with their own panels and that the electrical systems project manager shall have no say in what is specified, the heating and ventilating engineers will also insist on having complete control over the BMS (building management system). Most BMSs have Microsoft Windows based operating systems, and as local control of the plant is not normally possible it is a major single point of failure.
In section 02-09-19-01 - Electrical System Design - Motor Starting and Control Systems - Starter Design - Design Responsibility the arguments for the project electrical designers and managers to have resposibility for all electrical equipment is made.
As the electrical systems project manager you will be responsible for determining the amount of power that is required and for preparing drawings and specifications for the power distribution system.
The heating and ventilating, lift, fire protection and mechanical engineers cannot tell you how much power they require or where they require it until their sub contractors are appointed and have submitted their plans. But you have to go out to tender at the same time as them, so how do you sensibly plan the system, the answer is you don’t; you guestimate based on building type and previous experience and then take a hammering for getting it wrong. The other engineers will say why didn’t you ask (because you know they don’t have a clue)? The architects requires a special mention they expect you to supply a 100 storey building from the equivalent of a shower room, you will never have adequate space for the equipment, as your ‘bit’ does not earn rent you will make do with the absolute minimum of space for the equipment with no consideration given to the cable installation, the book says a 4c 400mm armoured cable with an overall diameter of 76mm can be bent to a radius of 608mm; that is the cable overall diameter multiplied by eight; try it sometime whilst squeezing between a panel and the racking above it and trying to terminate it.
Then there are the value engineers, these people, normally electrical quantity surveyors, are appointed to vet the design and identify cost savings, their actions usually increase costs as they delay the whole project whilst the arguments take place over the design.
A question, if the value engineers change a design in order to save money who is legally responsible for the design. I would suggest that since the value engineers have changed the design the legal responsibility for the design is transferred to them.
So a shrewd move would be to over design a system, then allow the value engineers take out the 'over' bit you get the design you wanted and none of the design responsibility and liabilities.
At this grade in the electrical industry the politics of a project starts to increase in importance and the engineering responsibilities start to diminish.
The electrical systems project manager will, where necessary, personally or will delegate the negotiations with the public electricity supplier (PES) for the electricity supply to the project oversee specs and contract docs and project program; review tenders, award contracts, deal with the contractors contract manager and be the focal point for financial control of the electrical project.