Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1081695
March/April 2019 I 5 From the President, Jeff Beavers, RCDD, OSP, CFHP The market drivers of our connected ecosystem are societal and technological. Society is increasingly demanding data and connectivity, faster internet speeds and capacity. Technological advancements include network densification, Internet of Things (IoT), smart cities, machine learning, upcoming 5G and a host of yet unidentified emerging technologies. As with many advancements, the barriers to deployment are legislative, not technological. Smart city networks require extensive work involving old fashioned rights-of-way and the installation of poles and ducts throughout city streets and in neighborhoods. State and local infrastructure permitting policies are vital for timely deployment. Regulations that reduce state and local infrastructure permitting hurdles are key drivers to success. States that have already started to evaluate their policies to encourage 5G technologies will be the first to see significant economic and consumer benefits according to The American Consumer Institute Center for Citizen Research. Change and the emergence of advanced technologies does not diminish the effectiveness and value of older technologies, therefore we should welcome mixing the old with the new. Smart cities, IoT, and 5G, described as "the most significant data network advancement to date," will require an extensive optical fiber-based foundation, built largely with decades-old construction methods and apparatus. By the way, aerial is still a popular approach to deployment. Moving forward, the phrase "in with the new, out with the old" should be changed to "in with the new, using the old." Inspecting and Testing Wood Poles (Occupational Safety and Health Administration, standard 1910.269 App D) is still performed with a Hammer Test by "rapping the pole sharply with a hammer weighing about 1.4 kg (3 pounds)." The other approved method is the Rock Test: "Apply a horizontal force to the pole and attempt to rock it back and forth in a direction perpendicular to the line." These effective but low-tech methods are accompanied with automated design tools much like those used in the ISP environment, such as Building Information Modeling (BIM) that provides architects, designers, engineers and construction professionals with the insight and tools to better plan, design, construct and manage buildings and infrastructure. Artificial Intelligence and automated design tools are changing the way we design. Automation performs many tedious design tasks, reduces errors and aids in overcoming a steep learning curve. Coordinating designers and trades no longer needs to be a manual process either. Cross-checking of various disciplines through the design, pre-construction, and construction phases of a project can be automated as well. Automation tools are just that— tools used by a talented workforce. Now more than ever, the design, construction, installation, operation and maintenance of a connected community, including autonomous vehicles dependent on low-latency connections for "human-like" reflexes, demand the expertise of a BICSI credential/certificate holder. BICSI fills the much-needed gap in technical learning. According to the IEEE SPECTRUM article, IoT for Buildings Creates a Hot Job Market, "As buildings and technology become ever more integrated and the Internet of Things expands into workplaces, manufacturing plants, and the hospitality industry, the demand for engineers who can design the infrastructure to support this integration is soaring." "And yet, low-voltage engineering isn't taught at most universities, and not many electrical engineers know about the field." "The desire for a more intelligent built environment is driving a need for consulting engineers with the ability to facilitate these complex systems, and to work with commercial real estate developers, multinational companies, and architectural firms to design buildings 'from the internet up'." 1 It is no wonder that many companies with these rising labor needs are in full pursuit of BICSI expert and credentialed designers, installers, and project managers. In fact, BICSI plays a key role in all areas of a connected world by advancing technology to improve society and the way people live. And, BICSI's fingerprints are clearly embedded in the growth of intelligent buildings and cities worldwide now and into the future. BICSI' s message is a great one — Changing Lives and Connecting the World. Be safe; someone is counting on you. REFERENCES: 1. https://spectrum.ieee.org/at-work/tech-careers/iot-for-build- ings-creates-a-hot-job-market?referrer=IEEE CHANGING LIVES AND CONNECTING THE WORLD