If you’re a property owner or manager, commercial landlord, property developer or electrical contractor, you may be operating as a BNO or Building Network Operator. As such, you’re responsible for the quality of the electricity supply at the customer terminals in an HMO. As a result, your network will also be subject to regular inspections and preventative maintenance. These responsibilities are laid out in the Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002.
What is a BNO?
A Building Network Operator is the organisation responsible for the electricity network between the intake and customers’ fuse boards in a multiple occupancy building.
Because BNO is a licence-exempt role, there’s no requirement for the organisation to be a Distribution Network Operator (DNO) or Independent Distribution Network Operator (IDNO). So, for example, a BNO could be a third party like a facilities management company.
What are the responsibilities of a BNO?
Irrespective of who assumes the BNO role, the responsibilities are identical. The BNO is tasked with designing, installing and maintaining the network between the intake point and customer installations.
Wiring should be completed to IET wiring regulations BS7671, and all works should meet Institute of Electrical Engineers (IEE) and Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity (ESQC) standards. In addition, the BNO must consider the safety of residents and meter readers in accordance with ENA ER G87.
As a result, the BNO is responsible for resolving any issues at its own cost. For example, a network fault that causes a blackout, either across the building or in one unit, is the sole responsibility of the BNO, and the Building Network Operator must rectify it at their own cost.
When is a BNO installation required?
A BNO is required for mixed-use developments or properties split into a number of dwellings. A multiple occupancy property is defined as a single building subdivided into smaller units that may be used for residential, industrial or commercial purposes.
The most typical implementations for BNO installations include new builds, conversions or redevelopments where multiple, individually metered supplies are required within the same building.
The installation may be configured as:
- Bulk metered supply: A sub-meter is supplied for each unit, with the property owner or landlord taking responsibility for metering and billing. In this scenario, the BNO is responsible for completing the network installation.
- Individually metered supply: Each dwelling has an individual meter, either in a communal area or in each flat.
How does a BNO installation function?
Typically, a BNO installation involves three parties, each responsible for their part of the network and its equipment:
DNO/IDNO: network supply to building intake
The DNO or IDNO adopts the connection from the network to the intake, providing a substation for HV connections if required. Their responsibility ends with the customer side of the intake, although they may also adopt the connection from the intake to individual meters. This solution involves installing a fully licensed network using a NERS-accredited ICP (Independent Connections Provider) and results in the DNO or IDNO taking responsibility for this part of the network.
BNO: building intake to customer access point
The Buiding Network Operator is responsible for all boards, cables, switches and isolators in the network between these points. The exception is where meters are either embedded in the BNO network or attached to equipment owned and operated by the DNO/IDNO. For example, a meter operator (MOP) owns and has responsibility for equipment embedded in the BNO network. The BNO also maintains overall responsibility for the building and its infrastructure.
Homeowner
Home and business owners are responsible for the cabling between their property and the contractor switch and are connected by their electricity supplier of choice.
Options for BNO installations
Typically, there are four scenarios for BNO installations:
- Installation and adoption of the network by DNO.
- Installation by a DNO who provides MPANs (multiple Meter Point Administration Numbers) or a single metered supply with work completed by an electrical contractor of your choice.
- Design and installation of the network by an Independent Connections Provider (ICP) with adoption and Asset Value by an IDNO.
- Installation to the intake point by an ICP, then adoption of the network by an IDNO providing MPANs with works completed by a contractor of your choice.
An experienced NICEIC-registered electrician should complete any work beyond the intake point.
A proper BNO installation offers greater flexibility and freedom to design and install a network adapted to your specific requirements.
Network Power Connections for your BNO installations
For many projects, the combination of streamlined custom design and installation by an independent connection supplier with Asset Value from adoption by an IDNO makes operational and financial sense.
As an accredited IPC, Network Power Connections can take responsibility for your network, from design and construction to energisation. As your BNO, we have extensive regulatory knowledge and technical expertise to provide a cost-effective solution, so contact us today.
