After two decades in this industry, I have seen the same debate appear again and again. Should aluminum wiring be accepted on commercial projects for larger circuits. In many cases the answer is clearly yes. Yet some engineers continue to reject it out of habit rather than fact. I say that with respect, but also with the confidence of someone who has installed, inspected, and serviced thousands of systems as a Master Electrician and Florida Electrical Contractor.
Here is the truth. For circuits over 100 amps, aluminum wiring delivers major cost advantages without sacrificing safety or performance when installed correctly. The material itself is significantly less expensive than copper. On large commercial jobs where feeders and long conduit runs are required, that difference is not small. It often means thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars saved for a project. Owners care about this. Contractors care about this. And engineers should be willing to acknowledge it.
Aluminum has evolved. The product used today bears little resemblance to the aluminum that created concerns fifty years ago. Modern alloys are stable, durable, and tested to the same rigorous standards that we rely on for copper. When proper terminations and rated fittings are used, aluminum performs reliably for decades. Every major electrical code body recognizes this. The Florida Building Code and the National Electrical Code both allow aluminum for large conductors in commercial applications. The science is settled and the approvals are clear.
Where resistance still exists, it usually comes from outdated experiences or old classroom lessons that no longer reflect present day reality. I tell engineers the same thing I tell project owners. Copper is a great product and we use it every day. But that does not mean aluminum should be dismissed, especially when it offers a more cost effective and perfectly acceptable solution. When we can deliver the same performance and the same safety at a lower cost, good stewardship demands that we consider it.
There is a reason utilities use aluminum for transmission. There is a reason most large service conductors in modern construction are aluminum. There is a reason major manufacturers continue to improve and support aluminum product lines. It works. It is tested. It is proven.
My job is to provide honest guidance to project owners and general contractors. When a design calls for feeders over 100 amps, aluminum deserves to be part of the conversation. Not because it is cheaper in a low quality sense, but because it provides the same function while freeing up valuable budget dollars that can be used elsewhere in the project. Better lighting, better controls, better infrastructure support. These upgrades matter.
Engineers who refuse to consider aluminum on principle are not protecting their projects. They are simply holding on to ideas that no longer match current code, current materials, or current economic realities. Our responsibility as professionals is to move forward with information, not tradition.
Aluminum is not a compromise. It is a smart choice in the right applications. It reduces cost, respects the budget, supports the schedule, and performs without issue when handled by qualified electricians. After twenty years in the field, I trust it. And I would not say that if I had not seen it succeed time after time.
For commercial electrical projects with circuits over 100 amps, aluminum wiring is not only acceptable. It is often the superior decision.
David Yencarelli