Electrical Systems: Designing electrical

rooms
Join the discussion about this Webcast on Twitter at #CSEelectricalroom

Sponsored by:

Presenters:
Brian Martin, PE, Portland Electrical Department Manager
CH2M Hill
Portland, Ore.

Brian Rener, PE, LEED AP, Associate

SmithgroupJJR,
Chicago, Ill.
Moderator: Jack Smith,
Consulting-Specifying Engineer and Pure Power,
CFE Media, LLC

Electrical Systems: Designing

electrical rooms
Brian Martin, PE, Portland Electrical
Department Manager
CH2M Hill
Portland, Ore.
Brian Rener, PE, LEED AP, Associate
SmithgroupJJR ,
Chicago, Ill.

Presentation scope

NFPA 70 (NEC) 2014

International Building Code (IBC)
800 A and Above
Primary services
No hazardous locations
Good engineering practices

Electrical room design

Needs a coordinated team:

Electricals
Architects
Structural
Mechanicals
Fire protection

Room types

Primary service rooms

Electrical rooms
UPS or battery rooms
Generator rooms
Computer rooms
Utility vaults

Design issues

Working vs. dedicated spaces

Dedicated spaces and foreign systems
Fire protection
Fire ratings
Ventilation
Structural
Building occupancy
Lighting

Working vs. dedicated spaces

Different spaces
Worker vs. equipment

Working vs. dedicated spaces

Different spaces
Worker vs. equipment

Working space

Applies to:
Equipment operating at 600 V, nominal, or less, to ground
and likely to require examination, adjustment, servicing, or
maintenance while energized. NEC Article 110.26(A)

Switchboards
Switchgear (Added in 2014)
Motor control centers
Panelboards
Disconnect switches
Circuit breakers
Controllers
Controls for HVAC equipment
Transformers sometimes fall into this category

Working space: table

Working space: elevations

Nonelectrical parts

Where rear access is

required to work on
nonelectrical parts on the
back of enclosed
equipment, a minimum
horizontal working space
of 30 in. shall be
provided. NEC Article
110.26(A)(1)a

Dedicated spaces
Applies to:
All switchboards, switchgear, panelboards, and
motor control centers shall be located in dedicated
spaces and protected from damage. NEC Article
110.26(E)
Switchboards
Switchgear (Added in 2014)
Panelboards
Motor control centers

Dedicated spaces and foreign systems

Can you have foreign
systems (mechanical
ducts and/or plumbing)
in your electrical room?
Yes and no
Understand dedicated
space

Foreign systems (MP)

NEC: above, if protected

What about sprinklers?

NEC: okay in dedicated space

2014 NEC change

Outdoor spaces
New requirement now calls
for the same basic
dedicated equipment or
electrical space for outdoor
installations that has been
in effect for indoor
installations
This space above and
below the electrical
equipment should be
dedicated

Primary equipment

Switchboard vs. switchgear

Switchboards: UL 891
Front access
Rear access
Primarily fixed mounted

Primary equipment

Switchboard Vs Switchgear
Switchgear - ANSI C37
Rear Access
Primarily Drawout Construction

Access
1200 amps & 6 feet in width
Two doors on opposite ends
Doors 6 1/2 x 24
One door if working clearance
doubled
Doors Swing Out

800 A (New to NEC 2014)

Listed Panic Hardware on Doors

Access: plan examples

Beyond NEC: working space and access

Doors: at least 36 in. wide or double 36 in., 9 ft. high

Access to drawout devices
Would you want to work in only 3 ft?
Breaker truck access
NFPA 70E: Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workpla
ce
- arc flash zones
Arc flash gear, venting
Height above switchboards
Space planning: work with your architect

Fire protection

Sprinklers
NFPA 13: yes, or 2 hr rating
Some cities: preaction

Fire detection
Smoke detectors in electrical rooms
Recommend heat and flame detection in generator
rooms

Fire ratings

Do electrical rooms need to be fire rated?

NEC

Not if sprinklered

What about dry type transformers?

112.5 kVA, 155 C or higher insulation

Emergency systems (NEC Article 700)

NEC high rise or high occupancy

Approved fire suppression

2-hr systems

Fire ratings

NFPA 110
EPS installed in a separate room for Level 1 systems
Room must have a 2-hr rating

Know your local codes

Example: City of Chicago
Generator room rating: 3 hr
Fuel storage: 550-gal limit
Not located more 2 floors up or down from grade.

Insurance carrier requirements

Ventilation

Required?
General rating of equipment: 104 F
Recommend: 86 F
Electrical rooms
Without transformer: 1 cfm/sq. ft.
With transformer: 1.0% to 2.0% of kVA (3 cfm/kVA)

Generator rooms

Cooling vs. combustion air

After engine shuts down
Remote radiator
2,500 Btu/hr/kVA

Ventilation

Battery/UPS rooms
Keep temperature around 77 F
What about hydrogen?
Flooded (vented) batteries
Valve regulated, sealed
Conflicting codes: NEC, UFC, IFC

Safe rules
1 cfm/sq. ft.
Fan failure relay

Structural

Often overlooked

Switchboards and switchgear

Generators
Vibration isolation
Computer rooms
Raised floors
Miscellaneous

Pads
Penetrations
Fire sealing
Path of delivery

Lighting
Recommended lighting levels
IES and NFPA 70E: 30 foot-candles

Emergency lighting
1 foot-candle is not enough

Switching
Must include nonautomatic means

Miscellaneous room issues

EMI
Noise

Codes and Standards References from

Todays Webcast

NFPA 70 (NEC) 2014

International Building Code (IBC)
UL 891
ANSI C37
NFPA 70E: Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workpla
ce
NFPA 110
IES

Presenters:
Brian Martin, PE, Portland Electrical Department Manager
CH2M Hill
Portland, Ore.

Brian Rener, PE, LEED AP, Associate

SmithgroupJJR,
Chicago, Ill.
Moderator: Jack Smith,
Consulting-Specifying Engineer and Pure Power,
CFE Media, LLC

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2013 Electrical and Power study

Electrical Systems: Designing electrical

rooms
Join the discussion about this Webcast on Twitter at #CSEelectricalroom

Sponsored by: