Outages

If 2003 has taught us anything, it’s that we can never be too prepared. From wildfires on the West Coast to blackouts on the East Coast, we’ve been faced with the unpredictability of catastrophic events. And those events can wreak havoc on building systems. Facility managers must try to protect their tenants from the inconveniences and major costs that can result from power surges, local blackouts, and large-scale power outages.

The severity of the outage ultimately determines your building’s functionality. Sometimes, the lights will simply flicker off and on; other times, your property will lose all electrical services for an extended period of time. Regardless of the duration, you must have reliable emergency electric services available for two key reasons: first, to protect life and property; second, to maintain critical business activities.

Before the Lights Go Out

• Assess your facility’s needs and purchase emergency equipment accordingly.
  The type of occupancy in your building(s), the consequences of a power interruption, the anticipated frequency and duration of power interruptions, and local municipality codes will all influence your emergency equipment needs. There are four types of emergency power systems for critical operations. The first two systems-ahead-of-service switch emergency systems and dual electric service-are limited in their uses but may be appropriate for your facility. The last two systems-battery-operated systems and generator-operated systems-are more encompassing in their applicability to the range of potential power losses.

  Ahead-of-service switch emergency systems connect the critical electric loads before the main service switch. They provide power when there is a failure within the building, but they will not protect against power failures outside the building or in the electrical utility system. These systems are less expensive than most others because they don’t require an auxiliary power plant, but their use is restricted in some areas.

  Like the ahead-of-service switch emergency system, dual electric service is for use only within a building. When one service goes down, the entire load automatically shifts to the other service. The biggest risk with a dual electric service is that when a major failure in a utility company’s service grid occurs, the risk for losing the use of both services is high.

  There are two types of battery-operated systems: central battery systems and individual battery systems. A central battery system consists of a bank of batteries within a control panel. The control panel senses the presence of electric power to the distribution panels. When the power supply fails, a transfer switch connects the batteries to the emergency circuits. A trickle-type battery charger keeps the batteries fully charged. An individual battery system has batteries with built-in chargers spaced strategically throughout the building. The units are plugged into electrical outlets to power the battery charger and signal loss of power. When the power fails, the lights should automatically turn on.

  Battery systems are limited in the amount of electric energy they can provide and the length of time they can operate. In addition, they require constant maintenance to ensure reliability. Because of these restrictions, battery systems are most practical for small buildings.

  Generator-operated systems are by far the most widely used emergency power system. They can provide emergency power for critical services for extended periods of time; they are available with a range of capacities to meet most emergency load requirements; they are relatively inexpensive; and, when properly maintained, they are highly reliable.

  Depending on your emergency needs, a combination of the four key emergency systems will most likely provide the best benefit for your facility.

• Maintain and perform regular checks on your emergency equipment.
  Your emergency equipment is only as good as the maintenance of it. You don’t want to find out that your battery backup system is not charged and functional as you are trying to help tenants navigate a dark stairwell.

  Generally, emergency power equipment requires high levels of maintenance to ensure reliable operation. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. Investigate any regulations regarding periodic testing that your local municipality may enforce. Emergency systems should be inspected and tested weekly. Emergency generators driven by internal combustion engines should be run for approximately 30 minutes each week to ensure their readiness. A full-load test should be conducted each year—as your facility goes through changes, your load requirements may change. Don’t assume your current system is “good enough” to handle facility upgrades and changes.

  In addition to regular maintenance, you must make sure that your emergency equipment is accessible and that a minimum of two people (the number will vary based on the size of your facility) know how to properly turn on and monitor the equipment.

• Obtain the proper emergency load requirements for your facility.
  A well-maintained, functional system is of no use if it cannot accommodate your core needs in an emergency. You must accurately estimate the required capacity for an emergency power system. To do so, you should add together the loads of all equipment that you will need to operate as well as making an allowance for the additional load needed to start motors. As a rule of thumb, it takes twice the capacity to start a motor; for example, 20 horsepower of current is needed to start a 10-horsepower motor. The starting current for only the largest motor should be counted, on the assumption that just one motor will be started at a time.

  An emergency electric power system usually includes the following loads:

  • Emergency lighting
  • Communications systems
  • Fire alarms
  • Fire pumps
  • Elevators
  • Computers
  • Electrical controls for oil or gas heating systems
  • Sewerage ejector pumps and sump pumps

  Be sure to include any services that are unique to your facility when you create this list.

• Coordinate procedures with your tenants.
  Depending on the type of facility you run, be sure to discuss power outage procedures with your tenants. Most companies today maintain their own UPS (uninterruptible power supply) for their computer equipment. Your tenants need to know exactly what to do to help maintain the core electrical backup systems. Can they continue working? Should they shut off all of their electrical equipment in phases in order to avoid surges? How should they exit a dark or dimly lit building? What will happen if someone gets stuck in an elevator? Your focus needs to be on sustaining the core functions of the building. Well-informed tenants will help you by knowing what you need from them.
• Incorporate power outage responses into your facility’s emergency action plan.
  You’ve determined which combination of backup power sources is appropriate for your facility. Your equipment is well-maintained and ready to run when the lights go out. Your load requirements have been accurately calculated and you are confident you have the necessary capacity to keep your facility running. But when the power actually goes out, who does what? Which member of your team is designated as the key contact for emergency personnel and service providers? Who is responsible for ensuring that your tenants are able to safely leave the building? Which member of your team is responsible for turning on the emergency backup equipment in the proper order to avoid an overload? What if the power goes out on the weekend? Who is the designated point of contact? Although it is difficult to anticipate every obstacle, take the time to brainstorm about what might happen. Incorporate the scenarios into your emergency action plan and make sure everyone on your team knows where responsibilities lie when the lights go out.

When the Lights Go Out

Assuming you have taken all the preliminary steps to prepare for a power outage, your response when the lights do go out should be organized and efficient, and you should experience minimal difficulties. Your team should be able to immediately step into their assigned tasks-assisting tenants, contacting emergency services personnel (if needed), powering up the backup equipment, and so forth.

After the Lights Come Back On

All the power has been restored and your tenants are back at work. Now is the time to evaluate your emergency equipment, staff response, and tenant actions. Did the equipment perform as you expected? Despite your best efforts, did some of your equipment fail? Did your staff perform smoothly? Did your tenants respond as you had hoped? Use what you have learned from this experience to further expand and modify your emergency action plan. Follow up with your tenants regarding their response. Offer them suggestions to help make their activities further complement yours. Have a brainstorming session with your facilities team-what did they observe? What worked well? What would they have done differently?

No one wants to experience a power outage—be it a simple brownout or a three-day blackout. However, if you prepare in advance and maintain your systems, the potential negative impact on your facility can be significantly reduced.