Modern buildings face increasingly higher demands. From the planning phase, considerations such as safety, lifecycle flexibility, minimal environmental impact, integration of renewable energy, and cost-effectiveness must be addressed to maximize economic efficiency and meet technical requirements. Coordinating the various installations presents a unique challenge.
Essentially, the primary installations include heating, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration, fire protection, intrusion prevention, building control systems, and electrical power distribution. Through innovative planning, these requirements are not just reduced to separate installations but must be integrated in a coordinated manner.
General Planning Considerations
On one side, the planner must outperform competitors and secure unique selling points by proposing contemporary, innovative designs for power supply systems and equipment selection. Conversely, the planner is accountable for their work, potentially facing liability for any damages. Thus, defining the project scope and financial terms with the builder early on is crucial.
The Table of Contents:
1. The Planner’s Tasks
The initial stages of project planning are crucial. They establish the foundational setup and guidelines for the project's progression. Incorrect assumptions and vague stipulations can lead to an oversized system, incurring unnecessary expenses.
Undersizing can lead to overloads and plant failures. This manual on the technical principles of planning will help you size the key components for technical installations in buildings correctly, even in the early stages of a project. It concentrates on the components, systems, and processes involved in electric power distribution.
2. Contents of the Service Phases
The German Fees Ordinance for Architects and Engineers (HOAI) categorizes the services provided by planners into nine distinct service phases.
Establishment of basic data
Preliminary planning
Concept planning
Approval planning
Implementation planning
Preparation of the contract awarding procedure
Participation in the contract awarding procedure
Property supervision (construction supervision or management)
Property management and documentation.
This guide is centered on the initial three phases of planning and the corresponding tasks for the planner.
Fig. 1/1: Totally Integrated Power offers integrated solutions for the distribution of electric power.
3. Requirement/Development Specification
Requirement specifications and development specifications serve as crucial tools in the initial phases.
Requirement Specification
The product specification or requirement details the "What?" and "For what purpose?", providing an outline of the fundamental requirements. It serves as a preliminary target framework for the contractor's contract.
The requirement specification delineates the customer-defined scope of requirements for the deliveries and services the contractor is to perform under the contract.
It details the direct requirements and expectations for a proposed project or product from the user's perspective.
This specification serves as the foundation for the invitation to tender, the proposal, and the contract itself. Requirements must be measurable and verifiable.
The requirement specification is prepared by the customer, whether external or internal and is directed at the contractors.
In software development, this specification represents the outcome of the planning phase and is typically developed by the developers as an initial step before the development specification.
Development Specification
The development or feature specification delineates the target concept with sufficient technical detail to serve as the foundation for a technical specification.
It is a contractually binding, detailed description of a service to be performed, such as the installation of technical equipment, the construction of a tool, or the development of a computer program.
It outlines the solution devised by the contractor following the implementation of the customer's requirements specification.
The performance specification addresses the questions of "How" a project should be implemented and "Which tools or resources" should be utilized.
The preliminary requirement specification details are further elaborated, finalized, and formulated into a viable implementation concept, which is then integrated with technical operational and maintenance provisions.
Typically, each requirement in the specification can be allocated to one or more services outlined in the development specification. This sequence also demonstrates the progression of the two documents within the development process: a requirement is considered met once the associated feature has been implemented.
When drafting a requirement or development specification, it is crucial to acknowledge that sub-goals like investment, losses, reliability, and quality can interact and impact each other. Identifying and assessing these interrelations within the context of the project will enhance planning decisions and the emphasis placed on the requirement and development specification.
Evaluation within the context of requirements or development specifications should be grounded on a variety of posed questions.
Table 1/1 displays a straightforward correlation matrix that assesses the competitive situation of individual sub-targets.
For instance, sub-target 2, which aims for low network losses, is significantly impacted by sub-target 1, focusing on low investment costs. In contrast, sub-target 4, which is concerned with high reliability of supply, does not have a direct correlation with network losses.
Tab. 1/1 Considering the competitive environment during planning decisions
4. Some Basic Considerations on Power Distribution
In the context of electric power supply, estimating the required power for supply is the most crucial task during the initial data establishment phase. For optimal efficiency, components should operate at 70 to 80% of their maximum power output. Operating below this range can lead to malfunctions, and above it can incur unnecessary costs.
Network Configuration and Sources of Supply
Network configuration depends on the building's usage requirements. According to the installation company's specifications and the building's intended use, the necessary power output should be allocated among various supply sources. Should system redundancy be required, additional reserves need to be included in the planning. Apart from the normal power supply (NPS) demand, the power needed from a secure and dependable supply source must be calculated.
This safety power supply (SPS) demand is shared between the emergency standby power system (ESPS) and the uninterruptible power supply (UPS). In the event of NPS failure, the UPS will receive power from the ESPS.
Moreover, the power requirements of safety equipment supplied by the SPS should be taken into account. This is outlined in IEC 60364-5-56 (VDE 0100-560) and is particularly necessary for service areas, rooms, and specific installations, such as medical locations as per IEC 60364-7-710 (VDE 0100-710), or communal facilities and workplaces as per IEC 60364-7-718 (VDE 0100-718). The sizing of each component is based on the estimated energy and power needs and their distribution across various supply sources.
Technical Equipment Rooms
In addition to appropriate component ratings, specifying the size and location of equipment rooms for electrical installations is a crucial aspect of planning that should be addressed early in the process.
The size of technical equipment rooms is determined by the dimensions of the necessary components and applicable safety standards. Factors such as room ventilation, pressure relief for arcing faults, ceiling load capacity, and access routes for equipment installation must be considered in the design of room and building layouts.
Oversized rooms can diminish a building's profitability due to inefficient room utilization. Conversely, undersized rooms might hinder the construction of a plant in a manner that meets approval standards, or they may necessitate costly bespoke solutions for the implemented technology. This planning guide provides tools for establishing the necessary room dimensions for each component.
5. Standards, Standardization Bodies, Guidelines
In the planning and construction of buildings, adherence to numerous standards, regulations, and guidelines is required beyond the specific requirements set by the building and plant operator, such as factory regulations, and the responsible Distribution System Operator (DSO). Internationally applicable standards and texts referenced in subsequent sections will be included in the Appendix, along with documents specifically utilized in Germany.
To reduce technical risks and safeguard individuals involved in managing electrical equipment or components, key planning rules are encapsulated in standards. These standards embody the state of the art and serve as the foundation for evaluations and legal judgments. Technical standards are optimal conditions recommended by professional associations, yet they are rendered obligatory through legal regulations, such as occupational health and safety laws.
Moreover, adhering to technical standards is essential for obtaining an operating license from authorities or securing insurance coverage. In the past, standards were primarily developed at a national level and discussed in regional committees, such as European or American. However, it is now established that drafts should be submitted to the central body, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and subsequently adopted as regional or national standards.
A draft standard will be prepared at the regional level only if the IEC is not interested in the matter or if there are time constraints. The interrelationship between the various standardization levels is depicted in Table 1/2. For a complete list of IEC members and further detailed information, please refer to the appropriate resources.
Tab. 1/2 An overview of national and regional standards in electrical engineering
Planning of Electric Power Distribution by Siemens
Document: | Technical Principles - Planning of Electric Power Distribution by Siemens |
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