E-Houses: The Ultimate Solution for Electrical Applications (2024)

Electrical buildings, sometimes referred to as “e-houses” or “electrical houses”, are prefabricated walk-in enclosures that contain sensitive electrical and mechanical equipment that requires protection. In this article, you will learn about the engineering and design of electrical houses, construction and integration, applications, as well as repair and maintenance considerations.

Engineering & Design

The design of an electrical building begins by understanding the desired function of the housed equipment. For instance, it may be to create remote power, protect VFDs, control a lineup of pumps, or provide step-down functions from the main voltage line. Once the equipment is defined and specified, it must be integrated into a lineup.

Each e-house design varies and depends on regulatory standards and customer specifications. Equipment spacing and provision, interconnect wiring, structural design, and cooling considerations are major design considerations.

Equipment Spacing and Provisions

Electrical equipment installation must meet NEC (National Electrical Code) requirements for spacing. Space requirements exist to prevent inadvertent energization, thus protecting equipment and users. Sec. 110.26(a)(1) defines working space depth requirements in front of exposed live parts. Sec. 110.26(a)(3) requires a minimum headroom clearance of 6-ft or the equipment height, whichever is greater.

Provisions are necessary for cut-outs to accommodate wiring. The style of wiring and the cut-out size depends on whether the cable entry is from the top or bottom. Typical wire styles include:

• Non-Metallic (NM) Sheathed Cable.
• Underground Feeder (UF) Cable.
• THHN/THWN Wire.

Access floors provide the entry of cables into an electrical system. The ideal access floor will be determined with respect to the cable entry point.

Bottom Entry

If the cable enters from the bottom, cables either route underneath the structural skid or when space or project requirements dictate, via a computer floor. A computer floor, also referred to as a raised floor, provides additional space for cable runs. Computer floors feature a frame with removable panels that creates a passageway for electrical cables. Low profile and traditional are the two general types of computer floors. Low profile floors take less ceiling height (less than 6”) and are light-weight and easy to construct. However, the low amount of underfloor height makes it a poor fit for some applications.

Traditional computer floors are higher than 6”, with standard heights typically being greater than 12”. These rugged, heavy-duty floors gives wires/cables ample space. However, they are not as flexible or as easy to use as low profile floors. Managing the system’s cables with this type requires removing access floor panels. Overall, both types provide an effective means of hidden electrical services and easy routing but at a greater cost to the project.

Top Entry

Top entry wiring provides a passageway of electrical systems through the ceiling of the e-house via the use of raceways and cable trays. Raceway cable runs may include conduit, tubing, wireway, and other NEC code-compliant wire enclosures. Per code, cable tray falls under the description of a structural support, rather than a raceway. Cable tray’s structure and support must comply with required strength calculations.

Nevertheless, the ideal entry point will heavily depend on the design of the panel and the amount of workspace available.

Interconnect Wiring

Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) are industrial computers responsible for system control and running industrial processes. In e-houses, they conduct electrical system processes, as they give orders and pass information to equipment. Wires interconnect within the e-house equipment and PLC through control wiring. Control wiring acts as the “nervous system” of the control system and receives signals via a PLC. The proper cable size and length for the e-house system must be determined prior to construction. Calculating the appropriate cable size is based on acceptable loss, voltage, and amps.

Structural Design

E-house design depends on customer and project specifications. Designs include mobile, semi-mobile, fixed, and onboard. All types generally consist of the same structural design, including a frame, skid/wheel mounted base, walls, ceiling, and door(s).

Frame

In order to design the frame of the e-house, consider the following parameters:

• Weight of the e-house.
• Wind load.
• Seismic factors (earthquake condition).
• Weight and position of the equipment inside the e-house.
• Quantity of supports where the e-house installs.

After obtaining these parameters, structural calculations for stress and deformation (to which the e-house frame will be subject in the place of installation, during shipment and hoisting) occur.

For non-critical applications, a frame involves only the base material. For “blast e-houses” that require blast-resistant protection, the framing involves the walls are well.

Skid/Wheel Mounted Base

Due to its mobile design, a skid or a wheel-mounted base will be utilized for easy transportation. Carbon steel is the dominant material for base design, although stainless steel or aluminum may be used. Carbon steel typically provides an optimal blend of strength and cost-effectiveness. In rare cases, stainless steel provides corrosion-resistant properties. Even rarer cases call for the lightweight properties of aluminum. The floor may be fixed or removable with ribbed or smooth plates.

Walls

The wall sheets of an e-house usually consist of interlocking galvanized sheet metal whose thickness depends on seismic and transport loads. The length of each individual panel depends on the insulation required. Typically, the depth of the wall thickness is 3″ or 4″ where greater insulative properties are required. Materials such as rock wool and rigid foam board are specified to provide the proper insulative properties. After the insulation installs in the wall, liners attach to finish out the wall.

Ceiling & Roof

The frame provides trusses to which ceiling panels attach. Roof insulation inserts between the ceiling panels and the roof panels. Depending on customer specs, the roof could contain a lightning protection system (LPS) along with a gutter for water runoff. A top catwalk and lifeline anchorage system ensures quick and safe access to the roof.

Doors

Doors typically require a fire rating, pressure sealed construction, and implementation of the same thermal insulation used in the walls and ceiling. Double doors for equipment and personnel or single door design. Materials should be carefully specified for hinges and gaskets (e.g rubber gasket on doors to prevent water, dust, sand ingress and stainless steel hinges). Drip caps install on the doors and external wall cut-outs prevent moisture seepage.

Cooling Considerations

Lights, equipment, air loss, and insulation deliver heat loss that must be overcome by an HVAC system. In extremely cold climates the heat will be the dominant factor. E-houses surrounded by scorching weather require air conditioning systems to provide a suitable environment for the system to run. Some e-houses require fire detection and alarm systems. This optional system allows the interconnection between the control system of the customer’s plant and the HVAC unit. Thus, in case of fire, the HVAC equipment immediately shuts down. Punchlist Zero provides a calculator to size the appropriate HVAC size.

Construction and Integration

Skid

Skid base fabrication and assembly begins the construction phase. The skid may be open frame, but usually has a floor plate with cut-outs for the equipment. Base construction involves procuring, receiving, cutting, coping, and welding beams per the engineering design. Fabrication personnel or testing professionals provide verification of weld quality per project requirements.

Walls & Equipment

Walls are typically constructed with sheet metal carbon steel (10 – 22 gauge) and formed by a sheet metal bending machine to specific dimensions then affixed to the skid. For blast-resistant e-houses, the walls may consist of steel plates. Walls may feature cutouts to allow for window installation or HVAC and equipment intrusion. Insulation installs, depending on customer requirements and HVAC considerations. Sheet metal liners attach to the interior of e-house walls to provide a finished look.

Equipment enters and is set in place via floor jacks, forklifts, or overhead cranes. The dragging force between the skid and floor plate must not exceed live+dead load specifications. In exterior environments, this process typically waits until the roof and ceiling are installed.

Roof & Ceiling

After wall assembly, doors and transoms connect to the structure. Doors install along with transoms. Transoms consist of a removable panel above the door, that allows for tall equipment to be moved into the building as needed. Setting of roof panels occur after the walls are finished. Roof insulation and drop ceiling panels complete the interior.

Coating

Coatings ensure protection against elements. A standard two-coat painting system applies to the exterior of the building. In battery rooms, an acid and corrosive resistant coating protect the walls and floors from accidental battery acid discharge. Anti-slippage floor paint prevents accidental falls.

Testing

FAT (Factory Acceptance Testing) ensures that the system operates as desired. FATs may require fully equipment energization in which case supplemental generators provide the requisite power. Other required testing procedures prior to shipment may include:

• Visual and dimensional inspection
• Electrical continuity
• Insulation resistance
• Withstand voltage test
• Routine tests on equipment
• Functional tests on complete assembly (electrical panel boards, air conditioning, etc.)

Integration

Transport to the end destination typically involves forklift, overhead cranes, or gantry cranes to place the e-house onto a truck. Additional equipment such as platforms, ladders, railings, and handrails ship separately and assemble at site.

Generally, most major electrical equipment comes pre-installed, wired, and tested at the worksite before shipment. E-Houses only require input power and field connections, so all other interconnections install and test at the worksite prior to shipment. External connections adapt to overhead or underground conduit systems.

Wiring for the power source, motor leads and field devices typically install once the e-house arrives to its final destination. Cable runs can be minimized by placing the e-house near the process being controlled.

Applications

Complete and running e-houses apply to a multitude of different systems, including the following:

• Transformer unit
• Panel unit
• IT/Operation room
• Automation room
• Restroom (requires Air Change calculations)
• Battery room (requires Air Change calculations)
• HVAC room
• Locker room

E-houses provide a strong construction option for sensitive equipment that requires protection.

Repair and Maintenance Considerations

Regular maintenance of e-houses is crucial, as any minor failure can cause serious complications and immediate availability of a technical expert is often difficult to acquire. To prevent such complications, the following maintenance procedures are heavily recommended.

• Regular checkups on structural integrity. This may involve checks on fastener tightness, water intrusion, and floor deflection.
• Inspecting wire and all associated electrical components (overheated? short circuit?).
• Examine all materials for any degradation.

Failure to perform regular maintenance may result in operability loss, fluid leakage, material degradation, grime buildup, etc. This leads to costly repair considerations. Proper e-house maintenance ensures smooth running operations for decades.