Critical Power: Hospitals and Data Centers

Backup, standby, and emergency power systems are crucial design elements for facilities that provide essential or lifesaving services such as data centers and hospitals. Page Principal and MEP Director Freddy Padilla shared with Consulting-Specifying Engineer Magazine (CSM) the many factors that electrical engineers need to consider to ensure specific power requirements are met. Freddy compares and contrasts different types of facilities to demonstrate his points.

He also explains that availably is the ability of an item—under combined aspects of its reliability, maintainability, and maintenance support—to perform its required function at a stated instant of time or over a stated period of time. Reliability is the ability of a component or system to perform required functions under stated conditions for a stated period of time. Engineers who understand the differences between these elements and more can better design an appropriate power system to ensure a facility's needs are met. 

Demand for uninterruptable reliable power is now the norm. The 7x24 electrical distribution systems are becoming essential to the day-to-day operations of all types of buildings. The more solutions engineers design, the greater the demand—and need—grows for electrical systems to power these solutions, especially in data centers and hospitals.

The current generation of electrical infrastructures has created a high level of expectations among owners and users, who have an increasingly harder time tolerating gaps in high-quality service for these types of buildings. Reliability and availability for electrical distribution systems will remain on the front line for electrical designers, and these requirements are here to stay. 

To read the full article in CSE Magazine, click here.