Building Interior Substations

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Building Interior Substations

April 8, 2025
mike@standardsmichigan.com
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At some point transformation of electric energy from distribution voltage to utilization voltage must occur — either proximate to structures on the exterior (where they can present an eyesore to ambience and ‘campus feeling’) or within a building if the architect will design an interior space where switchgear can be operated safely.

Since 1993 we have advocated safety and sustainability of either type of installation in the National Electrical Code.  Today we review relevant code requirements respecting relatively new requirements for the education industry’s green agenda.

Hardly anything is a small topic anymore but today we will give it the Ole College Try at the usual hour today @ 15:00 UTC.

General Requirements:

CMP-1 Public Input Report for the 2026 Revision

CMP-1 Public Comment Report for the 2026 Revision

Transformers & Switchgear:

CMP-9 Public Input Report for 2026 Revision

CMP-9 Public Comment Report for 2026 Revision

Related:

University of Michigan Substation Design Guidelines

University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Design Guidelines

Our proposal for revisions to Chapter 27 of the International Building Code

Graph Neural Networks 2023: (“Boosting short-term electric load forecasting”) introduced visibility graph neural networks for forecasting in high-voltage/medium-voltage substations. This approach uses graph theory to model complex grid interactions, improving accuracy over traditional methods.

Current Issues and Recent Research

ICC Catalog | Electrotechnology Concepts

High Voltage Electric Service

April 8, 2025
mike@standardsmichigan.com
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Federal Power Act of 1920  Ω  Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935.

IEEE Education & Healthcare Facilities Committee Ω Current Issues and Recent Research

Representative Sample of Merchant Utility Interconnection Requirements for Customers

2023 National Electrical Code Article 490 Bibliography

Ahead of the April close date for comments on the Second Draft of the 2026 revision of the NEC we examine thought trends on the following:

  1. How does “high voltage” differ among electrotechnology professionals?  Signaling and control systems workers have a much lower criteria than a merchant utility lineman than a campus bulk distribution engineer.  In other words, “high voltage” is generally understood in practice and essential for worker safety.  Labeling counts.
  2. What is the origin of the apparent “confusion’ about high voltage in the IEEE, IEC, NFPA and TIA electrical safety catalogs?  Is the distinction functionally acceptable — i.e. a term of art understood well enough in practice?
  3. How can the 2026 NEC be improved for engineers, electricians and inspectors?  There has been some considerable re-organization of low, medium and high voltage concepts in the 2023.  It usually takes at least two NEC revision cycles for workable code to stabilize.  Since education communities purchase and distribute higher voltage power on large campuses; how can power purchasing and customer distribution system best practice be improved?

This is plenty to talk about.   Join us today at 15:00/16:00 UTC with the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.

AC Power Distribution Systems & Standards | Credit: Power Quality Blog

2028 National Electrical Safety Code


IAEI Magazine: The Evolution of Electrical Services in the National Electrical Code®

2026 National Electrical Code Workspace

Time Synchronization of Medium Voltage Substations

NESC & NEC Cross-Code Correlation


National Electrical Definitions

Rightsizing Electrical Power Systems

April 8, 2025
mike@standardsmichigan.com
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Standards Michigan, spun-off in 2016 from the original University of Michigan Business & Finance Operation, has peppered NFPA 70 technical committees writing the 2016-2026 National Electric Code with proposals to reduce the size of building premise feeder infrastructure; accommodating the improvements made in illumination and rotating machinery energy conservation since the 1980’s (variable frequency drives, LED lighting, controls, etc.)

These proposals are routinely voted down in 12-20 member committees representing manufacturers (primarily) though local inspection authorities are complicit in overbuilding electric services because they “bill by the service panel ampere rating”.  In other words, when a municipality can charge a higher inspection fee for a 1200 ampere panel, what incentive is there to support changes to the NEC that takes that inspection fee down to 400 amperes?

The energy conservation that would result from the acceptance of our proposals into the NEC are related to the following: reduced step down transformer sizes, reduced wire and conduit sizes, reduced panelboard sizes, reduced electric room cooling systems — including the HVAC cooling systems and the ceiling plenum sheet metal carrying the waste heat away.   Up to 20 percent energy savings is in play here and all the experts around the table know it.   So much for the economic footprint of the largest non-residential building construction market in the United States — about $120 billion annually.

The market incumbents are complicit in ignoring energy conservation opportunity.  To paraphrase one of Mike Anthony’s colleagues representing electrical equipment manufacturers:

“You’re right Mike, but I am getting paid to vote against you.”

NFPA Electrical Division knows it, too.

University of Michigan

 

Rightsizing Commercial Electrical Power Systems: Review of a New Exception in NEC Section 220.12

Michael A. AnthonyJames R. Harvey

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Thomas L. Harman

University of Houston, Clear Lake, Texas

For decades, application of National Electrical Code (NEC) rules for sizing services, feeders and branch circuits has resulted in unused capacity in almost all occupancy classes. US Department of Energy data compiled in 1999 indicates average load on building transformers between 10 and 25 percent. More recent data gathered by the educational facilities industry has verified this claim. Recognizing that aggressive energy codes are driving energy consumption lower, and that larger than necessary transformers create larger than necessary flash hazard, the 2014 NEC will provide an exception in Section 220.12 that will permit designers to reduce transformer kVA ratings and all related components of the power delivery system. This is a conservative, incremental step in the direction of reduced load density that is limited to lighting systems. More study of feeder and branch circuit loading is necessary to inform discussion about circuit design methods in future revisions of the NEC.

CLICK HERE for complete paper

University of Houston

2026 National Electrical Code Workspace

Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy

April 2, 2025
mike@standardsmichigan.com
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“Kleinkinderschule in Amsterdam” 1880 / Max Liebermann

This ASHRAE consensus product specifies conditions for acceptable thermal environments and is intended for use in design, operation, and commissioning of buildings and other occupied spaces. It is impossible to underestimate the difficulty of engineering an acceptable room temperature in an educational setting that satisfies all people all the time.   Today, we simply identify the opportunity to ASHRAE Standard 55-2017, Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy poststed on ASHRAE’s Public Review page:

Public Review Draft Standards / Online Comment Database

ASHRAE’s standards development platform is one of the fastest in the United States so frequently there is scant time to respond; though we hope other user-interests will.   As technical specifics relevant to the education facility industry become more clear we will develop this page accordingly.

All ASHRAE consensus products are on the agenda of our monthly 11 AM/ET Mechanical Engineering and Energy standards teleconferences.  See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting; open to everyone.

“The summer night is like a perfection of thought.” — Wallace Stevens

Issue: [14-115]

Category: Mechanical, Electrical, Energy, ICT, IoT

Colleagues: David B. Anderson, David Conrad, Mike Anthony, Jim Harvey, Larry Spielvogel

 

Dolus Festivus

April 1, 2025
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The Vernor’s Story

April 1, 2025
mike@standardsmichigan.com
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Hot Cross Buns

April 1, 2025
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Hot Cross Buns | Nursery Rhymes | Super Simple Songs

Hot cross buns (Library of Congress) are a traditional Easter treat dating back centuries, symbolizing both the end of Lent and the crucifixion of Jesus. These spiced sweet buns, often containing raisins or currants and marked with a cross on top, are typically eaten on Good Friday.

The cross represents the crucifixion, while the spices symbolize the spices used to embalm Jesus. Sharing hot cross buns fosters community and reflects on the religious significance of Easter, marking a solemn yet celebratory time in Christian tradition.

Link to Dining Services specialty at the Mean Greens Cafe at Maple Street Hall and recipes in other education settlement traditions.

Texas Croissants & Wyoming Cowboy Coffee

Microwave Brown Rice Bowl

Institute of Culinary Education: Hot Cross Buns

Weston College: Perfect Hot Cross Bun Recipe

Algonquin College: A Sweet Easter Tradition

 


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