Emergency and standby power design decides which loads keep running when the utility fails, what powers them and how quickly they come back. We design generators, transfer switches, UPS systems and the distribution that connects them, separating the life safety loads the building code requires from the business loads you choose to protect.
Power outages in Canada range from a few seconds during a storm to days after ice or wildfire damage. A building's exposure depends on what it does: an office can usually close for an afternoon, but a care home, a data room, a cold storage warehouse or a high-rise with occupants who rely on elevators and pressurisation fans cannot. The design starts by sorting out which is which.
What we design and build
- Emergency power for life safety loads required by the building code, such as egress lighting and, depending on the building, fire pumps, elevators and smoke control fans.
- Standby power for loads you choose to protect: heating, refrigeration, IT, process equipment or a whole building.
- Generator sizing, location, fuel supply, exhaust, ventilation and noise.
- Automatic transfer switches and the emergency distribution panels they feed.
- UPS systems for loads that cannot tolerate even a short interruption.
- Battery-powered emergency lighting units and central battery systems where a generator is not needed.
- Connections for portable generators and load banks, and provisions for future expansion.
Emergency power and standby power are not the same
Emergency power serves loads the building code requires to keep people safe while they leave or while firefighters work. It must start and transfer automatically and quickly, and it is designed, installed and maintained to CSA C282 and the building and electrical codes adopted in your province. Standby power serves loads that protect property, comfort or business. It has more flexibility in how it is arranged, but it must never be allowed to take capacity away from the emergency loads.
In most designs that means separate transfer switches and separate distribution for the two groups, fed from the same or separate generators. The emergency switch has priority, and the standby loads can be shed if the generator is near its limit.
How it works
- Brief. We start by asking why: a code requirement, a past outage, insurance, a critical process or a business continuity plan. We agree which loads must run, how long an outage must be covered and how short an interruption each load can tolerate.
- Load review. We list the loads to be backed up and measure or calculate their demand, including motor starting and how loads come on when power transfers.
- Concept. We size the generator and decide on fuel, location, enclosure and noise. We decide how many transfer switches are needed and whether any loads need UPS or battery backup in addition.
- Design. We prepare the single-line diagram, transfer switch and generator specifications, emergency panel schedules and room or site layouts, coordinated with mechanical, structural and fire protection. Drawings for permit are sealed by a licensed professional engineer where required.
- Construction and testing. Installation is done by licensed electrical contractors under permit. We review submittals, visit site and attend the start-up and acceptance testing, including a transfer test under load.
What to have ready
- A list of what must keep running in an outage, and for how long.
- Existing single-line diagrams and panel schedules.
- Details of any existing generator, transfer switch or UPS, and its maintenance records.
- Utility bills or demand data for the loads to be backed up.
- Site constraints: where a generator could go, fuel delivery access, neighbours and noise limits.
What you get
A design that separates emergency and standby loads, sizes the generator for the way loads actually start, and shows how the system transfers and returns to normal. Drawings and specifications ready for permit and tender, a sequence of operation describing what happens during an outage and on return of utility power, and a testing plan for acceptance. The design also sets up the building for routine testing under CSA C282 and the manufacturer's maintenance schedule, which the owner is responsible for once the system is in service.
A typical case
A long-term care home has an older generator that serves only the emergency lighting through a single transfer switch. During a winter outage the building stayed lit but lost heat, and staff struggled to keep residents warm. The owner asks whether the generator can carry more.
The review starts with the existing generator's rating and condition and the actual demand of the boilers, circulating pumps, some receptacles in resident areas and the kitchen refrigeration. In a case like this the answer is often that the existing unit is too small and near the end of its life. The design replaces it with a larger generator, keeps the life safety loads on their own emergency transfer switch with priority, and adds a second transfer switch for heating and other standby loads. Load-shedding logic drops the standby loads if the generator is overloaded. The work is phased so the building is never without emergency lighting, and a portable generator connection lets the home stay covered during the changeover.
Who it's for
- Owners of high-rise, care, healthcare and assembly buildings with code-required emergency power.
- Facilities with refrigeration, data rooms or processes that cannot stop.
- Property managers replacing an ageing generator or transfer switch.
- Organizations building resilience against longer outages.
For background, read emergency power vs standby power, how generators are sized, automatic transfer switches and UPS systems for buildings.
Common questions
Can one generator serve both emergency and standby loads?
Often yes, provided the emergency loads have priority through their own transfer switch and the standby loads can be shed. The arrangement has to meet CSA C282 and the electrical code, so check the details for your building early.
Do you maintain or test the generator afterwards?
Routine maintenance and testing are done by a generator service contractor. We can inspect an existing system, review test records and help prepare for and follow up on any inspection required in your province.
Is a UPS a replacement for a generator?
No. A UPS covers the seconds between an outage and the generator taking over, and protects sensitive equipment from disturbances. Its batteries are usually sized for minutes, not hours.