Electrical Systems in a Building

Unit-II
Building Utility & Services
Syllabus
 Introduction
Since the end of the nineteenth century virtually all buildings are
provided with electric lightings installation for use at night. With
the advent of fluorescent lamp that is compatible with daylight,
cheap to run and not emitting heat gain in buildings, it made possible
to install electric lighting supplementing day light and in extreme
cases provide the only source of light in a windowless environment.
Several factors can exercise a critical influence on the success of
lighting installations apart from proper level of illumination on the
work plane.
Introduction
 Introduction
The first use of electric supply were established in 1882 by Thomas
Edison, Thereafter there have been constant effort throughout the
world to set-up power stations for more than one purposes.
The power generation in India in 1947-48 was only 4.1 billion and
today we generate more than 600 billion kw.
Electricity
Electricity Generation
 Electric Generator
Electricity is generated from the stored energy of water that
makes turbine run and generate electricity. The other method
includes fuels (Coal, diesel or gas) to fire boilers and pass stream
and generate electricity through generators. Transformer step up
several thousands or even hundreds of thousands of volts before it is
supplied to the transmission lines or cable. By transmitting electricity
at high voltages less power is lost in the cables. At the receiving end of
voltage is stepped down by transforms in local sub-stations to
consumers at 240 volts.
Electric Generator
 Entry in the buildings
In Urban areas electrical cables are Usually underground and are brought up
to entry point at ground level or into basement service cable cannot be bent to
small radiee and this should be borne in mind when considering point of entry. In
small buildings the cable run is kept as short as possible, terminating in a
distribution board at the first convenient position. In these buildings the
distribution board will be fitted with a seal box to prevent moisture from entering
the insulation of the service cable, a main fuse for the premises in a box sealed
by the supply authority and the consumer unit or other switch and fuse gear
belonging to the building. The position chosen for the distribution board should be
readily accessible both for meter reading and for replacing fuses. In some cases
special glasses are provided so that meter can be read without entering the premises.
Entry in the buildings
 Domestic Supply
Domestic electricity supply usually effected through distribution system and
describe as single and three phases. Normally small buildings are supplied
with electricity by two wires, one phase wire and the other neutral. This is
known as single phase supply and gives a voltage for the premises of 240
volts. The loading of the supply wiring is balanced between the phases by using
the phases in rotation so that each one services every third building.
In three phases, four wire bring 420/ 240 volts, 50 cycle per second. The
voltage. The voltage between any two of the phases wires is 415 Volts. And
between any phase wire and the neutral is 240 volts. The balancing of load is
then achieved by serving different areas of the building by different phases.
Electric motor are usually designed for three phase operation.
Single and Three Phases Distribution
 Earthing System
In electricity supply systems, an earthing system or
grounding system is circuitry which connects parts of
the electric circuit with the ground, thus defining the
electric potential of the conductors relative to the
Earth's conductive surface
 Earthing System
Regulations for earthing system vary considerably among countries and
among different parts of electric systems. Most low voltage systems connect
one supply conductor to the earth (ground).
People use an earthing system mainly for these applications:
To protect a structure from lightning strike, directing the lightning
through the earthing system and into the ground rod rather than passing
through the structure.
Part of the safety system of mains electricity, preventing problems
associated with floating ground and sky voltage.
The most common ground plane for large monopole antenna and some other
kinds of radio antenna.
 Applications Of Earthing
Protect human against lightning and earth fault condition
Protect the premises against lightning and earth fault condition
Provide low resistance and safe path for lightning and fault current
All metallic enclosure and extraneous conductive parts are at
equipotential
LV System Earth
Applications Of Earthing
 Functions of Earthing
Equipment Earth : Path for fault current, lower touch voltage, protection against
electric shock

Lighting Earth : Low resistance path to diverse the current under lightning attack.

Telecom Earth : Signal Earth, reduce noise and interference, stabilize DC supply
voltage and prevent electric shock

Computer Earth : reduce interference, maintain supply voltages

Functions of Earthing
 Two classes of protection
Class I protection
use of barrier/insulation and connection of protective conductor to
equipment metallic enclosure in order to protect against electric shock

Class II protection
beside of the basic insulation, addition layer of insulation apply to the
enclosure. Therefore no extraneous conductive part. The additional
layer is independent to the basic insulation so that under failure of basic
insulation, it offers additional protection
Two classes of protection
 Types of Earthing
Supply System Neutral Earth
System Earth
Electrical Safety Earth
Lightning Earth
Generator Earth
Protection Earth (i.e. surge arrestor)
Telecom / Computer Earth
Shielding Earth
Integrated Earthling System (Advocated)
Electrostatic Earth (Clean Room / Hospital)
 Earthling Arrangements
TN System
TNS System
TN C S System
TN C system
TT System
IT System
Domestic Supply
 Distribution Circuits
In most of the buildings electricity supply is divided into two types of sub circuit: Lighting
Load sub-circuit and power load Sub Circuit and finally for operation purpose into three
phases circuit-lighting, socket outlets and fixed apparatus.
The sub circuit which gives supply to lighting load points is called lighting load sub circuit.
This circuit includes lamps, fans, tubes etc. As per Indian Electricity Rules. The following
rating should be assumed
Filament lamp 60 W
Ceiling fan 60 W
Socket for radio, table fan 60 W
Flurecent tube 40 W
Mercury Vapour lamp 80 W
 Basic wiring Systems
Wiring in buildings is run either on the surface or canceled in the
construction. Surface wiring is cheaper but its appearance limits its
use. The type of wiring system available for use in buildings are
sheated and conduit. Two or more wires consisting of metal
conductors each having its own inuation is enclosed in a protective
sheath known as TRSC tough rubber sheated.
Use of PVC for insulation and sheating is preferred as it gives
smoother and neater cables. This type of wire are well suited to
surface use. For use in concealed wiring, conduit or metal channels
should provide to protect wiring.
Basic Wiring Systems
 Basic wiring Systems
Types of wiring
There is wide choice of wiring; however one must keep in mind the safety of
men & material. The various types of wiring used are discussed below
Cleat Wiring
In this system of wiring, V.I.R or PVC Insulated wires are held to the walls
and ceiling by means of porcelain cleats which are fixed at distance of 0.5 m
horizontally and 0.75 m vertically above the walls The cleat are made on two
halves, one is known as base and the other is known as cap. The wirings are
drawn in groves and finally tightened. This wiring is cheapest and require little
skill and can be quickly installed.
Cleat Wiring
 Basic wiring Systems
Wooden Casing , Capping Wire
In this type of wiring, the casing is fitted on the walls and ceilings on
the wooden gutties which are fixed The size of casing and capping
generally used is 20 mm x 12 mm for house wiring. This type of
wiring is generally used for house wiring. It is cheaper as compared to
lead sheated and conduit wiring, easy to Install.
Basic wiring Systems
 Basic wiring Systems
Lead Casing Wire
In this system of wiring, the wiring procedure is same except the wire
used in VIR covered with an outer sheath made of lead-aluminum
alloy It is used in houses and industrial wiring. It has good mechanical
protection and possibility of fire is less.
 Basic wiring Systems
C.T.S & T.R.S or PVC wire
In this system of wiring first of all teaks wood is fitted on the walls
and ceiling. The battern is tightened by drawing wooden screws in the
gutties fitted in the wall an ceiling. PVC or CTS wire run on the
battern and finally grappled by the joint clip. This type of wiring is
suitable for domestic installations, commercial & Industrial buildings
except where it is liable to mechanical injury.
C.T.S & T.R.S or PVC wire
 Basic wiring Systems
Conduit Wiring
In this type of wiring system VIR or PVC are carried through steel or
PVC tubes as conduit in case of surface conduit wiring, the conduit is
fitted on the surface of the walls by means of saddles and in case of
concealed conduit wiring the conduit to facilitate the drawing of wires
 Ducts for Electrical Distribution
In addition to the wiring systems there are a number of ducts available specially designed to contain
electric cables in particular building stations
Duct tube: It consists of an inflatable rubber tube, which is placed, in concrete formwork before pouring
concrete. After the concrete has set the duct tube is deflated, withdrawn from concrete, leaving a duct for
electric wiring, or other purpose.
Skirting trunking: It is very usual to run cable trunking in or above the skirting round the perimeter
walls. This systems is mostly employed in office buildings.
Floor Trunking: System is employed in large offices where desks are placed remote from walls. Useful
where there are comparatively few points, the positions of which are known, and where flexibility for
future re-planning must be achieved.
Overhead distribution
Overhead distribution systems are clearly more economical and more flexible than under floor ones. They
are mainly used in industrial units when pendants connection to apparatus is not considered unsightly.
Ducts for Electrical Distribution
Ducts for Electrical Distribution
 Conductor
Cables
A cable is a length of single conductor, usually having several
wires stranded to-gather, or of two or more conductors, each provide
with its own insulation and laid up to-gather. The insulated conductor
(s) may or may not be provided with an overall protective covering.
The conductor with its insulation but without mechanical protection is
called core of the cable. Thus a, cable consists of three parts:
Conductor, Insulation and External Protection
Conductor
 Insulations
On the basis of of insulations, the cables maybe classified as follows: (i) Paper
Insulated cables. In these cables paper is wound on the conductor in successive
layer to archive required dielectric strength. Such cables are manufactured in
various sizes from 5 mm2 to 500 mm2 cross-section conductors and voltage rating
sup to 33 kv
(ii)PVC cables
(iii) Oil filled insulated cables
(iv)High Pressure of filled cables
(v) Compressed gas insulated cables
(vi) Vulcanized cable
Insulations
 External Protection
Against mechanical damage or electrochemical attack, fire or any other
deterious influences external to the cables can be minimized. If certain
points are taken in account
Abrupt bending in cables is not desirable; the bending radius ranges from
12 to 30, times the diameter..
Cables should be at least 1 m away from the foundation of the buildings.
Cables should be at least 0.5 m away from the communication cables
Whenever a cable crosses a road or railway line, it should be laid in pipes or
conduits.
External Protection
 Electrical appliances
There are many ways in which electricity can be used to save labour in the
home. A vast number of appliances are designed to run on the ordinary domestic
supply. The three basic application of electricity are the production of heat,
light and power and in many devices they are used in combination. Electronic
appliances such as radio and television sets, and record players constitute a
fourth class and telephone a fifth.
All the electrical appliances requiring a current of more than 5 A should be
fitted with an earth or ground wire to safe guard the user against shocks
from leakages of current. Their supply cables thus carry three-pin plugs, and in
the best type of socket no current can flow until the earth-pin can be made its
contact.
Electrical Appliances
 Electrical appliances
There are four main ways in which electricity can be converted into light
It can flow through a wire, so that it glows(lamps), modern filament lamps use coil
of tungsten wire which gives a much whiter light than carbon, and the bulb contains
nitrogen and argon. Most household bulbs are 25 to 150 watt of electric power, but some
large tungsten lamps used in search lights an in television studios use as much as 30 kw.
Discharge lamps are long tubes containing a gas or vapour. When electricity passes
through a pure gas at low pressure, energy is transferred to the gas atoms, causing them
to emit radiations. The wavelength of this radiation, which determines color, depends on
the gas e.g., sodium vapor and neon emit visible radiation. Sodium produces an efficient
yellow light, mercury produces a bluish white light and some ultra-violet radiations, and
neon gives off a strong red light.
Electrical appliances
 Electrical appliances
Fluorescent lamps

Works by the conduction of electricity through mercury vapor. This causes the emission of
ultra-violet radiation. The inside of the tube is coated with a fluorescent powder, or phosphor.
This glows with a visible light when it is struck by invisible ultra-violet rays. The light is
usually white, but it can be colored by adjusting composition of the phosphor. Sometimes,
instead of tubes, flat panels of glass may be used as light sources. Some phosphors, such as
zinc sulphide, emits light when a voltage is applied across them. This is known as electro
luminescence..
A carbon lamp consists basically of two carbon rods connected to an electricity supply. An
electric arc is maintained between the rods and a very intense light is produced in this way
from a compact source, such lamps are used in motion picture projectors.
Electrical appliances
 Electric Installations
Electric Installations
Electric Installations require necessary design, planning taking into consideration the whole
requirement of the activities to be carried out in the building. The following steps are suggested
for the same..
Planning & Designing
Layout of working drawings
Application to electric supply company for granting estimated low supply and requirement of
sub-stations/ transformers
Laying conduit for underground supply lines before concreting and completing the plinth work.
Laying conduits in slabs and beam reinforcement, fixing of fan hooks/ boxes in slabs
reinforcement for main supply to consumer units/ rooms
 Electric Installations
Physical marking of layout of wiring in all units/ rooms.
Providing & laying complete wiring
Fixing all fittings and fixtures and complete electrical installations
Testing of Installations
Providing consumer meters.
Submission of test reports to electric supply company for supply connection after
obtaining NOC from PWD in cases of building exceeds 15m height.
Checking of electrical installation by authorized officer of electrical supply company
before passing & sealing of meters.
Permanent electric supply connection to buildings and consumer thereof.
 Electric Installations
Design & Planning
The design and planning of an electrical Installation is governed by the
type of user of the building and requirement of the consumer thereof.
Therefore it is essential to consult competent electrical engineer/ licensed
electrical contractor at the planning stage for providing and planning
electrical installations, which should be safe and efficient in its use and
adequate for its intended purpose. For designing layout of electrical
installations for specific requirement of power use it is essential at
planning stage that the architect in consultation with structural engineer,
electrical engineer and owner/developer to decide about following
Electric Installations
 Electric Installations
Needed accommodation for making provision of sub-station, meter room,
switch room, services cable duct, rising mains and cables, opening and chases
required in floors and walls for intending electrical installations.
Total load requirement i.e. lights, fans, power etc.
Anticipated future increase in power consumption. Requirement of electric
supply company including location and distance of main supply connection point.
Layout of wiring installation, whether open conduit or concealed
After collecting necessary information and suggestions from other
consultants the architect should prepare detailed working drawing of
complete electrical installation in consultation with licensed electrical contractor
Electric Installations
 Execution
The execution of entire electrical Installation should be carried out
under the guidance and supervision of competent electrical
engineer/through licensed electrical contractor; in accordance to
the design and specification provided in the tender and strictly as per
rules and regulations of electrical supply.
The electrical contractor should decide his sequence of work in
consultation with the architect in such a manner that it will not
affect/conflict with working of other agencies and it will allow other
service agencies to work smoothly and simultaneously without any
interruption.
 Execution
The electrical contractor should get approval for all materials including fitting
and fixtures to be used from the architect before commencement of work.
The contractor should arrange temporary electrical supply for construction
purpose; before proper work is commenced.
At the end of work the electrical contractor should check and test the entire
electrical installation work and get it approved from the electrical supply company.
The electrical contractor should submit his test report and completion
certificate in required forms for consumer meter and permanent electric supply
connections to the buildings.
Execution
 Execution
Electric Services for Multi-storied Buildings
The electrical distribution cables wiring should be laid in a separate duct. The duct should be sealed at every
alternate floor with non-combustible materials having the same fire resistance as that of the duct.
Water mains, telephone lines, intercom lines, gas pipe lines should be laid in the duct of cables
Separate circuits for water pumps, lifts, staircase and corridor lighting and blower for the pressurize system
should be provided from the main switch gear panel.
The inspection panel doors and any other openings in the shaft should be provided with air tight fire doors
having a fire resistance of not less than two hours.
Medium and low voltage wiring running in shafts, and within a false ceilings, should run in metal conduits.
An independent and well ventilated service room should be provided on the ground floor.
PVC cables should have an additional sheathing or protection provided by compound sprayed on after
installation
 Staircase & Corridor lighting
The following provisions have been recommended under the
development control regulations.
The staircase and corridor lighting should be on separate circuit and
should be independently connected so that they could be operated by
one switch installations.
Stair case and corridor lighting should also be connected to alternate
supply as defined in sub regulation.
Emergency lights should be provided in the staircase/Corridor for
multi-storied special buildings.
Staircase & Corridor lighting
 Alternate Source of Electric Supply
A stand-by electric generator should be installed to supply power
to staircase and corridor lighting circuits, fire lifts, the standby fire
pumps, smoke extraction & damper systems in case of failure of
normal electric supply.
The generator should be capable of taking starting current offal
machines and circuit s stated above simultaneously. If the stand-by
pump is driven by diesel engine. The generator supply need not to
be connected to the standby pump.
Alternate Source of Electric Supply
 Distribution board
A distribution board (also known as panel-board or
breaker panel) is a component of an electricity supply
system which divides an electrical power feed into
subsidiary circuits, while providing a protective fuse
or circuit breaker for each circuit in a common
enclosure.
Distribution Board
 Transformers
A transformer can accept energy at one
voltage and deliver it at another voltage. This
permits electrical energy to be generated at
relatively low voltages and transmitted at high
voltages and low currents, thus reducing line
losses and voltage drop
Transformers
 Location of Transformer
Location of the transformer is very important as far as
distribution loss is concerned. Transformer receives HT
voltage from the grid and steps it down to the required
voltage.
Transformers should be placed close to the load centre,
considering other features like optimization needs for
centralized control, operational flexibility etc. This will
bring down the distribution loss in cables.
 Types of Transformers
Transformers are classified as two categories: power
transformers and distribution transformers.
Power transformers are used in transmission network of higher
voltages, deployed for step-up and step down transformer
application (400 kV, 200 kV, 110 kV, 66 kV, 33kV)
Distribution transformers are used for lower voltage
distribution networks as a means to end user connectivity.
(11kV, 6.6 kV,3.3 kV, 440V, 230V)
 Sub-Station
Substation is a part of an electrical generation, transmission,
and distribution system, where voltage is transformed from
high to low, or low to high, or many other important
functions.
Electric power may flow through several substations between generating
plant and consumer, and may be changed in voltage in several steps.
Mainly Sub-station is defined as The assembly of apparatus
used to same some characteristics (e.g. Voltage, AC to DC, P.F. ,
Frequency etc.) of electric supply is called Substation.
 Sub-station Layout
A:Primary power lines' side
1.Primary power lines
2.Ground wire
3.Overhead lines
4.Transformer for measurement
electric voltage
5.Disconnect switch
6.Circuit breaker
7.Current transformer
8.Lightning arrester
B: Secondary power lines' side
7.Current transformer
8.Lightning arrester
9.Main transformer
of 10.Control building
11.Security fence
12.Secondary power lines
 The Electric Act 2003
The electricity act 2003, seeks to bring about a qualitative transformation
of the electricity sector through a new paradigm. The act seeks to create
liberal framework of development for the power sector by distancing
government from regulations.
The objectives of the act are to consolidate the laws relating to generation,
distribution trading and use of electricity and generally for taking measures
conductive to development of electricity to all areas, nationalization of
electricity tariff, ensuring transparent policies regarding subsidies,
promotion of efficient and environmentally benign policies, constitution of
Central Electricity Authority, Regulatory Commissions and established of
Appeallate Tribunal and for matter connected thereafter or incidental thereto.
 The Electric Act 2003
The salient features of this act
The central Govt to prepare a National Electricity Policy in Consultation with State Govt.+
Thrust to complete the rural electrification and provide for management of rural distribution by
Panchayats, Cooperative Societies, non-government organizations, franchises etc.
Provision for license free generation and distribution in the rural areas.
Provision for private licenses in transmission and entry in distribution through an independent
network.
The state Electricity Regulatory Commission is a mandatory requirement.
Metering of all electricity supplied made mandatory.
Provisions relating to theft of electricity made more stringent.
Provisions safeguarding consumer interests.
 References

Building Services: S.M. Patil

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