Project Brief

Claridge House II is a large residential high-rise in Verona that needed a new standby generator to back up its life safety and building loads. KeRi was the prime consultant, working with the project architect and structural engineer and carrying the design through owner reviews, permit and construction.

KeRi ran generator sizing studies across several load combinations, with and without the fire pump and the main distribution panel, and held voltage dip on motor starting within the project limit. The result is a 650 kW, 812.5 kVA diesel standby generator in a weatherproof acoustical enclosure on a new pad beside the building, fed underground into a new 2,000 A, 120/208 V standby power panel. Five automatic transfer switches split the load by priority: a dedicated fire pump transfer switch that restores power in under ten seconds over fire-rated MI cable, and delayed-transition switches for the three house power panels and the main distribution panel, all tied into the existing 4,000 A switchboard. The design added a fuel oil pump and control panel, generator status points on the existing fire alarm system, and temporary power so the building stayed served during the cutover. During construction KeRi reviewed the short-circuit study and the standby panel submittals.

MEP Engineering Scope

What We Engineered

Emergency and standby power upgrade for the residential high-rise:

• Generator sizing studies across load combinations, including fire pump starting
• 650 kW, 812.5 kVA diesel standby generator in an acoustical enclosure
• New 2,000 A, 120/208 V standby power panel
• Five automatic transfer switches, including a dedicated fire pump switch
• Fuel oil pump controls and generator monitoring on the fire alarm system
• Short-circuit study and submittal review during construction

The Challenge

An occupied high-rise needed backup power large enough for its fire pump and apartment loads, installed without leaving residents without power during the changeover.

Our Solution

KeRi sized a 650 kW generator from load studies and split its output across five transfer switches, putting the fire pump first and keeping the building powered through construction.