RR Credit: Damage and Exposure Prevention – Above Green

(1-6 points)

Applicable to: Cities & Utilities, Campuses, Transit

INTENT

To improve project reliability and power quality by protecting infrastructure from common external threats that may damage equipment, cause malfunctions, or interrupt service.

REQUIREMENTS

All projects

OPTION 1. External damage prevention (1 point)

Implement preventive measures to avoid infrastructure damage and/or service interruption from at least four of the following external risks:

Tree contact
Animal or bird contact
Vehicular or human interference
Fire or hazardous area
Weather effects

AND/OR

OPTION 2. Power system hardening (1–3 points)

Have in place the following design considerations and/or infrastructure to harden power systems against flooding, storms, and other extreme events.

Flooding avoidance (1 point). Implement one of the following strategies to prevent damage to electrical equipment and assets (e.g., substations, diesel generator sets, transformers, OH cables) and ancillary equipment (e.g., pumps, compressors), based on a 100-year flood mark or flood map. Protect stored fuel to meet or exceed the requirements set by the authority having jurisdiction.
- Strategy 1. Build a permanent storm water drainage system to protect critical power assets from inundation.
- Strategy 2. Install a standalone pump to pump water from low-lying areas around the electrical systems. The pump should be operable in the absence of power supply.
- Strategy 3. Permanently relocate or increase the height of critical power assets in the flood-prone area as described in ASCE - Chapter 7, 24 or equivalent.
Storm protection (1 point). Ensure that the outdoor equipment can withstand three-second wind gusts up to 140 mph or equivalent.
Seismic protection (1 point). Have in place seismic restraint–certified equipment for critical electrical systems and/or install a seismic restraint structural support for critical electrical systems, based on the seismic zone.

AND/OR

OPTION 3. Undergrounding (1–2 points)

Bury electric cables underground or protect them in conduits or underground tunnels. Campus projects should use conduits or cable trays to protect electric cables inside buildings. Points are awarded based on the percentage of the distribution network protected (calculated based on length), as shown in Table 1.

Table 1. Points for undergrounding of distribution network

Network Protected	(% of total length)	Points
Cities & Utilities	Campuses & Transit
≥ 10	≥ 40	1
30	80	2

Projects that protect more than 50% (cities and utilities) or 90% (campuses and transit) of the distribution network earn 1 additional point for exemplary performance under the Innovation credit category.

Standards and References:

National Electrical Safety Code C2-2012

American Society of Civil Engineers, Chapter 7, 24

Bureau of Indian Standards National Electrical Code 2011