2011 PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD WINNER

PROJECT SUMMARY

This $40 million research center is intended to attack full-scale test buildings with hurricane force winds and rains, hail, or wind-driven embers of wildfires. The main test building is designed to deliver winds with variable speeds up to 132 mph as it hits test specimens. Other buildings on the 90-acre site include offices, electrical, testing support, conditioning and a test/fire water pump facility including a 750,000-gallon water storage tank. Electrical power is delivered to the site via a 35 mega-watt 4,160-volt substation.

United Engineering Group provided the electrical, mechanical, plumbing, fire protection, telecommunications and controls engineering for the project.

PROJECT DETAILS

73,000 SF, 70-foot tall Wind Test Chamber; 10,000 SF office building; 27,000 SF electrical support building; 109,000 SF testing support building; 3,800 SF roof conditioning building located adjacent to a two story house test specimen; 750,000 gallon test water/fire water storage tank with 27,000 SF pump building; 100,000 SF 4160-volt electrical substation.
Two full-size, two-story wood frame houses are subjected to first wind, and then water tests at 30 mph. Remote-controlled water cannons provide rain simulation. The test is viewed from the control room. Fan speeds, high-speed video recording, water, lighting systems and all safety interlocks are controlled from this room.
70-foot tall, precast structure supporting over one hundred, 350-horsepower, 4160-volt direct drive motors turning 1800-rpm fans. Located below the structure, a 4160-volt switchgear serves each of the fans. Power supplied from 4160-volt variable frequency drives is delivered to the structure via cable trays on the right from the electrical support building.