In the past weeks, there have been media reports that a City of Vancouver form, “Checklist for Clearances from Existing BC Hydro Overhead Dielectric Liquid-filled Transformers and High Voltage Conductors to Buildings/Developments” may have been incorrectly completed by various people, including Architects and other registered professionals. This has resulted in projects receiving stop-work orders given the public safety hazard created when buildings are situated without sufficient clearance to electrical infrastructure.
It is a fundamental responsibility of an AIBC Registrant to locate the building they are designing in consideration of the many constraints, conditions, and objectives that establish the design basis for the project. This includes clearance to electrical infrastructure, as this may pose a safety risk to the public. While determining the appropriate location of a building falls within an AIBC Registrant’s professional expertise, assessing the purpose and capacity of electrical infrastructure does not. When existing electrical infrastructure is close to a building (within 6 metres), an AIBC Registrant must coordinate with others who possess the requisite expertise on electrical equipment to determine its purpose and capacity, and thus its impact on the project site, and work with them to address any associated risks in accordance with the Canadian Electrical Code and BC Hydro requirements. This could require revising the location of the proposed building or relocating the electrical equipment.
As building location is fundamental to both zoning and building permit requirements, this issue must be addressed in the very early design stage of a project, generally prior to development permit application. The City of Vancouver form, completed by an appropriately skilled person, should serve as confirmation that the design complies with clearance requirements. The requirement to safely locate a building cannot be overlooked, nor should the City of Vancouver form be the trigger for relocating a building midway through the permit process.
For Part 9 buildings that do not have an electrical system designed by an electrical engineer, the qualified person could be an electrical contractor, or a consulting electrical engineer who provides advice, but does not design the electrical system.
For Part 3 buildings, the required coordination would be with the electrical engineer. Note that item 6.6 in the electrical Schedule B Letter of Assurance is: “Clearances from buildings of all electrical utility equipment”. While the electrical engineer is responsible for this item – appropriately, given their knowledge in assessing electrical equipment and clearance requirements – they do not determine the building’s location and rather respond to the designer’s proposed siting. Therefore, the building location must be coordinated with the electrical engineer early in the design process.
For all buildings, in addition to the building location meeting the required clearances in the initial design, any design changes that may subsequently be made should be monitored for any impact on the required clearance.
The AIBC is working with the City of Vancouver and Engineers and Geoscientists BC to review the City of Vancouver form. While this process is underway, the AIBC advises Registrants to do the following:
- For building locations with no electrical infrastructure within 6 metres, an AIBC Registrant may complete the electrical clearance form, to confirm the absence of electrical infrastructure close to the proposed building or buildings.
- For Part 9 buildings, for building locations with electrical infrastructure of any type within 6 metres, coordinate with an electrical contractor or an electrical engineer to have them complete the electrical clearance form.
- For Part 3 buildings, for building locations with electrical infrastructure of any type within 6 metres, coordinate with the electrical registered professional of record to have them complete the electrical clearance form.
For both Part 3 and Part 9 buildings, it is not acceptable for an AIBC Registrant to dismiss the issue as someone else’s responsibility and decline to complete the form. Although AIBC Registrants may not be professionally qualified to make assessments of electrical infrastructure, locating buildings safe distances from equipment is a fundamental design responsibility, and must be coordinated and integrated into any building design by AIBC Registrants.
The AIBC will continue conversations with the City of Vancouver to review and revise the form. Updates will be shared with Registrants on the AIBC website, as well as in the newsletter.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please reach out to practiceadvice@aibc.ca.