Engineers discuss the unique electrical, power and low-voltage challenges of K-12 facilities, from emergency power and life safety requirements to technology integration and long-term flexibility.
K-12 school building insights
- K-12 electrical and power designs must prioritize life safety and resilience while remaining flexible enough to support diverse spaces, evolving technology and future expansion.
- Growing technology use is reshaping low-voltage infrastructure in schools, increasing the need for scalable pathways, coordinated AV/IT systems and long-term futureproofing.
Respondents:
- Grady Henrichs, PE, K-12 Education Engineering Leader, DLR Group, Omaha, Nebraska
- Abdullah Khaliqi, PE, MCPPO, CPQ, Principal, Academic, Fitzemeyer & Tocci Associates Inc., Woburn, Massachusetts
- Amber Lang, LEED AP BD+C, Associate Vice President, CannonDesign, Chicago
- John Mongelli, PE, Senior Associate, Kohler Ronan Engineers, Danbury, Connecticut
- Steven Mrak, PE, Vice President, Peter Basso Associates Inc., Troy, Michigan
Are there any issues unique to designing electrical/power systems for K-12 school buildings?
Grady Henrichs: ICC 500-rated shelters are required in many jurisdictions. Emergency power sources, located within the shelter, must be provided to support lighting and ventilation. Generators, their fuel sources and openings in walls for airflow and exhaust must be protected. Central battery inverters tend to require oversizing and long-duration batteries to power ventilation fans.
Abdullah Khaliqi: K-12 school facilities present unique challenges for electrical and power system design due to aged infrastructure, diverse space types, high technology integration and strict safety requirements. Classrooms, labs, gyms and cafeterias all have different load profiles and usage patterns. Systems must support flexible learning environments, audio visual/information technology (AV/IT) infrastructure and growing plug loads from devices. Schools also require redundant circuits for critical systems (e.g., fire alarms, security) and surge protection to handle unreliable grid power. Futureproofing is essential, so we include spare capacity, spare capacity within panelboards and robust conduit layouts to allow for technology upgrades without major disruptions or costly retrofits.
Amber Lang: Designing electrical and power systems for K-12 facilities presents unique challenges due to the diversity of spaces and high occupant demands. Classrooms, labs, gyms and auditoriums all have different power needs, requiring careful load analysis and distribution planning. Schools also increasingly rely on technology, internet of things devices and AV systems, which demand flexible infrastructure, ample receptacles and robust wireless support. Safety is critical, so systems must integrate with emergency power, fire alarm and security systems. Additionally, phased renovations in occupied schools require designs that minimize disruption while maintaining reliability and code compliance throughout construction and operation.
John Mongelli: The NFPA 70: National Electrical Code requires that emergency feeders in education occupancies with more than 300 occupants be provided with some form of fire protection. One option to achieve this is via the use of a two-hour rated cable system such as mineral-insulated cable. These cable systems are costly and require additional labor to install when compared to conventional systems. To avoid the added cost, consideration should be given to route emergency feeders via fully sprinklered spaces or within a two-hour rated assembly. Additionally, the project’s sustainability goals often result in all mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems with backup generators. These systems require more power than conventional gas-fired equipment, so to keep backup generator sizes down, consideration should be given for a load shedding scheme via the building automation system (BAS) when on backup power.
What types of unusual standby, emergency or backup power systems have you specified for K-12 school buildings? Describe the project.
John Mongelli: Some of the schools we designed are used as shelters in the event of a natural disaster or emergency. The schools need emergency power to maintain space temperature and ventilation, ensure kitchen operations and provide access to restroom facilities for those seeking shelter.
What are some of the challenges when designing low-voltage power systems in K-12 school projects?
Abdullah Khaliqi: Designing low-voltage power systems in K-12 schools presents several challenges, including space constraints, future scalability and coordination with multiple systems like AV, IT, security and fire alarms. Ensuring proper separation of signal and power cabling to avoid interference is critical, especially in classrooms with dense technology use. Meeting bandwidth and power requirements for devices like Power over Ethernet, access points and cameras requires careful load calculations and robust infrastructure. Budget limitations also drive the need for cost effective yet flexible solutions, such as centralized pathways and standardized device locations. Close coordination with IT and AV consultants helps ensure seamless integration.
Amber Lang: Designing low-voltage systems for K-12 schools presents several challenges, starting with understanding how students and teachers will use the technology. If systems are overly complex, they often go underutilized. Another challenge is helping stakeholders plan for technology’s relatively short lifecycle, as many AV and IT components require upgrades every five to seven years. From a design standpoint, each space has unique low-voltage needs, requiring tailored power, lighting and system layouts. Successful solutions also depend on close coordination with architectural and other engineering disciplines, particularly for security systems like access control and intrusion alarms, to ensure safety, functionality and compliance with district standards.
John Mongelli: Technologies such as Class 4 Fault Managed Power, also known as “digital electricity,” are still somewhat new to the construction industry. Most engineering firms are reluctant to be the first to adopt cutting-edge technologies, in lieu of traditional power delivery systems that engineers are more comfortable specifying. Firms will see interest in low-voltage power systems pushed harder directly from their K-12 school clients, who will benefit the most from deploying these technologies in the long-term based on flexibility and increased equipment longevity.
What kind of maintenance guidelines are involved to ensure the project is running efficiently after it is finished?
Abdullah Khaliqi: Post construction, we provide comprehensive maintenance guidelines to help schools operate systems efficiently. This includes operations and maintenance manuals, as-built drawings and training sessions for facilities staff on heating, ventilation and air conditioning, electrical, plumbing and fire protection systems. We recommend a preventive maintenance schedule covering filter replacements, control calibrations, emergency lighting tests and periodic BAS diagnostics. For smart systems, we advise regular software updates, sensor recalibrations and data reviews to track system performance. Clear documentation of setpoints, equipment lists and sequences of operation ensures continuity even with staff turnover. Early involvement of maintenance teams during design helps align expectations and simplify long-term upkeep.
John Mongelli: Commissioning of the lighting and emergency power systems is a requirement for most projects to ensure that the systems are operating as designed.
What are some key differences in electrical, lighting and power systems you might incorporate in this kind of facility, compared to other projects?
Abdullah Khaliqi: In K-12 school facilities, electrical, lighting and power systems must be designed for greater flexibility, safety and resilience compared to many other project types. Classrooms require distributed power and data access to support technology-rich learning environments. Lighting systems must meet strict energy codes but also offer tunable white or circadian lighting to enhance student focus. Emergency circuits support critical systems like fire alarms, access control and intercoms. Power designs often include load diversity planning, surge protection and future expansion capacity. These systems must be robust yet adaptable to evolving educational technologies, safety mandates and long-term operational needs.
Amber Lang: In K-12 facilities, electrical and power systems are often designed with a stronger focus on electrification and long-term sustainability than in many other building types. This includes planning for fully electric buildings and incorporating on-site photovoltaics to help offset electrical loads. We also design infrastructure with future capacity in mind, such as accommodating electric vehicle charging stations for staff as adoption increases. These systems require careful load planning and scalability to support evolving energy, sustainability and operational goals.
Steven Mrak: There can be many unique spaces involved with K-12 electrical design, most notably when you get to high school buildings. Within a high school, in addition to corridors and classrooms, there are many spaces that have special uses or equipment. Some examples include: theaters with lighting requirements for both house lighting and stage lighting; dressing rooms provided with receptacles for curling irons and hair dryers; natatoriums with associated locker rooms and pool equipment rooms; kitchens, both for home economics classes and the main building kitchen; and various skilled trade classrooms with specialized equipment such as air compressors, paint booths and emergency power stop buttons.
How does your team work with the architect, owner’s rep and other project team members so the electrical/power systems are flexible and sustainable?
Abdullah Khaliqi: We work closely with the architect, owner’s representative and project team early in the design process to ensure electrical and power systems are flexible, scalable and energy efficient. We align with the owner’s educational goals and plan infrastructure that supports future technology upgrades without major rework. This includes spare conduit capacity, spare capacity in panelboards and zoned lighting systems. Coordination with the architect ensures electrical components integrate seamlessly into learning environments. Sustainability goals are supported through energy modeling, smart controls and high-efficiency equipment selection. Regular design charrettes and stakeholder meetings ensure alignment, minimize surprises and optimize long-term performance and adaptability.
Amber Lang: Our team collaborates closely with architects, owner’s representatives and other stakeholders to ensure electrical and power systems are flexible and sustainable. At the start of each project, we hold a sustainability kickoff meeting, so the entire team aligns on goals. Using shared building information modeling and weekly meetings, we coordinate layouts, load requirements and infrastructure pathways to accommodate current and future technologies. Scalable solutions such as modular distribution, extra receptacles and robust wireless support are combined with energy-efficient strategies like LED lighting, daylight harvesting and building automation. This approach ensures adaptable, efficient and sustainable systems throughout the building’s lifecycle.
John Mongelli: To ensure flexibility and sustainability in electrical power systems, it is important for the engineer to facilitate dialogue early in the design process to understand the needs of the end user, financial stakeholders and other critical personnel. If possible, coordination should occur before the first round of cost estimating to make sure the budget is being tracked from an appropriate benchmark as design progresses. Further, different systems require different amounts of space, which should be determined early while the architectural floor plan is still easily modified.
For example, the engineer should collaborate with the team to understand if sustainable power sources such as photovoltaics (PV) will be required for the project, whether during initial construction or in the future, as K-12 schools often have wide footprints and usable roof area. PV often requires additional space within the building for inverters, switches and potentially energy storage, compared to distribution without PV. If the project cannot accommodate the cost of PV in its first cost budget, the owner may want to include spare switches, empty conduits and dedicated space for its future installation to maintain a flexible approach to sustainability goals.
Steven Mrak: We take a conscientious approach to where panelboards are located in the building. Some of the items we consider are the length of branch circuits to limit potential voltage drop issues and obstacles that would make running future branch circuits difficult. We also consider future additional electrical load on the distribution system. This is one of the key methods to ensure a flexible and sustainable future for the system.
What kind of lighting designs have you incorporated into a K-12 school project, either for energy efficiency or to increase the occupant’s experience?
Grady Henrichs: In addition to incorporating separate lighting zones for 2D and 3D art uses in art rooms — uplighting to minimize shadowing for 2D art and direct light to increase shadowing for 3D art — we have leveraged tunable lighting and color-changing lighting in sensory rooms for students with special needs.
Abdullah Khaliqi: In K-12 projects, we incorporate holistic lighting designs that support energy efficiency and enhance the learning environment. This includes daylight-responsive LED fixtures, occupancy and daylight sensors and tunable white lighting that adjusts color temperature to align with circadian rhythms. Classrooms often feature layered lighting (ambient, task and accent) to support different teaching modes. In corridors and commons, dimming controls and scene settings improve flexibility and reduce energy use. We also prioritize glare reduction, uniformity and visual comfort, especially for young students and staff. These strategies improve wellness, engagement and operational efficiency while meeting International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and ASHRAE Standard 90.1: Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings standards.
Amber Lang: In K-12 schools, there is a strong emphasis on designing spaces with ample access to daylight, both for health and well-being and because dynamic light helps keep students engaged compared to flat, evenly lit environments. I enjoy designing classrooms that thoughtfully integrate daylight with electric lighting. This often starts with proper building orientation to maximize daylight while minimizing glare through architectural strategies like light shelves, exterior fins or shading. In shared spaces such as libraries, cafeterias and lobbies, we often incorporate decorative or color-tunable lighting to create energetic, engaging environments that enhance the overall student experience.
John Mongelli: Lighting is typically high-efficiency LED fixtures with automated lighting controls to meet the requirements of the adopted energy codes. Typically, this involves the use of occupancy and vacancy sensors that automatically turn off lighting fixtures when spaces are not occupied, and daylight sensors that automatically dim fixtures in relation to the amount of available sunlight within a space, further reducing energy use. Consideration should be given to make the lighting control system intuitive for the staff. Clearly labeled, engraved scene keypads at both the entrance to classrooms and near the teacher’s workstation allow teachers to quickly press a button to transition from a general lighting scene to a presentation mode scene, thereby reducing the need for teachers to make manual light level adjustments.
Steven Mrak: We completed a major addition and renovation for a special needs school. In addition to dimming controls within all classrooms, we also added color tuning (tunable white) capabilities. This allows the teacher to change their individual room lighting to a warmer, more comforting atmosphere or to a cooler, crisper atmosphere when needed.
When designing lighting systems for these types of structures, what design factors are being requested?
Abdullah Khaliqi: When designing lighting systems for K-12 schools, key design factors include energy efficiency, visual comfort, flexibility and occupant wellness. Districts often request LED fixtures with dimming, occupancy sensors and daylight harvesting to meet IECC and ASHRAE 90.1 requirements. Increasingly, schools are asking for tunable white lighting to support circadian rhythms and focus. Technical considerations include flicker-free drivers, low-glare lenses and networked lighting controls for central monitoring. We also consider lighting uniformity, emergency egress integration and fixture durability in high-use areas. Careful coordination ensures that lighting supports both educational goals and long-term operational efficiency.
Amber Lang: When designing lighting systems for K-12 facilities, we pay close attention to ceiling coordination with other devices such as projectors, speakers, cord reels and snorkels. These elements can significantly influence lighting layout, glare and what the light may unintentionally highlight or obstruct. Verifying district standards early is also critical, as is evaluating the constructability and maintainability of proposed luminaires. Lighting systems must not only perform well visually but also be easy for facilities staff to access, maintain and support over the life of the building.
John Mongelli: Consideration should be provided for networked lighting controls. These more advanced systems have the advantage of allowing schools to revise the way the lighting controls operate within each room from a central location, rather than having to send facilities personnel to each room to make adjustments. Adjustments can even be made remotely if the associated features are enabled. These systems are typically connected to the building management system (BMS), which offers flexibility to define time schedules either at the lighting control system or at the BMS and then be directly sent to the lighting control system. Additionally, these systems can be connected to the fire alarm system, which allows for all the lighting fixtures within the building to be automatically set to 100% output if the fire alarm system is activated.
Steven Mrak: With the advancement of LEDs, lighting can now take on many forms. For select spaces in the buildings, we are receiving requests from architects and designers for shapes such as rings, triangles, squares and wavy lines in addition to both recessed and aircraft-mounted styles. By providing this type of lighting, it gives the building some “pop” that was difficult to achieve through previous K-12 lighting design.
