Lightning protection is a mystery to many, and often a value engineering target for those who do not understand the purpose of a lightning protection system, according to a blog by Krista Biason, HGA Architects & Engineers, on the Electrical Construction & Maintenance website.

Lightning protection is not necessarily a “design preference,” but the need for a lightning protection system is determined by the requirements of NFPA 70 and NFPA 780, a lightning risk assessment and (often) the facility’s insurance carrier.

The primary reason for a lightning protection system is to route that electrical energy to a less destructive path to ground — instead of traveling through the building’s electrical wiring, water piping, structure, or low-voltage cabling paths where it could create significant chaos inside the building, the blog said.

A lightning protection system needs to be installed correctly to add safety to the building. Any gap in the system provides an area of vulnerability for the structure.

Read the blog.