EMP, what is it and what do I do?
Electromagnetic pulse (EMP) events-whether from nuclear detonation, localized interference devices, or severe solar storms-pose a unique but often overlooked risk to the built environment. Unlike familiar hazards such as hurricanes or floods, EMPs are invisible, travel at the speed of light, and can disrupt or destroy modern electronics across wide areas.
The cause is either man-made (a high-altitude nuclear burst or intentional interference device) or natural (a geomagnetic disturbance from the sun). The effect is electrical: EMP can overload and disable sensitive electronics, building control systems, and long conductor networks like transmission lines. The impact cascades across communities-blackouts, loss of communications, water and wastewater disruptions, and impaired healthcare and emergency services.
For architects, the significance is clear: modern buildings depend on electronic controls for safety, comfort, and operations. From access control to fire alarms to HVAC automation, these systems are vulnerable. Yet many practical, code-aligned measures exist: whole-building surge protection, robust grounding, shielded enclosures for critical equipment, and protected backup power. For critical facilities such as hospitals and emergency centers, deeper protections-including shielded zones and long-duration independent power-are now part of federal guidance.
Importantly, these strategies are not abstract-they are already being tested in the built environment. Omni-Threat Structures have pioneered hardened facilities where the structure itself is both the protective envelope and the electromagnetic shield, eliminating the need for costly secondary Faraday cages. Gaven Industries' EMP-shielded data centers demonstrate how mission-critical spaces can be designed or retrofitted with shielded rooms, filtered penetrations, and protected backup systems, ensuring operations continue even in the harshest electromagnetic environment. Meanwhile, research into conductive concretes and spray-applied shielding materials shows how everyday building elements could be adapted to absorb or deflect electromagnetic energy, offering cost-effective retrofit options for existing structures.
Together, these examples prove that EMP resilience can be woven into architecture without sacrificing design intent. Just as seismic codes reshaped structural detailing and floodplain maps changed how we build on coasts, electromagnetic protection is emerging as the next frontier in resilience.
Ultimately, resilience to EMP and solar disturbances should be viewed alongside seismic, wind, and flood hazards: a design consideration that spans all building types, scaled to risk and mission criticality. For National Preparedness Month, the call to action is straightforward: design with continuity in mind, protect the electronics that power building operations, and ensure communities can withstand and recover from invisible hazards.
General Preparedness Plan for All Buildings (EMP/GMD Resilience)
1. Understand the Hazard
- Recognize that electromagnetic pulses (EMP) can come from:
- Nuclear detonation at high altitude (HEMP) → wide-area, high-severity.
- Intentional electromagnetic interference (IEMI) → localized, targeted at facilities.
- Geomagnetic disturbances (solar storms, GMD) → large-area but slow-acting, primarily affects long conductors like power grids.
2. Baseline Protections (all building types)
- Surge Protection: Install whole-building surge protective devices (SPDs) at service entrances per NEC requirements.
- Bonding & Grounding: Ensure all metallic systems (electrical, mechanical, communications) are bonded and grounded to reduce coupling pathways.
- Cable Management: Route utilities through common entry points and minimize long, unprotected conductor runs.
3. Critical Equipment Protection
- Shielding & Filtering: For life-safety, IT, and building automation systems, consider shielded rooms/enclosures with filtered penetrations.
- Backup Power: Protect both the generator/battery system and its electronic controls; store extra fuel and confirm manual operation capability.
- Redundancy & Spares: Keep spare relays, controllers, radios, and networking equipment.
4. Operational Preparedness
- Continuity Planning: Document manual override procedures for HVAC, access control, and water systems.
- Exercises: Practice operating without automation or communications.
- Coordination: Work with utilities on their GMD/EMP response (NERC TPL-007 compliance).
5. Design & Policy Integration
- Design Basis Threat (DBT): Decide what level of hazard you're preparing for (solar storm vs. HEMP vs. localized IEMI).
- Codes & Standards Alignment: Reference NEC surge requirements, DHS/CISA facility-level hardening guidance, and international standards (IEC 61000-5-10).
- Critical Facilities: Hospitals, data centers, emergency operations centers should plan for at least 30 days of protected power and logistics.
Real-World Examples of EMP/EM Shielding
1. Omni-Threat Structures™ (e.g., subsystems at Patuxent River NAS, MD)
- What it is: These are specially constructed, hardened buildings using conductive shotcrete-structures that blend physical security with electromagnetic shielding.
- Key features: They eliminate the need for an inner "box"-instead, the structure itself provides a Faraday-like barrier. They're scalable and suitable for critical infrastructure (e.g., command centers, SCADA rooms, telecom nodes). PRWeb
2. EMP-Shielding Data Centers by Gaven Industries
- What it is: Retrofitted-or newly built-data centers with large shielded volumes (thousands of sq ft), using prefabricated panels that provide HEMP protection.
- Key features: Includes filtered and shielded feeds for backup generators and power, full BIM integration, MIL-STD-188-125 acceptance testing. Also offers smaller-scale rack or cabinet-level shielding for targeted resilience. Gaven Industries
3. Conductive (EMP-Proof) Materials for Building Envelopes
- Spray-on Conductive Concrete (Univ. of Nebraska–Lincoln): A magnetite-based conductive coating that can be spray-applied to existing structures. It absorbs and reflects electromagnetic energy, reducing the need for costly metal Faraday enclosures. All About Circuits
- EMP-Shielding Paint (Carbon/Binder Mixtures): Applied to reduce electromagnetic penetration in concrete structures, offering improved SE (shielding effectiveness) of 25–40 dB along with durability in harsh environments. ResearchGate
4. Modular "EMP-in-a-Box" Systems
- What it is: Portable, modular shielded enclosures-often used for sensitive equipment or temporary deployment.
- Key features: Designed to mitigate E1 and E2 effects (fast, high-frequency pulse components). Ideal for rapid installation missions, designed to MIL-STD-188/125 standards. Still require additional protection against E3 (long-duration, low-frequency) disturbances.Whole Building Design Guide
5. Lightning-Suppression (CMCE) Installations in Santa Rosa County, FL
- What it is: Though not EMP-oriented, these systems (CMCE from EMP Defense) prevent lightning strikes via charge-neutralizing technology-a useful analog given the similar vulnerabilities of electronics.
- Key impact: Since installing seven CMCE units in 2019, none of the county's public-safety towers suffered direct lightning damage, eliminating related insurance claims. EMP DEFENSE+1
Why These Matter for Architects
- Applicability to civilian infrastructure: The Omni-Threat and Gaven systems show that it's technically feasible-and architecturally practical-to embed EMP shielding into the fabric of buildings without compromising design.
- Retrofittable solutions: Conductive concrete and paint provide compelling retrofit strategies that align well with adaptive reuse, modernization, or sustainability goals-key concerns for AIA audiences.
- Scalable resilience: Modular or box-based solutions allow for strategic application-perfect for projects where only specific zones (e.g., command centers, EOCs, data centers) require hardened protection.
- Analogous performance evidence: Though CMCE systems are for lightning, the community-level effectiveness (zero direct damage post-installation) lends weight to narratives around prevention and built resilience. EMP DEFENSE+1
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Sammy Shams, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP, Fitwel Amb., LFA, LSSYB
Sustainable Design Leader, Health
HKS Inc.
Orlando, FL
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