How to specify an E-House: an RFQ checklist

An E-House is designed around the equipment it holds. When the enquiry is vague, every manufacturer fills the gaps with its own assumptions, and quotes become impossible to compare. When the enquiry is complete, proposals line up, clarifications shrink and the programme starts on firm ground.

You do not need every item frozen to start a conversation. Mark what is final, what is preliminary and what you want the manufacturer to propose.

It also helps to name one technical contact on your side who can answer questions quickly. Manufacturers usually return a short clarification list after reviewing an enquiry; the faster those answers come back, the sooner a firm proposal and a realistic programme follow.

1. 01Single-line diagram and the panel schedule: every panel, its dimensions, weight and front/rear access requirement.
2. 02Panel general arrangement (GA) drawings, including base frame details and any floor cut-outs.
3. 03Whether panels are free-issue to be installed in the factory, or installed on site after the enclosure is placed.
4. 04Other equipment inside: battery banks, UPS, transformers, RTU or SCADA cabinets, marshalling panels.
5. 05Required clearances front, rear and at the ends, as advised by your panel maker and the standards your project follows.

The panel schedule is the backbone of the design. Room length, width, floor strength, lifting points and even the transport plan follow from it, so flag clearly which dimensions and weights are final and which are still estimates from the panel maker.

1. 01Cable entry method: bottom entry through a trench or false floor, side entry through gland plates, or top entry via trays.
2. 02Approximate cable counts and sizes per panel, so openings and trench depth are right.
3. 03Cable tray or ladder routes inside the room, and any interconnection between modules.
4. 04Sealing requirement at entries against water, dust and vermin.

Cable entry decides the floor construction and the foundation, so it must be settled before either is designed. If cable quantities are uncertain, allow spare gland plates or blanked openings rather than cutting new ones on site later.

1. 01Heat dissipation of each panel and piece of equipment, or the total heat load.
2. 02Target internal temperature and humidity range, and whether redundancy is needed in cooling.
3. 03Site ambient conditions: maximum temperature, dust, humidity, coastal or corrosive atmosphere.
4. 04Fire detection and alarm provisions, and whether a suppression system is required, with space for its cylinders and nozzles.
5. 05Emergency exits, door swing direction and panic hardware requirements.

1. 01Lighting levels, emergency lighting and small power outlets.
2. 02Earthing: internal earth bus, connection points to the site earth grid, and lightning protection if needed.
3. 03Wall and roof panel preference and thickness, or the thermal performance you need.
4. 04Floor loading, with the heaviest panels and any point loads marked.
5. 05Wind and seismic data for the site, as specified by your project.
6. 06External finish and colour, including corrosion protection for coastal or chemical environments.

1. 01Site address, access road condition and any known height, width or weight restrictions on the route.
2. 02Crane access and hardstanding at site, and who arranges the lift.
3. 03Foundation type (plinth or pedestals) and who designs it; the manufacturer should supply the load data.
4. 04Documents required: GA drawings, structural calculations, bill of materials, inspection and test plan, manuals.
5. 05The standards and client specifications your project requires, so they are designed for from the start.
6. 06Inspection stages you or your client want to witness at the factory.

Most E-House revisions trace back to a few missing or changing inputs. Catching them at enquiry stage saves weeks later.

A short kick-off meeting after order, with the electrical, civil and HVAC leads in the same room as the manufacturer, is usually the most efficient way to close these out.

When quotes come back, check that each one states its assumptions: internal dimensions, panel thickness, floor construction, HVAC capacity and redundancy, what fire provisions are included, whether panel installation is in scope, and who is responsible for transport, lifting and site interconnections. A lower quote that leaves out HVAC or transport is not a lower cost.

Ask each supplier for a preliminary GA drawing with the panel layout drawn in. It shows at a glance whether they have understood the equipment, the clearances and the cable routes, and it becomes the basis for design review after award.

If some of this is still open, send what you have. We can work through the gaps with your team and return a proposal that states every assumption clearly.