Lightning strikes are creating new risks for modern buildings. Omega Red Group's Managing Director, Nick Marshall, explores what’s driving the change and how organisations can adapt.
Lightning strikes have always posed a risk to buildings and their occupants, through dangerous sparking and fire, but the consequences are changing. As the built environment becomes increasingly electrified and digitally connected, modern buildings rely more than ever on electrical infrastructure. From integrated building management systems and server rooms to rooftop photovoltaics (PV) arrays and electric vehicle (EV) chargers, there is not only more to go wrong but, crucially, more pathways for lightning surge energy to enter a building and cause serious damage.
The growing reliance on connected building systems, production technology and sensitive IT infrastructure means that even a relatively distant lightning strike can disrupt operations through electrical surges. At the same time, the growth of sustainable technologies, such as PV systems, battery storage and EV charging infrastructure, introduces additional electrical pathways into buildings. Together, these developments are increasing both exposure to lightning-related surges and the potential consequences when they occur.
Across many sectors we have seen increasing disruption from electrical outages in recent years. Damage to building management, fire and security systems presents an obvious safety concern, but operational downtime often has the greatest financial impact. The powerful electrical surges that can enter buildings because of lightning can damage production equipment, servers and refrigeration systems, leading to IT shutdown, halted production, loss of stock and disruption across supply chains.
For designers, contractors and building facilities managers working in sectors such as logistics and distribution, manufacturing, data centres, healthcare, utilities and transport, lightning protection systems are increasingly becoming an integral part of resilience planning. We have come a long way from the days when lightning protection was simply inspected annually to satisfy compliance requirements.
Published in 2025, BS EN IEC 62305, the British Standard for lightning protection, reflects the growing complexity of modern buildings and the risks they face. The revised standard places emphasis on a holistic risk assessment approach. Where different categories of risk were once considered largely in isolation, designers are now encouraged to assess the full range of potential impacts – including operational disruption, equipment damage and business continuity risks – and to tailor protection strategies accordingly.
This shift is also influencing the way projects are delivered. Increasingly, lightning protection specialists are being involved earlier in the design process, working alongside architects, consultants and engineers to ensure that resilience is considered from the outset. A well-designed, integrated lightning protection system – incorporating air termination, down conductor and earthing systems, plus equipotential bonding and surge protection measures – can significantly reduce the risk of lightning-related damage and costly downtime.
It is not just our buildings that are changing; our climate is too. While it remains difficult to predict exactly how weather patterns will evolve, building designers are having to consider the potential for more volatile storm activity over the lifetime of a structure. Designing for resilience against extreme weather events is therefore becoming an increasingly important part of long-term asset planning.
Another important factor over the life of a building is modification and change of use. Extensions, the addition of new electrical systems, or changes in building operations can all significantly alter the level of lightning risk. The installation of rooftop solar panels, new production equipment or EV charging infrastructure, for example, may introduce additional surge pathways that were not considered in the original design.
For this reason, industry best practice now encourages building and facilities managers to revisit lightning protection and wider risk assessments periodically. Regular review helps ensure that the protection measures in place continue to reflect the current configuration of the building and the operational priorities of the business.
Lightning protection is increasingly recognised as part of a broader resilience strategy that includes climate adaptation, protection of digital infrastructure and business continuity planning. In an increasingly electrified and digitally dependent built environment, lightning protection is no longer just about diverting a strike safely to the ground. It is about ensuring buildings – and the businesses inside them – remain operational when extreme weather hits.
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