For several years now, DIBV Real Estate, in collaboration with Gouweloos Techniek, has been conducting inspections of the electrical installations at Utrecht University in accordance with the NEN 3140 standard. These are comprehensive inspections carried out across the university’s diverse, technically complex, and often monumental buildings.
Due to the complexity of the environments, the inspections are carefully planned and executed in two distinct phases to ensure minimal disruption to ongoing university operations while maintaining the highest standards of safety and compliance.
In the first phase, the electrical installations are subjected to a primarily visual inspection, where the general condition, safety aspects, and compliance with applicable regulations are assessed. This phase also includes thermographic imaging, a technique that uses infrared cameras to detect potential overheating or defects in electrical components that could lead to failures or fire hazards. Identifying these issues early helps prevent downtime and increases the overall safety of the installations.
The second phase of the inspection is coordinated around a planned powerdown, during which selected parts of the electrical system are temporarily de-energized. This allows the inspection team to carry out critical tests and measurements that can only be performed in a voltage-free state. These include insulation resistance testing, continuity tests of protective conductors, and verification of proper grounding and bonding — all of which are essential to ensure safe operation and legal compliance.
By structuring the inspections in this two-phase approach, DIBV Real Estate and Gouweloos Techniek provide Utrecht University with in-depth insights into the condition of its electrical systems, while ensuring the continuity of academic and research activities is safeguarded. Moreover, the findings from these inspections serve as valuable input for maintenance planning, risk management, and future upgrades aimed at sustainability and energy efficiency.
