Standby Generators for Buildings, Business & Home

A standby generator is the difference between a building that keeps working through a mains failure and one that empties out. Ozwide Power supplies, installs and services automatic standby generators for commercial buildings, new developments, industrial facilities and homes across Perth — from 2 kVA sets for a house to 777 kVA sets that carry fire pumps, lifts, smoke control and whole tenancies.

Every system we supply is engineered around the actual load: motor-starting demand, transfer time, fuel autonomy and the essential-services rules in the National Construction Code and AS/NZS 3010. We are a Pramac Authorised Dealer and Perkins and Volvo OEM dealer, so the set, the automatic transfer switches and the aftersales support all come from one Perth-based team.

Which situation are you in?

We have written a dedicated guide for each of the ways a building ends up needing standby power. Pick yours:

• New building construction — specifying and delivering a generator for a building under design or construction: NCC triggers, sizing, fuel, acoustics, lead times and commissioning.
• New commercial developments — backup power for offices, retail, logistics, medical and mixed-use projects: base-build vs tenant generators, future tenancy loads and staged delivery.
• Replacing an old or outdated generator — when a 15–30-year-old set is failing tests, out of parts or under-sized: like-for-like swaps, controls upgrades and changeover without downtime.
• Compliance and testing — what AS/NZS 3010, AS/NZS 3000 and the NCC require, monthly test runs, annual load bank testing and the records you need to keep.
• Critical facilities — aged care, medical, cold storage, telecommunications, water and data rooms where an outage is a safety or compliance event, not just an inconvenience.

How a building standby system works

Mains fails. Within 1–3 seconds the generator controller detects the loss and cranks the engine. Within 10–15 seconds the set is at stable voltage and frequency and the automatic transfer switch (ATS) moves the essential-services board across. Fire pumps, stair pressurisation, lifts, emergency lighting, smoke exhaust and any nominated tenant circuits keep running. When mains returns, the ATS waits (typically 5–10 minutes) to confirm supply is stable, transfers back, then runs the engine on a cool-down cycle and shuts down. Nobody has to be on site.

Three design inputs decide the size of the set: the running load of everything on the essential board, the motor-starting load (a fire pump can draw 3–3.5× its running current on start), and the fuel autonomy the building needs — commonly 4 hours where the set only supports fire systems, 8 hours where it responds to any mains failure, and 24–48 hours for hospitals and data facilities.

Standby generator range

All ranges are available with sound-attenuated canopies, extended fuel tanks, block heaters, battery chargers and remote monitoring. Standby (ESP) is the rating for backup duty on a mains-connected site; prime (PRP) is for continuous running where the generator is the only supply.

What the NCC and AS/NZS 3010 expect

Most commercial buildings over three storeys, and any building with a fire pump, stair pressurisation or fire-mode lifts, need an emergency power supply that keeps those systems running through a mains failure (NCC Part E, Performance Requirement CP7; AS/NZS 3000 clause 7.2 for essential-services wiring). AS/NZS 3010 governs the generator installation itself — including that the generator and mains can never be connected at the same time, which is why an ATS is not optional. Emergency lighting to AS 2293 and fire pump supply to AS 2941 have their own timing and duration rules. Our compliance and testing guide walks through each of them.

Why buildings and businesses choose Ozwide Power

• Pramac Authorised Dealer, Perkins and Volvo OEM dealer — factory support, genuine parts and warranty on every set we supply.
• One team, whole lifecycle — sizing, supply, automatic transfer switches, generator installation, commissioning, then servicing & maintenance for the life of the unit.
• Perth-based technicians covering the CBD and every metro industrial precinct, with regional WA by arrangement.
• Standby sets from 2 to 777 kVA in stock or on short lead time, plus 100–3,200 A transfer switches.
• Digital service reports and a customer online portal for the compliance records building managers, insurers and auditors ask for.

Frequently asked questions

What size standby generator does a commercial building need?

Enough to start and run everything on the essential-services board at once. A 10-storey office with a 180 kW running load can still need a 350 kVA set because the fire pump and pressurisation fans start together. Send us the load schedule and we will size it properly rather than guessing.

Diesel or gas?

Diesel for most buildings and industrial sites — higher outputs, on-site fuel storage and no dependence on the gas network. Gas (natural gas or LPG) suits homes and smaller commercial sites where refuelling is impractical and a gas supply is already there.

How long does a building generator take to supply?

Sets up to about 150 kVA are often in stock or 2–6 weeks away. Larger sets and custom canopies, fuel tanks or switchboards run 8–16 weeks. Order at design stage, not when the slab is poured.

Do you install as well as supply?

Yes. Sizing, supply, transfer switch, installation with licensed electrical contractors, commissioning and handover testing, then servicing & maintenance on a maintenance agreement.

Can you look at our existing generator before we decide?

Yes — a site survey and load test tells you whether the existing set can be kept, upgraded or has to go. See generator replacement.

Talk to us about backup power for your building

Call (08) 6385 1104 or request a generator quote online. Send us your load schedule, drawings or a photo of the existing set and we will come back with a sized, priced proposal.