Modular Process Control Buildings: A Flexible Solution for Remote Site Automation

Operators of remote industrial sites and oil and gas processing facilities face a familiar set of pressures: tight construction schedules, leaner field crews, and the need to protect increasingly expensive automation equipment from harsh outdoor conditions. Modular process control buildings, also known as modular E-houses or pre-engineered control buildings, address all three. Principal Technology designs and manufactures these structures in a clean, modern factory environment using our system fabrication services, delivering process automation, control system equipment, and power distribution inside a single, fully tested module.

What Is a Modular Process Control Building?

A modular process control building is a factory-built structure that centralizes process automation and control system integration along with motor controls, switchgear, and sensitive analytical instrumentation for industrial processing operations. Often called modular E-houses or E-buildings, they ship to site with all required equipment installed, wired, and tested. Final placement and connection to power and field instruments is all that is required for the building to become operational.

Principal Technology builds modules ranging from 10 to 13 feet wide, 10 feet high, and up to 30 feet or more in length. For larger control rooms, modules can be combined to create virtually unlimited configurations.

Why Choose a Modular E-House for Remote Industrial Sites?

The case for modular construction comes down to schedule, quality, and protection of capital equipment.

“Pressures to reduce staff levels for onsite construction operations, coupled with the increasing sophistication and expense of automation and control equipment, make modular structures an excellent choice to house and protect sensitive automation and process controls,” said Matthew S. Hodson, P.E., president and CEO of Principal Technology. “Alternatively, these buildings are also an effective means to add control room capabilities to processing facilities where existing climate-controlled space is minimal.”

Built for the Harshest Environments

Each E-house is constructed of 2″, 4″, or 6″ pre-insulated modular wall and roof panels. Integrated HVAC systems maintain optimal temperatures for sensitive electronics and keep operations running in extreme conditions. Optional features include:

• Humidity control to protect circuit boards and instrumentation
• Dust mitigation for arid or particulate-heavy sites
• Purge and pressurization for installation in hazardous (classified) areas
• Reinforced construction to deter theft and vandalism at unmanned remote sites

Plug-and-Play Installation Reduces Site Labor

Because every component is installed and tested in the factory, on-site work is reduced to setting the building, hooking up power, and landing field wiring. This shortens project schedules, improves quality control, and limits the disruption that stick-built construction can cause at an active processing plant.

Power Distribution, UPS Backup, and Remote Connectivity

Modular control buildings from Principal Technology can be configured as much more than simple shelters for control panels. Common options include:

• Built-in UPS backup systems to ride through power disturbances
• Self-contained power generators for extremely isolated locations
• Cellular signal boosters, satellite antennas, and wireless network access to connect operators and maintenance staff at remote sites

Inside larger E-buildings, there is room for a full control station with operator interface terminals, giving plant personnel a clean, sheltered place to work.

“When it comes to operations and maintenance after the E-building is installed, field technicians appreciate the ability to work within a clean, sheltered, climate-controlled environment,” said Hodson. “Within the larger structures, there is even room to add a control station with operator interface terminal.”

A Cost-Effective Alternative to Site-Built Control Rooms

For processing plants with limited interior space, or sites where on-site construction would be disruptive or hazardous, modular E-houses are a cost-effective way to add control room capacity. Rather than installing an outdoor control panel or building a stick-built shelter, operators get a modern control room environment that protects expensive control equipment and provides a comfortable workspace for staff.

Modular process control buildings from Principal Technology serve natural gas, refining, chemical, sulfur recovery, water and wastewater, and general industrial facilities, with each unit engineered to the specific process and environmental requirements of the site.

Ready to Specify Your Modular Process Control Building?

Every modular E-house is engineered to the specific equipment, process, and environmental requirements of the site. Principal Technology handles the full scope of work: engineering and design, fabrication in our quality-controlled factory, system integration, factory acceptance testing, and on-site commissioning.

Whether you’re outfitting a remote oil and gas pad, adding control room capacity at an existing processing plant, or planning an automation upgrade for an unmanned site, our team can help you scope and deliver the right solution.