Confirm that the project calls for a lightning protection system and which standard it names, then compare the air terminals and conductors with the current roof plan and rooftop equipment, the down conductors with the structure and facade, and the grounding with the electrical grounding drawings. AI can flag conflicts; the designer and installer confirm compliance.
What does NFPA 780 cover?
NFPA 780 is the Standard for the Installation of Lightning Protection Systems. NFPA describes it as providing lightning protection system installation requirements to safeguard people and property from fire risk and related hazards associated with lightning exposure.
NFPA’s official NFPA 780 page identifies the 2026 edition as current when checked on October 2, 2026. Confirm the edition, local amendments, and project scope that actually govern the work. The publisher’s newest edition does not establish local adoption.
Whether a building needs lightning protection is a project decision, made by the owner, a risk assessment, or a requirement such as an insurer’s; record where the decision is stated. The system connects to the building’s grounding under the NFPA 70 electrical guide.
Collect the roof, the structure, and the grounding
Bring the lightning protection drawings and specification, the current roof plan with rooftop mechanical and solar equipment, parapet and roof edge details, exterior elevations, structural drawings where steel or reinforcing is used as a conductor, and the electrical grounding and bonding drawings.
The lightning protection design is often delegated to an installer. Record which elements are still to come in a submittal and confirm which issue of the roof plan the design used.
Trace the system from roof to ground
| Review question | Sources to compare | Decision to record |
|---|---|---|
| Requirement | Specifications, owner requirements, general notes | Confirm the project requires a system and names the standard. |
| Rooftop equipment | Roof plan, mechanical and solar drawings, LP plan | Identify equipment added or moved since the lightning protection layout. |
| Roof edges and parapets | Roof details, elevations, LP plan | Match the roof outline and parapet heights across documents. |
| Down conductors | LP plan, elevations, structural drawings | Check that down conductor routes fit the current facade and structure. |
| Grounding | LP grounding plan, electrical grounding drawings | Reconcile ground terminations and bonding to the electrical system. |
| Roofing interface | Roofing specifications, membrane details, LP details | Confirm attachments and penetrations are coordinated with the roofing system. |
Use the roofing and waterproofing checklist for attachments, and the electrical drawing checklist for grounding.
Example: new rooftop units outside the protected layout
Hypothetical example. The current mechanical roof plan adds two rooftop units near the roof edge, while the lightning protection drawing is based on an earlier roof plan without them. The electrical grounding plan shows fewer ground terminations than the lightning protection plan.
The current mechanical roof plan adds two rooftop units that the lightning protection layout does not show, and the grounding plan and lightning protection plan show different ground terminations. Please confirm the layout and coordinate the grounding.
The lightning protection designer updates the layout for the current roof, and the electrical engineer coordinates grounding. Whether the system complies is the designer’s and installer’s decision.
Review lightning protection coordination with Groundbook
Upload the current project PDFs and relevant specifications to Groundbook. Identify the governing issues and add the applicable NFPA 780 reference from a copy you are licensed to use, where the license permits uploading it. State the edition, amendments, review area, and known exclusions in your instructions.
Compare the lightning protection drawings and specification with the current roof plan, rooftop equipment, roof edge details, elevations, structural drawings, and electrical grounding drawings. Flag equipment, edges, routes, or ground terminations that disagree. Use the supplied NFPA 780 reference where applicable and cite both sources.
Groundbook links each potential finding to the sheets behind it. Confirm the roof plan issue used by each package before asking a question.
Document review does not perform a lightning risk assessment, design the system, or certify the installation. Those remain with the qualified designer, the installer, and any certifying body.