An active seismic protection system installed on the rooftop enhances the resilience of a critical healthcare facility. ETA’s E COR enclosures house electronic components and lithium battery cells in an outdoor environment, integrating seamlessly into existing technical spaces without disrupting hospital operations.

Enhancing the seismic safety of a healthcare facility while ensuring uninterrupted hospital operations and protecting electronic equipment installed outdoors represents a particularly complex engineering challenge.

This was the context of the project carried out at San Martino Hospital in Genoa, where ISAAC installed an Active Mass Damper system designed to reduce building vibrations in real time and enhance its seismic resilience. ETA’s E COR enclosures were selected to house and protect the system’s lithium battery cells and electronic components.

The project was developed to ensure the continued operation of the facility throughout installation, avoiding invasive modifications to the existing building. ISAAC, an Italian company headquartered in Milan and specialized in the development of intelligent seismic protection systems for existing buildings, managed the entire project, from the preliminary assessment and detailed engineering through to supply, installation and continuous monitoring activation.

A dual technical challenge

The main challenge was finding a suitable solution to house the lithium battery cells and electronic components required to operate the system. The equipment had to be installed on the rooftop, fully exposed to outdoor conditions and within technical areas already occupied by existing systems, with stringent space constraints.

To meet these requirements, ISAAC selected E COR enclosures in painted sheet steel, customized to the specific needs of the application.

E COR enclosures combine robustness, innovative design and maximum functionality. Developed through ETA’s research and development activities, they feature an exclusive construction concept with a structurally reinforced enclosure fold and a patented hinge system, designed to simplify installation while increasing the overall rigidity of the structure.

The welded construction, together with the ability to customize and adapt cut-outs, finishes and configurations to specific system requirements, as well as the dedicated coating cycle for outdoor applications, ensured reliability and long-term durability even under particularly demanding environmental conditions.

“Every project presents a different challenge, and our added value lies in our ability to tackle it together with the customer. By listening carefully to ISAAC’s requirements and working side by side throughout every stage of development, we were able to identify and deliver the solution best suited to the application. Our flexible approach and continuous collaboration transformed a specific requirement into a successful project,” says ETA.

The enclosures’ compact dimensions also facilitated installation within the available areas, reducing the amount of adaptation work required on site.

Another key advantage appreciated by ETA’s customer was the availability of 3D models of the E COR enclosures, downloadable from the ETA website and compatible with BIM environments. This feature accelerated the integration of the solutions into the design workflow, helping streamline detailed engineering activities.

Finally, the Active Mass Damper system was installed on the rooftop without altering the building’s load-bearing structure. The result is a solution that can now continuously monitor the dynamic behaviour of the structure and actively reduce its vibrations in the event of a seismic event.

An effective collaboration between ETA and ISAAC

The collaboration between ETA and ISAAC builds on previous experience gained through research and development activities. For the San Martino Hospital project, the ability to customize standard products and the availability of digital models helped accelerate both the design and installation phases.

“The collaboration proved to be solid and strongly focused on addressing the project’s requirements in a practical and effective way. ETA’s willingness to provide customized solutions and its technical support contributed to the successful outcome of the project in a particularly sensitive installation environment such as a hospital. In facilities like San Martino, technology must enhance safety without interfering with the day-to-day life of the building. This objective was fully achieved,” explains xxxx, [role] at ISAAC.

The San Martino Hospital project demonstrates how the seismic safety of an operational healthcare facility can be enhanced without disrupting its activities, combining advanced building protection technologies with solutions capable of adapting to existing installation constraints.

To find out more about the E COR range and download the 3D models compatible with BIM environments, visit:

ETA E COR enclosures