Armoda’s technical buildings are manufactured to meet customer requirements. Two of the less well-known types of technical buildings that Armoda manufactures are the Telecommunications Electronics Material Protected from Emanating Spurious Transmissions (TEMPEST) buildings and the electromagnetic interference (EMI) buildings. Like other technical buildings they house various types of electronic equipment and are used to store and protect that equipment. This article will examine TEMPEST and EMI buildings, what they are, how they help protect sensitive information, and where they are used.

In past articles, we’ve answered the question, “What is a technical building?” But, as a quick refresher before we go into TEMPEST and EMI buildings, let’s review technical buildings in general. Technical buildings are often prefabricated, and are constructed to enclose and protect equipment in hazardous or harsh environments. These buildings are used for many jobs, including accommodating control rooms, instruments, transformers, data centers, and other types of electrical equipment. Because they are often deployed in hazardous environments, they are constructed to withstand extreme conditions. They are also highly customizable and can be designed to meet a client’s exact technical specifications, allowing them to be utilized in various situations.

What are TEMPEST Buildings?

TEMPEST buildings are manufactured and designed to accommodate and protect equipment that meets security standards regarding electromagnetic radiation. The buildings and equipment are constructed with measures taken to secure electronic equipment and systems against potential compromise of their information through the unintentional emanation of electronic signals. Like in our regular lives, electronics and data have become integral to the everyday tasks of the military and other law enforcement agencies. These buildings are increasing in demand as electronic warfare is now a common battleground.

How do TEMPEST Buildings protect information?

A TEMPEST building is outfitted with equipment to minimize electromagnetic radiation from electronic devices within, preventing the interception of classified or sensitive information by eavesdropping on the unintentional signals emitted by electronic equipment. This is particularly important in government, military, and other environments where protecting classified information is crucial.

The National Security Telecommunications and Information Systems Security (NSTISS) has created the Advisory Memorandum TEMPEST/1-92, known as NSTISSAM TEMPEST/1-92. This memorandum is used to specify test procedures for identifying the conducted emanation and electromagnetic radiation emanation characteristics of individual equipment in a laboratory environment. The standards cover various aspects, including shielding, filtering, and other measures to ensure electronic equipment does not inadvertently leak information through electromagnetic radiation. The memorandum also includes specified distances between equipment and walls and building pipes and the space between cables carrying classified vs. unclassified information.

The equipment is broken down into three levels of security. Level 1 ensures the highest containment of classified signals, Level II is for the moderate containment of classified signals, and Level III offers basic containment of classified signals. The necessary level depends on the information being housed or moved through the equipment.

All the equipment, either supplied by the customer or outfitted by Armoda, for TEMPEST buildings are approved to have passed the necessary testing to ensure they meet the level requirements within the project's scope. The buildings are manufactured with additional measures to prevent compromising emanations and protect against electromagnetic interference that can cause equipment malfunctions and data loss.

What are EMI Buildings?

Other applications serve the same purpose as TEMPEST buildings but do not require TEMPEST certification. EMI buildings are utilized for applications like this. EMI buildings encompass similar features to TEMPEST buildings but without testing and certification. Like TEMPEST buildings, an EMI building’s doors and penetrations are constructed to prevent interference from exterior sources and transmission of signals from the interior of the module.

TEMPEST and EMI Buildings Not just for Military and Government

Protecting sensitive information is not just a concern for the military and other government entities. Today, many private sector businesses have sensitive data that they must house and store. TEMPEST and EMI buildings can be built to house a wide range of equipment, providing a custom solution to meet the business's exact needs.

Protection Where It’s Needed

Each TEMPEST and EMI building is custom-designed, allowing them to be used across many applications. They have been used to add equipment to existing infrastructure where space inside the current building is inadequate. They can also be utilized in remote locations to house and protect sensitive equipment and data where they would not normally be available.

Armoda’s TEMPEST and EMI technical buildings are manufactured to house and protect equipment that contains sensitive information. This overview should give a general understanding of the purpose and uses of TEMPEST buildings. If you have any questions about TEMPEST and EMI buildings and how they could support your next project, contact Armoda today!