For lightning protection, the Ars Sonora has six lines of defense:
- The stainless steel skin of the structure is designed to be a lightning rod that is connected to a large continuous grounding loop below ground.
- Galvanized rigid conduit is grounded to prevent damage to interior components from a surge.
- Cables inside the conduit are wrapped with a conductive layer that is grounded to insulate cabling from a surge.
- A grounded pull box on the south side of the sculpture connects and protects the cabling between the chapel and the Ars Sonora.
- Power surge protection devices have been designed to insulate and shield the 97 circuit boards that operate the dynamic strikers, which play the bells.
- New lightning terminals will be installed on top of the adjacent Sykes College of Business and Graduate and Health Studies buildings.