3. Infrastructure & Pathway Design - California State … State University TIP Standards Effective May 2007 INFRASTRUCTURE & PATHWAY DESIGN Page 3-1 3. Infrastructure & Pathway Design

California State University

TIP Standards Effective May 2007 INFR ASTRUCTURE & PATHW AY DESIGN Page 3-1

3. Infrastructure & Pathway Design

This section of the TIP Standards identifies specific design and construction requirements that must be met as the minimum acceptable level of building infrastructure support.

3.1 General Considerations

3.1.1 Introduction This section provides detailed information regarding the design of the telecommunications pathways and spaces in new construction and facility remodel projects. The CSU expects that it will be used by architects and their sub-consultants during the detailed design phase of a project in the preparation of specifications and working drawings and by campus telecommunications and facility planning staff as a checklist for construction design projects.

Section 3 outlines various sizing and selection criteria, provides sample designs and "typical" configurations, documents various construction-related specifications, and highlights recommendations for improving the methods used to address telecommunications issues.

333

- Focus – Architects &

subconsultants - Campus IT &

Facility Planners

- Outputs – Plans &

Specifications



3.1.2 Reference Sources

Refer to Section 2.2, Reference Standards.

3.1.3 Documentation Standards As the need for greater detail in plans and specifications has become apparent during more recent construction and implementation of new facilities and systems, each design firm has developed its own criteria for developing and documenting telecommunications infrastructure. However, as a public agency committed to the public works approach in project contracting, the CSU expects a high level of detail in its plans and specifications. This subsection provides some direction to be used in conjunction with the CSU CAD standards, Project Management documents, and the designer’s professional services contract scope of work in preparing formal design documents.

Construction documents for all CSU capital projects involving telecommunications infrastructure are expected to provide at least the following information:

1. Statement of Work for each building – A brief overview (2 to 3 paragraphs) of the scope of work for each building, the planned method of transition to the new media, and any restrictions or limitations for working within the building.

2. Statement of work for the inter-building pathways and media – A brief synopsis of the scope of work, by pathway, with an indication of any unique or particularly difficult building entrance sites. Unique restrictions or limitations of particular routes or building entrance points should be included.

3. Building floor plans – The floor plans should reflect the location of telecommunication spaces, all riser or backbone pathways, and any unique construction requirements. The end result is that the bidder must be aware of the designer’s expectations for all pathways, and there should be no question of how cables should be placed to any outlet location. Required telecommunications outlets must be identified, by type and location, prior to the start of construction.



4.

Figure 3 - 1

Typical Design Document Details

Note: Drawings are examples only; actuals

should conform to TIPS and

campus requirements.



Figure 3 - 2

Typical Telecommunications Specifications (According to 16-Section MasterFormat Version)

California State University Telecommunications Infrastructure

Table of Contents BIDDING REQUIREMENTS, CONTRACT FORMS, AND CONDITION OF THE CONTRACT

Table of Contents Bid Proposal Form - Sample Contract General Conditions Supplementary General Conditions - Changes to Contract General Conditions Forms Appendix A—Limited Specifications for Work Around Asbestos-Containing Materials and Lead-Based

Paints During PBX Installation at Various Buildings, EnviroScience, Inc. Appendix B—Asbestos Locations

SPECIFICATIONS

DIVISION 1 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS (NOT UPDATED)

Section 01010 Summary of Work 01019 Contract Considerations 01039 Coordination and Meetings 01045 Cutting and Patching 01090 Reference Standards 01300 Submittals 01310 Construction Schedules and Work Plan 01400 Quality Control 01500 Construction Facilities and Temporary Controls 01570 Traffic Regulation 01600 Material and Equipment 01700 Contract Closeout 01730 Operation and Maintenance Data 01900 Seismic Considerations DIVISION 2 SITEWORK Section 02070 Selective Demolition 02220 Excavating, Backfilling, & Compacting for Pavement 02226 Trenching 02230 Base Course 02505 Bituminous Surfacing 02506 Seal for Bituminous Surfacing 02510 Asphalt Concrete Paving 02520 Portland Cement Concrete Paving 02528 Curbs, Gutters, & Driveways 02912 Tree Protection and Transplanting 02950 Trees, Plants, & Ground Covers

DIVISION 3 CONCRETE Not Used. DIVISION 4 MASONRY Not Used. DIVISION 5 METALS Section 05520 Handrails and Railings DIVISION 6 WOOD AND PLASTICS Not Used. DIVISION 7 THERMAL AND MOISTURE PROTECTION Section 07210 Wall Insulation 07270 Firestopping DIVISION 8 DOORS AND WINDOWS Section 08110 Steel Doors and Frames 08210 Wood Doors 08310 Access Doors and Panels 08710 Finish Hardware DIVISION 9 FINISHES Section 09100 Metal Support Systems 09260 Gypsum Board System 09660 Vinyl Composition Tile and Topset Base 09900 Painting DIVISION 10 SPECIALTIES Section 10270 Access Floor DIVISION 11 EQUIPMENT Not Used.

DIVISION 12 FURNISHINGS Not Used DIVISION 13 SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION Not Used DIVISION 14 CONVEYING SYSTEMS Not Used DIVISION 15 MECHANICAL Section 15010 Basic Mechanical Requirements 15066 Copper Piping 15140 Supports and Anchors 15190 Mechanical Identification 15250 Piping Insulation 15290 Ductwork Insulation 15786 Computer Room Air Conditioning Units 15890 Ductwork 15856 Split System Air Conditioning Units 15990 Testing, Adjusting and Balancing 15936 Inlets and Outlest DIVISION 16 ELECTRICAL Section 16010 Electrical General Requirements 16030 Electrical Acceptance Testing 16050 Basic Materials and Methods 16060 Electrical Demolition 16170 Grounding and Bonding 16180 Equipment Wiring System 16195 Electrical Identification 16470 Panelboards 16510 Lighting DIVISION 16 TELECOMMUNICATIONS Section 16710 Telecommunications General Requirements 16715 Telecommunications Acceptance Testing 16725 Telecommunications Cable 16730 Underground Structures – Telecommunications 16735 Telecommunications Demolition

16760 Telecommunications Grounding and Bonding

Note: Specification

pages shown are examples only; actuals should

conform to TIPS and campus

requirements.



4. Building construction and system plans – Details regarding architectural, electrical, mechanical, or plumbing work must be documented as with any capital project. Such details should be separate from the telecommunications design unless the work to be undertaken is very minor and will not cause confusion to bidders. The CSU expects that telecommunications designers will fully coordinate their efforts with designers from other disciplines in pursuing any particular project and that all designers will recognize the requirements of adopted campus master plan documents.

5. Interbuilding media and pathway details – All interbuilding media must be documented following BICSI, EIA, and RUS methods and standards. If splices are required to relocate specific pairs, either that work should be documented in sufficient detail to allow a splicer to start work or the scope of work must outline the need for the Contractor to identify, test, and document existing cables prior to undertaking any splicing. Details or typical drawings should be provided defining how conduits are to enter a vault, how cable is to be placed and racked, and how duct space is to be utilized.

6. Construction Standards Institute (CSI) format specifications – Until the CSI MasterFormat conversion from 16 to 50 divisions is fully integrated into the telecommunications design environment, CSU specifications may be prepared in either format, although designers are encouraged to consider the newer version. Construction work such as building a wall or painting a room should be specified under individual sections, not as part of a telecommunications specification section.

3.1.4 New Construction vs. Retrofit Planning and implementing an up-to-date telecommunications infrastructure has become a relatively straightforward task in new construction. Retrofit projects, however, are not as simple to address. It can sometimes be difficult to identify and/or obtain the funds needed for telecommunications infrastructure improvements in existing buildings because of unforeseen conditions that can inhibit the placement of the required infrastructure.

This TIP Standards document provides a series of recommendations for telecommunications infrastructure, pathways, spaces, and media. While the



standards are more easily implemented in new construction, much can be done within existing facilities to provide a similar level of support for technology. It will usually be more costly per square foot to provide an updated infrastructure in an existing facility than to install similar support in new construction.

The major areas of design impacted in a retrofit situation are the pathways and spaces within existing facilities. In addition to a detailed understanding of the existing conditions, the designer must be aware of the limitations imposed by older electrical and HVAC systems, outdated ceiling systems, existing wiring methods, and hazardous materials. The CSU expects design professionals to completely evaluate all such circumstances, including detailed field investigation of all spaces where doubts exist.

The most frequent and challenging consideration in retrofit design, however, is often the requirement to continue telecommunications service while a new system is being installed. With only a few exceptions, university buildings are occupied almost year-round. There is seldom a time when a building is truly empty, unless a full-scale renovation is being conducted.

Questions for which the designer must provide answers in programming a retrofit project include the following:

1. What is the real scope of work when taking into consideration the daily operation of the facility? Are there limits on noise, dust, movement of equipment or furniture, specialized systems?

2. How will the current systems be kept running if new media is to be installed in existing pathways?

3. How will a transition be made from old media to new, assuming a re-use of pathways and equipment? Which group (Contractor or University) will be responsible for making the transition, testing and troubleshooting, and documentation?

4. Will the work have to be undertaken at night? If so, how will it be managed and tracked? How will the university address the security and general disruption concerns of faculty, students, and staff?

5. If existing spaces are not adequate, where will space be found and how will it be assigned and coded?



6. Will the work undertaken within the facility necessitate review in terms of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements?

7. Will the work undertaken within the facility necessitate review in terms of current fire code compliance, hazardous materials management, etc.?

8. Will the required changes fit within the university’s mandated master plan requirements and architectural guidelines? Who will make decisions on aesthetics?

9. If additional electrical or air handling services are required to support the telecommunication improvements, should such additions factor in the impact of all forms of technology throughout the building?

3.2 Telecommunication Space Design

3.2.1 Electrical and Mechanical Requirements Intrabuilding telecommunications spaces include the rooms and facilities required to:

1. House the media and related equipment entering a building

2. House terminal resources and specialized equipment

3. Terminate user-level facilities

The minimum configuration for spaces within a standard CSU academic or administrative facility should include a service entrance room, a separate equipment room, and one or more telecommunications rooms.

In many existing buildings, telecommunications equipment is found forced into spaces not suitable to house such sensitive electronic components. Such poor environments cause equipment failures, limit the ability of users to obtain the services they need, and can be a hazard to the people who must maintain the equipment. All such spaces should be located away from sites subject to flooding or other water intrustion.



This subsection defines the minimum electrical and mechanical support system requirements for all new and remodeled spaces within the CSU.

3.2.1.1 Electrical Services

The need for additional electrical service to support telecommunications systems requires a substantial analysis of the capabilities of existing facilities, structures, and feeder systems. In addition to the increased load for network (telecommunications) related equipment, the dramatic increase in end-user equipment imposes a significant requirement for greater capacity in both new construction and remodel projects.

A particular concern is the electrical power requirements for ITRP 2 network switches. All switches identified as redundant switches will require two dedicated circuits; some must be capable of supporting significant ampere loads. The campus may need to help the design consultant forecast the TR locations where core or large switches are likely to be located. A good rule of thumb would be to consider those high-density locations where more than 240 cables are served.

In consideration of ITRP 2 requirements, campus planners and design consultants must also address power provisions for the following:

1. Network management servers, security devices, VoIP and Video equipment;

2. Future requirements driven by network convergence (VoIP and Video) necessitating that the electrical wire gauge selected must be reusable for higher amperage circuits;

3. Additional UPS and associated requirements created by the E911 issue related to VoIP deployment; and

4. Convenience outlets located close to equipment for support staff use with power diagnostic equipment or laptops.

A relatively new technology beginning to be deployed in the CSU is Power over Ethernet (PoE), various systems to transmit low-level electrical power, along with data, over standard twisted-pair cable in an Ethernet network. This technology is useful for powering IP telephones, wireless LAN access points,



webcams, Ethernet hubs, computers and other devices where it would be inconvenient or infeasible to supply power over traditional electrical wiring. The current standard, IEEE 802.3af, supports 48 volts DC with a maximum current of 400 milliamperes (maximum of 15.4 watts), but a new IEEE 802.3at standard, to provide as much as 56 watts (PoE+), is under development. Additional telecommunications space design concerns which must be addressed when PoE deployment is anticipated include increases in both electrical power demand and heat generation.

Configuration or design of electrical services not directly in support of telecommunications spaces is outside the scope of this document. Excluded services include the increases necessary to support specific applications and user equipment in classrooms, labs, and common spaces. This document addresses specifically the minimum requirements for services in telecommunications spaces.

All circuits installed in support of a telecommunications space should be dedicated to that space and not shared with auxiliary services. A prime goal of the electrical service design is to reduce or eliminate power-related problems to the sensitive network equipment, while providing adequate power for current and future applications. Not all equipment will be powered through battery backup and/or uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), nor will it initially be possible to define the specific ratings of the equipment to be installed.

At a minimum, the electrical service designs for telecommunication spaces must be as follows:

1. Any telecommunications room expected to use over 7,500 watts and all equipment rooms should be equipped with an electrical panel dedicated strictly to telecommunications in that space. The dedicated panelboard should contain a minimum of 42 circuits and include an isolated ground bus.

2. Serving electrical panels should be equipped with power suppression shunts to protect equipment from overloads.

3. Minimum sizing for telecommunication rooms is a 100-amp panel and for equipment rooms, 225 amps. Smaller equipment rooms without a



forecasted load may initially be served with 100 to 150 AMP service, but the feeder cables and panel must be sized to eventually support 250 amps. All panelboards should support a minimum of 42 circuits, to provide operational flexibility. The designer must be aware that much of this equipment requires special twist-lock plugs specific to the equipment being installed.

4. Equipment rooms used to house voice, data network, or video distribution nodes must be equipped with at least one 30 AMP, 208-volt circuit. At a minimum, this includes all PBX switching nodes and all data backbone network node sites.

5. All equipment rooms should be connected to backup power generation equipment using locally specified connectors or hard wiring. The planning and design process for those rooms should provide space and connectivity to add the requisite transfer switches with bypass switches, power panels and transformers.

It is common to utilize batteries of various types to provide a temporary source of power to communication equipment in the event of a commercial power failure. Small battery units may power individual computers or department servers and are designed to last long enough to provide a controlled shutdown or continued service through a minor outage.

Similar planning should be applied to the backup power needs of network equipment. While most campuses already have one or more forms of backup for the telephone system, there is often no backup for network systems. As voice over IP (VoIP) and other mixed application services are expanded, it becomes more critical to adequately design and implement a power backup contingency plan.

At a minimum, the telecommunications infrastructure design must include the following:

1. All equipment rooms must be equipped with at least a thirty-minute battery backup system (uninterruptible) capable of supporting three times planned capacity.

2. All battery backup systems must be equipped and configured to signal the linked computing equipment prior to power failure and to perform an unattended controlled shutdown.



3. In all telecommunications equipment or switching node locations (or in any instance of voice over IP), all equipment and critical support systems must be served by some form of backup power generation. Provisions for maintaining that power supply at full system operation for a minimum of three days must be identified and included in the operating procedures for the equipment. This backup must be automatic and part of an overall uninterupted power supply (UPS).

4. In any space equipped with long-term power generation, the air handling system for that space must also be served by backup power. However, consideration should be given to adding controls for turning off reheat and humidification systems during a power outage to reduce the power demand.

3.2.1.2 Telecommunications Grounding System

Proper grounding of telecommunications related infrastructure requires a very specific design prepared in coordination with (but separate from) the overall electrical grounding system within a building. The major sources for details of required grounding system design are: J-STD-607A Commercial Building

Grounding and Bonding Requirements for Telecommunications, the BICSITDMM guide, the California Electric Code (CEC, latest edition)1, and the

International Electrical and Electronics Engineering (IEEE) Std 1100-1000

Recommended Practice for Powering and Grounding Electronic Equipment.

Neither this document nor any of the referenced material replaces or supersedes any national or local code. Some of the normal grounding and bonding issues to be addressed in any telecommunications design are:

1. All cables entering a building must be grounded as close as practical to the point of entry of the cable into the building. In general terms, this means within the fifty-foot limit for the extension of an outside plant cable into a building.

1 The (current) 2004 California Electric Code is based on the 2002 National Electrical Code (NEC) and incorporates the full NEC text; it shows where the NEC language has been amended, changed or deleted. CEC is officially referenced as the California Code of Regulations, Title 24. Part 3.



2. All backbone (riser) cables must be grounded at all splice locations and at any point at which pairs leave the sheath.

3. All cables must be bonded end-to-end and through any splice.

4. All hardware supporting telecommunications cable, such as ladder racks, cable trays, and conduits, must be grounded.

Figure 3 – 3

Schematic of Telecommunications Grounding System

Service EntranceRoom

TelecommunicationsRoom

MainElectricalServicePanel

SD

GD

GD

190A150 PROTECTOR

1 5

6 10

11 15

16 20

21 25

26 30

31 35

36 40

41 45

46 50

TelecommunicationsGrounding

Busbar



ElectricalPanelboard



TelecommunicationsEquipment


BondingConductorto building

Steel

BondingConductorto building

Steel

CableProtectors




It is absolutely necessary to design and install the telecommunications grounding system as defined in ANSI TIA/EIA-607 and to use only a single point of ground for all services (power and telecommunications) within the same building.

Much of the major network equipment used on campuses, especially PBX systems, requires a clean, low impedance ground (defined as low electrical noise and low resistance to earth ground) to function properly. The combination of electrical power grounding, backbone cable grounds, and general equipment and racking grounds can create a situation in which faults occur and/or electrical interference can become a problem.

The telecommunications ground must provide a direct path to ground for all telecommunications equipment and media. This does not necessarily require installation of a new or separate electrode or grid system. An initial step is to determine how well the current grounding electrode/grid system meets the defined needs.

The CEC stipulates that a building electrical ground provide no more than 25 ohms resistance as measured between the grounding electrode system and actual earth reference ground. This requires the use of a specialized grounding tester and the temporary placement of reference ground rods.

The target resistance level for a telecommunications ground is less than 5 ohms. This can be a difficult figure to reach, especially in particularly dry locations. It is often necessary to install supplementary electrodes (following NEC 250), chemical enhancers (such as bentonite or chemical ground rods), or

grounding grids to obtain a suitable measurement. Any supplementary grounding electrodes must be bonded (directly connected) to each other and the central ground. Bonding provides a single ground reference into a building.

The standard for telecommunications grounding contains some key elements:

1. Sometimes attaining the ground resistance value target of 5 ohms or less is not possible. The ultimate goal is to achieve the lowest ground resistance value possible that makes sense economically and physically.

Figure 3-4 Typical

Grounding Busbar



2. All grounding conductors must be securely installed in a direct manner and protected from damage or accidental disconnection. Telecommunication grounds are not to be served through an electrical panel grounding bus, but must be directly cabled to the building service entrance ground, and then bonded to the local electrical panel ground.

3. The connection of all grounding conductors must be made using materials and methods as defined in the National Electric Code.

4. Specific, stand-alone copper busbars must be installed in all telecommunications spaces and be bonded to the power service panel ground and building steel in each location.

5. Other specific grounding requirements that may be more restrictive than these Standards exist for antennas, some types of radio and video transmission equipment, and highly sensitive computing and testing equipment. Provisions for lightning and lightning surge protection should be considered. Design professionals must be particularly cognizant of such circumstances.

3.2.1.3 Mechanical Air Handling System Options

This subsection outlines the recommended methods for providing air-handling services for telecommunications spaces. No single answer will be appropriate in every situation. Each design will depend upon local conditions, ongoing support, the type(s) of equipment in place in other campus buildings, and physical limitations. While the recommended methods are not the only options that can be used, they define approved approaches to satisfying this critical design element. Any telecommunications space designed to support electronic equipment, such as equipment rooms and telecommunications rooms, requires a provision to remove heat 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The use of standard building air systems may not be adequate when the campus shuts down these systems during periods such as term breaks, summer sessions, or even weekends. Individual buildings are then subjected to air handling shutdowns that could allow the temperature within the telecommunication rooms to exceed the limits of heat-sensitive equipment.

Research from the electronics industry indicates that, for every 18-degree (F) rise above normal room temperature, the life expectancy of most electronics devices is cut in half. At a minimum, overheating can reduce the life of the



impacted equipment and cause partial or complete failures. In addition to the cost of replacing failed equipment, other hidden costs result from network downtime and lost employee work time. Therefore, the installation of professionally-designed cooling systems in telecommunications spaces is essential for long-term support of this sensitive equipment.

These suggestions are provided as a guide to the design team. The final design must take into consideration plans for the long-term use of the space, the need to maintain a consistent environment, the size and configuration of the facility, and the availability of on-going campus support. It is also important for the designer to be aware of the following issues:

1. The potential need for smoke and fire dampers when moving air between spaces.

2. Any special electrical service needs to support the additional mechanical equipment.

3. The location of the nearest drain termination point and the routing of the condensate drainage line.

4. The possibility of condensate drain overflow and water piping leaks if placed directly above electronic equipment.

5. The impact of the sound from fans and blowers on faculty, staff and students in nearby areas of the building.

6. The source and destination of air flow at all times of the day. Rooms or corridors may be closed off at times, eliminating the source of new air and creating a vacuum effect.

7. The physical security of the equipment, the air pathway, and its electrical service.

Available options for telecommunications space air conditioning include:

Option 1: Passive Airflow

A passive air flow strategy would involve pulling cooler ambient air from a space adjacent to the telecommunications facility and expelling it into an open return air plenum. This approach works only in areas of the state where the temperature within a closed building does not rise above 80 degrees on an average “hot” day on occasions when the building air handling systems are



not functioning. CSU campuses in warmer areas of the state, such as those in the Central Valley, may not be able to employ this option.

Passive air flow can often be used effectively in a small room (under 100 square feet) with equipment generating less than 1,500 BTUH. Under such circumstances, air movement is provided by a fan controlled with a thermostat, the unit creating sufficient airflow to maintain the room below the maximum allowed for the equipment housed therein.

Option 2: Ductless Split Systems

A ductless split expansion system can be an effective solution for smaller facilities. Such a system is limited by the tolerable distance between the condenser and the room air handler. In most cases, the applicability of a ductless split system extends only to two- to three-story buildings.

Option 3: Stand-alone In-Room Air Conditioning Units

A stand-alone rooftop packaged AC unit or a split system package can be configured so that the prime cooling for the space comes from the general building source, and the in-room system is controlled by a thermostat to function only when necessary. As an alternative, such units can be configured to act as the primary cooling source for the space.

Option 4: In-Rack Air Conditioning Equipment

In some cases, locations with limited equipment may be served with compact air conditioners designed to fit directly in or on racks of electronics. These units can be especially useful in areas of limited space or those with security issues that might prohibit the installation of other air handling equipment. Units are available that meet the NEMA 12 enclosure guidelines for supporting electronics generating up to 6,000 BTU, and which are equipped with condensate management systems to eliminate moisture from the cooled air.

Option 5: Dedicated Water-Source Heat Pump

For multi-story buildings, a water-source heat pump can be utilized to provide cooling for one or many separate telecommunications spaces within a single building. Such a system is available in a wide variety of sizes and capacities. The central components consist of a cooling unit (generally located on a roof) that is connected to air handlers in each



telecommunications space with water pipes. The piping carries the heat away from the recirculated air within the rooms to the cooling unit outside the building.

OPTION 6: VAV Zone from Central Air Handling Unit If the surrounding areas are occupied 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, it is often practical to serve telecommunications spaces from a central variable air volume (VAV) air handling system, employing a VAV terminal unit. Should the VAV system controls be sophisticated enough to shut off unoccupied spaces and the air handling and cooling systems be capable of operating stably and efficiently at low loads, it is also feasible to serve telecommunications spaces off normal classroom or office VAV systems. Under such circumstances, this option may prove less expensive, more efficient and of lower maintenance cost than the other options listed.

3.2.2 Service Entrance Rooms The building service entrance provides a location in which to terminate cables entering the building by grounding the sheaths as required by code, by providing electrical protection, and/or converting from outdoor to indoor cables. Such rooms require sufficient space and structural additions to support the installation of a variety of cables, as well as space for splice cases and electrical protectors.

3.2.2.1 Location

The entrance room must be located as close as possible to the point at which feeder conduits enter the building and to the vertical backbone (communications riser) pathway. The area must be dry, not subject to flooding, and free of overhead water, steam, or drain pipes. Access to the room should be provided directly from a central hallway, not through another room. For buildings over 10,000 gross square feet (GSF), the building service entrance room must be a dedicated, enclosed room. For buildings less than 10,000 GSF, a mixed-use room that meets all other requirements may be utilized as long as no cables entering, terminated in, or leaving the room come within ten feet of an electrical transformer or major switchboard.



3.2.2.2 Size

In buildings smaller than 5,000 GSF, the telecommunications entrance space should be a minimum of four (4) feet by five (5) feet. In buildings from 5,000 to 10,000 GSF, the entrance space must be a minimum of five (5) feet by eight (8) feet. All spaces must be clear of other equipment, access points, or maintenance areas. In buildings larger than 10,000 GSF, the following table should be used.

3.2.2.3 Layout & Configuration

The service entrance room is not designed to support the placement of electronic equipment. Electronic equipment must only be placed in properly equipped spaces, such as equipment or telecommunication rooms, not in service entrance rooms. At a minimum, the service entrance room or space must contain the following support items:

1. The walls must be covered with void-free 3/4 inch A-C plywood, sanded smooth and painted with fire-retardant paint (not fire-retardant plywood unless required by local fire codes), mounted vertically starting 2" above the finished floor, and secured to the walls. All plywood panels must be mounted in contact with one another, leaving no gaps between sheets. All fasteners must be flush with the surface of the plywood.

2. Sufficient overhead lights must be installed to provide a minimum of 540 lux (50 foot candles) of illumination measured 3 feet above the finished floor. These lights must be separately switched (within the room) and must be mounted a minimum of 8.5 feet above the finished floor unless

Building Gross Floor Space

Entrance Room Floor Size

10,000 – 30.000

30,000 – 50,000

50,000 – 75,000

75,000 – 125,000

8’ x 8’

10’ x 8”

12’ x 8’

12’ x 12’

Figure 3-5 Entrance Room Space Requirements



cable racks or trays are used. If that scenario occurs, lighting should be placed underneath the trays or at rack height.

3. The door to the room must be a minimum of 36" wide by 80" high and must be equipped with a separate lock. This room should also be pre-wired for card key control and intrusion alarm.

4. A telecommunications electrical ground (as defined by EIA/TIA standards) must be provided on an eight (8) inch (minimum length) busbar mounted six inches above the finished floor. This grounding bar must be connected to building steel, the main electrical service panel, and the central telecommunications ground cable.

5. If the service entrance room is stand-alone, meaning there are no active electronic components to be installed within the space, a separate electrical panel is not required. There must be a minimum of two 20 Amp, 110 volt ac duplex electrical outlets, each on separate circuits, installed in the entrance room. In addition, the room shall be equipped with auxiliary duplex outlets placed 15" above the finished floor, at six-foot intervals around the perimeter walls. A maximum of four 110 volt auxiliary outlets may occupy a single 20 Amp branch circuit.

6. All conduits entering the building from outside must be sealed with reusable compression-style plugs to eliminate the entrance of water or

Figure 3 – 6

Typical Grounding Details

TGB FOR TELECOM ROOM ON SECOND FLOOR

TGB FOR TELECOM ROOM ON THIRD FLOOR

TELECOMMUNICATIONSMAIN GROUNDING BAR

(TMGB) FOR TELECOM EQUIPMENT AND SERVICE

ENTRANCE ROOMPROTECTORS

SERVING ELECTRICAL PANEL

CONNECTION TO BUILDING STEEL

BONDED TO ELECTRICAL SERVICE AND EXTENDED TO MAIN

BUILDING GROUND



gases into the entrance room. All spaces around conduits through a concrete wall or foundation must be sealed using a moisture barrier plastic expansion foam (not insulation) and the outer wall moisture barrier repaired and resealed. All conduits leaving the entrance room for other portions of the building must be fire-stopped whether or not they contain cable.

7. The floor of the entrance room must be sealed concrete or must be tiled to reduce airborne contaminates. The floor structure should provide a minimum of 150 lbs. per square foot loading capability.

8. If additional equipment, such as fire alarm panels and/or building monitoring equipment, is housed in the entrance room, additional space and plywood backboards must be provided for such equipment. In no event should such equipment be mounted in the center of a wall or directly over entrance or riser conduits.

FUTURE RACKS

FUTURE RACKS

3’ − 0"

INSTALL EQUIPMENT RACKING IN THIS LOCATION

A

SECURE 12" LADDER RACK TO WALL BRACKETS WITHIN TWO FEET OF EACH END AND NO LESS THAN EVERY FIVE

FEET

ATTACH WALL BRACKETS AT STUD POSITIONS ONLY

PROVIDE AND INSTALL 3/4 INCH A/C PLYWOOD STARTING 4" A.F.F. ON ALL WALLS. SECURE PLYWOOD TO WALL STUDS EVERY 24 INCHES. FILL ALL VOIDS, SAND SMOOTH, COVER WITH PRIME COAT, AND TWO COATS

OF FIRE−RETARDENT PAINT.

B

HVAC250 AMPELECTRICAL PANEL

SECURE 12˜ LADDER RACK TO WALL BRACKETS WITHINTWO FEET OF EACH END, AND NO LESS

THAN EVERY FIVE FEET.

INSTALL ¾ INCH A/C PLYWOOD ON ALL WALLS. PRIME AND PAINT AS DIRECTED USING FIRE−RETARDENT PAINT.

ATTACH WALL BRACKETS AT STUD LOCATIONS ONLY.

INSTALL EQUIPMENT RACKING IN THIS LOCATION

Figure 3 – 7

Typical Telecommunications Equipment Room Plan View



3.2.3 Equipment Rooms The equipment room is the primary space used to house telecommunications equipment intended to service users throughout the building. Typically, this equipment might include a PBX or other voice switching systems, campus data components, or other communications equipment.

Due to the importance of this room to the various campus networks, it is critical the design be treated as a formal “space utilization” requirement in the planning and design process. In addition to being equipped as defined, this room must have access to the service entrance room and must be the starting point for the building’s backbone distribution system. Such rooms must be located so as to eliminate danger from flooding or other water intrusion.

It is possible in some cases to combine the service entrance room and the building equipment room into a single space. However, the requirements for

1’ − 6"

2"

4’ − 0"

4"

VOICE STATION CABLES

COPPER RISER CABLES

12" LADDER RACK

SECURE PLYWOOD TO WALL STUDS EVERY 24 INCHES

LEAVE CLEAR FOR DOOR

SWING188 CROSS−CONNECT FIELD

KEEP BACKBOARD SPACE CLEAR OF ALL CONDUIT − ROUTE CONDUITS ONLY AT END OF WALL AND AT LESS THAN 12 INCHES A.F.F.

A

STATION DISTRIBUTION CONDUITS

OPEN FOR GROWTH

RUN ELECTRICAL CONDUIT LOW OR NEAR CORNERS

ONLY

SECURE LADDER RACK WITH WALL BRACKETS WITHIN TWO FEET OF EACH END AND NO LESS THAN EVERY FIVE FEET

TELECOMMUNICATIONS GROUNDING BAR (TGB)

Figure 3 – 8

Typical Telecommunications Equipment Room Elevation



this combined space are additive, requiring the design of a space larger than outlined in this portion of the document.



3.2.3.1 Location

The equipment room should be located either near or directly in-line with the service entrance room and must form the basis for the rest of the building’s backbone distribution system. The assigned space should be located where there is a possibility of future expansion and where access to the space from outside the building can be provided for large equipment (direct hallway access). The location of the telecommunications rooms on other floors will impact the site chosen for this space, because these rooms should be “stacked”. one directly above the other.

Locations that might be subject to flooding (such as basements), electrical interference (such as adjacent to electrical equipment rooms), or hazardous situations should be avoided. Designers should not locate telecommunications equipment in an electrical room, or utilize common areas providing back-to-back rooms with electrical and telecommunications. The impact of electrical interference from standard building systems on communications equipment and cable is simply not well defined. Layouts that can work in one situation may cause excessive failures in another.

The only reasonable way to address this problem is to separate the electrical and telecommunications equipment spaces so that they are not within ten feet of each other. Telecommunications cables must not be routed through an electrical room to access a telecommunications space.

3.2.3.2 Size

If projected equipment layouts are unavailable, or if no special uses are defined for this space, the equipment room should be sized as follows: provide one (1) square foot of equipment room space for every 100 square feet of work station space (assignable space). However, the minimum room size is 150 square feet. If the building is expected to support a large number of workstations (such as computer lab spaces), the room should be sized to provide 1.25 square feet of equipment room space for every workstation. For example, a building expected to house 300 workstations should have an equipment room of 375 square feet.

Where it is known that a specific telecommunications system will be utilized to service a building under design, a floor plan indicating equipment



placement, including growth, should be prepared and compared with the projected room size. The final room sizing must also take into consideration issues such as the need for auxiliary power (UPS/batteries), the need for any

of the systems to provide service to other buildings (e.g. a remote PBX node may be used to serve not only the building under design but other buildings nearby), local requirements for a separate battery room, and any known special needs.


The specific qualities that should be designed into an average equipment room are:

1. The equipment room must support an average floor loading of 150 lbs. per square foot. Specialized services, such as major UPS systems and batteries, may require floor design loadings exceeding 400 lbs. per square foot over a specified area; therefore, their design must be closely coordinated among vendor, university personnel, and design staff. The floor must be sealed concrete or must be tiled with anti-static tile to

84" Tall

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84" Tall

19-Inch Rack

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2’ − 6"RESERVED FOR CAMPUS USE

48 PORT CAT 5e PATCH PANELS

PATCH CORD ORGANIZER − ONE ABOVE AND ONE BELOW

EACH PATCH PANEL

72 PORT FIBER PATCH PANELS

4’ − 0" RESERVED FOR CAMPUS USE

PROVIDE ONE JUMPER TRAY FOR EACH PATCH

PANEL

12 INCH LADDER RACK

OFF−SET SUPPORTS

12 INCH LADDER RACK CROSS LINK TO WALL

B

Figure 3 – 9 Typical Telecommunications Equipment Room Rack Layout



reduce airborne contaminates. If raised flooring is used, it must be cross-braced, and drilled anchors must be utilized to fix the pedestals to the structure's floor. This is required in order to permit the installation of equipment cabinets and racks up to eight feet tall while limiting the potential for damage during a seismic event. The raised floor must also be designed to support a minimum load of 150 lbs. per square foot.

2. The equipment room shall be situated to reduce the potential for electromagnetic interference to 3.0 V/m throughout the frequency spectrum. These spaces must not be located near magnetic field sources such as power supply transformers, motors and generators, x-ray and MRI equipment, or radio transmitters.

3. Entrance doors must be a minimum of 36 inches wide by 8 feet tall and should be pre-wired for card-key access and intrusion alarm connections. Consideration should be given to utilizing double doors opening out on larger-sized rooms.

4. Sufficient heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) sensors and control equipment must be installed to provide a consistent environment in equipment rooms. Unless specific requirements otherwise dictate, the room environment should be designed to maintain 75 degrees F, and if the actual heat rejection from the telecommunications equipment is not known, then the designer should assume a 25 w/ft2 equipment load. However, ITRP 2 implementation does require that the designer accommodate for the additional heat loads associated with increased use of UPS units and redundant power supplies, particularly where large chassis-based core switches or redundant switching may be housed. A series of recommended options to meet air conditioning requirements in telecommunications spaces is included in Subsection 3.2.1.3 of this document.

5. The CSU’s preferred fire suppression system is a chemical discharge unit designed to work specifically within electronic equipment spaces. If that is not possible, a dry-pipe, pre-action system should be employed to reduce the potential of accidental discharge or leaks.

If a wet-pipe system is used, a system control link should be provided to cut power to the equipment in the event water is discharged from the system, and drainage must be provided to limit the potential of flooding. At a minimum, the room must be equipped with a fire suppression system with high-temperature thermal links and cage-enclosed heads.

Adequate air conditioning is critical.



6. Additional equipment, such as fire alarm panels and/or building monitoring devices, must not be housed in the telecommunications equipment room. Separate space for these services can be provided as part of the electrical room or in a separate signal space.

7. Lighting must be installed in the spaces to provide a minimum of 50 foot candles of illumination measured 3 feet above the finished floor. Light fixtures should be mounted a minimum of 8.5 feet above the floor and should be located in the middle of aisles between frames or cabinets. Multi-zone switching for luminaires and occupancy sensors with override feature should be considered for energy conservation. Equipment rooms should be equipped with emergency backup lighting sufficient to allow a technician to service any system operating on emergency power during a commercial power failure.

8. A separate electrical service panel, sized to support 225 amps, must be installed in each telecommunications equipment room. The panelboard should have at least a minimum capacity of 42 branch circuits. A minimum of two 30-amp (208 volt) and four 20-amp, 110 volt, AC duplex isolated electrical outlets, each on a separate circuit, shall be installed in the equipment room. These outlets are to be located to support individual equipment racks and should be placed six feet above the finished floor. In addition, the room should be equipped with auxiliary duplex outlets placed 15" above the finished floor, at six-foot intervals around the perimeter walls. A maximum of four of the auxiliary outlets may occupy a single branch circuit.

Additional electrical needs exist for equipment specific to each campus. Some PBX systems use 48 volts DC to power the equipment, and the equipment room must be configured to support directly connected power to rectifiers, backup systems, or local power supplies frequently needing multiple 30 amp 208 volt circuits.

9. Care must be taken to determine the long-term potential load (rather than the initial load) for electrical services in equipment rooms. Often only a few hubs and routers will initially be installed in a new building, leaving the electrical engineer assuming a rather light load. However, the designer must keep in mind the need to look at future requirements to determine the need for expansion potential within such spaces. Additional outlets and circuits eventually will be required in almost every equipment room in most university buildings.

There will be additional electrical requirements not initially defined, so plan for expansion.



10. The load on the alternate power supply must be determined using the active telecommunications equipment plus lighting, room air handlers, cooling units, and fan or blowers. An automatic transfer switch must be installed to link the various cooling components to the secondary power source when commercial power fails. The use of a standard uninterruptible power supply (UPS) designed to support only sensitive electronic network equipment is not generally the best solution for the primary power connection for extensive heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Each UPS system needs to be designed to meet the specific requirements of the project. For all such alternate power installations, the designer should determine, verify and properly coordinate the voltage ratings and requirements of the backup generator, UPS units, batteries, transfer switches, transformers and any other supply equipment, as well as include space in the design for that equipment.

11. An isolated electrical ground (as defined by Article 250-74 of the NEC) must be provided on a copper bus bar mounted six inches above the finished floor, unless otherwise specified. This grounding bar should be connected with a 3/0 copper wire to the building’s main electrical grounding grid and may also require a separate concrete-encased electrode, or a buried ring ground. The isolated ground must be uniquely identified by a recognized technique, such as the use of green insulation with yellow stripes for all isolated ground conductors.

12. Conduits for the electrical outlets and any other electrical service must be contained within the wall structure or routed at ceiling or floor level. Electrical conduit should not be placed where it might have to be crossed by a communications cable or where it disrupts backboard utilization.

13. The equipment room should not be equipped with a drop tile or other false ceiling.

14. If batteries are to be used, the type specified must be verified as suitable with local codes. Additional ventilation, acid dams, and floor load bracing may be required. Local codes or campus needs may require batteries to be housed in a separate room adjacent to the equipment room.

15. All walls must be covered with 3/4 inch A-C plywood, sanded smooth and painted with fire-retardant paint (not fire-retardant plywood unless required by local fire codes). The plywood should be mounted vertically starting 2" above the finished floor, and secured to the walls using flush-mounted fasteners designed and listed to secure wood to the specific



wall/stud material. All plywood panels must be mounted in contact with one another, with no gaps between sheets. All fasteners must be flush with the surface of the plywood.

3.2.4 Telecommunications Rooms The telecommunications room on each floor serves not only as part of the vertical pathway system on a multi-story building, but also must support all station cabling and cross-connects, electronics, and specialized distribution equipment such as wireless facilities, video systems, local area network hubs, and fiber optic multiplexes. It is extremely important that this room be designed with an understanding of the role telecommunications provides in today's educational institutions. These rooms will have frequent access by technicians installing and maintaining various network services and must be sized and equipped to meet this demanding role.

3.2.4.1 Location

As one of the primary focal points for all communication services, the telecommunications room must be designed as an integral part of the overall building. It cannot be "fit in" wherever there is room left over after all other spaces have been defined. It must be identified as a fixed location similar to an elevator, mechanical shaft, or electrical room. These rooms must be located near the center of the area they will serve, must be stacked one above the other in multi-story buildings, and must be sized to accommodate the university's needs. Access to these rooms should be directly from hallways, not through classrooms, offices, or mechanical spaces.

1. The telecommunications room must be located within an absolute maximum distance of 290 cable feet (cable pathway distance) to the most distant outlet location and should be designed to provide an average length less than 150 feet for each station cable. Cable-feet distance is defined as the total distance of the route the actual station cable must follow, both horizontally and vertically, between the telecommunications room and the outlet location. An additional room is required if the 290 cable feet maximum distance is exceeded on a particular floor.

2. An additional room must be provided if the floor area to be served exceeds 10,000 square feet. If a multi-story building requires two or

Distribution rooms must be stacked.



more rooms on every floor, each series of rooms should be stacked one above the other.

3. These rooms must be dedicated to the exclusive use of telecommunications equipment to provide a proper environment and adequate security. They cannot occupy partial spaces within mechanical or electrical rooms.

4. Multiple rooms located on the same floor must be interconnected with conduits. Subsection 3.3.2 identifies number and type.

3.2.4.2 Size

Telecommunications room(s) serving an individual floor must be of sufficient size to support an extensive list of voice, data, and video equipment. This room must be dedicated to telecommunications and must be at least eight (8) feet by ten (10) feet in size. Figure 3-4 identifies the required room size for various gross square footages. This design size criterion assumes average mixed-use utilization of space (between 60-100 square feet per person). In facilities with high-density seating, such as computer lab areas, or equipped with servers and/or fiber optics cabling to the user station, additional space will be required to meet the increased load. The sizes provided reflect the minimum room size, not the only room size.


The specific components that should be designed into an average telecommunications room are the same as defined for an equipment room with the following modifications:

Floor Space

Telecommunications Room Size

5,000

8,000

10,000

10’ x 8’

10’ x 10”

10’ x 12’

Figure 3 - 10

Telecommunications Room Space Requirements



1. The telecommunications room must be provided a floor with a loading capacity of 100 lbs. per square foot.

2. Unless specific requirements dictate otherwise, the telecommunications room environment should approximate an office, and the designer should assume a minimum load of 25 w/ft2 from installed equipment. In some climates this will require a separate 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week backup system to augment the normal building cooling system.

3. Additional equipment, such as fire alarm panels and/or building monitoring hardware, must not be housed in the telecommunications room.

4. A separate electrical service panel, sized to support 150 amps should be installed in each telecommunications room. A minimum of two 20 amp, 120 volt AC duplex isolated electrical outlets, each on a separate circuit, shall be installed. These outlets are to be located to support individual equipment racks (one circuit per rack) and should be placed six feet above the finished floor. In addition, the room shall be equipped with auxiliary

Figure 3 - 11

Typical Telecommunications Room Layout 10’−0"

12’−

0"

Equipment Racks & Patch Panels

Backbone Conduits

Expansion Areas

CoolingUnit

ElectricalPanel

Ladder Rack & PlywoodBackboard all around room



duplex outlets placed 15" above the finished floor, at six-foot intervals around the perimeter walls. A maximum of four of the auxiliary outlets may occupy a single branch circuit.

3.2.5 Other Telecommunications Spaces There are other telecommunications-specific or related spaces that may only occasionally need updating or modification. These include the main distribution frame (MDF), generally the location in which the serving utility(s) terminate lines and where the campus backbone network originates, network management and control centers, and video distribution centers.

While each of these and other high technology spaces will require specific design inputs from other sources, some considerations should be viewed as common with other segments of the telecommunications infrastructure. Some of these considerations are:

1. Each space must have clear and direct access into building and campus backbone pathway systems for a variety of media.

2. Each needs to be part of the telecommunications grounding system for the building in which it is located.

3. Each should be included in security and support systems such as auxiliary power generation, backup air handling, emergency lighting, special fire suppression, and physical security and monitoring.

4. The campus MDF should be designed following guidelines similar to a telephone company central office facility in terms of structural systems, support requirements, security provisions, cable entrance support systems, and future growth capabilities.

3.2.6 Retrofit Space Issues The primary concern of space design for retrofit projects is simply finding or

creating a space that meets the physical design requirements of the

infrastructure and is acceptable to facility planners and departmental heads.

While the design target and support requirements for retrofit spaces are the

same as those previously defined in this section, the real world will seldom

provide perfectly shaped and sized open spaces stacked directly above one



another in an existing building. It is up to the design team to determine the

capabilities and limitations of the available space and to be creative in

meeting the varying needs and restrictions.

If storeroom or office space is not available in a particular CSU campus

facility, perhaps well-located instructional space can be traded with renovated

non-instructional space in another portion of the building in an effort to

maintain required utilization figures. Sometimes display or hallway space can

be used without affecting traffic flow or causing egress problems. A much

less attractive alternative is creating a space on one floor to serve users on

two floors. This alternative not only creates additional problems with

pathways between floors, potential distance issues for the media, and

ongoing maintenance concerns, but it also does not save actual floor space --

it simply shifts it to another location.

One way to resolve this issue is to construct new space on the outside of an

existing building. Although this alternative makes the design and

construction of the new space easier, it may be rejected for ascetic reasons,

cost consequences, or media distance limitations. Network equipment and

media can also be installed within equipment enclosures placed in non-

dedicated space. Although the latter option is technically possible, it typically

produces ongoing maintenance, security, and expansion problems.

Single-use spaces, such as equipment rooms, network node locations, or MDF

facilities can be housed in stand-alone buildings. Such buildings can be

relatively inexpensive tilt-up structures, or even precast buildings delivered

almost completed to the campus site. Such structures are available in a wide

Figure 3 - 12

Precast Telecommunications Structures



variety of sizes and configurations, and can be situated above or below

ground. These structures are available to meet even the very stringent new

seismic codes, making them a good choice to house critical communications

equipment.

Backup systems, such as air conditioners and auxiliary power generators, can

be included in the packaged structure’s original design, making it even more

cost-effective to obtain a complete system. It is important to be aware of the

local climatic conditions when determining if and how these structures are to

be used. In a coastal environment, for example, cable connections can

corrode even in a sealed building if there is no climate control system.



3.2.7 Telecommunication Space Security Should an attacker or intruder gain access to the physical infrastructure

supporting the campus network, available electronic security options are

limited. To prevent such intrusion, it is imperative that the spaces housing

the infrastructure be provided with substantial controls for restricting access

to authorized individuals. For maximum utility, such controls should include

both the ability to monitor access incidents involving the spaces and the

physical protective devices necessary to prevent unauthorized access.

General requirements for space security pertinent to physical design are:

1. Only individuals who require and are authorized to have access should be

able to enter a telecommunications room;

2. Telecommunications rooms must contain only equipment required to

implement the cable plan, with exceptions being items of diagnostic

equipment or devices for improving security;

3. Telecommunications rooms are not closets or storage facilities, and their

design should not recognize other uses;

4. Telecommunications rooms are not Computer Rooms or Data Centers, and

it is important to assure that other IT equipment (e.g., servers, printers,

etc.) belong in their own specialized rooms; and

5. Physical security must be maintained—to do so, telecommunications room

access must be audited, and keys retired and or changed periodically.

3.2.7.1 Spaces to be Controlled

Physical infrastructure spaces subject to access control can be, but are not

limited to, any of the following:

1. Service Entrance Room

2. Equipment Room

3. Telecommunications Room

4. Network Operations Center (NOC)



These are typical physical spaces on a campus where structured cabling

infrastructure is terminated and connected to active network equipment.

Access to such facilities must be limited to authorized personnel only, and the

doors must be locked at all times. Controls for monitoring access, such as

event logging, must be in place. The physical design of the space must

incorporate all necessary provisions to support the required level of security.

Active network devices must reside in locked enclosures to limit and restrict

physical access if they cannot be installed in one of the physical infrastructure

components listed above. Facilities designs must accommodate such

requirements.

3.2.7.2 Other Resources Requiring Access Control

Access control and protection are especially important with regard to station

outlets that provide network services to business units dealing with financial,

personal confidential, health, and student data. Under such circumstances,

the means must be in place to limit the ability of end-users to physically plug

their computer into active technology outlets or active networking equipment.

The design consultant should work with campus planning personnel to

identify building sites where such concerns exist and to assist with feasible

and appropriate physical design solutions.

.



3.3 Telecommunications Pathway Design

Telecommunications pathways include the interbuilding conduit and utility vaults used to transport cables between buildings and the conduit and cable trays used to distribute cable within a building. Such pathways must be designed as a integral part of an overall telecommunications infrastructure plan, not as a vendor-specific system or technology component. For example, a new building at the edge of campus may only require minimal voice, data, and video services initially, but future growth in the building or in that portion of campus can rapidly exhaust the capacity of a small interbuilding pathway designed only for those initial needs.

3.3.1 Interbuilding Distribution Systems The interbuilding distribution system consists of the utility tunnel, conduit, and utility vaults that interconnect buildings on a campus. The selection of the routes and the sizing of the interbuilding distribution system must be based upon existing conditions, known problem areas, and the growth associated with the campus master plan.

In most cases, designers find themselves directed to expand existing interbuilding distribution systems to serve new construction or to resolve a congested pathway between specific buildings. Without the ability to conduct a detailed inspection of the current conditions and identify alternative strategies for meeting the identified needs, the solution is generally to add new conduit and vaults. This approach does address the immediate needs, but frequently leads to cable maintenance problems or additional limitations in the future.

In some instances, it may be possible to reroute services to other cables, combine services into a single new cable while removing several older cables, or simply remove unused cables from congested pathways. The alternative to trenching several hundred feet across a campus may be a detailed analysis of the media within the pathway and a couple of evenings or weekends of splicing. That alternative can be very cost-effective and take significantly less time to implement.

When a campus undertakes a utility project, it is important that the telecommunications distribution system undergo both a visual and physical



inspection. Historically, when construction of many CSU campuses was initiated, telecommunications or “signal” conduit was often clay, steel, or concrete-encased paper. All three of these conduit types have failed in recent years and, unfortunately, most are damaged in locations that cannot be seen during a normal inspection.

The only sure way to determine the usefulness of a conduit route is to pull a mandrel through the conduit to determine the actual cable size that can be placed. A conduit that appears to be three or four inches in diameter often has been damaged or corroded over time, reducing the useful size to half or less the original.

This subsection provides some general guidelines for the design of interbuilding pathways. More detailed information can be found in the referenced standards, particularly the BICSI Outside Plant Design Manual. The designer must also take into consideration the California Electrical Code (CEC), campus specific constraints, and project funding guidelines.

3.3.1.1 Utility Tunnels

Some CSU campuses have utility tunnels that are used to transport power, water, steam, and other utilities between core parts of campus buildings. When utilizing these tunnels for telecommunications pathways, the following issues must be addressed:

1. Space and supporting hardware, such as eyehooks and T-bar, must be provided to facilitate the placement of large copper cables within utility tunnels. A centerline-ceiling rail can be used to attach pulling wheels designed to bring large cables into the tunnel. Space must then be made available to allow the cable to be moved from the pulling wheels into a tray system or attached to the wall of the tunnel. If a centerline rail is impractical, T-bar may be placed in the ceiling on ten (10) foot centers. Pulling eyes should be installed at ground level at the end of any long straight run of the tunnel.

2. The preferred method of distribution within a tunnel is one or more wall-mounted steel trays (NEMA rated 12 C or better) 18" to 24" in width with three (3) inch sidewalls. These trays should be mounted no less than 36 inches above the floor and no higher than eight (8) feet above the floor and should be supported every ten (10) feet. The tray must be solid



bottom, galvanized, and must be properly grounded. Changes in direction, either vertical or horizontal, should be accomplished whenever possible with wide sweeps. If that is not possible, factory-made ninety-degree bends of not less than a 36-inch radius can be used. Any vertical rise or fall should utilize a ladder rack or rack bottom tray to allow lashing straps to be used to secure the cables into the tray.

3. Spacing as required by code must be observed when placing communications facilities in a tunnel in close proximity with electrical power lines. To reduce the potential for electromagnetic interference, a minimum separation of six (6) inches between signal and high power (≤ 480 volts, 5 kVA or less) must be maintained, even when both are contained in grounded metal conduit pathways. If the communications lines are in a grounded but open pathway (such as a cable tray), the minimum separation is twelve (12) inches.

4. Conduits leaving the utility tunnel at right angles must be placed either above or below the level of the cable tray to allow free passage and placement of cable. Conduits must be separated by a minimum of three (3) inches and, if stacked, must be offset and stacked no more than two rows high. The designer must take into consideration the bending radius of the cables that could be placed in any conduits leaving a tunnel.

5. Large 1,200 pair cables need a 36-inch radius, which can be difficult to obtain in a five or six foot wide tunnel section. It may be necessary to place a vault or extension on narrow sections of a tunnel to provide the clearance necessary to place new cables.

6. Conduits leaving a utility tunnel to service a specific building must have the name of the building and the length of the conduit run stenciled onto the wall of the tunnel directly above or below the conduit. If the conduit feeds a vault or manhole, the number of the manhole and the distance must be stenciled on the wall.

3.3.1.2 Conduit and Utility Vault Systems

A conduit and utility vault system is the most common form of interbuilding pathway used throughout the CSU. They are frequently designed incorrectly as “signal” or “low voltage electrical” distribution systems. A good quality telecommunications design using materials and procedures designed specifically for the industry is required to support the long-term use of this infrastructure.



1. Conduits should be Schedule 40 PVC or, if concrete encased, type C signal conduit with a four (4) inch internal diameter. Conduit runs should be made in large straight sections utilizing wide (40 foot or more) sweeps rather than ninety-degree bends. If ninety-degree bends cannot be avoided, they should be located at either end of the conduit run (not in the center of a long run) and must have not less than a 60-inch radius (it is recommended 12½ to 15 foot “street sweeps” be used as the minimum size whenever changes in direction are required).

2. Buried conduits encased in concrete must be installed using fixed spacers between all conduits. The orientation of the conduits must be maintained from end-to-end, and the conduit support system should be secured within the trench to eliminate the potential of the conduit “floating” when the concrete is poured.

3. All conduits must be buried a minimum of 24 inches below grade. The trench must be back-filled with materials that have been sifted and mechanically compacted. Utility marking tape should be buried 12 inches below the surface, directly above the conduit.

4. Conduits shall normally be concrete-encased end-to-end; however, small runs of two or less conduits in good soil may be direct-buried. Conduit runs of any size placed in poor soils, under parking lots or other roadways (not highways), in sections that might be stressed during the placement of cable (such as the low spot at the bottom of a hill), and all bends, must be encased in a concrete mix. The concrete must be a cement/sand mix with a minimum compressive strength of 2,500 lbs. per square inch after 28 days, or a Class 2B mix with a maximum aggregate size of three-eighths inch.

5. Conduits under highways or railroad rights-of-way must be encased in steel casing pipe consistent with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials or the American Railway Engineering Association specifications. The thickness of the pipe is dependent upon a variety of factors and must be engineered for each specific instance.

6. The minimum separation between communications conduit and power cable conduits is 3 inches in concrete, 4 inches in masonry, or 12 inches in earth. The minimum separation from other utilities, such as gas, oil, steam, water, etc, is 6 inches when crossing and 12 inches when parallel.

Figure 3 – 13 Example of

Conduit Spacers



7. A nylon pull rope must be installed and all conduits plugged at both ends with a neoprene or rubber duct plug to prevent water and/or gas seepage into a building, tunnel, or vault.

8. Conduit entering a building must transition from PVC to galvanized rigid steel (GRC) or must be contained within a galvanized metal sleeve from a distance of 24 inches beyond the exterior of the foundation to six inches within the building. Conduits entering buildings must slope downward away from the building to reduce the potential for water entry.

9. The design of a conduit entry through a building’s foundation should be reviewed by a structural engineer. Some facilities will need the structural rebar to be located using x-rays, and others may require a significant space between any new openings to reduce the concerns of seismic weaknesses.

10. The number of four-inch conduits entering a university building will vary depending upon building size, location, intended mission, and the size and type of cables expected to be used long-term. At a minimum, however, four 4-inch conduits are required to service most permanent university buildings. The design goal is to always have a conduit open to provide a pathway for cable reinforcement (growth or replacement). Even a small campus building of 2-4,000 square feet needs a minimum of two four-inch conduits. One conduit can contain a copper cable and three innerducts (one with a fiber optic cable), and the other conduit would be open to act as a reinforcement pathway.

11. If no reasonable forecast can be agreed upon, or if it will be difficult or costly to trench to the building site in the future, Figure 3-8 can be used to determine the number of conduits.

12. Additional conduits are required for buildings over 125,000 square feet, specialized communication facilities (computer center, library, media center, or telephone switch site), or buildings that may be difficult or impossible to reinforce at a later date.



3.3.1.3 Vaults & Pull Boxes

The selection and placement of vaults and pull boxes must be made as part of an overall distribution plan that includes a complete understanding of the media to be served, the structures and locations to be linked, the systems and applications to be supported, and the forecasted growth pattern across the campus. This understanding allows the designer to approach the problem in a systematic manner, rather than simply adding capacity in all directions.

One of the major ways to address this process is to prepare the designs using telephone system design criteria and component designs. Electrical vaults and distribution systems are different from telecommunications, and the two systems must not be designed in the same manner. The following subsection provides a list of the major points to consider when identifying the pullboxes and utility vaults for the telecommunications infrastructure.

1. Pull boxes rather than utility vaults are used only in situations in which the maximum number of conduits in that route is never expected to exceed two four-inch conduits. A small unit (16" wide by 26" long by 18" deep) is used exclusively for a single conduit not to exceed two inches in diameter, such as might serve an isolated coin telephone or parking lot emergency phone. The standard size unit (3' wide by 5' long by 4' deep) should be fitted with a hinged, traffic-capable lid (H-20 rating) with a locking mechanism. In all cases, the conduit feeding pull boxes must enter and

Building Gross Floor Space

Number of 4 inch conduits

10,000 – 30,000

30,000 – 50,000

50,000 – 75,000

75,000 – 125,000

4

6

8

12

Figure 3 - 14

Number of Serving Conduits

Figure 3 – 15

Typical Standard Pull Box



leave the pull box in-line parallel with the top of the box. A pull box should not be used as a location in which to make a turn in the conduit routing.

2. Utility vaults must be located with both initial cable placement needs and future expansion requirements in mind. Telecommunications utility vaults should be pre-cast units designed for traffic loading and should be located in a major "trunk and feeder" design. Main runs of nine to eighteen conduits should form the backbone distribution system and should feed smaller runs of six to nine conduits. Any building not located within 200 feet of a main or feeder utility vault should have a separate vault installed to act as a cable pulling point between the building's entrance room and the main interbuilding distribution pathway system.

3. The target spacing for the placement of utility holes is 350 to 400 feet. Unlike the more normal utility company placement of 600 feet, the campus design requires closer spacing to more easily serve major buildings, provide flexibility for expansion, and make the

placement of cables easier. Factors that would reduce the recommended distance include natural or manmade obstructions, extensive backfeed needs, or more than two ninety-degree bends in the serving conduit.

4. All utility vaults must be equipped with dry-sump, corrosion-resistant pulling irons (one at each end), cable racks on both long sides, standoff brackets at both ends, a grounding rod, and a ladder. Concrete used for vaults should be at least 4,500 lbs. per square inch in strength and the structure must be rated for at least HS-20 (vehicle traffic) according to A.A.S.H.T.O. standards.

5. The configuration of the placement of conduit into a vault, either in the center or near the outer area of the end of the vault, is subject to campus preference and requires an understanding of what systems are currently used. Conduits should never enter a vault from the long sides, the top, or the bottom. Vaults of standard size and configuration are not designed to support the placement of large copper cables with right angle bends.

Figure 3 - 16

Typical Telecommunications Vault



6. The determination of the size of telecommunications utility vaults varies by the expected number of cables to be served and the types of support services or equipment that must be housed (such as splice cases and/or amplifiers). The minimum size utility vault recommended for CSU campuses is 5' wide by 7' long by 7' tall, which is generally sufficient to serve an individual building. If, however, the utility vault will be expected to serve as a pass-through point for other conduit or as a splice location for other buildings, the size must be increased. However the final size and configuration of the vault will be driven by the number of conduits entering and leaving the vault, the number and type of splices, and the site in which the structure will be located.

7. Figure 3-18 should be used to size telecommunications utility vaults if no other forecasting or existing configuration information is available. Where conditions permit, standard-sized vaults of similar dimensions should be employed to save time and contain costs.

Number of Conduits Utility Vault Size

Less than 6

6 - 12

13 – 18

19 – 24

5’ x 7’

6’ x 10” x 7’

6’ x 12’ x 7’

8’ x 15 x 7’

Figure 3 - 18

CSU Recommended Telecommunications Vault Size Requirements 2 3

3.3.2 Intrabuilding Backbones The intrabuilding backbone pathways connect the entrance room, equipment room, and all telecommunications rooms in a given structure. The backbone elements consist of conduits, sleeves, and trays. The designer should be aware that open cable trays are not an option for supporting large copper

2 The recommended vault sizes have decreased from the previous version of this document and reflect the

increased use of fiber optic cables between buildings. 3 Specific manufacturer products will vary from the specific sizes shown, but all major manufacturers offer

products conforming to these general guidelines.

Figure 3 - 17

Telecommunications Vault Conduit Entry and Exit

Yes

NO



cables from the entrance room to the equipment room or to the telecommunications room if the ceiling area can be considered a plenum-rated space. While many systems use fiber optic and/or coaxial cable that can be purchased with plenum-rated sheaths, the large copper cables used to support much of today's voice telephone service are generally limited in size to less than 100 pair in shielded, plenum-rated cable types.

3.3.2.1 Sizing

In determining the proper number of conduits or sleeves required to connect an entrance room to an equipment room or to telecommunications rooms, it is important to understand how various types of cables will be utilized. The primary focus for cable within the building is the equipment room. Here the electronic components serving users within the building will be interconnected with the cable feeding in from other parts of campus.

In initially sizing conduits between the entrance and an equipment room, the designer should add two to the number of conduits entering the building. For riser pathways, the starting point is three (3) four inch conduits or sleeves, with one (1) additional conduit added for each 10,000 square feet of space above a base 10,000 assignable square feet (asf). For example, a six-story building with 20,000 asf per floor needs a minimum of three conduits serving each telecommunications room, plus two additional conduits for pass-through, and a dedicated conduit to serve future wireless or satellite systems on the roof. Due to the need to interconnect components on different floors, the number of conduits should remain constant from the top to the bottom of the building.

Additional conduit is required in situations that must be fed by offset conduit runs, such as non-stacked closets. Such conduit can only be utilized to less than half of its capacity, and this condition will restrict the number of cables that can be placed. The final quantity and placement of backbone conduit must be analyzed in light of the services to be installed, the route taken, and the potential for expansion of services; however, a minimum of one or two conduits should be added in these situations.

3.3.2.2 Design Details

1. Sleeves should be used in backbone riser pathways. Sleeves should extend a minimum of two inches above the finished floor in the upper

36 inch

minimum

radius

Figure 3 - 19

Always Enter and Exit a Pullbox in the Same

Direction



room and four inches below the true ceiling (or past any obstructions) in the lower room. All sleeves should be placed to provide short and straight pathways between floors.

2. Conduits used to interconnect entrance and/or equipment rooms should be placed above the false ceiling with no more than a total of two 90-degree bends. These conduits must not be angled down into the termination space. The conduit should be fixed four to six inches inside the room at a right angle to the wall. All metal conduits must be fitted with a collar or end bushing to eliminate damage to the cables during pulling.

3. Pull boxes must be placed in conduit runs that exceed 100 feet or in situations that require more than two 90-degree bends. Such pull boxes must be located to provide free and easy access, in straight sections of conduit only (pull boxes should never be used for a right angle bend), and must be installed to allow cable to pass through from one conduit to another in a direct line. Pull boxes must have a length at least eight (8) times the trade-size diameter of the largest conduit. Figure 3-20 provides a pull box sizing reference.

4. Two four-inch conduits must be dedicated from a sealed junction box on the roof of the building in a direct line to the equipment room for use as an antenna access point. In addition, a separate earth ground must be provided at the roof junction box point, and the antenna conduit must be grounded separately from the isolated ground in the equipment room. A one-inch conduit terminating in a weatherproof duplex box must be provided from the roof to the closest electrical panel for electrical power.

Maximum Add to Box Size Conduit Box Size for Each

Size Additional Width Length Depth Conduit

1.5 inch 8 inches 27 inches 4 inches 4 inches 2 inch 8 inches 36 inches 4 inches 5 inches 4 inch 15 inches 60 inches 8 inches 8 inches

Figure 3 - 20

Pull Box Sizing



5. All riser sleeves must be firestopped and sealed following code and manufacturer’s instructions.

3.3.3 Horizontal Pathways Horizontal pathways are facilities that support the installation and maintenance of cables between the telecommunications room and the station outlet locations. In new construction, the designer should use plenum-rated telecommunications cable supported by a cable tray serving station conduit stubbed into the false ceiling space.

Telecommunications cables must never be allowed to rest on ceiling tile or be taped or wrapped to other service utilities or conduits. Whenever cable penetrates a smoke or fire-rated barrier, that barrier must be returned to its original rating through the use of one or more listed products. This subsection outlines the major methods recommended within the CSU for supporting cables in the horizontal pathways.

3.3.3.1 Cable Trays

A specified cable tray must be sufficient to hold the weight of all the cables likely to be supported over the life of the system, must be routed correctly, and must be installed to maximize usage.

1. Unless otherwise specified by the campus, the cable tray should be solid bottom, aluminum, NEMA Class Designation 12B (75 lbs. per linear foot). Solid-bottom trays provide better protection from electrical interference than do ladder-type trays. A corrugated ventilated tray, which provides some of the benefits of open-ladder trays and some of the improved protection of a solid-bottom tray, and can be used to meet individual campus preferences. Trays should be 18 inches wide with a minimum depth of three inches. Smaller buildings and secondary tray sections serving fewer than 25 stations may utilize a twelve (12) inch tray. Trays must qualify under NEC Section 318-7(b) as equipment grounding conductors.



Figure 3 - 21

Typical Cable Tray Supports



2. Trays should be secured on five-to-ten-foot centers using a single center-mounted steel supporting rod and bottom "T" connector, angled wall supports, or a trapeze support. If both sides of the tray cannot be accessed or other limitations prohibit the placement of cable equally in both sides of the tray, a trapeze or wall support system should be used. All tray installations must meet seismic bracing standards for Zone 4 and must be supported against horizontal, lateral, and vertical movement.

3. The cable tray should be routed in a manner that reduces the need for long unsupported cable runs. However, the tray need not be extended to cover all areas of a floor simply to transport cables to one or two locations. Cable installers can utilize "J" hooks or cable saddles (on 6' centers) to support individual runs of cable, or a zoned conduit system can be used to supplement the cable tray.

4. Cable trays must only be utilized over areas with ceiling access and should transition to a minimum of three four-inch conduits when routed over fixed ceiling spaces greater than 30 feet or containing any angle greater than 20 degrees. Trays should be electrically bonded end-to-end.

5. The cable tray, the support method, the bracing system, and the anchoring components must work together to provide sufficient support for a wide variety of cable types and sizes. It is unlikely the ultimate capacity requirements of an individual cable pathway can be defined as part of a new construction or retrofit project. With the continuous changes in technology and the expanding role of telecommunications in the educational process, forecasting and designing to specific weight capacities is unreasonable. In the absence of campus-provided capacities use Figure 3-19 to determine the capabilities of specific cable tray and ladder rack systems:

6. In retrofit projects it is often more cost effective to use a medium-weight wire mesh cable tray to support the distribution of station cable rather than standard solid bottom or ladder rack style systems. The wire mesh systems are often easier to install and to work around obstructions within existing ceiling space. However, in some cases a solid bottom tray is required to provide physical or electronic protection for the cables being placed.



7. Trays should enter telecommunications rooms six inches into the room, then utilize a drop out in a “waterfall” to protect station cables from potential damage from the end of the tray. All penetrations through firewalls must be designed to allow cable installers to fire-seal around cables after they are installed. The use of tray-based mechanical firestop systems instead of a transition to conduit is encouraged when a tray must penetrate a fire barrier.

8. Cable trays must not be placed closer than five inches to any overhead light fixture and no closer than 12 inches to any electrical ballast. A minimum of eight inches of clearance above the tray must be maintained at all times. All bends and T-joints in the tray must be fully accessible from above (within one foot). Trays should be mounted no higher than 12 feet above the finished floor and must not extend more than eight feet over a fixed ceiling area.

Pathway Type and Utilization Low Usage

Capacity)

High Usage

Capacity)

Light duty Ladder Rack –generally 12 inches wide made of hollow aluminum.

Used within telecommunication rooms to support small feeder and station cables.

12 lbs per foot

28 lbs. per foot

Medium duty cable tray (wire style or solid) generally 9” to 24” wide.

Used within buildings to distribute station cable.

12 lbs per foot

30 lbs per foot

Heavy duty cable tray – generally 12 to 18 inches wide made of heavy duty aluminum or solid steel.

Used in equipment rooms, main distribution frames (MDF), and service entrance rooms.

18 lbs per foot

50 lbs per foot

Typical cable load for EACH four-inch EMT conduit

4 lbs per foot

15 lbs per foot

Figure 3 - 22

Typical Cable Tray Load Ranges



9. A separate conduit sleeve (minimum of two inches) must be provided as a pathway through any wall or over any obstruction (such as a rated hallway) from the cable tray into any room having a communications outlet. Such conduit runs must be continuous over fixed ceiling areas, but may be sleeves between false ceiling spaces that have access.

10. A minimum of two four-inch conduits should be dedicated between a telecommunications room and each (raised floor) computer lab or video facility it serves.

Conduit 40% Fill * 50% Fill 60% Fill Trade Size Area # of cables # of cables # of cables

3/4 .44 3 4 4 1 .79 5 7 8

1 ¼ 1.23 9 11 13 2 3.14 23 29 35 3 7.07 53 66 79 4 12.56 94 117 141

These figures assume an average Cat 6 cable size of .26” * Industry standard and CEC code is to design for 40% fill

These figures are estimates only and are based upon a number of variables. The actual number of cables which can be installed in a particular conduit can be slightly more or significantly less depending upon such factors:

a. All cables must be pulled at the same time to achieve the greater fill levels,

b. Conduit runs must be less than 50 feet in length (reduce the number of cables by 15% for conduit runs between 50 and 100 feet,

c. Pullboxes are placed every 100 feet or if more than 180 degrees of bends are installed in the conduit,

d. The actual diameter of the cable is greater than or smaller than the .26 inch used in this table.

3.3.3.2 Station Outlets

The "standard" wall outlet should be a 4 11/16 inch square outlet box served by a 1¼-inch conduit (with no more than a total of 180 degrees of bend). Outlets should be mounted as defined by code. Telecommunications outlet

Figure 3 - 23

Typical Conduit Cable Fill



boxes should never be daisy-chained or mounted back-to-back using a common feeder conduit.

In locations without fire barriers or in filled walls where cable can be “fished,” a faceplate support bracket may be used. Faceplates without the use of the support brackets are not recommended. The best design provides an EMT conduit from above the ceiling space to just above the point at which the faceplate is to be mounted.

1. If flush-mounted floor outlets are required, the designer should place a dual use (signal & power) preset outlet in the floor surface and feed the conduit (1¼" for signal only) through the floor slab to the nearest wall and up into accessible ceiling space. Flush-mount units must provide a space for telecommunications comparable to the standard NEMA outlet box.

2. If a large number of such outlets are required, the designer should consider the use of cast-in-place floor boxes with feeder duct (Walkerduct) served by multiple two-inch conduits directed into the ceiling space.

3. Custom counter or workstation installations requiring telecommunications services should be connected to a wall-mounted junction box fed by a two-inch conduit. A maximum of four workstations can be jointly served in this manner.

4. Classrooms, labs and lecture halls will require additional connecting signal conduit between the faculty teaching position and the room display system. If the room is to be equipped with a ceiling-mounted projection system, a 1½” conduit terminating in a quad size junction box must be linked to the instructor's communications/power outlet. A pulling box (6x6 minimum) should be provided in line with the conduit to limit the number of bends to a total of 180 degrees. The display system (overhead projector, wall-mounted video, ceiling speakers) will require a separate conduit distribution tied to a control point, generally the instructor’s position, and must be professionally designed to meet the needs of the specific facility.

5. In some laboratories, work areas, and/or counter spaces, wall-mounted wire mold should be utilized to distribute power and signal to a variety of user locations. This raceway must be metal (and must be grounded) and at a minimum be 1¾” x 4”. The communications portion of the raceway

Figure 3-24 Typical Hollow Wall

Outlet Frames



should be fitted with standard NEMA duplex outlet knockouts for mounting the communications jacks. The designer should provide for multiple access points into the raceway, and place a minimum of two 1½” feeder conduits into every eight feet of raceway section.

3.3.4 Retrofit Design Issues

3.3.4.1 Access & Installation

The single most difficult design issue in retrofit projects, beyond obtaining space, is identifying ways to distribute station cable within an older building. Pathways not designed into the original facility now need to be carved out of spaces that, at times, simply do not exist. One of the most common methods is to extend a tray or support system down a hallway or through the rooms on one side of a hallway.

Tray systems above the ceilings of an existing building are sometimes difficult to install due to the large amount of varied equipment already placed in that limited space. Existing ductwork, piping, lighting systems, and wiring can make it difficult or impossible to install large sections of cable tray without actually demolishing the ceiling material. Given sufficient funding and support, the installation of a tray system in conjunction with a ceiling and

lighting retrofit project is a very attractive way to resolve this problem. Without that level of support, the following methods may be employed to install a hallway distribution system:

Figure 3-25 Typical Architectural Cove Molding Wireway



1. If the ceiling is fixed or has limited access, it may be possible to install a series of additional access hatches positioned to permit the installation of cable tray or other support structures and thus provide technicians access to install and support cable placement.

2. A portion of the ceiling may be removed and replaced after installation of the tray system. This is useful if there is a physical division between ceiling sections that will permit such work without creating a visible division after installation is complete. It is important to provide sufficient clearance to allow technicians on-going access to the horizontal pathways in the future.

3. A wireway may be installed down corridors and painted to match existing conditions. This alternative becomes a problem when attempting to transition into the space on the other side of a hallway. The wireway needs to be very thick in order to support the minimum bending radius of high-speed copper cables. Campus planners often eliminate this alternative based on aesthetics.

4. An alternative to the wireway approach is to utilize an extruded molding, generally aluminum, designed to look like an architectural cove molding. This material is available in a variety of sizes and styles and is left open for the placement of future cable. The downside is a lack of security for the cable and a limitation on the amount of cable that can be installed.

Figure 3-26

Typical Work Area Cable Raceway



However, it is reasonably easy to place additional cable over time.

5. Surface mounted cable raceway has been used for some time on many CSU campuses to provide a pathway within classrooms and offices. It is important to select a product which provides cable support and routing for Cat 5e or better cables (no sharp bends) and has adequate capacity for both the initial installation and future growth. Generally, metal raceways should be used within labs and classrooms due to the need for additional protection and the ability to secure the product. Heavy duty plastic is a good choice for general usage in staff offices and administration spaces.

6. In fire rated corridors, the designer must develop a specific plan for penetrating and restoring the ratings of walls, floors, and ceiling spaces in those corridors. That includes a method to allow technicians to continue to adequately firestop these penetrations over the life of the facility.

7. The use of individual ceiling hangers to support multiple copper, fiber, and coaxial cables is not acceptable. With newer media, the weight of even a very few cables can, over time, cause kinks or bends resulting in performance problems. Currently available cable support products designed to depend from ceiling hangers, threaded rods, beam clamps, or

4 Graphics provided by Caddy®

Figure 3-27 Typical Cable Support Products 4



wall mounts should be specified. Such products must be rated by the manufacturer as to the number and type of cables they will support and the maximum allowable distance between supports. Generally, such supports may be placed no more than five or six feet apart, providing capacities of up to a few dozen cables.

3.3.4.2 Firestopping

Firestopping is a critical issue on retrofit projects and must be specifically addressed by the telecommunications design team. In new construction projects, firestopping is generally addressed by each member of the construction team as they complete their portion of the project. The nature of a telecommunications cable installation retrofit project is such that the contractor has a significant amount of leeway in determining where and how cable is to be installed. It is important the design team communicate their expectations about firestopping to the Contractor before the project is started.

1. Each type of penetration is different, and the firestopping materials and configuration must be selected specifically for the conditions in the field. Although the designer can define in general terms the expectations and overall methods to be employed, the Contractor must work with the installer, the designer, and the firestop manufacturer to identify the correct products for the job.

2. Each firestop must have a manufacturer’s rating sheet outlining the products to be used, the construction materials to be penetrated, the penetrating items (cable, conduit, material type), the rating expectation, and the installation methods. NO SINGLE FIRE STOP MATERIAL WILL MEET EVERY SITUATION IN A BUILDING-WIDE CABLE INSTALLATION PROJECT.

3. Some incorrect materials have been used in the past, and some common materials have been used incorrectly. Expanding foam insulation is not a firestop material and should never be used as such. Newspaper, cardboard, or old rags are not suitable packing material for a thin film of firestop caulking. All components relating to a firestop are critical to the ultimate function of the installation.

4. The designer should identify general types of acceptable fire stopping materials and methods, including manufacturers, and to identify the types of fire-rated structures within campus buildings. There are several steps to this process:



a. Define construction types - Campuses must provide the design team with adequate construction as-built documentation or must conduct existing site condition surveys of the areas impacted to determine which structures within the building are rated and to what level.

b. Identify general firestopping methods - The design team must identify the generally acceptable methods of penetration and firestopping based upon how the cable will be installed and the plans for its maintenance.

c. Identify special or unique situations - Large openings, such as cable trays, must be specifically identified, and firestopping materials and methods defined as part of the design package.

d. During installation, the Contractor/installer must contact their supplier or firestop manufacturer to obtain UL-approved drawings outlining the existing field conditions, the products they are installing, and the use of the firestop manufacturer’s product. Each approved firestop drawing will include a unique identifier code that must be placed on an identifying tag at each penetration using that specific product and configuration. The drawings should be maintained by the campus in order to easily determine the specific firestop material to be used at each location when additional cable is placed in the future.



Figure 3 – 28 Typical Firestop Configurations



When updating the infrastructure in retrofit projects, the designer must be aware of the limitations imposed by older electrical and HVAC systems, outdated ceiling systems, existing wiring methods, and hazardous materials.

A prime goal of electrical service design is to reduce or eliminate power-related problems to the sensitive network equipment, while providing adequate power for current and future applications.

The telecommunications grounding system must be designed and installed as defined in ANSI TIA/EIA-607. The designer must use a common point of ground for all services (power and telecommunications) within the same building.

Any telecommunications space designed to support electronic equipment requires an air handling system to remove heat 24 hour a day/365 days a year. Six possible options are discussed in TIPS Section 3 to provide guidance for the design team.

Telecommunications pathways must be designed as a specific part of an overall telecommunications infrastructure plan, not as a system or technology-specific component.

All telecommunications related infrastructure issues must be based upon published industry standards such as the TIA/EIA series and RUS bulletins. Vendor-specific requirements must be analyzed in light of an overall “standards based” approach.

The CSU Infrastructure tracking system software must be used to document and administer all new telecommunication infrastructure projects.

KEY POINTS

For Architects and Sub-Consultants

Documents

3. Infrastructure & Pathway Design - California State … State University TIP Standards Effective May 2007 INFRASTRUCTURE & PATHWAY DESIGN Page 3-1 3. Infrastructure & Pathway Design