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EIA/TIA 569-C
Design Considerations for
Telecommunications
Pathways and Spaces
ELCM 254
©PRGodin @gmail.com
Updated January 2014
EIA/TIA 569-C
• A communications infrastructure in today’s
commercial buildings is essential. All buildings,
new and old, must have allowance for this
infrastructure.
• This standard addresses the architectural design
elements of cable pathways and dedicated
rooms for a telecommunications infrastructure.
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Architectural Masterformat
• The Masterformat is a reference document used by
architectural engineers when designing a building. It
contains all the vital elements and details of proper
building design and construction.
• The communication infrastructure is part of the
Masterformat under Division 27 (since 2004).
• Other cabling requirements have their own division
numbers:
▫ Security & safety (28)
▫ Electrical (26)
▫ Automation (25)
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Examples of Pathways & Spaces
• Spaces:
▫ Telecommunications & Equipment Rooms (called
“Distributor Rooms” in this standard)
▫ Entrance Facilities
▫ Other spaces for access
• Pathways:
▫ Routes for Horizontal & Backbone cabling
▫ Pathways for Services
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Physical Characteristics Recommendations
• Backbone and Horizontal pathway systems such as
conduit and tray
• Entrance Facilities characteristics
• Distributor room space, size, conditions and design
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Installation, Safety & Performance
Recommendations
•
•
•
•
•
Backboard installation
Electromagnetic Interference
Firestop and fire safety
Cable management and physical support
Other factors that may affect cable performance
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Pathways
• Allowances must me
made for the
physical routing of
communication
cabling throughout
the building.
Image: www.railway-technology.com
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Cable Pathway Planning
• Building Pathways:
▫ Vertical & Horizontal cable
pathways
 walls, ceiling, plenums, floors
▫ Exterior or interior
• Cable Pathway and Support
Structures:
▫ Conduit, raceway, tray, duct,
sleeves, etc
▫ J-Hook, clamps, cable shoes,
waterfall, etc
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Backbone Pathways
• Telecommunication Rooms should be stacked vertically
and 3, 4-inch conduit or other cable pathways provided
between these rooms.
• Rooms that are not stacked should be connected with a
minimum of 4 inch conduit.
• Firestopping is required between vertically stacked rooms
and recommended between other rooms.
• Cable tray fill should be planned at 25%, not exceed 50%
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Cable Trays at over 50% fill
According to the
photographer, each
jacket color
represented a
different office
zone.
Image: Jeff Keddy
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Vertical Building Elevation
Pathways
5th
TR
4th
TR
3rd
TR
2nd
TR
TR
1st
TR
TR
B1
TR
TR
ER
TR
TR
TR
EF
Available pathways for communication and grounding cabling
• Communication Cabling: Connected in a star configuration from the ER, but the
cable may be routed through other rooms (see the 568C standard).
• Ground Cabling: Ring configuration through several rooms, leading to the EF (see
the 607B standard)
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TIA/EIA 569C Conduit Systems
• Fill ratio of 40%. (recommendation is less fill/larger
conduit)
• No more than two 90 degree bends
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Conduit (continued)
• Flexible metal tubing is not permitted
• Section not longer than 30 meters (100ft)
▫ install a pull box for greater distances
• 4” min. should be used underground
▫ manholes within first 150 meters
▫ no more than 300 meters between manholes
Pull Box
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Separation: Electrical Equipment & Wiring
• If metal conduit is used:
▫ must be properly grounded
▫ if it completely encloses a communication cable there
is no minimum distance between it and the power
cables
• If there is no metal conduit:
▫ crossing at right angles between the electrical and
communication cables is permitted
▫ Cables must maintain 2” (50mm) of separation if the
electrical cable is a standard 15Amp circuit.
▫ Must maintain 5” (250mm) separation from lighting
▫ A table is available for other electrical circuit types
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Other Pathway Considerations
• Cables must not be laid on ceiling tiles, and must
be supported every 1.5m (5ft). The supports must
be dedicated to this function.
• The standard addresses raised flooring and
underfloor ducting and conduit.
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Entrance Facility (EF)
• Includes
▫ Service Entrance
▫ Building Entrance
 interbuilding backbone
 alternate entrance
 antennae entrance pathways
• The EF consists of a termination field interfacing
any outside cabling to the intrabuilding cabling.
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Service Entrance
• A Service Entrance is where outside companies
physically bring their services into a building.
▫
▫
▫
▫
▫
Electrical (power, ground)
Communication (Voice, Video, Data)
Alarm (Fire, Security)
Wireless equipment connections (antenna)
Other services outside of communications (water,
gas, etc)
• There may be more than one Service Entrance
facility in a building.
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Demarcation on Service Entrance
• The Demarcation (Demarc) is the separation of
ownership or responsibility. It is the seperation
between the service company’s equipment and the
building’s equipment.
Telco Cable
Telco
Bldg
Building Cable
Demarc
Telco Ownership
Building Ownership
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Entrance Facility Cables and Safety
• Local fire regulations will dictate termination
requirements and fire protection.
▫ Recommendation is terminate as close to the
entrance as possible.
▫ Fire control systems should be implemented.
• If the cable contains metallic elements it must be
lightning protected, even if buried.
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Entrance Facilities (Details)
• Recommendation and Standards:
▫ One wall must contain a ¾ inch sheet of plywood,
painted white.
▫ Must not have a false ceiling.
▫ The service entrance pathway is either
underground, buried, aerial or tunnel.
▫ Access to the area must be restricted but doesn’t
need to be a dedicated, enclosed room.
▫ Must avoid electrical cable pathways.
▫ Must be flood control systems in place.
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Entrance Facilities (Details)
• Recommendation and Standards:
▫ Minimum conduit size:
 Minimum 4” conduit of PVC type B,C, or D or
multiple plastic duct or galvanized steel or fiberglass
(all with appropriate encasement)
▫ No more than 2 - 90° manufactured bends (10
times the diameter of conduit)
▫ Drain slope:
 should not be less than 12” per 100’
▫ Conduit fill varies
 should not exceed 40%
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Entrance Facilities, Equipment Rooms and
Telecommunications Rooms
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Sample Telecom Room Design
http://www.siemon.com/
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Room General Guidelines
• Must have minimum of one per floor, centrally located
• Must be placed in areas where they be expanded. Must have a
ceiling height of 3m or more. No exterior windows.
• Should be accessible for large equipment delivery but have
limited, secure access (36” X 80” single or double lockable
doors).
• Must have a backboard (¾” plywood, painted white)
• Room sizing is now contained in the 568C standard but
there are recommendations in this standard.
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Distributor Rooms General Guidelines
• There are many additional guidelines addressed
specifically in the standards. Factors include:
▫
▫
▫
▫
Humidity, temperature, vibration and dust controls
Physical access issues, security and fire suppression
Lighting and electrical requirements
Ceiling height, construction, paint color
• Must contain protection against:
▫
▫
▫
▫
▫
Lightning
Water
Humidity
Fire Spread
Tampering
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Distributor Room Details
• Unrelated equipment (plumbing, piping, tubing,
ducting, etc) should not be routed through the
room.
• Shall not be used as access to other rooms or
facilities.
• The room shall be dedicated to its primary
function and cannot be shared with other functions
(for instance, cannot be used as an electrical room).
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Sample Telecom Room
Image Source: Anixter.com
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Equipment Room
• The Equipment Room is a facility which houses
items of more complexity such as:
▫ Telephone related equipment such as an MDF
(Main Distribution Frame), PBX’s (Private Branch
Exchange), secondary voltage protection, and the
like.
▫ Networking equipment such as switches, hubs,
routers, servers, etc., although a separate but
connected computer room is usual.
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Room Equipment
• The standard states minimum clearance and working
space in front of (3ft) and behind (2ft) racks and cabinets.
• Cooling methods should be employed. Racks should
have adjustable mounting rails.
• Cable management and power bars should be provided
for each cabinet or rack. Number of electrical receptacles
is also stated.
• Provide additional rooms or spaces for service and
access providers.
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Environmental
• The standard is specific
regarding:
▫ Temperature Control (includes
altitude adjustments)
▫ Humidity Control
▫ Lighting (minimum Lux
measurements)
▫ Dust particulates
www.epa.gov
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Work Area Guidelines
• The standard addresses Equipment Outlets:
▫ Minimum and maximum depths for outlet boxes
▫ Standard sizes for furniture outlets
▫ Bend Radius requirements on both the inside and
outside of the EO.
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Conclusion
• The TIA/EIA 569-C is a structured cabling
standard that addresses the physical
requirements and design issues for pathways and
spaces for cable within a building.
• Since each building and installation has unique
challenges, the standard is frequently used as a
guideline and not the rule.
END
prgodin @ gmail.com
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