210.65 Meeting Rooms.
Code Change Summary: Revised code language on receptacle placement in meeting rooms.
The first requirements on receptacle placement in meeting rooms were added to Section 210.71 in the 2017 NEC®. Along with the new code language came gray areas. Section 210.71(B)(1) could be understood to require receptacles to be spaced like dwelling unit receptacles; within 6 feet of a doorway and every 12 foot along the wall. As well, the floor receptacle requirement in meeting rooms didn’t really take round or oval meeting rooms into consideration.
In the 2020 NEC®, the rules on receptacle placement in meeting rooms were revised and also relocated from 210.71 to 210.65. Below is a summary of the changes:
- The total number of receptacles required in a meeting room is determined in accordance with 210.52(A)(1)-(4).
- Once the total number of required receptacles is determined, the installer, designer, or building owner can then decide where to place them. No need to follow the placement rules in 210.52(A)(2) for the actual installation. If 100 receptacles are determined to be required, technically, all of them could be placed next to each other if the designer wanted them there.
- For meeting room floor receptacles, a meeting room with any floor dimension that is 12 feet or greater in any direction and that also has a floor area of at least 215 ft2 shall have at least one receptacle outlet installed in the floor, or at least one floor “outlet” to serve receptacles (could be a box in the floor that supplies power to an office furnishing that has integral receptacles. The floor receptacle or outlet must be located at a distance not closer than 6 feet from any fixed wall for each 215 ft2 or major portion of floor space.
Below is a preview of the NEC®. See the actual NEC® text at NFPA.ORG for the complete code section. Once there, click on their link to free access to the 2020 NEC® edition of NFPA 70.
2017 Code Language:
210.71 Meeting Rooms.
210.71(B) Receptacle Outlets Required. The total number of receptacle outlets, including floor outlets and receptacle outlets in fixed furniture, shall not be less than as determined in (1) and (2). These receptacle outlets shall be permitted to be located as determined by the designer or building owner.
(1) Receptacle Outlets in Fixed Walls. Receptacle outlets shall be installed in accordance with 210.52(A)(1) through (A)(4).
(2) Floor Receptacle Outlets. A meeting room that is at least 3.7 m (12 ft) wide and that has a floor area of at least 20 m2 (215 ft2) shall have at least one receptacle outlet located in the floor at a distance not less than 1.8 m (6 ft) from any fixed wall for each 20 m2 (215 ft2) or major portion of floor space.
2020 Code Language:
210.65 Meeting Rooms.
210.65(B) Receptacle Outlets Required. The total number of receptacle outlets, including floor outlets and receptacle outlets in fixed furniture, shall not be less than as determined in (1) and (2).
(1) Receptacle Outlets in Fixed Walls. The required number of receptacle outlets shall be determined in accordance with 210.52(A)(1) through (A)(4). These receptacle outlets shall be permitted to be located as determined by the installer, designer, or building owner.
(2) Floor Outlets. A meeting room with any floor dimension that is 3.7 m (12 ft) or greater in any direction and that has a floor area of at least 20 m2 (215 ft2) shall have at least one floor receptacle outlet, or at least one floor outlet to serve receptacle(s), located at a distance not less than 1.8 m (6 ft) from any fixed wall for each 20 m2 (215 ft2) or major portion of floor space.