Service size?

[p051981]

If there was a new shopping center being built with probably 8 individual units to lease out, how would you calculate the service for the shopping center? I know you have to calculate individual units by lighting demand and load but how do you know what size service to put in the first place. Especially if you dont know who will be leasing the unit and what they will have in the unit. Do you calculate the sq ft of the total shopping center? Thank you to anyone who can help!

 

[Dennis Alwon]

If there was a new shopping center being built with probably 8 individual units to lease out, how would you calculate the service for the shopping center? I know you have to calculate individual units by lighting demand and load but how do you know what size service to put in the first place. Especially if you dont know who will be leasing the unit and what they will have in the unit. Do you calculate the sq ft of the total shopping center? Thank you to anyone who can help!

I am surprised this isn't engineer. I have never seen a job of this magnitude not have an EE's stamp and design.

 

[Npstewart]

Obviously it is always a guess but basically you want Togo with the most common occupancy which would be a office or retail space. I typically see 12 -14 watts a square foot for future design. This would vary based on location. Here in the south we have electric heat, in the north you would definitely need gas.

Use what you know first. You know you can estimate the lighting at 3.5 watts a square foot. The receptacles would be 1
Watt per square foot. So that brings you to 4.5 watts. Next if you know your going to need electric heat you can estimate that at about 5-6 watts a square foot. Last you total that up per invididual space and throw on a water heater if that is electric. When this is all done you usually fall around 12-14 watts a square foot. Last call the utility to see what your voltage is so you can size your service.

 

[quinn77]

Here in Texas, EC's can design as long as total dollar amount doesn't exceed certain amount. After that, an EE's stamp is required. I'm south of Houston myself and have been involved in quite a few of these scenarios. Typically, the developer has done some market research to narrow down potential leasee's. However, these jobs are sometimes done "on the fly" by the building owner with no real thought or pre-planning.
Like other post said, go with what you know, ask the owner who he thinks might lease, but don't do the research as too much time will allow for too many changes. If it was my building, I'd pre-lease, with pre-lease discounts ( typical for experienced developers ) then do a design/build. FWIW, this is just my experience.

 

[quinn77]

Obviously it is always a guess but basically you want Togo with the most common occupancy which would be a office or retail space. I typically see 12 -14 watts a square foot for future design. This would vary based on location. Here in the south we have electric heat, in the north you would definitely need gas.

Use what you know first. You know you can estimate the lighting at 3.5 watts a square foot. The receptacles would be 1
Watt per square foot. So that brings you to 4.5 watts. Next if you know your going to need electric heat you can estimate that at about 5-6 watts a square foot. Last you total that up per invididual space and throw on a water heater if that is electric. When this is all done you usually fall around 12-14 watts a square foot. Last call the utility to see what your voltage is so you can size your service.

good advice.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

From another forum I picked up that the OP drove by a shopping center and saw that the shell was done. He was wondering how can you figure the load if you don't know what is going to be in those places.

IMO, the owners have an idea of the type of stores that will be there and then it is a bit of a guessing game. If they are just retail shops then they really are just dealing with lighting load. Heat is usually supplied already so....

 

[iwire]

As always each area is different, around here each space gets it's own RTU for heating and cooling so that has to be figured into the load for that space.

Most times the developers of these places have already but others so they have a good idea of what to figure for load.

The one wrench that sometimes gets thrown in is if a restaurant wants to move in and they do not use gas appliances.

Here for instance

http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/store_listing_map.asp?id=10

Each address got a 200 amp 3 phase 208Y/120 feeder except that some of the larger stores on the corners got two of those feeders.