Single Panel Feeding Multifamily Building?

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kgregg

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baltimore, md
I was wondering if there are any code issues with having a single panel feeding several units in a multifamily (3 unit) building. The panel will be located in the common area. Building owner will be paying the electric bill.

There are two meters to the building, a 150A service to the basement unit and a 200A service to the upper 3 units. There will be a sub-panel from the basement unit that will be on the upper floor serving the condensing units on the roof. The basement units panel will be within the basement unit, not common area.

This is far from what im use to and the owner is trying to cut costs...is this configuration possible?

Thank you.
 
Sounds like spending a dollar to save a penny, when tenants do not pay the bill there is no incentive to conserve. There may be State regulations prohibiting master metering, it would be wise to check if there are regs disallowing it prior to going ahead with it. A energy code is where it might be located.
 
I think the relevant rule is 240.24(B). It requires each tenant to have ready access to overcurrent devices serving their spaces. Your proposed installation would satisfy that rule. I don't like several things about it, but I don't see a code violation. High on the list of non-likes is the fact that tenant #1 can turn off power to tenant #2 just for the sake of being mean.
 
IECC 2015

IECC 2015

Maryland appears to have adopted the 2015 IECC, but you may want to confirm with what your local jurisdiction has adopted as well, but per 2015 IECC:

C104.2.5 - Electrical Rough-in Inspection - Inspections at electrical rough-in shall verify compliance as required by the code and approved plans and specifications as to installed lighting systems, components and controls; and installation of an electric meter for each dwelling unit.


C405.6 - Electrical energy Consumption (Mandatory). Each dwelling unit located in a group R-2 building shall have a separate electric meter.


You will want to confirm this with the AHJ, but be prepared for defending your current set up of metering and charging of tenants.
 
2012 IECC Metering Requirements

2012 IECC Metering Requirements

You're welcome; Washington D.C appears to have adopted the 2012 IECC. Please see below for 2012 IECC Metering requirements:

C405.7 Electrical Energy Consumption (Mandatory) - In buildings having individual dwelling units, provisions shall be made to determine the electrical energy consumed by each tenant by separately metering individual dwelling units.

This is the only reference to metering made in 2012 IECC.
 
tw1156 said:
You're welcome; Washington D.C appears to have adopted the 2012 IECC. Please see below for 2012 IECC Metering requirements:

C405.7 Electrical Energy Consumption (Mandatory) - In buildings having individual dwelling units, provisions shall be made to determine the electrical energy consumed by each tenant by separately metering individual dwelling units.

This is the only reference to metering made in 2012 IECC.
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It has to go a little deeper then just that - there are hotels, resorts, etc. everywhere that have several individual units that meet the definition of dwelling unit within a larger building that have them all under common metering with the rest of the facility.
 
kwired said:
It has to go a little deeper then just that - there are hotels, resorts, etc. everywhere that have several individual units that meet the definition of dwelling unit within a larger building that have them all under common metering with the rest of the facility.
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Not all locations are under the latest energy codes, and in specifc, the IECC. I noted that the AHJ will have the final verdict and may permit metering via house system. 2015 IECC is more specific than the 2012 as shown, but how that is interpreted is up to the designer and AHJ.

The 2012 IECC does not go any deeper into it than that statement unfortunately. Fortunately, many of us went from IECC 2009 to IECC 2015 and skipped the 2012, so as to how that is interpreted, I cannot offer a final answer.
 
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