watts per sq/ft for shopping mall

[john37]

Can anyone give me a general watts per sq/ft I can use to figure out a future service feed to a regular retail space and a restaurant space. It's open are strip mall and the approximately square footage of the spaces are about 3000 sq/ft. We are renovating the strip mall and I need to stub into some vacant spaces. The restaurants are going to be like a mom and pops restaurant and the retail shops are going to be somewhat like a boutique shop.
So I just need to get a general watts per sq/ft number for the retail shop and a small restaurant. No gas is available for the cooking equipment. I need to factor in lighitng, general receptacle use, a/c equipment (no heating) and then for the restaurants cooking and refrigeration along with lighting, general power, and a/c equipment. Thanks!

 

[480sparky]

You're designing this instead of an EE?

 

[mdshunk]

Each bay of a strip mall is normally between 700 and 1500 square feet. These spaces are normally feature a 200 amp, 3-phase panel in each bay, fed full size. Large stores may lease multiple bays and fit them out as one large store.

 

[480sparky]

OP says there's two restaurants. Unless it's a huge strip mall, that's unusual.

 

[john37]

Sparky...I am an EE. I haven't done much retail mall design work so I'm trying to figure out a general watts per sq/ft I can use for now since there are no definite tenants assigned to the space. I know when it comes to restaurants we are taking a stab in the dark since we don't know exactly what kind of cooking equipment is going in but I'm trying to come up with something general for now. Thanks.

 

[480sparky]

Sparky...I am an EE. I haven't done much retail mall design work so I'm trying to figure out a general watts per sq/ft I can use for now since there are no definite tenants assigned to the space. I know when it comes to restaurants we are taking a stab in the dark since we don't know exactly what kind of cooking equipment is going in but I'm trying to come up with something general for now. Thanks.

Silly me.... I didn't check your profile.:roll:

As Marc stated, bays are usually 700-1000 ft?. Even 2000 ft? bays will have a 200a 3-ph panel and I've never known one to be short of power. Restuarants will typically take more than one bay, so they have more than one panel to work with.

 

[john37]

Thanks Marc. My problem is that this is an existing strip mall with one large anchor tenant (large grocery store). Most of the existing tenants are mom and pop stores which unfortunaltely are being forced out because a new owner bought the shopping center. There are approximately 15 small retail stores and 5 small restaurants ranging from a sub way sandwhich, chinese restaurant, to a bbq restaurant. Almost all the existing tenants are being forced out so we need to come in and design "shell" spaces with stub in's to each tenant space. Similar to what we would do for a brand new mall. I'm getting a list of the confirmed tenant spaces they have now so I'll know whether they will be a small boutique store or a small restaurant. We won't know for sure until the new tenants sign the lease agreements. For now we know where the restaurants are going so we kind of need to guess what the approximate service will be with the understanding that it could increase (or decrease).

 

[480sparky]

Some malls don't even provide the panels & wiring to them. They just supply a certain number & size of raceway(s), depending on the square footage, from the meter stack to the space. It's up to the tenant to take it from there.

This is from a large mall that provided the (empty) cabinet, two 2" EMTs and pull strings.

 

[john37]

Thanks sparky....That's exactly what we are going to do for now. We are just stubbing into the vacant spaces from the meter bank.
As stated in my original post, I'm trying to figure a watts per square foot for each type of space.

 

[mdshunk]

Thanks sparky....That's exactly what we are going to do for now. We are just stubbing into the vacant spaces from the meter bank.
As stated in my original post, I'm trying to figure a watts per square foot for each type of space.

40-50 watts/sq foot, by working my old jobs backwards.

 

[480sparky]

Thanks sparky....That's exactly what we are going to do for now. We are just stubbing into the vacant spaces from the meter bank.
As stated in my original post, I'm trying to figure a watts per square foot for each type of space.

Without a tenant, it's going to be hard to pin down an accurate number. It's really SWAG at this point.

While a restautant may not need much in the way of lighting, since they're after 'ambiance' and 'atmosphere'....

... a top-notch retail store may be energy hogs when it comes to lighting:

 

[cyriousn]

Wattage levels

Wattage levels

Depending if anyone is looking at the energy codes that may or may not be enforced in the area (ashrae 90.1-2004 or IEC) lighting for these commercial areas should have their lighting levels at about 1.5-2.5 watts/sq ft. There are also allowances and exemptions that could boost the lighting up into the range of 5-10 watts/sq ft. This would include lamp lighting as well. I feel that general purpose recetacles would not be a significant load. Air conditioning load would be a good 5-7 watts / sq ft. So at a max you could hit around of 17 watts/ sq ft for a normal retail space.

For the restaurants though take the same lighting and air conditioning level with now the kitchen appliances and the heat shedding from the kitchen and I would agree with mdshunk on the 40-50 range.