What is the calculated receptacle load for a 32,000 square foot office with 120 20-ampere receptacle outlets?

To determine the calculated receptacle load for the office, you can use the formula for calculating the demand load for receptacle outlets. According to standard electrical design practices, a common method involves using the total number of receptacle outlets and their amperage rating to find the total load in volts-amperes (VA).

In this scenario, there are 120 receptacle outlets rated at 20 amperes each. The total potential load for all outlets can be calculated as follows:

1. First, calculate the total amperage for all receptacles by multiplying the number of outlets by the amperage rating:

[

120 \text{ outlets} \times 20 \text{ amperes} = 2400 \text{ amperes}

]

2. Next, convert this total amperage into VA (voltage times amperage). In a typical setup, the voltage is assumed to be 120 volts (for standard receptacles):

[

2400 \text{ amperes} \times 120 \text{ volts} = 288,000 \text{ VA}

]

3. However, for load calculations, especially for demand purposes, the NEC (National Electrical Code) allows applying a