NFPA Journal - November/December 2017 - 62

Research by Casey Grant

THE FIRE
PROTECTION
RESEARCH
FOUNDATION

Power Plan
HOW THE RESEARCH COMMUNITY IS MEETING THE FIRE AND LIFE SAFETY CONCERNS
ASSOCIATED WITH THE EVOLVING TECHNOLOGY OF POWER OVER ETHERNET

or more than 120 years,

is relatively good, and going forward we
the National Electrical
want to keep it that way.
Code® (NEC®) has evolved
Another PoE concern is the evolution
alongside technology to
of the technology itself. Though PoE has
safely achieve the fundagained recognition and consideration for
mental task of transmitting electricity
widespread use in the last decade, tradifrom a centralized power source to electionally the cables only supplied low levels
trically powered devices. Now, another
of power. Today, PoE cables are capable
technological twist called Power over
of higher electrical outputs, powering
Ethernet (PoE) is at our doorstep, and
phone communications, security cameras,
code developers and researchers must
lighting, programmable logic controllers,
again step up to meet the challenge.
mass-notification devices, and kiosk/annunPoE cables carry both data and electriciation appliances, and are used to charge
cal power to equipment. Powering devices
all kinds of additional electronic devices.
Like many emerging
with the same cables that are used to
It's not unusual to see these cables in large
technologies, Power
help those devices "communicate" with
bundles, which raises questions about overover Ethernet includes
each other has a number of advantages,
heating and other potential hazards.
fire and life safety
including reduced wiring costs, more
To begin addressing these concerns,
concerns that need to
design flexibility, scalable designs with
in October the Fire Protection Research
be considered.
plug-and-play devices, and the ability to
Foundation conducted a "Power over the
remotely service diagnostic issues with
Ethernet Research Planning Workshop"
the equipment. In a world where seemat the University of New Hampshire's
ingly every electrically powered device is
InterOperability Laboratory. The event
now connected to the World Wide Web,
was designed to identify and prioritize
these advantages have resulted in PoE's rapid proliferation.
knowledge gaps, recommend next steps, and plan action items
But meshing together the cables and supporting equipment in support of reasonable, realistic, and safe regulatory oversight.
needed for power supplies along with those used for lower- Proceedings from the workshop will be available by November
energy communications devices is not a simple blend. And as on the Foundation's website, nfpa.org/foundation.
with many emerging technologies, there are a few fire and life
While PoE is evolving, we aren't starting from scratch. NFPA
safety concerns that need to be considered.
has been at the forefront of assuring safety with this technology
One question being posed by experts is how PoE will fit into from the beginning in numerous codes and standards. Technithe current electrical infrastructure, which has evolved over cal committees for these codes will have to keep a close eye on
more than a century. Important characteristics of wires and how PoE evolves and proliferates.
cables-such as type, size, quantity, and types of materials-are
While the Fire Protection Research Foundation workshop on
well-established based on the electrical loads they are expected PoE was an important start, it is only the beginning of a longer
to carry, but PoE could alter that. As PoE challenges some of journey as we dive into this new era that many refer to as the
these primary tenets of electrical power distribution, electrical "Internet of Things." This new era, along with the devices and
engineers and fire protection engineers in turn must reassess technologies that support it, including PoE, are here to stay. It
some fundamental electrical and fire concerns. These include is imperative that the regulatory community rises to address
electrical shock hazards, fire ignition propensity, flame spread this new sweeping challenge.
characteristics, fuel load, and potential products of combustion. Today, our safety record with electrical systems design Casey Grant is executive director of the Fire Protection Research Foundation.

62 | NFPA JOURNAL * N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7

MICHAEL HOEWELER

http://www.nfpa.org/foundation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NFPA Journal - November/December 2017