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International Code Compatibility

I work in a country that does not use the NEC. Is ElectroBIM compatible with the CEC, IEC, or other international codes and standards?​

ElectroBIM was designed for the North American market, which primarily uses NFPA 70 or the National Electric Code (NEC); as such, we cannot guarantee compatibility with international codes such as the Canadian Electric Code (CEC) or International Electrotechnical Commission standards (IEC). However, the calculation methods used and customization offered in ElectroBIM allow international users to make the software as compatible as possible.

This article covers the following areas for international code compatibility:

  • Features that use empirically derived and/or internationally recognized formulas, or rely on Revit functionality that supports international users
  • Potentially conflicting settings that can be customized by international users
  • Features and settings that may conflict with international codes and cannot be modified

Internationally Ready Features​

The following features are generally assumed to be compatible with international codes and standards:

  • Fault and arc-flash calculations are based upon IEEE Std 242-2001 and IEEE Std 1584-2018, respectively, which are internationally recognized standards that use empirical data for their formulas.
  • Voltage drop calculations are ultimately derived from Ohm's Law (V=IRV=IR).
  • Wire lengths can be calculated or manually entered in any length measurement unit available in Revit, including feet and meters.
  • ElectroBIM uses voltages and load values defined directly in Revit, which offers international support for those values.
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While the calculations mentioned above are sound in and of themselves, their accuracy depends on values derived from or provided by user input. The next section provides more information about how to customize those values and any special considerations.

Customizable Settings for International Compatibility​

The default settings for the following features are based upon the NEC and are likely incompatible with international codes that use metric units, but can be customized into compatibility:

  • The default Conduit Sizes, Wire Sizes, and Wire Ampacities tables all use Imperial units for their measurements, such as fractional inches for conduit and AWG for wires. If your jurisdiction uses metric sizes for conduits and wires, these tables will need to be modified. Here are some tips for modifying those tables:
    • The Size column for conduits and wires is strictly for labeling purposes. Values entered do not influence other parts of the software.
    • When modifying your conduit and wire sizes, the Area, Revit Trade Size, Wire + Insulation Area, and Wire Only Area units are based upon your Revit project units.
    • The reactance (X) and resistance (R) values in the Wire Ampacities command are assumed to be in Ohms/1000ft when used in fault, arc-flash, and voltage drop calculations. When entering the X and R values for your wires, you must convert them to Ohms/1000ft for your calculations to be accurate.
  • The default Transformer OCP Sizes tables are based upon typical American voltages and transformer sizes. These tables will need to be modified to fit the voltages and transformer sizes used in your project, as well as your company's preferred overcurrent protection sizes.
  • ElectroBIM will upsize or issue warnings for wires that exceed voltage drop percentages specified in the Project Options command. You may need to modify the default percentages to those recommended by your jurisdiction.
  • The default single-line diagram graphics are representative of North American symbols, which may or may not match the symbols common in other countries. The Single-Line Diagram section of the knowledge base has resources to help you customize those graphics to fit your standards.

Non-Customizable Features That May Conflict​

Some features were implemented due to specific NEC requirements, cannot be directly modified, and have not been evaluated for compatibility with international codes. You will need to determine whether these features conflict with your codes and whether you can work around them. Examples include, but are not limited to:

  • Derating conductors due to ambient temperature per NEC 310.15(B) or due to double neutrals per NEC Table 310.15(C)(1).
  • Proportionally upsizing ground wires when conductors are upsized per NEC 250.122(B).
  • When sizing conduit automatically, the conduit will be sized to not exceed 40% fill based upon the user-specified conduit and wire areas per NEC Table 1.
    • This behavior can be modified by adjusting your conduit areas in the Conduit Sizes command. For example, you can make the conduit area 25% larger than its actual area to simulate 50% conduit fill, or 25% smaller to simulate 30% conduit fill.

If you try the software and find something that may conflict with a specific code reference for your jurisdiction, let us know.