Revision
569-E
Published 23 May 2019
Addendum
569-E-1
Temperature and humidity, 2022
Committee
TR-42.3
TIA pathways and spaces
| Full title | Telecommunications Pathways and Spaces |
| Publisher | Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), committee TR-42.3. ANSI-approved |
| Current revision | ANSI/TIA-569-E, May 2019, with Addendum 1 (ANSI/TIA-569-E-1), June 2022 |
| Status | Current. Revision 569-F is in draft and was still in ballot comment resolution in March 2026 |
| Replaces | ANSI/TIA-569-D (2015) and its Addenda 1 and 2 |
| Related standards | ANSI/TIA-568 series, ANSI/TIA-606, ANSI/TIA-607, ISO/IEC 14763-2, BS EN 50174-2 |
What it covers
ANSI/TIA-569 specifies requirements for telecommunications pathways and spaces. Pathways are the routes cables take through a building. Spaces are the rooms and areas that hold cabling, terminations and equipment.
The standard aims to standardise the design and construction of these pathways and spaces in buildings. It recognises that buildings, equipment and cabling media change over a building’s life, so it plans for change.
It is written for more than voice and data, including building services such as security and environmental control.
Structure of 569-E
569-E has nine clauses and four annexes. It runs to 112 pages.
| Part | Subject |
|---|---|
| Clause 1 | Scope |
| Clause 2 | Normative references |
| Clause 4 | Environmental compatibility |
| Clause 5 | Diversity of telecommunications facilities |
| Later clauses | Building spaces, access and service provider spaces, multi-tenant spaces and building pathways |
| Annex (normative) | Firestopping |
| Annex (informative) | Electromagnetic noise reduction guidelines for twisted-pair cabling |
| Annex (informative) | Considerations for remote powering over twisted-pair cabling |
| Annex (informative) | Bibliography |
Main revisions
| Document | Date | Content |
|---|---|---|
| EIA/TIA-569 | 1990 | Commercial Building Standard for Telecommunications Pathways and Spaces |
| 569-A | 1998 | Revision, later extended by seven addenda (2000 to 2001) |
| Revision | 2004 | Commercial Building Standard for Telecommunications Pathways and Spaces |
| Revision | 2012 | Retitled Telecommunications Pathways and Spaces |
| 569-D | 2015 | Revision |
| 569-D-1 | 2016 | Revised temperature and humidity requirements |
| 569-D-2 | 2018 | Pathways and spaces for remote powering over balanced twisted-pair cabling |
| 569-E | 2019 | Current revision. Absorbs 569-D-1 and 569-D-2 and updates references |
| 569-E-1 | 2022 | Revised temperature and humidity guidelines for telecommunications spaces |
Key changes in 569-E and 569-E-1
- Remote powering: pathway and space considerations for powering devices over twisted-pair cabling, such as PoE. First published as 569-D-2.
- Temperature and humidity: revised requirements for telecommunications spaces, first published as 569-D-1.
- 569-E-1: new temperature and humidity recommendations, harmonised with the ASHRAE Thermal Guidelines for Data Processing Environments, 5th edition. Published summaries of the addendum give a temperature range of 18 °C to 27 °C for telecommunications spaces.
- Normative references: updated throughout.
The 569-F revision, in draft since TIA’s 2023 call for interest, is to fold in 569-E-1 and update references. It had not been published by March 2026.
How it relates to other standards
| Standard | Relationship |
|---|---|
| ANSI/TIA-568 series | Cabling system design and performance. TIA-569 provides the pathways and spaces for it |
| ANSI/TIA-606 | Administration and labelling of the infrastructure |
| ANSI/TIA-607 | Bonding and grounding (earthing) for telecommunications |
| ISO/IEC 14763-2 | International standard covering planning and installation, including pathways and spaces |
| BS EN 50174-2 | European standard for installation planning and practice inside buildings, used in the UK |
What it means in practice
- TIA-569 is a North American document. In the UK, the same ground is covered by BS EN 50174-2 and BS 6701. TIA-569 is relevant where a client or designer specifies TIA standards.
- Firestopping is a normative annex. In the UK, fire-stopping of penetrations also falls under the Building Regulations.
- Check which revision and addenda a specification names. A reference to 569-E without 569-E-1 uses the earlier temperature and humidity requirements.
- The standard notes that service needs vary, so check application standards, regulations and equipment suppliers’ requirements as well.
Related reading: What is structured cabling?.