NFPA 99 2027 Edition: Risk-Based Power and Telecom Rooms and Stronger Cybersecurity for Hospitals
On 11 August 2026, Facilities Dive reported on a briefing about the main changes in the 2027 edition of NFPA 99 (NFPA 99 2027), the Health Care Facilities Code. The session ran in Minneapolis during the ASHE 2026 Health Care Facilities Innovation Conference. The speakers were Chad Beebe, deputy executive director of the American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE), and Jim Peterkin, a principal at TLC Engineering Solutions and an active NFPA member.
The changes cover electrical systems, power and telecom rooms, cybersecurity of building systems and fire suppression in MRI suites. Each one affects hospital design and delivery in Saudi Arabia wherever a project specification references NFPA 99.
Key takeaways
- Under the 2027 edition of NFPA 99, a health care facility’s electrical systems must mitigate risks from fire, explosion, high temperatures, natural disasters and other hazards (Facilities Dive, 11 August 2026).
- The fixed rule placing isolated power rooms and telecom rooms at 20,000 sq ft intervals was eased in favour of a risk- and function-based framework.
- Cybersecurity protections were strengthened after a rise in attacks that enter through building automation systems (BMS).
- Certain types of fire suppression equipment are now accepted by default in MRI suites and treatment rooms, and video monitoring is permitted where it does not breach patient rights.
- HFM reported on 3 August 2026 that the NFPA 99 committee posted final ballot results for TIA No. 1913 to the 2027 edition, on testing of noncombustible materials.
What changed in NFPA 99 2027?
According to Facilities Dive, the main points presented at the session were:
- Electrical systems: facility electrical systems must mitigate risks from fire, explosion, high temperatures, natural disasters and other hazards.
- Power and telecom rooms: the code required isolated power rooms and telecom rooms at fixed 20,000 sq ft intervals (about 1,860 m²). The new edition eases this and moves to a framework based on risk and on the function of the space. Peterkin cited a floor that needed three telecom rooms but had no space for them.
- Cybersecurity: protections were strengthened in response to more attacks through building automation systems.
- Medical gas: the edition includes significant changes to protocols. The report gave no details.
- MRI suites and treatment rooms: certain types of fire suppression equipment are now accepted by default. The report did not name the types.
- Video monitoring: permitted in health care spaces where it does not violate HIPAA (US law) or patient rights in general.
According to the report, Beebe told attendees that facility managers should learn the updates even if their organisations will follow earlier editions for now, because governments can adopt parts of new codes into law or regulation. Separately, HFM’s weekly update of 3 August 2026 said the committee had posted final ballot results for TIA No. 1913, without stating the outcome.
What does this mean for the Saudi market?
The binding reference for buildings in the Kingdom is the Saudi Building Code, including SBC 801 (Saudi Fire Protection Code), together with General Directorate of Civil Defense requirements. NFPA 99 is a technical reference that applies when the designer or owner writes it into the project specification. We found no official source confirming that the 2027 edition has been adopted in Saudi Arabia. Nothing changes automatically on current projects, but four points deserve attention:
| Change | Who is affected | What to check on the project |
|---|---|---|
| Risk-based power and telecom rooms | Consultant, low current and network designer | Telecom room layout and cable routes, and the edition named in the specification, before drawings are frozen |
| Stronger cybersecurity for building systems | Owner and low current contractor | How the fire alarm panel and CCTV connect to the BMS, network segregation and access rights |
| Suppression equipment in MRI and treatment rooms | Suppression designer and contractor | Accepted equipment type, the medical equipment supplier’s room requirements, and coordination with the approving authority |
| Video monitoring in patient areas | Hospital management and CCTV contractor | Camera positions that protect patient privacy and facility policies |
Projects now in design are the most exposed, especially for telecom rooms, because moving them after construction is expensive. In operating hospitals, any change to fire alarm or CCTV systems should run under a clear impairment plan, as covered in our article on hospital fire system maintenance during operation.
AZEIDK Expert Take
Owners and consultants should name the NFPA 99 edition in writing in the project specification rather than “latest edition”, then confirm it sits well with SBC 801, Civil Defense requirements and the health accreditation body. Contractors should agree three items with the consultant: the number and location of telecom rooms, how fire alarm and CCTV systems connect to and are protected within the building network, and the suppression approach in MRI rooms (see our separate article on non-magnetic sprinklers for MRI rooms). For the wider picture, read fire protection systems in Saudi hospitals and low current systems for hospitals, and see what we offer the sector on our hospitals and healthcare facilities page.
Sources
- Experts detail 2027 updates to NFPA health care facilities code, Facilities Dive, 11 August 2026
- NFPA weekly update: July 27-31, Health Facilities Management (HFM), 3 August 2026
- 2027 NFPA 99 Health Care Facilities Code Updates, ASHE, 3 August 2026
