What is a utility riser shaft?
A utility riser shaft is a vertical shaft in a multi-storey building through which the utility companies’ supply lines run upwards. In the Netherlands it is called a stijgkast, stijgruimte or stijgschacht, and it is tied to the meterkast, the standardised meter cupboard found in every Dutch home: from the riser, a meter cupboard can be connected on any floor where one is needed.
In Dutch practice the riser is for incoming supplies only: drinking water, gas, electricity, telecom, cable TV and, where present, heat from a district heating network. Drainage does not belong in it; that runs down a separate soil stack. On floors without a meter cupboard the riser simply continues as a shaft.
How it is built (Dutch practice)
- Stacked vertically. All meter cupboards and riser shafts sit directly above each other, so the network operator can run the lines straight up. Offsets are not allowed for gas lines, partly because a pipe that jogs sideways is a hazard when someone drills into the floor or wall.
- Side or rear. The riser is placed at the side or at the back of the meter cupboard.
- Zones. Each service has its own zone, marked with letters such as E (electricity), G (gas), W (water) and T (telecom).
- Rules. Requirements are set by the Dutch standard NEN 2768 and the network operators’ guidelines. Other countries have their own rules for service risers.
Application
- Talk to the network operator early. How the riser connects to the street network depends heavily on the building design.
- Leave floor openings free where the riser pipes go, and firestop them once the pipes are installed.
- Close a continuous shaft with a removable panel with vent grilles at top and bottom, as the operator’s guideline requires.
- Keep it frost-free so meters and pipes cannot freeze.
- Do not use it as storage, and do not run your own pipes or cables through it without agreement from the operator.
Common mistake: designing the meter cupboards on different floors so they do not line up. The lines then cannot run straight up and the design has to be changed late in the process.
Related terms
- Meter cupboard
- Fire resistance
- Soil vent pipe
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