Engineers, more often than not, follow what their client wants. If a client has a certain kind of a place or need a certain kind of installation, the client will usually say so. As such, it is quite common that the clients are also the ones who will be deciding what kind of installation they would like to have. When this happens, the engineer follows the client.
MEP Engineering is all about understanding the needs of the client and designing products to meet those needs. Maintaining a customer’s requirements is the essence of MEP Engineering. This is why most of the engineers around the world follow some sort of format of meetings with the client to discuss their ideas, needs and issues. Here, all the engineers will present their findings and give an opinion on how to improve the product based on the ideas presented.
“HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) Systems are at the core of human comfort and health when it comes to any living spaces, they keep our foods protected from accelerated degradation and spoilage and allow certain critical machinery to run optimally without damage or under performance,” says Eng. Phil M.M of Comfort Build Engineers.
He further states that, the key measures/factors that require regulation in HVAC systems are mainly temperature and humidity. “Other measures which add to comfort and health include air quality, noise levels, control of air movement, control of condensation and temperature distribution in the space that is being conditioned,” elaborates Eng. Phil.
MEP engineering is basically the application of scientific principles to build and design Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing Systems of a structure. Generally, all the engineers will be working together in a team environment to come up with the best solution for a given client’s needs. This is why most of the engineers will seek-out to work for different clients, as they develop a good working relationship. “Our approach as Comfort Build Engineers is to deliver an energy efficient system that is safe to run or operate for any project we engage in,” insist Eng. Phil. “Energy costs money and therefore its consumption should be minimized right from design to operational stages. For example oversized systems lead to low operational efficiencies leading to higher energy usage than would be expected. On the contrary, if a HVAC system is undersized it could lead to more frequent failure of equipment and hence higher replacement/repair costs,” he describes. Even so, engineers will be using the same source material, for example, when designing electrical heating and cooling systems. “It is therefore our intention as MEP Engineers to inspire confidence to the client of our capability and understanding of the HVAC systems and that our sole goal is deliver a system that meets customer requirements at least cost,” adds Eng. Phil. All the same, there will be an individual responsible for coming up with the final spec, which is called a ‘blue print’ for the particular project.
An example of the use of this technique can be witnessed in the way the engineer designs a ventilation system inside a space that needs to be conditioned. “Always listen carefully regarding what exactly the client requires and develop a cost effective quality system which gives what the client requires. Give the client options and flexible solutions to their requirements,” Says Mr. Anthony Skarvold, CEO at Skarvold Limited Engineering.
When designing this ventilation system, the engineer first evaluates the amount of natural ventilation available, the temperature outside, the size of the area to be conditioned, as well as the size of the ventilation opening. From the data obtained, the mechanical engineer then comes up with the right set of specifications to satisfy the client’s needs. Anthony Skarvold advice to always design the system and components to correct specifications and local laws, that ensures due diligence and compliance while applying up to date recent solutions.
There are many other uses of MEP engineering, and all these examples serve to illustrate the principle of its application. However, it should also be kept in mind that the process is used by many other professionals apart from engineers and construction experts. These include water conservation engineers, structural engineers, water managers, environmental consultants, and fire protection engineers. When it comes to water conservation, this MEP engineering concept proves extremely useful as it helps in determining how much of an area has to be conditioned so as to keep the water levels within the designated limit.
For fire protection, the engineer determines the maximum allowable temperatures to establish a set of standards, which need to be followed in order to have safe and effective space heating and air conditioning systems. This is where use of standards like ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, Air Conditioning Engineers) ones, become absolutely critical for use in calculations and iterations to size the HVAC system rather than depending on contractors who in the absence of a good design would have no guidelines for tendering and therefore no cost benchmarks but rather the appetite to win the job to the detriment of the client, this is according to Eng. Phil.
“The other big factor of design is selection of the HVAC system to deploy or use. A balance between cost capital investment and running costs would always have to be discussed with client to enable them make informed choices with view to total project life costs,” he complements.
“Additional factors that could influence the operational costs and which should be considered at the project onset include selection of qualified contractors for the job, selection of reputable brands for the equipment to be installed and electrical power distribution plan. On the other hand safety of any system is a basic requirement that should be in built in the design as much as possible with little human intervention required to run the system safely. Therefore equipment controls during running mode are critical as well as shutdown sequences as the system in being put to rest for maintenance,” he highlights.
With reference to Mr. Skarvold, apart from ensuring correct installation by a quality installation company there are measures which can optimize the correct working of the system(s) including;
a) Filter cleaning
b) Coils cleaning
c) Check all fins
d) Keeping out door units clean
e) Annual check Ups
All the mentioned MEP concepts are made possible by use of the latest space heating and air conditioning technology. With all these benefits, it is not surprising why MEPs are gaining more popularity day by day among various construction professionals. Hence, it would certainly be in your best interests to hire the services of a qualified M EP Engineering firm for the betterment of your building. You can check their website for more information on them.
