MEP engineering is often associated with project design and approvals received from local building authorities and councils. The reason you are reading this post is for you to understand common building issues as well as areas of opportunity. Also, in what ways does MEP engineering help, will also be observed and analyzed.
MEP means mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems. MEP Systems and engineers help maintain efficiency of energy and water consumption in buildings and homes. When these installations are optimally designed, resource wastage and operating expenses are reduced by considerable margins.
MEP design also helps in making a suitable indoor environment for humans, and aspects like air and water quality with ease.
Fixing violations of building codes and local laws
Local governments often use building codes for regulating new projects in construction and renovation. These very codes are often rechecked and reviewed, and periodically updated too. Any additional requirements for buildings can also be published as local laws.
Usually, a building is subject to the applicable code when it is under construction. Hence, no property needs forcible upgrades with each new version of the respective building codes. However, local laws usually have some retroactive requirements that are applicable to all buildings whether old or new, and whether existing or under construction.
If there is non-compliance with the building codes and local laws, then there will be legal and financial consequences for building and project owners. Issues in this regard need to be fixed at the earliest.
Also, building codes and local laws cover the technical aspects. Violations can stay under everyone’s noses in buildings. If an MEP engineering firm inspects a building to find issues and resolve them, then it is in the best interests of everyone in terms of dispute avoidance.
Once violations of building codes are detected, MEP engineers can also help clients design a solution and get it approved with the local building authorities. A lot of penalties do get waived off if building owners are willing to help detect and fix building code violations accordingly.
Each country and its states/provinces plus metropolitan municipalities have their own construction and building codes, and laws. Yet, violations that adversely affect fire protection systems or field burning equipment have the highest penalties because of the hazards involved.
Energy efficiency helps reduce utility bills
However, MEP installations consume a lot of energy, especially HVAC equipment. But energy efficiency measures are selected after careful consideration of how it will impact performance. The common perception is that energy efficiency sacrifices the quality of the indoor environment which isn’t true. Both aspects of buildings can be simultaneously improved using energy efficiency.
As each building is unique, the ideal combination of energy efficiency measures can change as per the settings and requirements of each building.
This is why energy audits are compulsory and strongly recommended as a key step. MEP engineers can make use of energy modeling instruments for analysis of numerous options in design. Then after careful consideration and modifications, the best configuration is applied to a building.
Numerous energy efficiency measures are designed for each building differently. Yet others can be used in almost all buildings because of their versatility. For instance, LED lighting and HVAC equipment need upgrades, and are recommended in almost all energy audits. If owners have not improved these systems, then they will incur heavy penalties.
Water conservation measures are a must
For any floor area, energy bills are more expensive than water bills. Yet, conserving both of them is key in reducing bills and environmental impact. Water consumption is high in older buildings due to old plumbing fixtures.
Water conservation is a good efficiency measure going along with heating and plumbing costs involved. If a building is said to consume the least amount of gallons of water each month, its water costs go down accordingly. This is something quantum analysis experts agree with.
American consumers must buy fixtures with the Water Sense label from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The plumbing fixture must achieve at least 20% of water savings to get that label. Then tests need to be conducted by approved labs not allied with the producers.
Higher savings are expected when old fixtures are upgraded, as savings are calculated using the current standard of US federal laws.
