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THE ROLE OF MEP ENGINEERS in Building Design Matthew Smith, Associate Head of School, School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society at Heriot-Watt University Dubai 18 | CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS NEWS ME | APRIL 2022
echanical, electrical, and plumbing – MEP systems are key in creating livable conditions for occupants in buildings. MEP engineering takes into consideration several characteristics of building design. MEP systems are metaphorically the central nervous system of the building and are responsible for adding the human comfort features in a building. MEP engineers assist in cost management, construction administration, documentation, maintenance, building operation, and renovation. MEP services involve but are not limited to heating, ventilation and air-conditioning, electric grids, plumbing, and water supply. MEP engineers are not only responsible for MEP designs, but they need to create designs that meet all the building codes required by local governments. Design assessments and outcomes have an influence in all stages of a building’s life cycle from the start, which is the construction period, to the lifetime, which is operation and maintenance, and the end of lifecycle either for renovations or demolition. Designing has a significant impact on ownership costs which can be substantially reduced with active and smart decisions right at the design phase while creating better living conditions for a property’s occupants. HVAC systems are a core quality of a building and is one the most important aspects noticed by new occupants. Therefore, it is imperative for modern buildings to have a consulting engineer from the MEP field who can provide practical advice, solutions, and design to install well-suited HVAC systems. These engineers are stationed at the site and are responsible for identifying and ensuring that the HVAC systems are designed to work safely and efficiently while meeting sustainability standards. Furthermore, the quality of the HVAC systems affects the indoor environment, which, in turn, has a considerable effect on the comfort, health, and productivity of its occupants. While looking at the role of MEP engineers in identifying scalable HVAC systems, it is also imperative to look at energy conservation and efficiency as cooling, plumbing, and other electrical systems use a lot of energy, thereby increasing overall building costs. MEP engineering consultants can ensure that these systems use a reduced amount of energy and make them more sustainable by implementing energy management solutions. WWW.CBNME.COM