Imagine you’re almost ready to get started on your first big build phase of your commercial build. You’ve got your foundations in place and your materials arriving. However, you notice that your duct work doesn’t fit with the structure, your electrical room doesn’t have enough space for your equipment and your drainage isn’t leaving enough room for other services.
This leads to extra design work, costs and delays.
Although this does not always happen due to poor workmanship, often these problems are down to the lack of coordination between the building services.
MEP pre-construction planning ensures that you consider the risk and clarify roles for your mechanical, electrical and plumbing requirements.
What is MEP Pre-Construction Planning?
MEP stands for mechanical, electrical and plumbing. These services provide heating, cooling, ventilation, lighting, power, water, drainage and connections for your equipment.
MEP pre-construction planning means taking a look at your design, coordination, purchasing, installation, testing and ongoing maintenance of your services before you start any large construction activities.
Instead of each contractor using their own drawings, the team look at how they all work together.
This helps you identify any potential issues and avoid costly changes when on site.
For commercial developments, this can help with overall constructability, budgeting, scheduling and help you turn your design drawings into a realistic plan.
Airco Mechanical provides commercial pre-construction services to help coordinate building systems during the early planning stages.
Why is early planning important on commercial projects?
Your building will have many different services above your ceiling. Duct work, electrical, plumbing, sprinklers, lighting and structural elements will need to be fitted into limited space. Your mechanical rooms will need to have your equipment installed but with the correct space for installation and maintenance.
If there isn’t any coordination between the services and a contractor installs something that doesn’t allow another trade to complete their work, you will have issues.
Say you need to install some drainage with a particular gradient, however the route your plumber needs to take doesn’t work with the duct work that has already been installed. This could cause your plumber to have to redesign the route or ask to change other services. This small issue with your drawings can cause delays and increased costs.
By coordinating your MEP services early on you can identify any issues with your contractors, engineers and project managers.
Coordinating Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing Services
To have a successful MEP pre-construction plan you will want to look at each individual service, then how they work together.
Mechanical
You will want to consider your HVAC equipment, ventilation, duct work, exhaust, controls and layout. Contractors will need to know what heating and cooling requirements they have, how much space they have in their ceilings, size of equipment and space for servicing.
Learn more about Airco Mechanical’s commercial HVAC construction services for planning and installing heating, cooling and ventilation systems.
Electrical
You will want to consider your electrical distribution, panels, lighting, dedicated circuits, equipment connections and controls. Also consider how much capacity you have, equipment space and what connections you need for your mechanical and plumbing equipment.
Explore Airco Mechanical’s commercial electrical services for electrical installations, system upgrades and maintenance.
Plumbing
You will want to consider your water, drainage, vent pipes, fixtures, cleanouts, floor drains and equipment connections. Pipes will need to be planned with drainage requirements, structural openings and servicing.
Airco Mechanical also provides commercial plumbing construction services to support plumbing system planning and installation.
These cannot be planned without considering each other. If you have an HVAC unit you will need a dedicated electrical connection. You may also need plumbing connections in your mechanical room. Consider ventilation requirements and enough space to work with all your equipment.
By considering these requirements early on your team can make informed decisions.
Reviewing Drawings, Budget and Scope
Having a good understanding of everything you need to include in your project will help you get started.
Review your architectural, structural, MEP drawings, specifications, equipment schedule and owner requirements. This will help identify any missing information, conflicting measurements, unclear roles and potential build issues.
Budgeting is also important. The amount of equipment you need, amount of materials, labour, complexity of installation and procurement schedule can all affect your costs.
If your scope isn’t clear, your contractors may make assumptions about what they need to do. This can cause unexpected costs.
By having a detailed pre-construction review you can make your costing and roles more accurate.
Planning Equipment, Materials and Scheduling
Even if your design is well coordinated, you may run into delays due to not having the required equipment.
Commercial HVAC units, distribution, pumps, specialist controls and other MEP equipment may have long lead times. Having these considered early means your team can plan your procurement, approvals, delivery dates and installation.
You will also need to consider the order of trades. Having your plumbing roughed in, duct installed, electrical routing, structural openings and ceiling installed can cause issues if not planned.
Having a realistic schedule will mean you’re considering your inspection, start-up, testing, commissioning and handover.
Having your procurement and trades coordinated helps reduce any unnecessary delays.
How does VDC Improve MEP Coordination?
Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) can also be used to help coordinate your complex commercial project. Using coordinated models you can look at how your building services will fit together.
This may show you that your electrical routing will conflict with your ventilation ducts or that a valve will not be accessible once your ceilings are installed. Having these issues identified early in your design means your team can look at the different options.
Using VDC can help you with clash detection, equipment location, sleeves and mechanical room layout. It can also help with your on site installation.
To be most effective you will want to use up-to-date information and involve those that will be installing the services. This will ensure your models are accurate to the site.
Having a detailed model isn’t the aim, having useful information to help your contractors make informed decisions.
Ensuring Future Servicing
Although you may have a successful build, if your equipment is hard to reach your maintenance team will have issues.
Filters will need changing, valves will need to be operated, electrical panels will need safe working space and pumps or other mechanical equipment may need servicing or replacing.
Whilst planning your pre-construction you should consider how your technicians will be able to access your equipment.
Your mechanical rooms will need to be well laid out. Ceilings should have the correct access panels and services should be planned with enough space to service your main equipment.
Considering these will help reduce any disruption.
Avoiding Change Orders, Rework and Delays
One of the main benefits of having a MEP pre-construction plan is you can avoid any issues.
Having to move a pipe in your drawings is generally easier than moving one you have installed. Moving equipment around before your structural supports are complete can be easier too.
Although you won’t avoid all unexpected issues on site, having your services coordinated early on will give your team more options. Having clear documentation, roles, coordinated drawings and regular communication will help ensure your decisions are understood.
When should MEP Pre-Construction Planning be done?
Ideally MEP planning should be done in the early stages of your design and pre-construction. Before you order any major equipment, rough in and critical installation decisions.
The earlier your contractors can review your design the more flexibility you will have to avoid any conflicts, consider different options and coordinate your procurement.
This is especially useful if you have little space in your ceilings, complex mechanical rooms, many contractors, tight deadlines or a large renovation.
Typically you will want your owner, general contractor, architects, engineers, MEP contractors, project managers and VDC experts involved.
Conclusion: Create a Better Plan
MEP pre-construction planning will help your commercial build team create a coordinated plan for your complex building requirements.
By looking at your mechanical, electrical and plumbing services together you can avoid conflicts, clarify roles, plan your equipment procurement, improve your scheduling and consider future servicing.
This will help you be more informed and avoid any unnecessary surprises.
Airco Mechanical offer pre-construction services along with our commercial HVAC build, plumbing build, electrical services and Virtual Design and Construction support. Get in touch to find out how we can help with your coordination and planning.
FAQ’s
What is MEP pre-construction planning?
It’s looking at your mechanical, electrical and plumbing services early on to identify risks and plan your installation.
Why is MEP coordination important?
It helps avoid any conflicts between your building services, clarifies roles for each trade and reduces any unnecessary rework, delays and unexpected costs.
How can VDC help with pre-construction?
Using digital models will help you identify clashes, equipment location, routing and improve your installation.
When should MEP planning be done?
As early as possible, ideally in your design development and pre-construction phases.
Does MEP pre-construction planning help with future servicing?
Yes. By considering equipment space, access panels, routing and servicing early on you can make servicing your building easier in the future.
