Concept services design

Concept design proposals from the services engineer might include:

• Weights and location of major plant and equipment.
• Position of vertical service risers.
• Routes for the distribution of horizontal services runs including access provisions.
• Builders' work holes larger than 300 sq. mm.
• Insulation assumptions.
• Environmental control strategies.
• Geothermal requirements.
• Solar energy requirements.
• Rainwater drainage requirements.
• Below ground drainage routes.
• Sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS).
• Building shading requirements.
• Plant room space requirements including access provisions.
• Energy budget
• Energy assessment method.
• Energy targets.
• Energy sources.
• Emissions targets.
• Earthing pits and lightning protection.
• Incoming service routes and statutory utility requirements.
• Acoustic and vibration information.

Before developing a concept design strategies it is worth analysing the client's current environmental services to assess adequacies and inadequacies. The services engineer also needs to understand how future requirements might change.

A list of things to look at might include:

• IT and telecoms strategy.
• Personell and department numbers and space standards.
• Security issues.
• Equipment servicing and power requirements.
• Catering facilities.
• Waste and consumables.
• Staff leisure facilities/showers.
• Car parking/garage facilities.
• Future trends and likely expansion/contraction of different operations.
• Electrical security, standby generation and UPS systems.
• Natural light priorities.
• Zone controls to different areas.
• Existing maintenance and running costs.

NB: Detailed descriptions of the concept design stage are available in the Designing Buildings Wiki home project plans.

[edit] Find out more

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki

• Building services.
• Building services engineer.
• Concept design.
• Concept design report.
• Concept structural design.
• Concept architectural design.
• Electrical control systems.
• Plant room.
• Thermal comfort.
• Types of building services.
• U value.

[edit] External references

• CIBSE Design Compass: The CIBSE Design Framework.

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