There’s no doubt that mechanical, electrical and public health services (MEP) are positioned higher in the construction food chain than they once were.
On an average build, typically 25-30% of the total project cost will be spent on MEP services, creeping closer towards 40% on some more complex, specialist projects.
This is not a paywall. Registration allows us to enhance your experience across Construction Management and ensure we deliver you quality editorial content.
Registering also means you can manage your own CPDs, comments, newsletter sign-ups and privacy settings.
This is not because the cost of MEP has increased. Rather it’s an increased commitment from construction firms and clients alike to invest in MEP, perceiving the significant benefits to be gained further down the line.
Over the past three to five years, we’ve seen a marked change in perceptions when it comes to MEP. What was once “the boring, technical bit” tacked on at the end of a project is now increasingly seen as vital to a building’s performance, and end clients’ heads are being turned by the significant long-term operational cost savings that can be made by getting building design right up front.
The Business Case for Green Building, a report published by the World Green Building Council, estimates that a high-performing green building can achieve energy savings ranging from 25% to 50% compared to a conventional code-compliant building.
With corporate occupiers firmly focused on the impact that working environments have on not just productivity but employee wellbeing and engagement, the role of MEP is only going to grow. The question is what impact this will have on construction projects and the supply chain, and what opportunities and challenges this will present for the building services industry.
There has always been and will continue to be a strong legislative impetus when it comes to environmental performance. For residential developments the Code for Sustainable Homes may be gone, but there is now the High Quality Mark to take into account.
“Building services experts are still brought in far too late on the majority of projects, when they should be working closely with architects and engineers to weave performance into the fabric of a building.”
Meanwhile, in the commercial sector, there have been changes made recently to BREEAM that will affect how MEP systems will need to perform going forward when it comes to environmental impact.
Although we haven’t got to the stage where “wellness” is regulated in building design, we are seeing new guidance coming to the fore. Introduced to the UK in February 2015, WELL is the first building standard geared exclusively towards human health and wellness, central to which is an understanding of how lighting, air and water quality systems contribute to the office environment.
Few buildings in the UK have yet to be WELL accredited, but our clients are increasingly making reference to the standard at the design stage. The standard now has approval from the British Council for Offices (BCO), which is testament to a growing appreciation by employers of the impact a well serviced building can have on staff motivation and performance.
Over the next 12 months we are likely to see more and more projects pursue accreditation as understanding and knowledge of the scheme continues to spread.
Integrated design is the future
If we are going to meet these lofty expectations when it comes to building performance, energy efficiency and wellness, MEP needs to be fully integrated into the design process.
Rethinking a building’s aspect or optimum window sizes and shapes at the start of a project, for example, can significantly reduce the need for air conditioning – using natural shading to reduce solar gain without compromising on daylight.
Mechanical cooling systems can even be negated entirely by designing a building that is naturally ventilated. This has a positive impact on not just the energy efficiency and carbon footprint of a building, but on the environment for occupiers too.
None of this is rocket science, but it can’t be done retrospectively. Building services experts are still brought in far too late on the majority of projects, when they should be working closely with architects and engineers to weave performance into the fabric of a building.
There are clients out there who have woken up to this and embraced the early engagement model, with excellent results. We are currently working with one of London’s leading universities to produce a fully integrated design for a new education complex.
While it is too early to obtain hard data, an embodied carbon study of the proposed design has shown that this has the potential to reduce the building’s embodied carbon by up to 62%.
The benefits of early engagement are tangible and within our reach. We need to make an integrated design approach the norm across our industry. Only then will we be able to realise the full potential of our buildings and make the environments we work and live in more efficient and enjoyable to inhabit.
