The Illustrated Guide to Mechanical Building Services

The Illustrated Guide to Mechanical Building Services provides basic reference information on mechanical building services systems for construction clients and professionals in other areas of the construction industry. The topics covered are:

• Heating
• Ventilation
• Air-conditioning
• Controls.

For construction clients, this guide provides a simple insight into the main system options discussed during the briefing process and can consequently assist dialogue with the design team. It can also help clients to identify and raise technical questions which they feel are relevant to their organisation’s specific needs. For construction professionals, the guide provides a quick reference to building services systems and can assist their working knowledge of the subject.

You can also Read The Illustrated Guide to Hot and Cold Water Services

The Illustrated Guide to Mechanical Building Services

• OVERVIEW
• HEATING
• VENTILATION
• AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEMS
• CONTROL SYSTEMS AND COMPONENTS
• COMMISSIONING, HANDOVER AND EVALUATION
• INDEX

The design of a building will affect many of the costs which an operator will encounter during the life of a building. The building services can account for around 30% of the capital cost and 50% of the operating cost for a typical office building. It is therefore important that the services form an integral part of the overall building concept to help ensure they will operate efficiently. Involving the specialist building services engineer at an early stage in the design process can help achieve this objective.

If the services not considered until a later stage, problems which could have been overcome by simple measures may require a more complex technical solution. A well-designed building may cost a little more initially, but the overall cost of ownership should be reduced. Life-cycle costs of building services systems should be considered, as the cost-in-use element can form a large proportion of the total cost, outweighing the initial capital cost.

Decisions about which services to incorporate into a building design require consideration of many factors including the following:

• Cost :Both initial costs and life cycle costs.
• Level of thermal comfort required :See overview: thermal comfort,
• Level of control required :See control systems and components,
• Complexity:What type of system is appropriate and will it be difficult to operate and maintain? For example a full air-conditioning system provides close control of air temperature and humidity, but this comes at a price.
• Adaptability and flexibility To meet possible future requirements.
• Energy use Mechanical building services plant can account for a major part of a building’s energy use.

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The Illustrated Guide to Mechanical Building Services

The Illustrated Guide to Mechanical Building Services