The MEP design and set up workflow includes a number of stakeholders and events which might be collectively liable for overseeing a sequence of phases that can outcome within the constructing engineering (or constructing services) to be deliberate, designed, spatially coordinated, fabricated, put in, commissioned and maintained. Sometimes, the constructing services design stage follows the preliminary architectural design, from which level it could normally be designed in parallel with additional architectural in addition to structural design modifications.
The engineering groups that sometimes design constructing services options are normally in one in every of two teams. The primary group is usually the constructing designer, also called the advisor engineer or the design engineer. It’s the function of the design engineer to work intently with the architect to develop the general constructing engineering parts together with lighting, cooling, heating, drainage, waste, hearth prevention and safety services. Historically, the design engineer is not going to be concerned within the detailed spatial design of those services. As an alternative the detailed spatial design and set up would usually be dealt with by the second social gathering, often known as the MEP contractor (M&E contractor) or trade contractor. The MEP or trade contractor is liable for evolving the preliminary advisor design right into a workable and installation-ready constructing services answer.
In some situations, there may be additionally a third social gathering concerned – the fabricator, who will probably be liable for creating MEP parts resembling ductwork or pipework parts or in some cases pre-fabricated options that include pipework, electrical ladder, plumbing, ductwork and sprinkler inside a body (module) that’s delivered to web site for set up in risers, plant rooms and corridors.
This text is anxious with the function of the MEP designer and MEP contractor, particularly, the main focus for this text is to debate how BIM (Constructing Info Modelling) has influenced the MEP design workflow between the designer and the contractor.
Present MEP BIM Workflow Choices
Primarily there are 5 completely different MEP design workflow situations that presently exist and these will probably be mentioned within the article. They’re as follows
- Conventional 2D design and 3D BIM coordination
- 3D MEP design and 3D BIM coordination
- Designers 3D BIM design and coordination
- Contractor 3D BIM design and coordination
- Common contractor 3D model coordination
Conventional 2D Design and 3D BIM Coordination
Contemplating the standard MEP method first, that is the place a advisor will create 2D design outputs, which embody 2D plan layouts, 2D sections and MEP (M&E) schematics. This may point out the design intent for the constructing based mostly on the use specified by the architect. As soon as the advisor has accomplished this design data he’ll cross on the knowledge to an MEP contractor who will probably be liable for creating the MEP coordinated answer. This text assumes that the contractor will create a spatially coordinated 3D BIM model utilizing BIM instruments resembling Revit MEP and Navisworks. The contractor will use the design data and create an installation-ready answer which takes under consideration set up, effectivity of pipe runs or duct bends, area for lagging and hanging the services, entry for submit set up upkeep and so forth. This conventional MEP method, from a 2D design to a 3D model has existed for the previous couple of a long time and permits the contractor so as to add extra data into the model that can be utilized by him and by services management firms after the set up. Using the 3D tool resembling Revit is in fact helpful as it’s an clever model, with parametric parts and due to this fact, in addition to permitting the contractor to establish and resolve clashes earlier than any time is spent on web site, it has different makes use of and purposes the place model ‘data’ is used and relied upon.
3D MEP Design and 3D BIM Coordination
The second workflow methodology is extra instantly influenced by BIM. Because the MEP designer, one will use BIM instruments to create a 3D model and related drawings throughout his preliminary design part (moderately than a 2D design) earlier than this data is handed throughout to an MEP trade contractor. The MEP design engineer will sometimes create a 3D model as a result of buyer specs and necessities for a BIM model, as in lots of cases a federated model (which mixes the opposite disciplines in a single model) is required by the consumer for a weekly evaluation and therefore the MEP advisor can not merely present a set of 2D drawings. On this workflow, the BIM model is successfully a 3D illustration of what would in any other case be a 2D deliverable. It should due to this fact include areas the place additional modifications are nonetheless wanted by a trade contractor. Such examples embody the usage of library objects moderately than particular MEP trade contractor procured parts that could be used within the model. The creation of a 3D BIM model at this stage by the advisor can be topic to a number of architectural and structural model modifications. These have a knock-on impact on the MEP answer as it’s successfully a work-in-progress model for MEP with fixed architectural and structural modifications and due to this fact won’t ever have the identical degree of effectivity, when it comes to structure of services, in comparison with an MEP model the place the architectural and structural fashions are frozen. The draw back of this workflow methodology is in fact the additional time taken to create a BIM model by the advisor group. Added to this challenge is the truth that 3D modelling experience and abilities inside a consulting engineering group can typically be restricted. As soon as the advisor completes his model and passes it to the MEP contractor, the choice as as to whether the contractor ought to adapt the model or begin the modelling course of from the beginning is admittedly based mostly on the standard of the model to begin with. In actuality each situations will exist, in some cases the MEP trade contractor is healthier off beginning the BIM model once more utilizing solely the 2D design drawings which might be created by the advisor from his BIM model, whereas in some uncommon cases the trade contractor will use the consultants MEP BIM model and adapt and modify it along with his modifications, to make the model prepared for set up. In each situations, the MEP contractor will at all times look to make worth engineering additions and modifications to the model in addition to procurement led model modifications.
Designers 3D BIM MEP Design and Coordination
The third MEP design workflow methodology is a extra pure and direct consequence of BIM and it really additionally begins to advertise the advantage of BIM extra considerably because it will get nearer to ‘digital design and development’ goals of the trade. On this workflow the method of design engineer is to create a BIM model that’s spatially coordinated and that’s utilizing the precise specified parts for the venture. Sometimes, the advisor throughout this part may have an extended time period to create the model, permitting him to soak up the modifications from structural and architectural disciplines as they progress by the detailing phases. The truth that the model is then coordinated with the construction and structure in addition to different MEP services permits the advisor to create a model that’s being created in accordance with an set up customary that’s now extra usable by an installer or fabricator. When the model on this workflow methodology is handed on to a contractor, the contractor should still want to make ultimate modifications and changes in a spherical of worth engineering. Sometimes, the contractor will use the identical model on this workflow and make modifications to the model offered by the MEP design advisor. Moreover, it’s possible that the advisor engineer is not going to have offered invert (top) ranges or dimensions from gridlines and partitions for the MEP services on his drawings. In such cases the contractor will due to this fact must create extra element within the drawings, however once more contractor might use the advisor’s drawings and progress them in additional element for his/her use bim modeling.
Contractor 3D Design and Coordination
The fourth workflow methodology includes MEP contractors (or trade contractors) taking over the design accountability in addition to the coordination accountability. While the coordination accountability is a longtime skillset with expertise of creating detailed and complete vertical and horizontal methods for coordination being a part of the contractor’s core abilities, the design accountability is a brand new component for the contractor. This was historically often known as a design and construct method; nonetheless, it’s now changing into more and more widespread particularly in cases the place firms are searching for to have speedy design and detailed coordination accomplished. Sometimes, the parts for use will probably be specified by the top consumer, permitting the contractor to design and model earlier than creating his detailed coordinated drawings from the model, to permit set up and fabrication if wanted. The explanation that this specific workflow methodology just isn’t the most well-liked at current is solely because of the quantity of labor out there and in addition the design accountability that additionally must be assumed as in most cases, contractors might not want to settle for this threat or certainly they could not have the sources to finish the design work. For this workflow methodology to exist in any respect implies that the contractor has to make use of design employees instantly and supply design legal responsibility insurance coverage to permit him to design the MEP answer in addition to set up it. The advantage of this workflow choice is clearly the time effectivity that’s realized and due to this fact the associated fee profit, as the price of utilising contractor useful resource will normally be decrease in comparison with costly design engineering companies. Nevertheless, it does include some threat because the design experience that design engineers possess can’t be simply replicated by contractors, even when they do make use of in-house groups.
Common Contractor 3D Model Coordination
The fifth variant of MEP design workflow is predicated on creating coordinated MEP fashions much like the standard 2D to 3D method however for a distinct buyer group. On this workflow methodology a 2D architectural, structural and MEP design that’s for use by a primary contractor (or normal contractor) is then progressed right into a 3D BIM model by the contractor to evaluate the validity and completeness of the model. In some cases, among the design parts from the completely different disciplines could also be introduced in 3D whereas others could also be in 2D. It’s also potential that completely different disciplines might present fashions in numerous software program which will or might not current software program interoperability challenges. In such situations, a group will sometimes be employed to make use of the design knowledge from architectural, structural and MEP designers to then create a 3D BIM model based mostly on precise knowledge. The purpose is to establish any inconsistencies within the design knowledge by figuring out any clashes within the model, permitting the contractor in such a workflow methodology to successfully mitigate his/her potential threat. Any issues discovered throughout the model are normally handed again to the designers to make amendments to their 2D design for subsequent modifications to the 3D BIM model which is finally owned by the primary contractor. This BIM workflow answer is changing into much less widespread now as a result of MEP contractors and designers are creating BIM fashions themselves.
In abstract, BIM has launched a number of latest workflow variants to the MEP design services sector. The beforehand tried and trusted methodology of a 2D design, from a designer, that was developed right into a 3D coordinated MEP model by contractor is now not the workflow answer used as companies now have many different variants and options accessible. Together with BIM Modeling, different developments within the development sector, together with collaborative online working and work sharing have additionally contributed to the uptake ranges for BIM and impacted the modifications to workflow.
When it comes to the MEP design workflow choices, the most well-liked of those as we transfer ahead would be the third choice, which is the advisor making a BIM model that’s spatially coordinated, or the fourth choice which is the contractor taking over the design accountability in addition to creating the coordinated BIM model. Each choices are successfully a change to the standard method for MEP design and each level to a single supply for the model and drawings versus the historic two-tier design method. All choices mentioned would require competent BIM coordination and MEP modelling groups and sources. XS CAD, with its giant MEP coordination group and MEP engineering design group, which consists of mechanical and electrical engineering professionals, is nicely positioned to cope with such initiatives for firms based mostly within the USA, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. As all are areas the place BIM is now the popular answer, XS CAD, with greater than 16 years’ expertise and a presence in every market is a perfect choice for such firms.