During this time of year, being frightened is expected; at times, maybe even welcomed if the encounter results in a chocolate-covered treat. What isn’t welcomed, however, is the horror of opening your mailbox only to find unexpectedly high utility bills awaiting you. The question is how can you avoid this Halloween worthy fright-fest?
The answer is simple: Bring an MEP consultant on board before breaking ground.
As business owners for over 15 years (and MEP consultants for even longer), we understand that building a company from scratch is not easy. We know firsthand the many expenditures you must account for, from licensure and permits to utilities and employee salaries. It’s daunting to pinpoint exactly where should you spend your money, let alone identify what are the best resources available to help build your business without them costing a small fortune.
One of the best investments you can make from the outset is to acquire professional MEP services. MEP consultants partner with architects and business owners on all phases of design and construction, allowing them to implement mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems that not only seamlessly integrate with your facility’s architecture, but the technologies utilized within the building as well. MEP consultants can also assist in minimizing a building’s environmental footprint, from optimizing the HVAC system to reduce emissions to incorporating energy-efficient lighting throughout a facility’s interior and exterior.
Additional benefits to hiring an MEP consultant prior to construction:
- Mechanical Engineering: Multiple systems combine to form your mechanical system. They interact together to keep temperature, humidity and ventilation within a range that is both comfortable and healthy. MEP consultants can design your system to ensure that, among other variables, your facility’s environment falls within ASHRAE’s recommendation of 30% and 60% relative humidity.
- Electrical Engineering: Working with an MEP consulting firm gives you the benefit of multiple experts under one roof – a particularly salient advantage in HVAC design. Mechanical and electrical engineers work in tandem to ensure the system possesses the capacity necessary to safely and efficiently meet the facility’s needs.
- Plumbing Engineering: The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the “water used in office buildings accounts for approximately 9 percent of the total water use in commercial and institutional facilities in the United States. The three largest uses of water in office buildings are restrooms, heating and cooling, and landscaping.” MEP consultants can help to minimize this percentage, incorporating low-flow fixtures in bathrooms, utilizing alternative water sources, and optimizing landscape design.
Overtime, the cost of engaging an integrated MEP consultant pays for itself, producing enormous financial benefits following the project’s completion such as lower operating costs and improved productivity. Smart, informed decisions during the design phase also allow for reductions in project costs and material requirements as well as improving system capabilities. Not to mention, designing a new, high-performance building from the ground-up is far less complex (and costly) than improving an existing building as amending plans and specifications is significantly less time-consuming and expensive than altering an existing building.
Contact us today to see how we can address your MEP needs, so when the time comes to make your vision for your facility a reality, your first utility bill won’t be as nearly as frightening as the ghosts and goblins Trick or Treating this Halloween.
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About VP Engineering
VP Engineering is a dynamic MEP design firm offering engineering expertise in senior living, multi-family, hospitality, medical, industrial, retail/commercial and educational markets worldwide. With experience in a wide range of building types, our MEP engineering services help keep projects on budget and achieve your goals.
