Working with the right MEP engineering company can significantly improve your building's performance. Mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems provide a safe indoor environment for humans, but they also consume a significant amount of water and energy. Ideally, MEP systems should perform their functions with the lowest possible operating cost. An effective working relationship can also be built through an in-depth understanding of your MEP partner's experience and portfolio. Especially when it comes to COMcheck, it has another advantage: It incorporates multiple national and state energy rules and standards, allowing designers working in multiple states to use the same compliance tool for multiple project sites.
What is COMcheck and who uses COMcheck?
COMcheck is a commercial energy compliance tool developed by the United States Department of Energy (DOE). It simply tells the user whether or not a building meets the standards of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and ASHRAE 90.1, as well as state-specific codes. COMcheck is downloadable software for Windows® and Mac® and supports IECC 2006, 2009 and 2012, as well as the ASHRAE standard 90.1: 2004, 2007 and 2010, as well as other state codes.
COMcheck is a performance technique, meaning it provides general building performance requirements and supersedes specific prescriptive requirements for building envelopes and assemblies. Builders often prefer the performance method over the prescriptive method because it gives greater freedom to the building envelope.
COMcheck is used by general contractors, lighting contractors, mechanical contractors, architects, specifiers and many other construction industry professionals. Many states require a COMcheck report before issuing a building permit, so builders must frequently use the software to determine the building code requirements for their state. Architects, lighting and mechanical engineers, and others can use the Indoor/Outdoor Lighting and Mechanical (HVAC) sections of COMcheck to confirm that what they specify complies with commercial building energy codes. Other parties of interest to insulation manufacturers and suppliers include “Envelope”.
How do you select a MEP engineer for lighting COMcheck calculation?
Choosing a MEP partner for your construction project is critical to your long-term success, where COMcheck allows the user to select the compliance code and year. This is an important initial step because energy code requirements can vary drastically from one edition of the code to another. Key decisions made early in the schematic design process influence the course of design development, construction documentation, and the overall construction of the building. Strong project management and design leadership have a positive impact on schedule and costs throughout the project.
The following are some important factors to consider when selecting an MEP engineering company for your project:
Term:
Meeting deadlines is inevitable. Make sure your MEP engineering firm has enough staff or subconsultant resources to meet your project requirements. Find out about their project management style, scheduling systems, and methods for handling deadline adjustments. One of the biggest benefits is that envelope data entry for COMcheck is also simple. The user specifies the building envelope, component by component, using a sequence of drop-down menus or user-entered data.
Ability to deliver on time and within budget:
While you may expect staying within budget to be a given, question your potential MEP engineering business about their track record of doing so. Ask specifically about the basis for any modification requests, which can include anything from increased scope and owner-requested adjustments to errors and omissions. While no project is perfect, a solid track record of projects completed on time and on budget will give you a better idea of what your project will look like. Using the compensation compliance technique provided by energy codes, such as COMcheck software, can allow for greater design flexibility and save more time. For example, the fenestration area may be elevated above prescribed limits, with the increased energy requirement mitigated by altering the fenestration characteristics and/or increasing roof or wall insulation levels. Additionally, once the basic building description has been entered and stored in the application, design revisions and/or building location can be quickly adjusted and compliance can be instantly redetermined.
Innovation and Creativity:
Today's engineers must be able to think creatively and invent solutions that may not seem obvious at first glance. Since problem solving is at the core of an engineer's profession, ask your MEP engineer for examples of how they have solved problems comparable to yours in the past. Then press them further by asking what they would do if that wasn't an option. Examine how they analyze the situation to come up with creative solutions, even if they don't have all the answers right away.
Why should you hire a MEP engineering firm to calculate your COMcheck lighting?
MEP specialists can improve the performance of a new construction or renovation project while reducing costs and delivering long-term value. MEP companies examine specific building systems in the context of the entire project. They can then determine which systems best integrate with the building's architecture. MEP engineering companies can help you with the following technical issues:
- Improve lighting, heating, cooling and sustainability performance – all while maintaining architectural integrity and aesthetics.
- Minimize operation and maintenance expenses throughout the life of the building.
- Keep construction and energy costs to a minimum.
- Meet environmental standards and at the same time encourage water and energy efficiency.
- Solving plumbing and wastewater management problems.
These are the mandatory prerequisites to pass the COMcheck envelope criteria:
- Insulation Installation: Ensure that insulation is installed without excessive gaps or compression and that blown-in insulation is adjusted to the required density in order to obtain the rated R-value.
- Air leakage standards for windows and doors have been met.
- Sealing, caulking, gaskets, and/or weather stripping at joints and penetrations are necessary to prevent energy losses and the accompanying moisture migration caused by air leakage through the envelope.
The points mentioned above must be met by the MEP engineer to calculate the lighting COMcheck. The mechanical compliance of COMcheck is different from the envelope and lighting. Based on the list of mechanical components entered by the user, the mechanical section provides a list of mandatory needs. Instead of generating a pass or fail message, the app provides a checklist of requirements that must be completed.
