There are opportunities for savings throughout the engineering process, not just the construction phase. With effective communication and adequate team management, it is possible to optimize the design process and reduce costs without compromising quality. Top-notch design software also helps: it may come at a high price, but the time and cost savings are significant.
Discover why over-engineering increases costs without any benefit.
When the engineering design process becomes long and expensive, it is typically due to one of the following factors:
- Poor communication between design teams. This is especially important in the case of mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems – all three have complex physical layouts and there is a high likelihood of overlap between components of different systems when team communication is poor.
- Excessive changes. MEP projects are carried out based on existing architectural plans, which means that architectural changes can become very disruptive as the MEP design process approaches completion. Completion of the final version of the architectural design is highly recommended before the MEP project begins; A major architectural change after completion of the MEP project can significantly expand the design process and its cost. Changes to MEP systems are also disruptive, as they present a high degree of interdependence.
This article will provide some recommendations that can help you simplify the engineering design process while reducing its cost. There is a basic rule for cost optimization: modifications are cheap or even free when requested early in the design process, and prohibitively expensive when requested in the final stages of construction.
1) Involve all project stakeholders before the design process begins
If the needs and requirements of all parties are clearly defined from the beginning, they can be taken into account during project design. For example, some contractors and equipment suppliers may have special requirements; If this information is known before the MEP project begins, changes will be avoided later. These changes typically add man hours to the design process and, if omitted, can result in costly modifications during construction.
Make sure your MEP design team reviews all equipment specifications before the design process begins, ensuring any special requirements are taken into consideration. Keep in mind that some construction systems involve all three areas of the MEP; for example, chilled water systems involve electrical installations and hydronic piping.
2) Follow a comprehensive approach to mechanical, electrical and plumbing projects
As stated previously, these three systems have very complex layouts, and if project teams do not work in coordination, you are very likely to have issues with overlapping equipment locations. Also, keep in mind that all three systems distribute fluids or air throughout the building and the means of distribution must not interfere with each other.
- Mechanical systems typically involve air ducts, refrigerant lines, and hydronic piping. If combustion-based heating is implemented, there will also be a chimney for combustion gases, along with pipes and fuel tanks.
- Electrical systems involve conduits and wiring, and bus ducts also exist in high-power applications. Remember that transformers, motors, generators, panels and similar equipment can require a lot of space and clearances from walls and other equipment may be required.
- Plumbing systems involve pumps as well as independent pipes for drinking water, wastewater, etc.
The arrangement of ducts and pipes must be specified in such a way that the smallest amount of materials is used, but taking care not to overlap components from different construction systems.
3) Use three-dimensional MEP design software
There are now MEP design solutions where a three-dimensional model of the building is stored on a web server that can be accessed by all design teams, and building systems are laid out and specified directly on the model. This offers several advantages over conventional two-dimensional design:
- The location of equipment can be visualized more clearly, especially when components of all three systems need to be installed in tight spaces.
- Modern MEP design software is smart enough to detect overlaps, and design engineers can be notified immediately if this occurs. For example, if the ideal location for two devices is the same, they can decide which of the two devices can be relocated at the lowest cost.
- Confusion associated with different versions of the same design is eliminated; There are no more versions, as the entire design process is carried out in a unified 3D model.
- Most three-dimensional MEP design software can calculate all bills of materials (BOM) automatically, further reducing the total labor hours required for the project.
MEP design software has a high initial cost, but the investment is offset by the large number of man hours saved. Additionally, there are now software solutions with the option to pay a recurring monthly fee rather than a one-time, expensive license. This purchasing model tends to be more attractive for smaller companies with limited budgets.
Having a well-trained team is just as important as implementing a powerful software solution. If you invest in a top-notch MEP design package, make sure your engineering team learns how to use it effectively. For example, software solutions often have keyboard shortcuts and commands that considerably speed up work, and using them is much faster than clicking functions with the mouse. The difference may not be evident for a single action, but when considering the total working hours saved, the effect is significant.
4) Use a project management platform
Email is not always practical when coordinating multidisciplinary teams: tasks must be assigned verbatim and there is always the possibility of missing or incorrectly typing one of the email addresses. There are now project management platforms where team members can be added to common dashboards and notifications are automatically sent whenever a task is assigned, modified or completed.
Project management platforms allow team members to focus on assigned tasks while communication is streamlined and automated in the background. For example, marking a milestone as complete and linking a project deliverable is faster than sending an email to the entire team with the file attached.
5) Consider outsourcing the entire MEP design process
Having an in-house engineering team can make sense in industrial environments or other business sectors where technical assistance is needed on an ongoing basis. However, there are companies for which the cost of a permanent engineering team cannot be justified and it makes more sense to hire an external company specializing in MEP design and consultancy. This way, the customer can save the capital and time needed for workstations, software and team building, dedicating them to the core business activities.
If you take this approach, we strongly recommend that you hire a company that provides full MEP design; If you hire separate designers for mechanical, electrical and plumbing installations, project integration will be a difficult task.
Final Observations
When optimizing the engineering design process, remember that poor team communication and frequent changes are the main factors that increase costs. By combining solid management practices, information technologies and strategic outsourcing, you can improve results while cutting costs. Effective communication also promotes collaboration and mitigates conflict.
