How to choose the right MEP engineer for your lighting COMcheck calculation?

Anuj Srivastava
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    Working with the proper MEP engineering firm can significantly improve the performance of your building. Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems provide a safe indoor environment for humans, but they also consume a significant amount of water and energy. MEP systems should ideally perform their functions at the lowest possible running cost. An effective working relationship can also be built by having a thorough awareness of your MEP partner's experience and portfolio. Especially when it comes to COMcheck it has another advantage in that it incorporates several national and state energy rules and standards, allowing designers who work in multiple states to use the same compliance tool for multiple project sites.

    What is COMcheck & who uses COMcheck?

    COMcheck is a commercial energy compliance tool developed by the United States Department of Energy (DOE). It simply tells a 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 a software that can be downloaded for Windows® and Mac®, and it supports the IECC 2006, 2009, and 2012, as well as ASHRAE Standard 90.1: 2004, 2007, and 2010, as well as other state codes.

    COMcheck is a performance technique, which means it offers the overall performance requirement for the building and substitutes the specific prescriptive requirements for building envelopes and assemblies. Builders frequently prefer the performance method to the prescriptive method because it gives greater freedom with the building envelope.

    COMcheck is used by general contractors, lighting contractors, mechanical contractors, architects, specifiers, and many other construction industry professionals. Many states demand a COMcheck report before issuing a building permit, therefore builders must frequently use the software to determine the building code requirements for their state. Architects, lighting and mechanical engineers, and others can use COMcheck's Interior/Exterior Lighting and Mechanicals (HVAC) sections to confirm that what they specify complies with commercial building energy codes. Other parts of interest to insulation makers and suppliers include "Envelope."

    How do you select an MEP Engineer for your lighting COMcheck calculation?

    Choosing an MEP partner for your construction project is critical to its 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 might vary dramatically from one edition of the code to the next. Major decisions made early in the schematic design process influence the course of the design development, construction documentation, and overall building construction. Strong project management and design leadership have a positive impact on both schedule and cost over the course of the project.

    The following are some important factors to consider when selecting an MEP engineering firm for your project:

    Timeframe:

    Meeting deadlines is unavoidable. Make sure your MEP engineering business has enough staff or subconsultant resources to meet your project's requirements. Inquire about their project management style, scheduling systems, and methods for dealing with deadline adjustments. One of the biggest benefits is Building envelope data input for COMcheck is also simple. The user specifies the building envelope, component by component, using either a sequence of drop-down menus or data input by the user.

    Ability to deliver on time & within the budget:

    Although you may expect staying within budget to be a given, question your prospective MEP engineering business about its track record of doing so. Inquire specifically about the basis for any modification orders, which could include anything from the greater scope and owner-requested adjustments to errors and omissions. While no project is ever perfect, a solid track record of projects completed on time and under budget will offer you a better idea of how your project will go. Using the tradeoff compliance technique provided by energy codes, such as COMcheck software, may enable more design flexibility & save more time. For example, the fenestration area can be raised above prescribed limits, with the higher energy demand mitigated by changing fenestration characteristics and/or raising roof or wall insulation levels. Furthermore, once the basic building description has been entered and stored into the application, design revisions and/or the building location can be swiftly adjusted, and compliance can be instantly redetermined.

    Innovation & Creativity:

    Today's engineers must be able to think creatively and invent solutions that may not appear obvious at first. Because solving difficulties is at the heart of an engineer's profession, ask your MEP engineer for instances of how they have addressed problems comparable to yours in the past. Then press them further by asking what they would do if it wasn't an option. Examine how they think through the situation to come up with creative solutions, even if they don't have all of the answers right away.

    Why Should You Hire an MEP Engineering Firm to Calculate Your Lighting COMcheck?

    MEP experts can improve a new construction or renovation project's performance while lowering costs and offering long-term value. MEP firms examine specific building systems in the context of the entire project. They can then determine which systems best integrate with the building architecture. MEP engineering firms can assist you with the following technical issues:

    • Improving lighting, heating, cooling, and sustainability performance – all while maintaining architectural integrity and aesthetics.
    • Minimizing operating and maintenance expenses over the life of the building.
    • Keeping construction and energy expenditures to a minimum.
    • Meeting environmental standards while encouraging water and energy efficiency.
    • Solving plumbing concerns and wastewater management.

    These are the mandatory prerequisites for passing the COMcheck envelope criteria:

    • Insulation installation: ensuring that insulation is installed without excessive gaps or compression and that blown-in insulation is fitted to the necessary density, in order to obtain the rated R-value.
    • Air leakage standards for fenestration and doors have been met.
    • Sealing, caulking, gaskets, and/or weather-stripping at joints and penetrations are required to prevent energy losses and the accompanying moisture migration caused by air leakage through the envelope.

    The above-mentioned points are needed to be taken care of by the MEP engineer for your lighting COMcheck calculation. Mechanical compliance for COMcheck is distinct 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 application provides a checklist of requirements that must be completed.

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