By Carla Crawford Engineering Education • M/E/P 0 Comments

3D Laser Scanning: A time-saving solution for MEP design

As MEP Engineering, Inc. enters a new year of production, new projects are coming in fast and from all sectors of our industry. Our clients need quick turn-around and accuracy on every drawing we send out the door. To ensure our teams continue to exceed expectations, we’ve included advanced 3D Laser Scanner technology to our repertoire of services.

Our teams already utilize 3D Building Information Modeling (BIM) software to collaborate across disciplines and automate production of their designs. Implementing 3D Laser Scanning into our preliminary survey process was the logical next step to achieve seamless and accurate design.

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By MEP Engineering Engineering Education • M/E/P 0 Comments

Will Your Exterior Building Walls Promote Mold Growth?

As a building owner, keeping water out of your building and preventing condensation inside your walls are two concerns that can easily slip through the cracks (no pun intended). We are here to help you prevent a seemingly small issue like this from causing a financial nightmare.

Luckily, there is a new standard calculation called ASHRAE Standard 160 developed to determine the risk of mold growing in your building’s envelope. WUFI is the program to help.

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By MEP Engineering Engineering Education • M/E/P • • • 0 Comments

Arc Flashes Pose Serious Danger for Maintenance Teams

History tells us that in 1752 Ben Franklin flew a kite in a lightning storm, putting himself and his son, William, at grave risk of electrical shock and death. And yet, Franklin’s approach to this important 18th-century experiment may have been practiced with more safety and caution than the safety practices implemented at modern-day buildings, in regards to their high-energy electrical panels.

Unfortunately, a vast majority of property managers and owners are foregoing a simple and relatively inexpensive study to ensure that their maintenance team is protected from what would be the equivalent of a lightning blast. The study, which is often referred to as an “arc flash hazard analysis” is only used by 1 percent of property owners throughout the Denver metro area. And while the chances of a killer arc flash occurring are perhaps as minute as being struck by lighting, the risk exists. And, if left unchecked, it could be a very costly one.

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By MEP Engineering Commercial • Engineering Education • M/E/P • 0 Comments

MEP Insight: Electrical Room Sizing for New Buildings

To size an electrical room, one must research the following:

Single or Multiple Utility Meter Configuration:

  • An electrical gear rated up to 800 amperes may require a minimum of eight (8) feet in length in a single utility meter set up. A similar gear with multiple meters serving multiple tenants could be up to twenty (20) feet in length, depending on the individual service sizes to the tenants themselves. The building owner should be asked about the division of the tenants in the building, and of these areas, will there be any residential occupancies sold which will require multiple meters. The language within the leases of the space also dictates whether or not a meter is required (if utilities are, or are not included).

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