Building Services (MEP) Course

Lesson 1 • Introduction to MEP Systems

Defines mechanical, electrical, and plumbing disciplines and their interdependencies. Provides the conceptual framework used throughout the entire course.

Lesson 2 • Regulatory Framework and Standards

Surveys building codes, safety standards, and energy regulations governing MEP design. Students identify compliance requirements applicable to typical projects.

Lesson 3 • Reading MEP Drawings and Specifications

Teaches interpretation of floor plans, schematics, and riser diagrams. Enables students to extract design intent from standard project documents.

Lesson 4 • Building Types and Service Requirements

Examines how occupancy type drives MEP system selection and sizing. Connects building function to engineering decisions made in later chapters.

Lesson 1 • HVAC Controls and Building Automation

Introduces control sequences, sensors, and building automation system architecture. Students specify control strategies that optimize comfort and energy use.

Lesson 2 • Air Distribution Systems

Explains duct design, air terminal selection, and fan performance for conditioned air delivery. Students size ductwork and select diffusers for comfort and efficiency.

Lesson 3 • Heating and Cooling Equipment

Surveys boilers, chillers, heat pumps, and packaged units with selection criteria. Connects equipment capacity to calculated loads from the previous section.

Lesson 4 • Ventilation and Indoor Air Quality

Addresses outdoor air requirements, filtration, and contaminant control strategies. Ensures designs meet occupant health and regulatory ventilation standards.

Lesson 5 • Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer Basics

Covers conduction, convection, radiation, and psychrometric principles essential to HVAC design. Anchors all subsequent equipment selection and load calculations.

Lesson 1 • Stormwater and Site Drainage

Addresses roof drainage, area drains, and site stormwater management connected to building systems. Students size roof drains and overflow provisions for code compliance.

Lesson 2 • Domestic Water Supply Systems

Covers water pressure, pipe sizing, and fixture unit calculations for cold and hot water supply. Establishes the hydraulic principles applied throughout plumbing design.

Lesson 3 • Sanitary Drainage and Venting

Teaches drain, waste, and vent system design using fixture unit loading and slope requirements. Proper venting prevents siphonage and ensures system performance.

Lesson 4 • Hot Water Generation and Distribution

Examines water heater types, storage sizing, and recirculation loop design for reliable hot water delivery. Addresses energy efficiency and Legionella prevention requirements.

Lesson 1 • Wiring Methods and Conduit Systems

Examines conductor sizing, conduit types, and installation methods for building power systems. Ensures designs meet safety and code requirements for wiring installations.

Lesson 2 • Power Distribution Equipment

Covers transformers, switchgear, panelboards, and circuit breakers used in building distribution. Students select and schedule equipment based on calculated load requirements.

Lesson 3 • Electrical Load Calculations

Applies demand factor and diversity methods to calculate connected and demand loads. Accurate load data determines service entrance and distribution equipment sizing.

Lesson 4 • Electrical Fundamentals for Buildings

Reviews voltage, current, power, and three-phase concepts as applied to building electrical systems. Provides the theoretical base for all subsequent electrical design work.

Lesson 1 • Lighting Controls and Energy Efficiency

Examines occupancy sensors, daylight harvesting, and dimming systems for energy code compliance. Integrates control strategies with BAS systems introduced in Chapter 2.

Lesson 2 • Fire Alarm System Design

Covers detector types, notification appliances, and system architecture for life safety compliance. Students design addressable fire alarm systems for typical occupancies.

Lesson 3 • Data and Communications Infrastructure

Covers structured cabling, telecommunications rooms, and wireless access point design. Ensures MEP engineers can coordinate IT infrastructure within building projects.

Lesson 4 • Lighting Design Principles

Covers illuminance levels, luminaire types, and photometric calculations for interior spaces. Connects lighting quality to occupant productivity and energy performance.

Lesson 1 • Special Hazard Suppression Systems

Examines clean agent, foam, and kitchen hood suppression systems for specialized hazard applications. Expands design capability beyond standard water-based fire protection.

Lesson 2 • Automatic Sprinkler System Design

Covers sprinkler head types, spacing rules, and hydraulic calculation methods for wet and dry systems. Students produce compliant sprinkler layouts using density-area design criteria.

Lesson 3 • Standpipe and Hose Systems

Addresses Class I, II, and III standpipe configurations, pressure requirements, and hose connection placement. Connects standpipe design to building height and occupancy requirements.

Lesson 4 • Fire Pump and Water Supply Design

Covers fire pump selection, driver types, and water supply testing for adequate system pressure. Students verify supply adequacy and specify pump packages for complex buildings.

Lesson 1 • Shaft and Riser Coordination

Examines vertical shaft sizing, sleeve placement, and fire-rated penetration requirements for MEP risers. Students size shafts and produce riser coordination drawings.

Lesson 2 • Construction Phase Coordination

Covers shop drawing review, RFI management, and field coordination meetings during construction. Prepares students to maintain design intent through the construction process.

Lesson 3 • Spatial Coordination and Ceiling Plenum Design

Addresses routing priorities, clearance requirements, and plenum space allocation for all MEP trades. Students develop coordinated section drawings resolving multi-trade conflicts.

Lesson 4 • BIM-Based MEP Coordination

Introduces BIM workflows, model authoring standards, and federated model assembly for MEP coordination. Builds on drawing skills from Chapter 1 using three-dimensional digital tools.

Lesson 1 • Building Energy Modeling Fundamentals

Introduces whole-building energy simulation tools, input parameters, and output interpretation. Energy models quantify the impact of MEP design decisions on annual energy use.

Lesson 2 • High-Performance HVAC Strategies

Examines variable refrigerant flow, dedicated outdoor air systems, and heat recovery for energy reduction. Builds on HVAC fundamentals from Chapter 2 with advanced efficiency measures.

Lesson 3 • Water Conservation in Plumbing Design

Covers low-flow fixtures, greywater reuse, and rainwater harvesting systems for water efficiency. Connects plumbing design from Chapter 3 to sustainability performance goals.

Lesson 4 • Green Building Certification and Compliance

Surveys major green building rating systems and the MEP prerequisites and credits within each. Students map design decisions to certification requirements and document compliance.