Building services represent a significant planning and cost factor on any building project, so it is essential to provide a fully integrated design solution that is delivered on time, on budget and which embraces the latest technology. Buro Happold is recognised within the industry as one of the UK’s leading international building services consultants. Designed to provide optimum levels of occupant comfort all year round, our MEP systems set a new benchmark for efficiency and sustainability. As a major global player we have completed projects in a wide range of locations, always making sure we adhere to the codes and standards of the host country.
To achieve the most appropriate solution we adopt a holistic approach, considering all aspects of the design process from ‘abstract’ issues such as occupant wellbeing to the detailed analysis of mechanical components and the impact of environmental regulations on the building’s form and energy usage. Using sound building physics principles and advanced modelling techniques to analyse the envelope and spatial layout, our systems are integrated into the building fabric to create functional internal spaces and balanced, controllable conditions.
With buildings responsible for over 40% of all energy consumption, sustainable design is now top of the regulatory and corporate agenda. Buro Happold has significant expertise in the design of environmentally responsible buildings. Our approach is to ‘design out’ active systems wherever possible in favour of passive internal control methods such as natural ventilation, external shading and thermal mass. Working as part of a team we are able to balance our client’s aspirations with engineering (and budgetary) constraints to design high performance, low energy building systems.
Future flexibility for any changes of use is something that always needs to be considered both in terms of the engineering systems and commercial viability. To add value to a project we can carry out a whole life costing of the systems and utilities to assess ongoing and initial costs of maintenance, repair, servicing and operation, as well as social and environmental costs. This process can help the design team and the client choose between alternative designs, systems and strategies and so achieve cost control and certainty right from the start.
Building services systems set the parameters for the operational efficiency of a building and the ‘quality’ of its internal environment. Building services generally encompass three distinct disciplines:
• mechanical engineering (the design of environmental systems such as heating, ventilation, air conditioning, water distribution and fire-fighting).
• electrical engineering (the design of the electrical distribution, standby generation, lighting, security and IT systems).
• public health engineering (the design of the rainwater and waste disposal systems).
Other related services such as fire engineering, acoustics and lighting design are covered by our specialist consulting groups.
