6 Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP)

The MEP engineering team plays a vital role when it comes to reducing the environmental footprint of a building. Their decisions regarding energy systems, technical installations, and insulation material choices can have a direct and significant impact on the building’s total emissions.

One of the most obvious ways MEP can reduce the building’s climate impact is by designing for lower energy use. As an example, choices related to the building’s insulation are a key area where MEP input is essential. There’s often a balance between improving insulation thickness or quality and selecting materials with a lower emission. In some cases, the marginal energy savings from better insulation may not justify the higher material impact. This needs to be carefully assessed in the context of the building’s energy demand and overall LCA.

Another important aspect is the selection of technical installations if default values for these are not used in the LCA. The default datasets in LCAbyg may not reflect the actual products or systems specified in the project. By engaging actively in the LCA process and providing specific product data, such as EPDs or manufacturer documentation, the MEP team can ensure that the environmental impact of these systems is accurately captured and potentially identify lower-impact alternatives.

However, MEP can also achieve better results through collaboration with the other disciplines. For example, coordination with STR can influence how to minimize the installations, such as pipes, going through the building’s load-bearing elements, reducing the need for additional structural materials. An early dialogue with ARCH will also potentially enhance important decisions significantly. Decisions about the buildings envelopes, window areas, and spatial layout all affect the building’s energy demand and the performance of the MEP systems. MEP must also provide MAT with key figures from the BE calculation, including the building’s annual operational consumption and supply of heating and electricity. Figure 6.1 highlights key figures from the energy framework calculation, which MEP are responsible for providing. These include contributions from heating systems, electricity consumption, and, if applicable, energy output from solar panels. For solar panels, it is also important to specify the number of units and their dimensions, as the PV system can have a significant impact on the overall LCA results. It is recommended that MEP and MAT collaborate to identify a product-specific EPD for the selected solar panel.

Figure 6.1 Example of a BE18 report summary, highlighting the necessary information MEP needs to provide to MAT.