Mechanical (HVAC and plumbing) project

A mechanical project, called mekanik tesisat projesi in Turkish practice, is where a mechanical engineer designs the systems that keep a building comfortable and hygienic. The architecture creates the spaces; the mechanical design heats and cools them, brings in fresh air and water and takes waste water away.

What it covers

• Heating: boilers or heat pumps, radiators or underfloor heating, pipe routes
• Cooling and air conditioning
• Ventilation, especially for bathrooms, kitchens, car parks and crowded spaces
• Cold and hot water supply, foul drainage and rainwater
• Fire hose reels, sprinklers and other suppression systems
• Natural gas installations, in Turkey usually approved separately by the gas distributor

Coordination with the architecture

Services need space. If plant rooms, risers, ducts in the ceiling void and rooftop equipment are not considered at the preliminary stage, floor heights, facades or room sizes end up compromised later. Stacking wet areas and placing risers well affects both cost and how easy the building is to maintain.

Energy targets become concrete here as well. When insulation, glazing and orientation are well resolved in the architecture, mechanical systems can be smaller and cheaper to run.