Overcoming MEP Design Challenges Through Collaboration
Designers are often lauded for those building features that we can see – a striking exterior, interesting textures in the interior design, or a clever design solution that maximizes space. But what we can’t see – everything that happens behind the walls – is just as important to a project. And it’s some of the most critical work an architect does.
Mechanical, Engineering, and Plumping (MEP) systems are unseen and forgotten about, unless something has gone wrong. But an incredible amount of knowledge, expertise, and creativity goes into designing for these systems to function as efficiently as possible.
Read on to learn about how our architects solve some of the most complex MEP design challenges.
Conceptualizing design with MEP in mind
MEP systems are highly complex, yet fundamental to a design. Therefore, not taking MEP into account early in the design process can mean many design revisions down the line.
Instead of treating MEP systems as an afterthought, we make visible the invisible systems of a building from the very beginning stages of conceptualizing a project.

We start by gaining a deep understanding of the client’s needs, capabilities, and location. For example, we wouldn’t recommend installing geothermal heat pumps in a remote location where the skilled labor needed to repair and maintain those systems isn’t available.
We start thinking about MEP systems as early as initial site analysis. The wrong building orientation could mean less efficient mechanical systems. For example, if a building exhausts in the same direction as the wind, increased pressure and noise may lead to a less efficient system. Similarly, if glass is orientated directly towards most of the sun exposure, the HVAC system will be overloaded in the building.
MEP design challenges are more than just another piece of the puzzle in a building design – they're also part of the joy of design and help with the expression of the project.
Collaborating with MEP engineers early, and often
Our designs cannot take shape without the MEP engineers we partner with. As architects, we bridge the gap between the highly specialized considerations of MEP, and the client’s desire and understanding of those systems.

We start by establishing communication as early as possible with the owner. We first work to understand exactly what the client expects, what assumptions about the project they may have, and what their goals are. Then, we communicate those assumptions and goals to our MEP partners.
Ideally, we involve the general contractor as early as possible in the process. Together, we work to analyze what systems would best meet the budget and preferences of the owner.
Working with highly specialized consultants means keeping an eye on the project as a whole. A plumbing system that contradicts the mechanical system is not a viable solution. While MEP engineers bring the expertise in their specific fields, we ultimately act as the experts of the project itself. We draw on previous experience to know what regulations need to be met, as well as what has (and hasn't) worked in previous projects.
Our ability to engage MEP consultants in the very first stages of design would not be possible if not for the in-house expertise in MEP systems that we have. As architects, we often act as the translator between the client, and the engineer.
Below are some MEP design challenges specific to different project types, and how our specialized studios consider these systems in the design.
MEP design challenges in healthcare
Healthcare projects range in MEP complexity from physician offices to complex Operating Rooms. Our healthcare studio relies on their expertise with the latest healthcare design and construction regulations that affect MEP systems to ensure a project’s success.
Early integration of MEP systems into the design process is critical. Here are a few MEP design challenges that our team considers from the very early stages of a project:
Emergency power: In hospitals, many critical life safety systems are required per code to be backed up by emergency power. This requires increased space in electrical rooms, additional panels, and close coordination with user groups to manage power backup expectations with code requirements.
Medical gas systems: Many medical buildings require access to oxygen or other medical gasses. These systems are critical for patient care and must be designed to ensure continual operation in the event of an outage. This requires redundancy in the system, and the storage of physical tanks onsite to ensure access to critical medical gas. Creating a safe and easily accessible medical gas system affects different aspects of the design.
Air pressure relationships: Certain healthcare spaces require either positive air pressure that pushes out air to maintain environmental cleanliness, or negative air pressure that brings air from outside in. For spaces like operating rooms, pharmacies, or isolation rooms, air pressure must be monitored and meticulously maintained. Our healthcare studio works with these exacting guidelines and has developed drawing standards so they can communicate air pressure needs with contractors.
Healthcare regulations that affect MEP systems are extremely defined. Through our decades of experience, our healthcare studio has developed ways to communicate these guidelines to MEP partners and general contractors, ensuring that regulations are met the first time.
Dekker designed a new patient tower that added 140 new beds to Presbyterian Hospital. Our design team worked with the CMAR to develop a plan to maintain regular hospital operations and minimal disruptions during construction.
In the early stages of construction, the Covid-19 pandemic had started. Through careful consideration and discussion with the client, the healthcare studio quickly adjusted the design of the patient tower to accommodate heightened regulations regarding air pressure. This change modified 2 full floors of the tower to add the capability to switch the entire floor negative air pressure, allowing those floors to be completely isolated from the rest of the hospital. This design shift allows Presbyterian to quickly respond and adjust operations in the event of a future pandemic, while still caring for patients requiring isolation in the present.
Our healthcare studio has its pulse on ever-changing healthcare regulations. By maintaining compliance standard documentation, our team can quickly pivot to new changes.
Multifamily communities and MEP design challenges
In multifamily communities, MEP systems are very different according to the type of project. Affordable housing complexes, for example, have different needs than luxury housing. The size of the project also affects what kind of mechanical system is used.
These are some MEP design challenges that our multifamily communities studio navigates with expertise:
Home Energy Rating Systems (HERS): Affordable housing project must meet HERS requirements that include energy efficient HVAC units, water conservation and minimum water flow.
Renewable Energy: Developers aren’t always ready to invest in the high initial cost of solar panels. Despite this, many developers are planning for future solar panel installations by upsizing electric power capabilities and reinforcing the roof to accommodate panels.
HVAC refrigerant: The Environmental Protection Agency has recently introduced a new regulation requiring the use of a new refrigerant product called A2L. Refrigerants are what allow an HVAC unit to produce cool air. A2L is a flammable gas, so its use requires creating a method to encase the refrigerant line between the air handler and condenser units. While this change affects all project types, tight budgets in multifamily projects necessitate design adjustments to accommodate the additional cost.
The Imperial Building is a pedestrian oriented mixed-use development in Albuquerque’s downtown. Three stories of housing include 74 units, both affordable and market rate. Therefore, all MEP systems in the building had to meet or exceed HERS requirements for affordable housing.
The project is designed to achieve ENERGY New Homes and Enterprise Green Communities certifications. As such, water and energy conservation were especially important. The design included a rainwater capture system, water-conserving fixtures, and efficient irrigation.
MEP systems in education projects
Education projects are diverse, and often include varied spaces with different levels of MEP complexity. For example, a classroom may have a lower level of complexity than a higher-ed biological laboratory.
These are some of the MEP design challenges that are education studio sees often, and prepares for:
System maintenance: K-12 schools, especially those in smaller or rural communities, may not always have the resources to control, repair, and maintain sophisticated MEP systems. Our education team carefully considers a school district’s location and capabilities when choosing MEP solutions.
Acoustic requirements: K-12 schools have specific requirements about acceptable noise levels in classrooms. Mechanical systems often contribute to ambient noise because of the vibrations that they create. When designing K-12 schools, our team takes care to install HVAC units of the same size to minimize vibrations, as well as trying to locate units away from classrooms.
Laboratory spaces: Higher education laboratory spaces are MEP-complex. From air quality control to biohazard elimination, these spaces require the team to think about the MEP systems first, before starting to design the visible aspects of the space.
Renovating a building always introduces more MEP design challenges than a new build, because new systems must fit into existing configurations. For El Paso Independent School District Irvin High School, we transformed an outdated 1950’s campus into a modern high school that will last for decades to come.
The design team completely replaced all mechanical and lighting systems in every building, in addition to envelope improvements to increase energy efficiency. Construction was completed in phases, which allowed the school to remain fully operational throughout the process.
Balancing security with MEP systems in government projects
As with all aspects of federal government projects, MEP systems must take security into account. Our government studio balances security requirements with complex MEP systems to achieve the goals of the project.
Security on the floor means security in the ceiling: With high security areas, designers must consider HVAC ducting in the ceilings. Whatever a floor’s level of security, that security must be maintained in the systems located in the ceiling. This may include putting security bars in ducting above secure zones, or even terminating ducting before it reaches a high security area.
Secure egress: Proper egress is critical for fire protection. In spaces with multiple levels of security, egress can only be allowed from an area of higher security to an area of lower security. Often there are electronic locks that separate different security levels. In the event of an emergency, egress must still be easily accessible, while still limiting access to points of higher security.
Juggling different spaces: Working on projects in the national laboratories often involve designing for multiple types of MEP systems. When one building has a wet lab, a dry lab, and office spaces, each of those zones have different MEP needs.
At Dekker, we pay as much attention to the design elements that are invisible, as we do to the visible ones. Each studios expertise in MEP systems for those projects, as well as our ability to act as a bridge between owners and MEP specialists help us streamline the design process.
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