Task Assigned
The main task for National MEP Engineers was to deliver a complete MEP design for a new tenant fit-out in Winter Garden, FL. This project combined a coffee shop with an indoor children’s play area. The scope covered zone-specific HVAC systems, commercial kitchen plumbing with a grease interceptor, and a full electrical plan. It also included kitchen appliances, customer seating, and a central floor outlet for the play zone. The comprehensive permit-ready MEP package was delivered within an expedited one-month timeframe.
Project Timeline
- Phase 1 : The first phase of the project involved a detailed site evaluation and the kickoff of design. Accordingly, we first reviewed the architectural plans and examined the MEP requirements for both zones. Our team also identified and flagged critical design deficiencies early in this phase.
- Phase 2 : At this phase, our target was to conclude full MEP system engineering. The phase began with designing zone-specific HVAC for the café and play area separately. Next, we engineered the entire plumbing system, including centralized routing of grease waste. Lastly, our MEP experts developed the full electrical layout covering every single kitchen and play zone requirement.
- Phase 3 : At the start of this phase, we prioritized resolving utility closet conflicts with the help of proactive architect coordination. This was followed by confirming code compliance across all MEP systems and handing over the end-to-end permit-ready set.
Additional Notes
- The original plan specified an undersized wall-mounted water heater above the mop sink. National MEP Engineers identified it as insufficient for commercial café hot water demands. Instead, we recommended a floor-mounted 50-gallon, 9 kW electric water heater. Proactive architect coordination helped mitigate the resulting space constraints before they became costly.
- Grease water management throughout multiple fixtures necessitated a deliberate design approach. So, our team specified a 25 GPM underground grease interceptor (Schier GB1). We also routed drains from the three-compartment sink, hand sink, and espresso machine floor drain to this single unified unit.
- Detecting critical design flaws at the earliest ensured the prevention of costly mid-project redesigns. The complete, accurate, permit-ready MEP set was handed over promptly, giving the client the opportunity to proceed with permitting and construction without delay.
