Project Overview
A newly constructed religious facility in San Bernardino, California, required a complete MEP design solution to accommodate its prayer hall, office spaces, classrooms, and restroom areas.
National MEP Engineers were brought on board to provide high-quality HVAC, plumbing, and electrical design, ensuring compliance with local codes and energy consumption efficiency. This 5,850 sq. ft. project was completed within a 3-week timeline, overcoming several design and coordination challenges along the way.
Task Assigned
Challenges
One of the biggest challenges for our MEP designers was coordinating with the architectural team and making simultaneous design changes. Incorporating these changes into the MEP concept plans without delaying progress required continuous adjustments.
Another challenge was working with the utility company for electrical service verification, as their approval process typically takes over a month. The team also faced difficulties in stormwater collection and riser placement, as the owner wanted no exposed piping on the exterior while structural elements limited available routing space.
Lastly, placing equipment such as water heaters, electrical panels, and HVAC units was challenging due to space constraints and structural elements like shear walls and exterior curtains.
Solutions
To address ongoing architectural changes, the MEP team engaged in early-stage coordination, continuously updating MEP concept plans to align with the evolving design. For electrical service verification, the team assessed site conditions in nearby areas and made preliminary assumptions to expedite design completion, confirming details with the utility provider.
When facing stormwater collection challenges, National MEP Engineers worked closely with the architectural and structural teams, proposing adjustments that allowed for efficient piping placement.
For equipment placement, the team provided early-stage equipment location proposals, including size and weight specifications, to assist architectural and structural teams in accommodating MEP needs. Additionally, at the later design stage, the team requested enclosures for exposed equipment to maintain the building’s aesthetics while ensuring ease of installation.