MEP works in civil contracting co: Most of the civil contractors do not hire Mechanical and electrical engineers for the designing, shop drawing preparation and execution of most of the building services. Mostly we observe the following.
Electrical works mostly executed by ITI electricians and Diploma engineers. Please find below the comparative study between modern construction practice where a professional MEP contractor is working and a poor construction practice where MEP is not working.
| COMPARISON Modern Construction practise VS Poor construction practise --ELECTRICAL WORKS | |||
| sl | RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT LOW CURRENT WORKS | ||
| Modern Construction practice when MEP contractor is working |
Poor construction practice | ||
| 1 | APPROVED PVC & EMT CONDUIT & JUNCTION BOXES USED, FOR ELECTRICAL WIRING IN CONDUIT 40 % SPACE TO BE PROVIDED FOR PULLING OF WRING AND FOR MAINTENANCE |
NO APPROVAL REQUIRED,20% SPARE ONLY | |
| 2 | CERTITIFED ELECTRICANS FOR CABLE JOINT | NO CERTIFCATION REQUIRED | |
| 3 | UNDERGROUND CABLE ARMOUR FOR LOW CURRENT | NOT COMPULSARY REQUIRED | |
| CU/XLPE/SWA/PVC-1000V | |||
| 4 | PANEL BOARD TAGGING REQUIRED | NOT COMPULSARY REQUIRED | |
| 5 | MEGGER TEST-1000V for 15 min Tested ,INSULATION TEST ,CONTINUTY TEST | DONE IN RARE CASES MOSTLY CHECK BY CONTUNITY | |
| 6 | TERMINATION LUGS & WIRE NUTS IS USED FOR LOOPING OF WIRES FOR SAFE PRACTISE | INSULATION TAPE | |
| 7 | INDIVIDUAL CIRCUIT ALLOTED
|
CIRCUITS ALLOCATED ACCORDING TO ROOMS | |
| 8 | PROPER TAG IN ,TAG OUT SYSTEM FOLLOWED
|
NO SUCH SYSTEM FOLLOWED | |
| 9 | INSPECTION TEST PIT INSTALLED SURROUNDING BUILDING
|
INSPECTION PIT ALUMINUM PLATE WITH CHARCOAL | |
| 10 | LIGHTINING ARRESTER INSTALLED ON THE PARAPET WITH CONNECTED TO BARE COPPER WIRE TO DOWN TO BUILDING | ONLY IN HIGH RISE BUILDING | |
| 11 | GFCI OUTLET USED IN KITCHEN ,BATHROOM AREAS | NO STANDARDS FOLLOWED | |
| 12 | HOP DRAWING & RED LINE & AS BUILT DRAWING DRAWN | NO RECORDS | |
| 13 | TORQUE IS DONE FOR PANEL BOARD AND LV SIDE TERMINATION | INDIVIDUAL PRACTISE | |
| 14 | BREAKER TRIP TEST DONE ..REPORTS ARE NOTED | ONLY FACTORY TEST DONE | |
| 15 | 20% SPARE CAPACITY PROVIDED | 5 TO 10 % ALLOCATED | |
| 16 | 17 VOLATGE DROP CABLE NOT ALLOWED MORE THAN 2 % GOOD STANDARD PRACTISE | 5 % ALLOWED | |
| 17 | CERTITIFED PROFESSUIONAL TO BE ALLOWED FOR FUSE ,BREAKER REPLACEMENT | NO SUCH PRACTISE | |
| 18 | STANDARD HEIGHT 1.4M FOR SWTICHES | STANDARD NOT REQUIRED | |
| 19 | WHEATHER PROOF SWTICHES & HOLDERS WERE INSTALLED AT FACING OUTSIDE TEMPERTURE | SUCH STANDARDS RARELY SEEN | |
| 20 | HIGHER WIRE SIZE IS ALLOCATED FOR MECHINICAL LOADS BY CONSIDERING STARTING CURRENT | EXACT SIZE IS ALLOCATED FOR MECHNICAL LOADS ,REDUCES LIFE EXPECTANCY OF WIRES | |
| 21 | GOOD QUALITY COPPER WIRE | QUALITY IS NOT MUCH IMPORTANT | |
| 22 | VOLATGE DROP IS CALCULATED FOR EVERY CIRCUIT | NO SUCH CALCULATIONS CONSIDERED | |
| 23 | PROPER TOOLS AND WIRE CUTTER AS CONSIDERED FOR SAFE PRACTICE | MOSTLY USES COMBINATION PLAYER | |
Plumbing works are mostly executed by plumbers in a haphazard manner. They do not follow any drawing prepared by plumbing engineers. They work without any shop drawings. They install the drainage and water supply piping without following any plumbing codes of practice. They follow age old procedure of plumbing which is in practice by illiterate plumbers. Mostly the drainage pipes are installed without vent pipe. Due to which drainage pipes generates foul smell very often.
Mostly people presume that toilet is not clean; they sprinkler phenyl and disinfectants repeatedly to clean the toilet.
Regarding water supply piping installation in a multi storey building, there must be different valves on the pipes serving each and every respective floors and every
individual flats. These valves on each and every floor and individual flat are very helpful in the ease of maintenance..
Mostly plumbers provide limited quantity such as only one gate valve at the discharge of overhead tank which is a bad plumbing practice as they do not anticipate future maintenance issues. Any repair for leakage in one small portion of the building, water supply to the whole building is to be stopped as there is only one common valve at the discharge pipe of the tank.
Lack of builders work drawings in poor construction practice:
the plumbing pipes and other building services passing through the floor slabs and walls are not anticipated during the concreting of slab and wall construction. Contractors break the wall and slab at later stage to pass the respective pipes. In modern construction practice, MEP contractors anticipate all those in and out pipes/conduits of all building services and prepare individual services shop drawings and builders work drawing in advance. Hence they provide sleeves for all such services at the time of construction.
A. Mostly the drop beam heights are very rarely designed in coordination with MEP services above ceiling. Drop beams shall be as flat as possible to accommodate space for MEP services above ceiling.
B. Civil contractor to anticipate the size of indoor equipment rooms for chillers, AHU’s and Generators in coordination with the respective MEP contractor.
C. Civil contractor to anticipate the physical load of MEP equipment’s on Roof slab such as Condensing units, Fresh Air AHU’s , Chillers , central water heaters for designing the slab structure in coordination with the respective MEP contractor.
D. Civil/Architectural consultant and contractor to anticipate all the MEP services required to be installed in a building depending upon the need of the end user and client. All the MEP services need to be designed in coordination with civil, architectural and structural disciplines. This MEP services design drawing will be much helpful to the mep contractor to anticipate and prepare builders work drawing considering in and out pipe and duct sleeves required for all the MEP services.