If you have ever walked through any building; whether it is a grocery store, a home, an airport or any type of facility, you have seen the results of MEP engineering. In a nutshell, MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing) is the scope of construction engineering that focuses on exactly what it stands for. There’s really no mystery behind the name, however it still covers a broad spectrum of things you might not realize.

Mechanical

This aspect of commercial or residential engineering can include many different components because it covers anything that moves, uses mechanisms to perform a task, or involves some simple or complex machine. A few examples of mechanical engineering on display in everyday life might be:

• Heating & Cooling Air Distribution
• Kitchen/Bath Exhaust
• Energy Efficient Equipment and Systems
• HVAC Units

Mechanical engineering is a highly sought after service in the construction industry as having the right engineering team can make the difference in a building that operates smoothly and one that fails to comply with city building codes. Mechanical engineers will make sure that the mechanics of the building are adequate in order to support the buildings form and function. This field is responsible for many end user components of a building and encompasses tasks such as:

• Building Ventilation Design – Based on size and shape of the building, this entails ensuring the right ventilation system design to properly ventilate a building even at its rated capacity for patrons according to national safety standards.
• Green Building Design – This environmentally conscious aspect focuses on technologies, building methods, materials, and design that helps conserve energy through efficient air distribution, system sizing and equipment selection.

Electrical

This aspect of the engineering tasks of construction focuses on the electrical wiring, components, function, and safety of a building. Electrical engineers go into great detail to make sure buildings electrical schematics are adequate to power all components safely and reliably. These engineers also make sure a building falls in line with the electrical codes set forth by the city which the building is located. Some of the tasks that fall under the umbrella of electrical engineering are:

• Lighting Design – Creating lighting schematic that suits the purpose of the building space that is being designed. Both for practical reasons as well as aesthetics are considered when creating the light space of a building.
• Power Distribution – This is likely one of the most important engineering services because nothing works if the power doesn’t. Tasks such as creating an “electrical map” that indicate proposed locations of outlets, breaker boxes, and other electrical hookups.
• Voltage Regulation – Implementation of voltage regulation to provide steady power.

Plumbing

This aspect covers a wide range of plumbing related components in the preliminary and final construction phases of the building. More than just sinks, toilets and faucets; this also covers many other devices behind the scenes such as:

• Drainage and Sewage Line – Encompasses everything from storm water drainage to main sewage line, traps and drains from sinks, restrooms and kitchens.
• Domestic Water – Full system schematic to show where your water is coming from and going to.