Our transparent service methodology
Our Services
We pride ourselves on applying experienced engineering knowledge in the fields of Mechanical, Hydraulics and Fire Protection Services, from initial Project Inception to New Project Designs, Condition Assessments / Strategic Reviews & Audits.
We can also assist with resolution of Performance and NZ Building Code Compliance Issues, and Major/Minor Plant Upgrades and Building Works.
Design Disciplines
Our services cover the following Building Services and associated systems. If your unsure of the services required, then contact us. We’re sure that we can help and set you off in the right direction, and adding value to your project.
HVAC Services
The art of heating/cooling, ventilation and air conditioning of spaces for human comfort, machine performance and building code compliance. We also take care of environments for medical, industrial plant, data centres and gensets.
- Central or distributed plant air conditioning systems
- Chilled water fan coil units and chilled beams
- Air handling plant i.e. CAV, VAV, multi-zone
- Ventilation systems for industrial & commercial applications i.e. exhaust systems, supply systems, car parks, food outlets, operating theatres, industrial ventilation
- Industrial ventilation and cooling systems i.e. VSD’s, large pump chambers
- Mixed mode ventilation systems i.e. passive/active
- Underfloor, radiant and convective heating systems
- Heat recovery water and airside
- Building management systems (BMS) & Controls
- Building façade thermal load and solar shading analysis
- Chiller and boiler hot water heat pump plant deck/room design
- Medical gas systems & compressed air system design
- Data Centre & Telecommunication cooling solutions
Plumbing & Drainage Services
Plumbing and drainage for sanitary purposes i.e. sanitary washing, WC flushing, grease/oil interceptors. Hot water heating, rainwater harvesting, SW drainage, water supply, filtration, emergency storage water .
- Sanitary drainage system design
- Central/Distributed hot water heating plant design i.e. boilers, heat pumps, pre-heat via 4 pipe chillers
- Hot water reticulation system design
- Stormwater drainage and overflow relief design
- Rainwater harvesting and landscape irrigation
- Solar hot water design
- Point of use hot and chilled water solutions
- Oil and grease interceptors / grease traps
- Hot water pre-heating from a heat recovery source i.e. 4 pipe chillers
- Low water use fittings
- Rural water supply and filtration including septic tanks for waste
Fire Protection Services
Fire alarms covering early detection and warning systems for evacuation of occupants. Fire suppression systems including sprinklers, deluge and gas suppression systems for controlling fires, prior to fire brigade arrival.
- Conventional/Analogue addressable fire detection systems
- Emergency Warning and Intercommunication Systems (EWIS)
- Aspirating smoke detection systems
- Gas food systems
- Wet pipe and dry pipe fire sprinkler systems
- Pre-action systems
- Deluge systems
- Fire pumps and tanks
- Foam firefighting systems to NFPA
- Portable firefighting equipment
- Assessment of sprinkler flow demands on town’s main supply
- Firefighting water supply assessments
Building Services Design
Design management/ coordination and collaboration of all building services design elements in coordination with architecture, structure and civil services, to achieve a fully integrated system for servicing the building demands i.e. load, load profile and occupancy's
- Building Services Design
- Feasibility and concept design reports
- Full design specifications and drawings
- Comparative life cycle costing
- Value engineering assessments
- Construction monitoring services
- Inter-discipline coordination
- Designs to NZ Construction Industry Guidelines (NZCIC)
- Contractor procurement / evaluation
- Façade Design Support – Thermal Performance & H1 Calculations
Asset Management Services
Technical advice and support for existing assets, relating to condition, remaining life and operational risks. This can often assist with informing the secondary process of a strategic asset management review/plan. That addresses staged upgrade of the aged assets/risks.
- Building Condition Assessments
- Strategic Asset Management Reports
- High Level Energy Efficiency Assessments for operational energy savings
- Building Management Systems (BMS) Operational Review/Upgrade
- Client RFP formulation for Major Projects
- Seismic restraint audits for building services to NZS4219
- Technical support services for compliance with NZ Building Code & NZ/AS Standards
- Contractor Performance Assessments
- Preparation of Maintenance tender documentation
- Review of maintenance tenders
Client Advisory Services
Building services can be a complex subject. We can assist clients with assessing building performance and leasing documents. To ensure that services designed/provided by others are of the required quality/specification required for the tenanted space/lease.
- Client Representative
- Independent peer reviews
- Independent Commissioning Agent (ICA) Services
- Design management
- Value engineering assessments
- Inter-discipline coordination review
- Review or provision of landlord lease documents for tenant services provisions
Our Engineering Services Approach
We have an open and transparent Engineering Service Methodology, which is based upon our consulting experience across a broad range of building types and client organisations. Let us develop a tailored proposal to suit your business needs, and fast track you on your project journey.
01.
Project Inception Services
This where we take your building layout/campus plans and undertake a high-level review of your infrastructure, and prepare feasibility options or prepare a master plan.
02.
New Project Design / Building Consent Documentation & Site Observation
For pre-established projects, this is where we collaborate and work with your chosen consultants/project manager to deliver a design, which meets the project brief/ building consent requirements.
03.
Condition Assessments / Strategic Reviews & Audits
This is where we discover the condition of your assets and determine their suitability, efficiency, operation, failure risk and resiliency levels to service your current and future site, building or campus infrastructure requirements.
04.
Performance Issues & Building Compliance Remediation
Minor alterations can cause performance issues if plant capacity/capability are not considered. Preventative maintenance checks and repairs can lapse causing performance issues as the systems deteriorate and failures start occurring.
05.
Major/Minor Plant Upgrades & Building Works
Don’t allow the chance of installing inappropriate plant / equipment and obsolete technology in your building, and set out a liability / risk to on going business operations for the next plant/ equipment life cycle i.e. next 12- 25 years.
Project Inception Services
This is where we take your building layout/campus plans and undertake a high-level review of your infrastructure, to prepare feasibility options, or prepare a master plan.
This process allows us to fit all of the building blocks / pieces of the puzzle together to inform you of the overall building services infrastructure, aligned with your development objectives/stages. i.e. Beginning with the end in mind, allowing you to migrate your infrastructure in a cost effective, methodically and strategic manor to suit your capital investment / future business plans.
Feasibility Studies
Embarking on a new project or re-thinking how you can re-use your building services in your ideal space. We can assist with assessing your building services condition, identify service risks, risk mitigation, capacity, resilience and suitability to dial up your services infrastructure or provide new staged migration, to support your new build or refurbishment plans.
Don’t be caught out with doubled up infrastructure investment, lack of services resilience and capacity shortfalls and performance issues.
Let us piece together an overall feasibility / options study with your project manager / design consultants. To ensure your building services infrastructure fits with your future business plans.
Master Planning
Organic growth of space within buildings, or buildings on sites/campus often leads to distributed plant, disconnected infrastructure/ technologies, doubled up infrastructure and higher maintenance and operational costs in the long run.
Let us develop a staged design / master plan which aligns with the architectural building blocks of your current and future building, or campus development plans.
Good design planning with adequate provisioning and staging usually costs no additional investment in capital, if clearly communicated during the client/consultant(s) design process.
However, the cost of no having these discussions or thoughts can considerably impact the future viability and cost of future developments.
Building Services infrastructure generally has a life of 12- 50 years. Ensure your strategic master planning is suitably provisioned/staged for future flexibility, since the lowest capital investment cost is now.
New Project Design /Building Consent & Site Observation
For pre-established projects, the design process usually follows NZCIC Guidelines, which is a well-established industry standard.
During this process we collaborate and work with your chosen consultants/project manager to deliver a design which meets the project brief/ building consent requirements, and ensure that the inherent value documented is constructed as specified, through the support we provide during our construction observation services.
Concept Design
We explore design concepts/options, and address key design/performance criteria, design standards and project risks with the Client. To develop the design features and options report, for client discussion/consideration and agreement.
Preliminary Design
Refinement of the preferred Concept Design occurs and options are tested. Preliminary layouts prepared for input into the Architectural and Structural design.
Developed Design
The major elements of the design are development and coordinated with architectural and structural elements of the design with outline specifications prepared.
Detailed Design
Detailed drawings and specifications of the services are designed and coordinated with other disciplines which are suitable for building consent application.
Building Consent & Procurement
The lead consultant / project manager applies for Building Consent, and procurement of a contractor occurs i.e. tender, consent and tenderer queries are clarified by the design consultant(s).
Construction Observation
Construction Observation occurs at the agreed frequency, for compliance with the consented design. Construction details and contractor queries are responded to as the installation occurs.
Commissioning & Interface Testing Review
Commissioning is observed along with services interface testing at an agreed frequency, to ensure that the coordinated design is operating as designed / consented.
Defects Liability Inspection
Post Occupancy defects and operational inspection checks occur at the agreed schedule, to ensure that the contractor has remediated the defective work, and systems are operating as designed.
Condition Assessments / Strategic Reviews & Audits
This is where we discover the condition of your assets and determine their suitability, operation, efficiency and resiliency levels to service your current and future site, building or campus infrastructure requirements.
Once we understand the condition of your asset(s), we can align a strategic asset plan to address the inherent issues discovered, and re-align the building services infrastructure to suit your strategic capital investment plans for the future.
Condition Assessments/ Strategic Reviews
Condition Assessments
Assets are being pushed to their extremity year-on- end. Capital investment budgets reduced to repairs and maintenance, forcing short term capital investment solutions when problems arise. Resulting in piecemeal infrastructure investment/disconnected infrastructure, and performance issues.
Let us assist you with your plant condition assessments and setout a strategic plan for upgrading infrastructure as your businesses allows.
Strategic Asset Planning
Building Services infrastructure has life of 12-50 years, don’t let your building services infrastructure result in being a liability, and risk to business continuity and growth.
Let us establish a strategic building services infrastructure asset plan for your building(s), or campus development plans. We’ll take the good elements from your organic growth and dial up or phase out these building services assets, by migrating your assets into a staged development /upgrade plan. To build a strong building services infrastructure for enabling future staged growth and flexibility, as your business changes.
Don’t let your building services infrastructure turn into a liability, ensure your capital investment strategy is aligned with your future strategic infrastructure needs, as your business changes.
Value Engineering Assessments & Audits/Reviews
Value Engineering Assessments
Keeping things simple is the key to good design, but this can get lost along the way as designs develop. Let us assist you with peeling back the layers of unnecessary complication, by supporting you with a simple uncomplicated "Value Engineering Assessment".
Building Services Seismic Restraint Audits
Aged building services installations prior to 2009 are likely to have little or no seismic restraint or limited restraint to the old superseded standard NZS 4219:1983. Let us support your building safety with a high level audit prior to leasing premises, or prior to a major/minor refurbishment. To ensure your services comply with the current seismic restraint design standard NZS 4219
Building Services Interface Reviews
Building services comprise of multiple systems; Electrical, HVAC, Fire Protection and Plumbing Services and essential services in an emergency. These services often rely upon interfacing for protection of life safety i.e fire condition or seismic event (gas shutdown). Activation and interfacing of essential services is critical for business continuity i.e. standby plant operation, emergency power sources. Let us assist you with identifying your "Building Services Interface" Risks before they are needed.
Performance Issues & Building Compliance Remediation
Building Services are live operational systems, operating 5-7 days a week or 24hrs/7days, 365days a year.
Sometimes preventative maintenance checks and repairs can lapse behind, whilst plant maintains service and ages to the point that; failures start occurring and system performance deteriorates.
All plant and equipment has a limited life expectancy, which varies from approximately 12 months to 50 years. Poor preventative maintenance can reduce plant life and lead to premature failure, resulting in reduced plant life / performance, and expensive emergency replacement or repairs.
Building Performance Issues
HVAC Services Issues
Cooling and Heating complaints resulting from system design/installation and controls can cause significant discomfort. Let us assist as an independent to determine the route cause, and set out a remediation strategy.
Plumbing & drainage issues
Lack of hot water heating or issues with water supply pressure and temperatures can cause occupant discomfort. Inadequate/faulty drainage issues can cause business continuity problems. Let us assist you in addressing a permanent remediation solution.
Fire Protection Issues
Loss of water supply pressure for your fire sprinkler system, or compliance issues with your bi-annual survey. Alarms not interfacing with your server room gas flood or early warning smoke detection system. We can assist you with review and remediation.
Plant Resiliency & Interfacing Issues
Duty and standby plant service failures caused by outdated/changed load profiles, poor distribution infrastructure. Building demands in excess of duty / standby plant capacity. Let us support you with review and remediation of your building services resiliency risks.
Cooling & Heating Plant Performance Issues
Aged plant or plant performance causing system cooling or heating supply issues. Central plant capacity short falls or excessive distribution losses/reticulation issues. Let us assess the problem and set out a remediation strategy.
Plant Control / Capacity & Performance Issues
Significant central plant capacity, but lack of cooling/ heating in occupied spaces, or inadequate after hours air conditioning. These are all system balancing/controls issues which can be resolved through knowledge and understanding of central plant and distributed plant design principals and controls hierarchy.
System Compliance Issues
Significant issues with seismic restraint, fire protection systems, ventilation system compliance, sanitary water distribution temperatures or emergency water storage requirements. We can assist with getting you back on track with your NZ Building Compliance requirements for your Building WOF signoff.
BMS - Building Management System Controls
Facing issues with controls between various control systems. Boiler operating during summer, building not coming up to heat in winter, chiller not providing adequate service after hours. Plant operation failures, cause unknown, sensors not accurately recording space temperature . Let us assist you with review and remediation of your control issues.
Building Compliance issues
NZ Building Code Compliance support
We can support Property Owners & Tenants with their compliance obligations under the NZ Building Code for HVAC, Plumbing & Drainage and Fire Protection Services.
Major/Minor Plant Upgrades & Building Works
A simple maintenance replacement or upgrade of major / minor plant at first can appear straight forward. However as technology evolves, internal building loads change, building facades get more efficient and technology changes.
The chances of installing inappropriate plant and equipment and obsolete technology can result in a liability and risk to on going business operations.
Major / Minor Plant Upgrades
Central Heating Plant Upgrades
Heating plant reaching it's end of life, time to re-consider the actual or future building load as facade upgrades or internal loads bring change. Time to also reconsider plant duty and standby resiliency levels along with distribution infrastructure.
Fire Pumps
& water Supplies
Loss of water supply pressure, changes in site water supply demands due building use/ storage changes. Deterioration of water supply mains flow/pressure. We can assist with re-design or system compliance remediation.
Fossil Fuel Heating Alternatives
Existing gas or diesel fired boiler in need of replacement. We can assist with evaluation of the design options i.e. heat pump, wood chip, waste heat recovery including reassessment of your building loads, to ensure that the plant selected suits your current/future needs
Central Chilled Water Plant Upgrades
Cooling towers and chillers nearing end of life, time to re-consider the actual / future building load as facade upgrades or internal loads change. Time to also reconsider plant duty and standby resiliency service levels along with distribution infrastructure.
Migration to Central Building Management System (BMS)
Facing issues with controls between multiple control systems. In need of a central BMS control system strategy for migration of systems, when systems fail or major upgrade occurs. Let us assist you with design and staged installation of a central BMS control system or amendment to your existing BMS system infrastructure.
Hot Water Production & Emergency Water Storage
Lack of hot water heating or plant capacity when demand peaks or issues with distribution pressure or supply water temperatures. In need of emergency water for water mains failure or post seismic event water service. We can assist you with your hot and cold water plant and distribution requirements, to suit your current and future assessed needs.
Building Works
Building Alterations
Alterations can be minor, but if not designed correctly can result in poor performance, control issues and NZ Building Code Compliance problems. Let us assist with your building alterations.
New Builds
Early input into the building design process can significantly assist in reducing the complexity of building services loads, systems and serviceability. Let us add value to your new build.
Retail/Office Fitouts
Keep costs down by maximising landlord provisions and keeping designs simple and compliant. Let us assist you with your retail , cafe, food court or office fitout.
Building Refurbishments
Understanding existing services, condition, capability and capacity is key to ensuring asset life is optimised for the life of the building refurbishment or tenancy.
"Making things complicated Is easy, making things simple is complicated "...
We thrive on taking the complexity of building services and applying good design and engineering practices, to make things simple to install, operate, maintain and service your building space.