When approaching the construction of a new facility (data center, manufacturing plant, medical center, etc.), one challenge for building owners is that complex mechanical systems necessitate specialized knowledge. And while building engineers and facilities directors are adept at maintaining such systems, they are not necessarily the experts when it’s time to make critical choices on equipment types or system configurations.
As a result, owners are dependent on design engineers, contractors or equipment providers to give them a solution. Unfortunately, the process of sifting through myriad advice is traditionally opaque and can be driven by sub-trades who have agendas and priorities that rarely align with those of the owner.
Fortunately, there’s an alternative: Design Assist – where subject-matter experts on mechanical systems can be strategically deployed to tackle complex challenges very early in the process. In contrast to the traditional route, the Design Assist approach has transparency baked into the process by having owners, key stakeholders, and subject-matter experts collaborate early as a team, focusing together on the owner’s goals. Those goals may be financial (like life cycle cost thresholds) or operational (like preferred equipment). And in some cases owner goals may be driven by uptime requirements or physical space limitations.
Epsilon has served as the subject-matter expert in Design Assist guided projects for years, with terrific results. Several Epsilon case studies help highlight how owner goals are addressed through this innovative, impactful approach:
Montreign Casino
: The owners of this project prioritized continuous, 24/7 operations for a central utility plant serving a 90,000 sq ft casino, 18-story luxury hotel, 27,000 sq ft of entertainment space, seven restaurants and four bars. Reliable cooling and heating utilities were central to the owner’s business model. Part of the Epsilon solution included a robust industrial-grade PLC-based platform to control the central utility plant over more traditional commercial-grade controls to ensure the reliable performance of these critical central heating/cooling systems. This and other elements of the solution were all designed to help ensure the owner’s priorities were addressed. Click to read the full case study.
325 Main Super Skid: For this project the owners wanted to reduce overall project risks given the very tight urban building site in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and an aggressive construction schedule. Epsilon designed a modular “super skid” consisting of 34 separate equipment skids that were connected on-site to create a contiguous 8,000 sq ft mechanical room. The plant was installed on the 17th floor of a traditional stick-built structure and using the super skid approach allowed the team to shift 26,000 man-hours off the job site and accelerate the MEP schedule by 10 weeks. Click to read the full case study.
18-Story Office Building: For this mechanical system upgrade the owner prioritized minimal disruption to tenants and adjacent properties. The Design Assist approach resulted in a new condenser water system for the building that was manufactured in a parallel path with on-site construction activities, leading to a compressed on-site timeline and minimal disruption on site. Streamlined installation and commissioning further supported owner goals. Click to read the full case study.
The Design Assist approach is crucial for clearly identifying owner priorities and ensuring they are included in the design. Additionally, insights from subject matter experts early in the process help owners make decisions with full transparency regarding any tradeoffs, costs or other factors related to achieving specific goals.
You can learn more about Epsilon’s Design Assist approach with our six-part article series, or get in touch to discuss your specific project goals.
