For modern buildings, risers carry the very life blood of a comfortable space. Much like an arterial system, different kinds of risers perform various necessary functions for the health of a building. They are conduits or carriers of fluids, fuel or air. Coordinating risers is critically important within the workflow of MEP coordination and clash detection, and this can be challenging at times. Challenges generally occur with hydraulic services design during renovation of older buildings. Let’s look at how that may happen.
Well, first off, what is a riser?
Also known as a vertical riser, a riser is a void that contains a duct, pipe or conduit or a combination of all services that rises through a building to carry or transport gases, fluids or electrical signals in the form of piping. In general, a dry riser is an empty, or dry, pipe used to carry water for firefighting systems, and a riser cable can deliver electricity or communications between several floors. Looking at risers in more detail, they can be:
1. Vertical Riser Ducts
As mechanical pipes and electric cables are aesthetically unappealing, typically they are hidden away in vertical riser ducts. These ducts must be strategically placed to minimise pipe lengths and cable runs, thus cutting costs. Pipes must run unhindered vertically in ducts, especially sanitary waste pipes, so that this waste water need not navigate bends in pipes. Since vertical risers cut through floors and can be vulnerable for the spread of fire, they must adhere to strict guidelines.
2. Vertical Riser Cables and Pipes
Sometimes, it is practical to have risers exposed. Servicing becomes easier. Cables connect to sockets and light fittings to riser conduits mounted on walls and columns. Cables and pipes that travel through floors are covered with fire-protected collars, to prevent the spread of fire through them. Increasingly, services pipes are becoming part of the décor.
3. Wet and Dry Risers
Vertical pipes, that are both wet and dry risers, run the full height of a building and are built near stairs to provide a direct water feed to each floor in case of fire. Dry risers have ground coupling pipes outside the building that can be connected to an external water source in case of emergency. Wet risers are connected to the building’s water supply.
4. Dry Risers in Fire Fighting
A dry riser usually includes the following:
Inlet Box
With a variety of risers to deal with in the MEP (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) sector, it is crucial that the MEP systems coordination workflow, especially with regard to hydraulic design of liquid or water piping systems, is efficient. Technological advances and the innovations they enable have been a prime factor in fuelling this efficiency. In the construction industry, BIM (Building Information Modelling) has been driving immense change in the MEP coordination process and the delivery of MEP coordination drawings.
The use of BIM technology has made equipment tracking and task monitoring easier. Covering almost every aspect of a construction project, the BIM process involves project managers, subcontractors, designers, architects and other construction professionals participating in controlling individual processes and project phases, with a smooth exchange of information during the larger MEP coordination process.
Increasingly, the trend in the AEC (architecture, engineering, construction) sector is to design 3D models for 2D construction documentation and 3D trade coordination. Generally, the trade design or MEP design follows the architectural design stage. Trade professionals, such as HVAC mechanical engineering consultants and others, collaborate with architects to design mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire prevention and fire protection services. A consultant or MEP contractor ensures that the MEP design is efficient, clash-free and installation-ready. At this point, fabricators who create ductwork or pipework components, electrical ladders or module sprinklers share their input. Thus, a fully coordinated 3D model is developed that can be used for clash detection.
Subcontractors (for the different trades) can virtually place systems as shown on detailed design drawings with individual elements, which include risers, offsets, hangers, conduits with required radius bends and cable trays. Other elements to consider include data communication lines, fire protection system controls and process piping.
At this point, challenges may arise, especially during the renovation of an existing structure. Some of the circumstances that may contribute to challenges in installation of risers include:
- For example, during the renovation of an existing building, one of the chase walls was opened, and a large conduit was installed inside a duct chase against an exhaust duct riser, causing a clash in the planned duct connection. A coordinated model showed ductwork and risers in the limited space and how their placement could be manoeuvred to avoid the clash, guiding the fitting of components to meet the design requirements.
- In another building, the floor-to-floor height was 20 feet, generally enough for ductwork and piping from air handlers to central core chases. In this case, a chilled water piping that was routed only 10 feet above the floor and close to the AHUs (air handling units) and supply and return ducts, next to the shafts, made for difficult coordination. Ductwork from 2 AHUs had to pass above the chilled water piping and between hanger rods. Coordinated design drawings showed a more efficient duct placement.
- Yet another example involved duct and pipe routing between an existing main electrical room and adjacent AHUs. The electrical room had floor-mounted AHUs right outside, and the adjacent AHUs had disconnect switches and variable frequency drives (VFDs). Coordinated MEP drawings and 3D modelling showed that the chilled water piping to the electrical room AHUs had to be moved, as did the larger AHUs and VFDs, allowing the ductwork and piping to be placed with the correct amount of clearance.
Easing MEP Coordination
Forming a key part in setting up and laying out design, MEP coordination is a key means to connect building elements and make the structure functional. Earlier during MEP coordination, drawings were overlaid and compared and spatial and functionals interferences, or clashes, were dealt with by multi-trade professionals. This method needed countless revisions before the finalisation of the coordinated drawings, but BIM processes changed all that. The BIM workflow involves a 3D approach and data-based reasoning to help MEP contractors plan, design and install equipment, including risers, efficiently.
Using BIM technology, a once-prolonged and tedious process fraught with delays, insufficient data and miscommunication, is now smooth and efficient. A building’s MEP systems are seamlessly integrated and coordinated with architectural and structural systems, creating clash-free models.
The placement of elements of MEP design, such as risers, can be intelligently designed and laid out. Tools, such as Navisworks, enable clash-free designs, with multi-disciplinary integration in one work environment. Flawless MEP coordination drawings are produced.
The Revit Solution
Creating a 3D model with Revit software enables easy coordination during design, and clash detection can be performed with Navisworks. So, early on in the design process, the model can be coordinated with architectural design and MEP design that includes risers. The models of new buildings and those of existing buildings will have differing degrees of efficiency, since existing buildings contain unknown elements, spaces and conditions which may not be represented in models.
The good news is that with BIM-enabled MEP coordination, most of the challenges concerning the design, layout and clashes of risers in MEP systems is eliminated and smooth coordination results. Those firms that find it difficult to provide hydraulics and plumbing design services and MEP coordination services may consider online collaboration and outsourcing, which is efficient, accurate and cost-effective, for the delivery of precise MEP coordinated drawings as part of the hydraulics and plumbing design services and MEP coordination services. Managers can retain full control of the project, resulting in faster delivery.
Well, first off, what is a riser?
Also known as a vertical riser, a riser is a void that contains a duct, pipe or conduit or a combination of all services that rises through a building to carry or transport gases, fluids or electrical signals in the form of piping. In general, a dry riser is an empty, or dry, pipe used to carry water for firefighting systems, and a riser cable can deliver electricity or communications between several floors. Looking at risers in more detail, they can be:
1. Vertical Riser Ducts
As mechanical pipes and electric cables are aesthetically unappealing, typically they are hidden away in vertical riser ducts. These ducts must be strategically placed to minimise pipe lengths and cable runs, thus cutting costs. Pipes must run unhindered vertically in ducts, especially sanitary waste pipes, so that this waste water need not navigate bends in pipes. Since vertical risers cut through floors and can be vulnerable for the spread of fire, they must adhere to strict guidelines.
2. Vertical Riser Cables and Pipes
Sometimes, it is practical to have risers exposed. Servicing becomes easier. Cables connect to sockets and light fittings to riser conduits mounted on walls and columns. Cables and pipes that travel through floors are covered with fire-protected collars, to prevent the spread of fire through them. Increasingly, services pipes are becoming part of the décor.
3. Wet and Dry Risers
Vertical pipes, that are both wet and dry risers, run the full height of a building and are built near stairs to provide a direct water feed to each floor in case of fire. Dry risers have ground coupling pipes outside the building that can be connected to an external water source in case of emergency. Wet risers are connected to the building’s water supply.
4. Dry Risers in Fire Fighting
A dry riser usually includes the following:
Inlet Box
- Made of galvanised sheet steel, for recessed mounting, with architrave
- Has a hinged, lockable door with a panel glazed with wired glass, so that the lock can be opened after breaking the glass.
- Hoses can be connected to inlets without opening the door.
- Large enough to access for maintenance and operate the drain valve
- A two-inlet breeching, with instantaneous male coupling, back pressure valve, blank cap and chain
- Has a gunmetal gate valve for drain purposes, with plug and chain
- Straight or oblique gunmetal gate pattern valves, with flanged inlet, instantaneous female outlet with blank cap and chain, fixed with a leather strap and padlock
- Lined and coated with woven synthetic fibre hose and diffuser branch pipe nozzle
- Valve, hose and nozzle in a box, on purpose-made hangers
- Brass automatic air release valve, with a rubber ball inside
With a variety of risers to deal with in the MEP (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) sector, it is crucial that the MEP systems coordination workflow, especially with regard to hydraulic design of liquid or water piping systems, is efficient. Technological advances and the innovations they enable have been a prime factor in fuelling this efficiency. In the construction industry, BIM (Building Information Modelling) has been driving immense change in the MEP coordination process and the delivery of MEP coordination drawings.
The use of BIM technology has made equipment tracking and task monitoring easier. Covering almost every aspect of a construction project, the BIM process involves project managers, subcontractors, designers, architects and other construction professionals participating in controlling individual processes and project phases, with a smooth exchange of information during the larger MEP coordination process.
Increasingly, the trend in the AEC (architecture, engineering, construction) sector is to design 3D models for 2D construction documentation and 3D trade coordination. Generally, the trade design or MEP design follows the architectural design stage. Trade professionals, such as HVAC mechanical engineering consultants and others, collaborate with architects to design mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire prevention and fire protection services. A consultant or MEP contractor ensures that the MEP design is efficient, clash-free and installation-ready. At this point, fabricators who create ductwork or pipework components, electrical ladders or module sprinklers share their input. Thus, a fully coordinated 3D model is developed that can be used for clash detection.
Subcontractors (for the different trades) can virtually place systems as shown on detailed design drawings with individual elements, which include risers, offsets, hangers, conduits with required radius bends and cable trays. Other elements to consider include data communication lines, fire protection system controls and process piping.
At this point, challenges may arise, especially during the renovation of an existing structure. Some of the circumstances that may contribute to challenges in installation of risers include:
- Riser replacement in an existing building – opening up walls creates a mess, dust and debris throughout the premises and destroys expensive decorative finishes that were lovingly installed. In older buildings, asbestos can be destroyed, as well as lead-based paint that has peeled off.
- Existing plumbing risers may be difficult to handle after years of corrosion, because rust makes steel pipes brittle.
- As hot and cold risers behind kitchens and bathrooms are replaced, tiles, cabinets and walls must be removed.
- Risers must be replaced entirely or not at all, since new risers attached to old risers can break.
- Accessing risers takes time and money.
- For example, during the renovation of an existing building, one of the chase walls was opened, and a large conduit was installed inside a duct chase against an exhaust duct riser, causing a clash in the planned duct connection. A coordinated model showed ductwork and risers in the limited space and how their placement could be manoeuvred to avoid the clash, guiding the fitting of components to meet the design requirements.
- In another building, the floor-to-floor height was 20 feet, generally enough for ductwork and piping from air handlers to central core chases. In this case, a chilled water piping that was routed only 10 feet above the floor and close to the AHUs (air handling units) and supply and return ducts, next to the shafts, made for difficult coordination. Ductwork from 2 AHUs had to pass above the chilled water piping and between hanger rods. Coordinated design drawings showed a more efficient duct placement.
- Yet another example involved duct and pipe routing between an existing main electrical room and adjacent AHUs. The electrical room had floor-mounted AHUs right outside, and the adjacent AHUs had disconnect switches and variable frequency drives (VFDs). Coordinated MEP drawings and 3D modelling showed that the chilled water piping to the electrical room AHUs had to be moved, as did the larger AHUs and VFDs, allowing the ductwork and piping to be placed with the correct amount of clearance.
Easing MEP Coordination
Forming a key part in setting up and laying out design, MEP coordination is a key means to connect building elements and make the structure functional. Earlier during MEP coordination, drawings were overlaid and compared and spatial and functionals interferences, or clashes, were dealt with by multi-trade professionals. This method needed countless revisions before the finalisation of the coordinated drawings, but BIM processes changed all that. The BIM workflow involves a 3D approach and data-based reasoning to help MEP contractors plan, design and install equipment, including risers, efficiently.
Using BIM technology, a once-prolonged and tedious process fraught with delays, insufficient data and miscommunication, is now smooth and efficient. A building’s MEP systems are seamlessly integrated and coordinated with architectural and structural systems, creating clash-free models.
The placement of elements of MEP design, such as risers, can be intelligently designed and laid out. Tools, such as Navisworks, enable clash-free designs, with multi-disciplinary integration in one work environment. Flawless MEP coordination drawings are produced.
The Revit Solution
Creating a 3D model with Revit software enables easy coordination during design, and clash detection can be performed with Navisworks. So, early on in the design process, the model can be coordinated with architectural design and MEP design that includes risers. The models of new buildings and those of existing buildings will have differing degrees of efficiency, since existing buildings contain unknown elements, spaces and conditions which may not be represented in models.
The good news is that with BIM-enabled MEP coordination, most of the challenges concerning the design, layout and clashes of risers in MEP systems is eliminated and smooth coordination results. Those firms that find it difficult to provide hydraulics and plumbing design services and MEP coordination services may consider online collaboration and outsourcing, which is efficient, accurate and cost-effective, for the delivery of precise MEP coordinated drawings as part of the hydraulics and plumbing design services and MEP coordination services. Managers can retain full control of the project, resulting in faster delivery.
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