25th April 2024
Roger Hannah
The verification of building services is increasingly becoming a crucial element of pre-construction packages and tenancy lease agreements. In this article, I aim to delve into this rapidly expanding service, elucidating its benefits, the beneficiaries, and the opportune moments to undertake these surveys and inspections.
Building services validation, also referred to as MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing) validation, can be broadly encapsulated by the three Cs:
- Condition,
- Compliance, and
- Capacity.
The content of a validation report may vary significantly based on the client’s needs and the project requirements. Generally, the inspection scope encompasses one or more of these categories.
Validation reports typically incorporate photographic evidence along with supporting drawings, notes, and test results, all tailored to meet the client’s specifications. Conclusions are drawn regarding the condition, compliance, or capacity of the system or plant, bolstered by evidence presented within the report body or accompanying documents.
Condition Reports
A key aspect of a validation report often centres on assessing the condition of building services. The aim is to advise the client on the necessary remedial actions required to restore an installation to a maintainable state. This assessment may include evaluating the life expectancy of plant equipment along with recommendations for replacements where necessary. Such insights aid designers in specifying equipment for refurbishment projects.
Condition reporting necessitates the involvement of competent specialists capable of conducting comprehensive testing of services and plants against industry standards such as BSRIA, CIBSE, and various electrical regulations. The results are then compared against industry-agreed life expectancy guidelines to offer a clear and robust conclusion.
These reports are underpinned by performance testing of key plant items, non-destructive testing, and integrity testing, among other options, aimed at identifying potential points of failure. Acquiring an installation with unidentified faults can lead to escalated maintenance costs and potentially significant revenue loss in the event of failure.
Compliance Reports
Compliance reporting holds particular significance for clients intending to occupy a space where existing building services will be retained or modified to accommodate a new layout or occupancy level. The identification of any non-compliances allows clients to incorporate remedial works into refurbishment contracts and align existing installations with industry regulations.
Critical services such as fire detection, emergency lighting, electrical installations, and water treatment monitoring must undergo regular testing to validate insurance and mitigate liability. Compliance inspections encompass verifying that the incumbent service provider adheres to current requirements for these periodic inspections and maintains appropriate documentation, a factor that should not be overlooked.
Beyond statutory compliance, validation reports play a crucial role in ensuring adherence to performance specifications and original design criteria. These thorough inspections range from assessing flow rates against design parameters for mechanical systems to scrutinising record drawings to verify their accuracy in representing the system. This process offers significant benefits to consultants seeking to modify system designs by providing insights into actual site conditions that may otherwise have been unclear.
Capacity Reports
For clients aiming to expand an existing system or enhance the occupancy of a space, evaluating the capacity of building services is paramount. Assessing the demand for a system and comparing it against the available capacity yields crucial insights for future expansion plans and informs budgeting and specifications for upgrading supplies or major plant items.
For instance, increasing occupancy in a typical commercial space will impact various services, including heating, cooling, ventilation, domestic services, power, standby power provisions, and IT provisions, provided they are available. Failing to ascertain the available capacity of these services may lead to costly consequences post-completion if not identified and addressed during the project’s design stage.
Risk Management
To effectively manage risk, it’s crucial to conduct a validation of building services as early as possible in the project timeline. This allows for the identification of any issues that need to be addressed and incorporated into the project specifications. For fit-out and construction projects, this validation typically occurs at the pre-contract stage, soon after the project’s initial conception. In cases where a tenant intends to occupy a space, it’s advisable to conduct intrusive due diligence inspections before signing any lease agreements.
Given the intricate nature of these inspections, it’s recommended to engage an independent specialist contractor to deliver validation reports. This ensures an unbiased assessment of the services in compliance with the client’s requirements. While it may seem cost-effective to task incumbent service providers or contractors with conducting the inspections and producing reports, caution should be exercised. These parties may have vested interests in the project and could potentially conceal maintenance issues or exaggerate the need for upgrades to inflate the project budget.
Beneficiaries
Industry experts across various stages of the building services life cycle have recognised the benefits of validation. These professionals, who benefit from increased awareness of building services through validation reports, include:
- Design consultancies
- Project managers
- Contractors
- Architects
- Commercial and retail end users
- Property consultants
- Facilities managers
- High-end residential managers