It focuses on the opportunity, and benefits, of applying the platform design approach to the scale and scope of the UK Government's construction portfolio..
M&E systems and the platform approach to DfMA.Our platform approach to Design for Manufacture and Assembly (P-DfMA) takes DfMA even further.
P-DfMA identifies commonality across entire sectors in the built environment to define the ‘kit of parts’ of components and processes that we can use to deliver a wide variety of built assets.(You can read more about P-DfMA.The step change achievable with P-DfMA is in bringing the benefits of standardisation across all services and to the entire building – and adding value at every stage.
P-DfMA sees the project as a whole, understanding the positive and negative effect of each design decision on as many other aspects of the project as possible; seeking shared efficiencies between all elements of the building.This is unlike traditional design and build, where a project is often more like a linear series of separate tasks, where consequences can be passed down the chain..
So unlike in standard construction, M&E system requirements – initial and on-going – are factored in from the start, in minute detail, as an integral part of the design.
We include routing and fixings in the design of the fabric of the building, with precision, so as to minimise on-site adjustment and facilitate installation.In the UK, the British Standard has a blanket statement requiring fume stacks be either 3m high or 25% the building height – whichever is greater.
For tall buildings this can lead to very high stacks that would impact the building’s appearance and will likely require Planning Permission.For example, a 10-storey office building with an average floor to floor height of 4m would require a stack 10m tall (nearly 3 storeys.)
There are a few ways to challenge this, including CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) modelling and the use of alternative discharge stacks (e.g.strobic fans), which may be necessary for some office to lab conversions.
(Editor: Lightweight Brushes)