The designs of the plumbing system and the architectural design must work well together. Reduced installation costs are a direct result of good design. It could result in a more effective plumbing system and perhaps prevent future frequent plumbing problems. An architect who takes the plumbing system into account might even foresee future requirements, reducing Read more
MEP
The designs of the plumbing system and the architectural design must work well together. Reduced installation costs are a direct result of good design. It could result in a more effective plumbing system and perhaps prevent future frequent plumbing problems. An architect who takes the plumbing system into account might even foresee future requirements, reducing disturbances during upgrades and remodels. What advice should plumbers follow while creating plumbing systems, then? It is clear that architects are not plumbers. However, during the design process, architects need to take into consideration the plumbing.
Well, in order to help you find answers to that question, we have gathered the necessary information to provide you with those answers. Now, if you are ready and want to learn more, sit tight and let’s dive right into the topic at hand.
Learn About Plumbing Regulations
Plumbing requires careful consideration and detailed design, which should complement the building’s architectural features.
As an architect, it is your responsibility to ensure that your design complies with all applicable local, national, and international plumbing requirements.
For instance, certain codes may specify the number of units that must be connected to a particular fixture. Other construction regulations involve topics including pipe diameter, stormwater treatment, ventilation, and drainage.
Following these guidelines will help your design stand out from those of other creators.
Make sure you are informed on the most recent local building regulations for safety, water and energy conservation, as well as environmental effects.
Most local building authorities need pre-approval of draft plans before any plumbing work may start. If a thorough planning process is implemented, there will be no inconsistencies or errors in the drawings. Due to that, if you are working as a real estate agent, getting familiar with plumbing regulations is simply a necessity if you want to be one of the best architects Miami has to offer.
Consult with MEP Designers to Help
You can benefit substantially from the design expertise of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineers. In this manner, you may identify any issues that may arise throughout the installation and maintenance process. You probably already know that the clash between architectural and plumbing designs is one of the most significant worries of MEP designers and plumbers.
The greater your pre-design collaboration with them, the fewer issues will develop. In order to avoid any problems, try to work with a reputable plumbing business.
This strategy has the benefit of ensuring accurate plumbing sizing. Making enough area for plumbing fittings is another crucial problem in construction that can be avoided with enough research and cooperation from plumbing experts. This is where using BIM software may be quite helpful.
Take Energy and Cost into Consideration
Skilled architects should consider energy conservation when creating their designs. Some might wonder what connection there is between architects and energy.
For instance, it’s crucial to consider the distance between the water heater and the kitchen and bathroom. In reality, more heat will be lost the longer it takes the hot water to reach the user. These circumstances require the use of extra materials in addition to energy, which can get very expensive for the owners.
Another aspect that needs to be considered is the type of HVAC system and determine whether the inside layout of your home is effective for circulating air and allowing for natural ventilation. In actuality, you may minimize the requirement for mechanical ventilation with proper indoor architecture. Therefore, a key factor in lowering the building’s energy use is the architect.
Let Your Creativity Help You Along the Way
While each part of your plumbing system has a distinct function, they may also be employed as ornamental elements. Even though modern systems are frequently concealed in walls, some of their parts are still seen negatively. Sometimes these observable pipelines or other things can perform wonders. You may turn them into attractive items with a little imagination and even less money.
For instance, some interior designers think of hanging plant-filled vases to improve the aesthetics and air quality of the space. Others attempt to hide the pipes with wooden decorations to give the space a more traditional appearance. Although some individuals who have creative views are also interested in these designs, this is more appropriate for rural houses and cottages.
Final Thoughts
Although it is not the responsibility of architects to design plumbing systems, it is crucial that they understand the fundamentals of these systems. When designing bathrooms, kitchens, and other areas with plumbing fixtures, specific rules must be taken into account. If you refuse to take into consideration these regulations, it is needless to say that you will be met with quite a few problems in your line of work. Making an effort to learn and understand these regulations is a fundamental aspect that will help you succeed in your future jobs.
Employee satisfaction and motivation is a topic that has been discussed since the creation of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Employees are the backbone of any organization and an essential part of a company’s ability to be successful and grow. Maintaining a level of satisfaction is key if you want to have any measure of success Read more
Employee satisfaction and motivation is a topic that has been discussed since the creation of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Employees are the backbone of any organization and an essential part of a company’s ability to be successful and grow. Maintaining a level of satisfaction is key if you want to have any measure of success as a business owner.
Keeping employees feeling satisfied and motivated remains a pain point for many in the mechanical world. Technicians are currently in high demand across the home service industry, creating little downtime in an environment that is suffering from a labor shortage. The COVID-19 pandemic created a perfect storm that resulted in more HVAC unit breakdowns and longer days for technicians.
During the apex of the pandemic, many employees across multiple industries had to work from home. Units that would normally get a break while the house was empty were now working an additional eight hours a day. That is the equivalent of driving a car 75,000 miles a year. With the added wear-and-tear on units, service calls increased dramatically.
The combination of more service calls and a limited supply of professionals attributed to workers in the mechanical world feeling stressed and unsatisfied. More service calls also meant long drive times while combating both the physical and mental elements that come with the job – working in the hot sun or communicating with an angry customer.
When it comes to our profession, employees rarely get stressed over the actual repair process. Oftentimes, the stress comes from all the outside factors that would put a mental strain on the worker. But there are ways to help motivate and encourage employees to perform their tasks while remaining engaged.
The Employee Experience
In our line of work, we tend to put our primary focus on the customer experience and making the customer happy. While these actions help drive revenue, we don’t need to forget the importance of employee satisfaction. Our team members are the greatest assets we have. I discovered a long time ago that if you take care of the employees, they will in turn take care of the customers.
Taking care of the employee means more than just offering them a decent paycheck. It encompasses a wide range of areas. It means providing the necessary equipment to ensure safety as well as giving the job a purpose. For example, a heating and air company I worked for purchased an ice machine so team members wouldn’t have to purchase ice to fill up their coolers every morning. We also made healthy snacks and drinks available throughout the day. That was just one small gesture we made to keep our employees satisfied.
All of these items help create loyalty. A team member will not want to leave if they feel like they are being taken care of regularly. The moment they feel differently, they will become disengaged and leave you for someone offering a dollar more per hour.
A Path to Success
One of the best ways to motivate an employee is to give them a purpose. That includes providing an individual career path. Many individuals working in the mechanical world don’t have a real career path. Their life revolves around a continuous cycle that includes doing similar tasks daily. So, if business owners can discover what success looks like to the employees, they can help them achieve their goals through a detailed career plan. On the flip side, this allows owners to hold the employee accountable to key performance indicators.
In addition to a career path, business owners should help inform employees financially. While compensation is a great motivator, it isn’t the only sticking point for most people. Providing tools that allow team members to be educated about financial matters shows that you care about their future outside of work. Teach employees how to set money aside, save and invest in their future.
The Power of Positive Reinforcement
Another mitigating factor in motivation is determining what motivates the entire team. It is important to communicate with team members about what they want and what can encourage them to perform at their best. More times than not, the team members will be honest in their responses. One example I have pertains to the use of contests and prizes. One company I was working with in Florida had a big special going on to see how many service agreements they could sell. For each agreement that was sold, the employee got to put their name in a raffle for some great prizes. The reward for selling an increased amount of service agreements greatly outweighs the cost of the prizes, and it got team members motivated to go out and sell, sell, sell.
Creating a Positive Culture
I believe business is a function of its people. You’ve got to take care of your people. We need to stop focusing on what we are not getting right and start focusing on the 99% of the things we excel in. We can still talk about the things that need improvement or can be done differently, but we’ll have that conversation in a private one-on-one setting. As a team, we need to celebrate the wins. It’s about enforcing the behavior that you want to see in your company. I’m always trying to create a positive culture, and all my actions reflect that. For business owners, the majority of their focus should be geared toward creating the desired behaviors they want because that’s where they will get the results.
Stephen Dale is director of training for Power Selling Pros. Stephen brings over 20 years of experience as an operations manager in the home services industry working for two large MEP companies in the Dallas area. He has been a coach and trainer with Power Selling Pros for six years, working with hundreds of companies and vendors during his tenure. His passion for the industry illuminates through his ability to discover client’s pain points and offer solutions for success.