Optimising MEP systems adds value

VE Solutions founder Arkady Siterman and director of development Eugene Siterman.

It is not just about simply estimating the design aspect, but managing this to ensure that the entire project is cost-effective as a result. This is essentially the target of the entire team.”

Eugene says it is crucial to integrate value engineering consultants right from the beginning of the process, so it becomes more ‘harmonious’.

“It is a mindset change. Designers spend a lot of time on a design, and then we tell them to do something different. It is human nature to reject this. However, it is still easy to change when it is pencil and paper. When the job is done and you have to redesign, that is when people start to resist the process.

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Significant Impact
“The impact of value engineering, if brought to bear at the end, is still significant, but not as maximised if it had been introduced upfront.

Nonetheless, with most of our jobs we are brought in towards the end. We hope this will change as value engineering becomes more acceptable, and when developers start to appreciate the value it adds.

The reality is that at the end of the day the designer simply cannot do everything,” says Eugene.

Arkady says there are two main issues associated with value engineering: design functionality and design constructability. “Basically we co-ordinate both.

We ana-lyse the design and introduce systems that are easily installed and operated, so it improves the final quality. The simpler a system is, the easier it is to install and operate. We cannot control the installation quality itself, but reducing the installation complexity goes a long way to mitigate this.”

The company also recommends suppliers and manufacturers with a reputation for reliability and quality. “This is a big plus for those people who have to maintain the equipment after the construction has been completed,” says Arkady.

Another corollary of value engineering is that it allows developers to be creative and continue to tackle iconic projects, even with the constraints posed by the current market.

“We are of the opinion that the glass tower, and iconic buildings in general, will always be there, as these bring character to a region and a city.

The point is not to avoid glass totally so as to reduce energy consumption, but to respond to the engineering challenges posed, by working with the architects and developers to create materials and high-efficiency systems to overcome the potential negative impacts.

That is how a lot of technology evolves, through the human desire to go beyond and to achieve something more,” concludes Arkady.