Mechanical and Electrical Services Lecture 1

Course Information

• Course title: Mechanical and Electrical Services
• Course code: 221-470-VA – W2025
• Instructor: Roger Bartosh
• Contact information: [email protected] or Mio

Lecture 1 Outline

• Course outline and tentative schedule
• Building Codes, Design Standards, By-laws
• Owner-Builder vs. Design-Build
• Consultants - Design Team / Responsibilities
• Assignment 1

Course Outline - Short Version

• Course description: Explores HVAC, electrical, and plumbing concepts in commercial, multi-story residential, and institutional buildings. Covers building systems, fire protection, and automated sprinklers.
• Attendance and class conduct: Mandatory attendance, exemptions only for religious holidays or medical reasons (doctor's note). Be on time, respect break durations, complete all assignments, No cell phones, eating, or drinking in the classroom, no photography without permission.
• Evaluation: Assignments and quizzes (10% each). Design project (15%). Midterm Exam (20%). Final Exam (35%). Professionalism (10%).

Course Schedule - Tentative

• Weekly topics and homework assignments
• Tentative quiz and exam schedule correlated with topics

The National Building Code (NBC)

• Model code: A model code becomes a legal requirement only when adopted by a jurisdiction (province, territory, or municipality).
• Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes (CCBFC): Develops and maintains the principle national model codes.
• NBC components: National Building Code, National Fire Code, National Plumbing Code, and National Energy Code.
• Code revisions: The codes are updated every five years. The current version in use is 2015 NBC. The 2020 NBC was released in March 2022 and awaiting review by jurisdictions.
• Code development: CCBFC is a volunteer organization comprising builders, engineers, architects, technologists, building owners, fire officials, manufacturers, and educators.
• Objectives of the NBC: Safety, health, accessibility for people with disabilities, and fire and structural protection of buildings. Performance standards are not specified directly in the NBC, relying instead on individual jurisdiction codes
• Provincial variations: Some provinces issue their own variations, while others adopt the NBC as is. Ontario and Alberta have their own building codes based on the NBC, but modified. Prince Edward Island adopts the NBC directly. Quebec has the similar Quebec Construction Code (QCC).

NBC - (Format and Structure)

• NBC format: Two volumes; Volume 1: three divisions; Volume 2: appendices with explanatory material.
• Division A: Scope of the code and objectives (relatively short). Identifies crucial information for proper code usage. Divided into three sections.
• Division B: Contains acceptable solutions/technical requirements related to the objectives (90% of the code) Divided into nine parts
• Division C: Administrative provisions--divided into two sections
• Appendix C: Contains climatic and seismic information for major Canadian cities; included in Volume 2.

Division B Parts

• Part 1: Compliance
• Part 2: Reserved
• Part 3: Fire Protection, Occupant Safety, Accessibility
• Part 4: Structural Design
• Part 5: Environmental Separation
• Part 6: Heating, Ventilation, Air-Conditioning
• Part 7: Plumbing Services
• Part 8: Safety Measures at Construction and Demolition Sites
• Part 9: Housing and Small Buildings (specific conditions: 3 storeys or less, 600 square meters or less, certain occupancy types).

Construction Contracts

• Lump Sum (Fixed Price): Builder completes the entire project for a fixed price.
• Cost-Plus: Owner pays builder actual costs plus a predefined fee.
• Unit Price: Payment is based on unit prices (e.g., per square foot).
• Construction Management: Contract where a construction manager is hired to oversee the project while the owner contracts separately with other parties

Owner-Builder vs. Design-Build

• Owner-Builder: Owner hires consultants to prepare design documents and then hires a builder.
• Design-Build: Owner outlines specifications for a turn-key contractor to execute the project from design through construction.

Consultants- Design Team Responsibilities

• Architect: Prime consultant, responsible for site plan, floor plans, elevations, and other design elements. Exterior/interior materials, doors/windows/hardware, insulation and moisture control, etc
• Structural Engineer: Foundation Design, Super-structure (steel/concrete), Wind/Earthquake, Snow/Rain, etc.
• Mechanical Engineer: HVAC systems, plumbing (supply, sanitary, storm, gas), etc.
• Electrical Engineer: Electrical Entrance, Distribution, Lighting, etc.
• Civil Engineer: Site Drainage, Roadways, etc.
• Additional Consultants: Landscape Architect, Building Envelope Engineer, Geotechnical Engineer, Code Consultant, Sprinkler Engineer, Interior Designer, Environmental Engineer, LEED Consultant, etc.

Assignment 1 Questions

• Model code definition
• Objective-based vs. performance-based code examples
• Determining if a two-story 1,200 sq ft home falls under NBC Part 9
• Owner-Builder vs. Design-Build differences and advantages
• Role of the Prime Consultant