1. INTRODUCTION TO
BUILDING SERVICES
Mohd Rodzi Ismail

2. WHAT IS BUILDING
SERVICES?
Imagine yourself in the most fabulous building in the
world. Now take away the lighting, heating and
ventilation, the lifts and escalators, acoustics,
plumbing, power supply and energy management
systems, the security and safety systems...and you
are left with a cold, dark, uninhabitable shell.
Everything inside a building which makes it safe
and comfortable to be in comes under the title of
'Building Services'. A building must do what it was
designed to do - not just provide shelter but also be
an environment where people can live, work and
achieve.
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3. Building services are “what makes a building
come to life”. They include:
energy supply - gas , electricity and renewable
sources
heating and air conditioning
water, drainage and plumbing
natural and artificial lighting, and building facades
escalators and lifts
ventilation and refrigeration
communication lines, telephones and IT networks
security and alarm systems
fire detection and protection
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4. MECHANICAL & ELECTRICAL
SYSTEMS IN BUILDING
Modern buildings are built to create better,
consistent, and productive environments in which to
work and to live.
Buildings must be designed with features to provide
better lighting
comfortable space temperature, humidity and air
quality
convenient power and communication capability
high quality sanitation; and
reliable systems for the protection of life and
property.
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5. All these desirable features have become a reality
with advances in building M&E systems
Block-type buildings without windows, such as
department stores, are totally dependent on
electrical lighting, ventilation and space conditioning
High-rise buildings must rely on high-speed vertical
transportation and high –pressure water for drinking
and cleaning purposes and for protection against
fire
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6. Impact M&E systems on buildings:
Demand considerable amounts of floor and ceiling
space – proper space allocation is needed during the
preliminary planning
Add to the cost of construction of a building –
sophisticated buildings, such as research buildings,
hospitals, computer centres
Increase in energy consumption – energy consumed
by occupied buildings, including residential,
commercial, institutional and industrial facilities,
account for 50% of all energy usage by an
industrialised country; it also accounts for large
portion of the operating costs of such buildings
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7. The complexity of M&E systems varies with:
Living standards of the society
Climatic conditions of the region
Occupancy and quality of the building
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8. CLASSIFICATION OF M&E
SYSTEMS
Mechanical Systems
HVAC (Heating, ventilating, and air-
conditioning)/ACMV (Air-conditioning and
mechanical ventilation)
Site utilities – Water supply, drainage, sanitary
disposal, gas supply
Plumbing – Water distribution, water treatment,
sanitary facilities, etc.
Fire protection – Water supply, standpipe, fire and
smoke detection, annunciation, etc.
Special systems
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9. Electrical Systems
Electrical power – Normal, standby, and emergency
power supply and distribution
Lighting – Interior, exterior, and emergency lighting
Auxiliary – Telephone, data, audio/video, sound,
security systems, etc.
Special systems
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10. Building Operation Systems
Transportation – Elevators, escalators, moving
walkways/travelators, etc.
Processing – Products, food service, etc.
Automation – Environmental controls, management,
etc.
Special systems
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11. CHECKLIST OF BUILDING AND
M&E REQUIREMENTS
A comprehensive checklist that serves to determine
the scope of building operational requirements and
from which one can determine the scope and
criteria of M&E systems.
Valuable in formulating the architectural concept,
building configuration, space programming, and
opportunities of system interfacing.
Early identification of these requirements will aid in
evaluating construction cost, as well as the
allocation of space for M&E equipment, both within
interior and exterior of the building.
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12. Mechanical Systems
Include heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning
(HVAC)/air-conditioning and mechanical ventilation
(ACMV), plumbing and sanitation (P&S), fire
protection (F&P), and specialty or auxiliary systems.
Not all buildings require all services; thus the list
should be tailored to the needs of a specific project.
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13. HVAC/ACMV Systems
Energy source – Electrical power, gas, oil, coal,
central steam, central hot water, chilled water, etc.
(location and capacity)
Heating/cooling – Central air handling, direct
radiation, in-space unitary equipment, etc.
Comfort controls – Number of control zones,
humidity, temperature, etc.
Central plant – Estimated normal (or base) and
standby capacities, etc.
Heat rejection - Water cooling tower, air cooled
condenser, evaporative cooler, etc.
Location of equipment – Central equipment rooms,
on floor, on roof, on ground, etc.
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14. Ventilation – Outside air requirements (minimum,
high, or 100%)
Exhaust - General, food preparation, toxic and
special exhaust systems, etc.
Automation – Building automation system (BAS),
building management system (BMS)
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15. Plumbing and Sanitation Systems
Energy source – Electrical power, gas, oil, central
steam, hot water, etc.
Water supply – Public water, river, well, etc.; water
pressure, capacity available, and location
Hot water supply – Hot water heaters or heat
exchangers
Sewage disposal – Sanitary, sewers, sewage
treatment plant, septic tanks, drainage and filtering
fields
Storm/Rain water drainage – Roof, area, and means
of discharge; locations
Subsoil drainage – Drainpipes, sumps, pumps, and
discharge, etc.
Building facilities – Plumbing fixtures, water, waste, 15
soil, piping

16. Fire Protection Systems
Energy source – Electrical power, gas, oil
Water supply – Flow rate and available pressure at
water main, location. Separate service or
combination with plumbing water supply
Water storage – Lake, pond, storage tanks (locations
and capacities)
Fire and smoke detection – Thermal and smoke
detectors
Fire containment – Fire shutters,
compartmentalization
Smoke containment and evacuation – Smoke
exhaust and pressure controls
Stairway smoke prevention – Stair pressurization
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17. Fire annunciation – Fire alarm, public address, fire
department connections
Fire extinguishing – Portable extinguishers,
automatic sprinklers (water, mist, dry chemical,
foam, special gases, etc.)
Fire fighting – Fire hose and standpipe systems
Lightning protection – Air terminals, grounding
conductors, etc.
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18. Electrical Systems
Include power, lighting, and auxiliary systems.
The proliferation of electrical and electronic systems
in building applications has greatly expanded the
scope of electrical systems and has had a drastic
impact on construction costs and the complexity of
planning.
The list should be expanded or condensed to fit the
needs of a specific project.
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19. Power Systems
Normal energy source – Utility power or on-site
power (location and capacity); power characteristics
(phase and voltage); service entrance (overhead,
underground); service requirements (substations,
transformer vaults); etc.
Emergency power source – Separate utility service
or on-site standby generators (location and capacity)
Interior power distribution – Primary or secondary
voltages, unit substations, distribution panels, etc.
On-floor distribution – Floor boxes, under-floor ducts,
integrated cellular floors, raised floors, ceiling-cavity
conduit network, etc.
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20. Emergency power distribution – For critical
equipment and emergency lighting loads
Uninterruptible power systems (UPS) – For critical
building operations such as computers and
communication networks; power storage (battery
banks)
Power for building systems – HVAC, plumbing,
sanitary, fire protection, etc.
Power for building operational equipment – Food
service, waste disposal, laundry, garage,
entertainment equipment, etc.
Power for vertical transportation systems – Interface
with elevator consultant on power and controls for
elevators and escalators
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21. Lighting Systems
Basic light source – Incandescent, fluorescent, high
intensity discharge (HID), etc.
Illumination – Lighting levels, colour rendering,
controls
Lighting fixtures – In offices and other work spaces
Architectural lighting – Interface between architect,
lighting and/or electrical consultant on public or
special spaces
Introduction of daylight – Fenestration, skylights,
controls, etc.
Exit lighting – Exit signs, exit way (evacuation route)
light
Exterior lighting – Site, landscape, building facade,
aircraft warning lights, etc. 21

22. Auxiliary Systems
Telephone and telecommunication – Type, number of lines and stations,
switchboard (manual, PBX), basic and special features, facsimile,
modem, etc.
Data distribution systems – Multiple conductor cables, twisted pairs,
coaxial cables, Fibre optic cables, wire closets, etc.
Public address – Intercom, paging and music systems
Audio/video – Radio, TV, and signal distribution systems
Satellite dishes – Number, diameter, and orientation
Transmission – Transmitter and microwave towers
Cable – CCTV distribution systems, locations, and interfacing with other
auxiliary systems
Time and signal – Clock and program systems
Fire detection and alarm systems – Interface with fire protection
consultants
Automatic controls – Interface with HVAC and other building service
consultants
Security systems – CCTV monitoring, detecting, alarming, controlling,
and interface with security consultant
Specialty systems – Numerous specialty systems for hospitals, research,
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computer centres, and industrial, military, or defence facilities, as
applicable

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