1. INTERIOR DESIGN by John F. Pile Chapter 11: Technical matters
2. Technical matters Interior designer should have knowledge about mechanical systems specially in large projects. Mechanical systems are: 1.Electrical 2.Plumbing 3.HVAC 4.Lighting 5.Acoustics 6.Security 7.communication Integration between these systems is very important.
3. Technical matters Heating ventilation and air conditioning are the mechanical systems that provides thermal comfort within buildings. The factors that influence bodily comfort: 1.Temperatue 2.Humidity level 3.Radiation from near by surfaces 4.Movement of air 5.Air quality
4. Nature of heat The four ways in which heat can be provided: 1. convection : warmed air conveys heat and warms what ever it touches. 2. radiation : heat energy can be transmitted directly as a form of radiant energy. 3. conduction : when a cooler mass contacts one that is warmer, heat flows from the warmer to the cooler mass . 4. evaporation : This method of heat transfer is effective in removing excess heat rather than in supplying heat. Sweating is a good example for this method.
5. Technical matters Heating systems is crucial in any buildings but tropical climates. Common heating systems: 1.Hot water or steam.
9. Technical matters Ventilation it is an essential to provide fresh air to replace air made stale by smoking, cooking, and bodily functions of human occupants, as well as to remove pollen, dust and odors. New HVAC systems contains special filters to recycle air.
10. Technical matters Air conditioning The term describes systems that provide cooling, controlled humidification, and air filtration and purification. Many modern buildings are windowless or have sealed windows, making mechanical air conditioning essential.
11. Technical matters the cooling function is provided by mechanical refrigeration, which removes heat from the conditioned space. Cooling systems: 1.Chilled water central system. a. package (air) chillers. b. water chillers. Local systems: a. split unit interior designer should coordinate his work with the mechanical engineer to avoid any overlapping between systems Cooling tower Package chiller
12. Technical matters All HVAC systems consume energy. Furnaces and boilers fueled by oil or gas. And coal, but all of these sources are pollutants and going to be finished by time. So we have to improve the renewable sources for the HVAC systems. Renewable sources: 1.Geothermal heat drawn from deep wells can provide energy, but the high cost of pumping water and extracting the available heat has limited its use. 2.Solar energy is an economical and appealing possibility currently being used in a variety of systems. The need for large solar collectors and for backup systems for use when solar heating is in sufficient.
13. Technical matters Electrical systems Power is distributed from utility companies as high voltage alternating current and is reduces to service voltage by transformers that may be located out of doors to serve a number of smaller buildings or in a larger buildings. A Meter and main switch are provided at a panel where fuses or circuit breakers are provided for the separate circuits that serve various parts. converters
14. Technical matters Some electrical details that may fall to the interior designer including the placement of switches, outlets and circuit breaker panels. Electricity hazards Circuits located in places where dangerous shock hazards can occur, such as in bathrooms or outdoor locations where water pipes or damp earth can provide grounding, require protection by ground fault interrupter (GFI). So designers must be familiar with the electrical symbols used on plans.
15. Technical matters Energy consumption This issue relates to both HVAC and electrical matters. All electrical uses consume energy at a cost that can be determined the rate schedules of the local electrical company. Electric lighting not only consumes energy directly, its also generates heat as an wanted by-product, calling for additional air-conditioning in summer.
16. Technical matters Energy consumption was not considered an important issue until the price of energy in the 1960s and 1970s. Good design that minimizes cooling load helps to keep energy costs down by good insulation and the sealing of windows, but they call for extra concern for ventilation and filtration to ensure that the air quality remains satisfactory.
18. Plumbing Systems The third of the major mechanical systems of buildings is plumbing systems. Architects and engineers building plumbing systems and the interior designer should have some basic knowledge of how plumbing systems are arranged to locate fixtures such as washing machines, wet bars, darkrooms... Water is supplied under pressure and supply pipes are small so it is easy to supply water to new locations: -vertically from basement or water tanks -horizontally to fixtures Drainage pipes pose more difficulties, they will often determine when and where new facilities can be provided Drains use not pressure but gravity to steer downward to the pipes leading to sewer Drainage system includes some extra elements such as: -drain stack -vent -trap
19. Plumbing Systems The interior designer must return to the architect or the engineer to arrive at a firm conclusion about changes in the plumbing system Plumbing systems are subject to strict legal regulations. Plans and diagrams must be filed for approval for any significant plumbing work, which must be carried out by licensed contracts and inspected and approved when completed. There are many problems could happened such as leaking, so access panels must be provided by the designer for maintenance
20. Acoustics There are many acoustical problems that can be solved by an interior designer through planning and material selection The common acoustical problems are: 1.Excessive noise Exessive noise can be distirbing in some places which contain many people like restaurants, factories... Some materials can increase the noises to the extreme such as glass, steel... This problem can be solved be adding sound absorption materials
21. Acoustics 2. Transmitted noise: Traffic noise from out side, conversation from adjacent bedroom, piano practice from upstairs, noisy neighbor It is more difficult to solve, carpets or sound absorption materials can not do the work. Massive, heavy building materials such as thick masonry or concrete can prevent noise transmittance but not for the interior There are many solutions for interiors like double wall construction with separate studs for each side and insulation material packed in between
22. Acoustics Good Acoustics In concert halls, theaters, auditoriums, and large meeting rooms, an opposite acoustical problem arises-making sound satisfactorily audible throughout the space. Achieving good acoustics in large halls presents complex problems in which the size and shape of the space and the placement of reflecting, absorbing, and diffusing elements play a part. An expert consultant is a virtual necessity, and architects and designers need to work closely with the consultant in order to arrive at the best possible results. Disappointments are not unusual, and remedial steps can be troublesome and costly. Amplification systems are usually resorted to in large meeting rooms, ballrooms, and similar kinds of halls. They are, of course, routinely used in film projection and some kinds of music performance. "Sound reinforcement" is objectionable, however, for the performance of classical music and should be avoided in churches, lecture rooms, and conference halls if at all possible. If amplification must be used in such circumstances, expert consultation is called for to make it as unnoticeable as possible.
23. Wired Systems Aside from electrical systems there are other wiring systems including telephone, intercom, wired music and other sound systems These wiring systems must be hidden in a professional way There are good designs and solutions for these systems such as risers and raised floors
24. Vertical transportation Manufacturers of vertical transportation products provide excellent planning advice to architects. Interior designers are concerned with the location and appearance of escalators and the design of elevator entrances, cab interiors, lighting, and signal systems. Coordinating these elements with centralized building control systems now in general use is desirable.
25. Building codes Professional interior designers are expected to be aware of the legal restrictions that affect building construction, planning, and equipment. In all urban areas, as well as in many other locations, codes define requirements that affect the safety and well-being of building occupants and the general public. Codes are enforced through the submission to and approval by an appropriate authority of plans for new construction and all but the most minor alterations, following which a building permit is issued. Designers and architects need to be sure that plans comply with codes to avoid the delay and annoyance of rejection, revision, and resubmission. Although meeting code provisions may often seem burdensome, these requirements are essential to establishing basic standards of safety. Common sense may lead to design that satisfies most code requirements, but knowledge of the specific rules applicable to the location where a project is to be executed is necessary to obtain plan approvals.
