DESIGN: DEAR MR PLUMBER
21
The design of the water
systems of buildings
Hot and cold water, hot water generation, sanitary drainage,
rainwater, storm water drainage and fire protection systems, all
need various levels of competence and coordinated design.
By Vollie Brink, Pr Eng
These services don’t just need ‘space’, but
‘dedicated space’ all over the building – not only
to accommodate the services, but it must also be
space that is accessible for ‘repair and replace’;
operations and maintenance. The most wonderful
architecturally-designed building with essential
services which are inaccessible, can become a
sick building.
Space costs money, but ‘appropriate’ space for services
is critically important. My definition of such space is
that it must allow access to and into the installation.
The architect is the most important professional of the
design team. It is he or she who designs the building and
must provide the spaces we need for services. There are
conferences for architects and for engineers, and CPD
courses for both. Yet we seldom get together to talk about
common issues such as ‘space’ and the ‘why’ and ‘how’.
There is also little common ground to talk about these
issues with other professionals such as quantity surveyors,
developers, or the owner or facilities managers – who are
the people who have to live with the building for many
years and keep it operational and to maintain it for a
lifetime.
There is no formal standard or specifications for ‘space’
for services. There is one wonderful building in a
prestigious upmarket area – but all the pipe services are
crammed into a very small duct without access. Really,
no access – and the pipes must now be replaced. The
only solution is to cut the bricks out, replace the piping
and repair the damage. This building, or sections of the
building, will not be useable for months.
A building cannot operate without water or without
sanitation while people are living in it. Another example is
a building where the piping is in the roof space, but the
roof space is so small, a person cannot get into it. There is
a hotel where there are ducts with no access except from
above the ceiling, and the ceiling space is less 300mm,
which is impossible to get into and it is impossible to
service the equipment. The only solution is to cut open the
duct and repair the damage.
This becomes a daily operation with substantial cost, and
this cost is much more than the original cost to provide
September 2019 Volume 25 I Number 7
"Space costs money,
but ‘appropriate’ space
for services is critically
important. "
access doors or replaceable panels. I have seen a building
where the water supply piping was dropped down from
apartment to apartment in the walls with no access. The
piping was inferior and sections had to be replaced before
the building was occupied.
There is an apartment complex where there are common
ducts in the middle between apartments and these ducts
are about 1.5m by 1.5m. The only access into the ducts
are from the roof space down three floors, and there are no
step irons or platforms between the floors. Was the idea for
somebody to hang from a rope down the ‘shaft’?
Vollie Brink is one of the
industry’s longest-serving
wet services engineers.
He continues to serve on
SABS committees and
has been involved in the
Green Building Council’s
Green Star rating system.
Brink continues to consult
for various organisations
while enjoying a well-
earned retirement.
The first problem was that the plumber put all the pipes
together on a Friday afternoon without soldering the joints
with the intention to complete it on the Monday. The plumber
forgot to do the soldering on the Monday, and also did not do
a pressure test. Later the owner of the apartment saw that
there is a little stream of water squirting out of the wall and it
was found that this shaft was full of water. The problem was
how to get a plumber into the shaft to solder the joints and
repair the damage. Why are the same problems repeated
over and over – no provision of appropriate access to and
into the service spaces?
Is it not perhaps time to develop a compulsory SABS
Standard or Code of Practice? Maintenance in South Africa
appears not to be a priority and not carried out in many
buildings. If the services are not accessible, then it gives the
responsible bodies a reason not to do maintenance.
Is it not time that we get together with all the relevant
professionals and bodies responsible for operations and
maintenance and determine what level of access is required
for appropriate operation and maintenance? PA
www.plumbingafrica.co.za