< Previous50 MEP Middle East | January 2021 www.mepmiddleeast.com FINAL WORD O ver the past months, we have come together as a collective of UAE-based consultants to look at learnings from this global pandemic, with the aim to develop ‘future-proof’ recommendations and pragmatic solutions that address not only the current back-to-business requirements, but also the changes needed in the design and best practices for future F&B developments to be prepared for other health crises that may test the F&B industry. The recent global pandemic pushed many economies to near collapse, which reawakened some of the ways in which we should procure, build, and improve facilities and operations. Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) services were generally designed to only meet the minimum requirements in accordance with industry standards. These standards will no longer be accepted due to an improved understanding of the causes and effects of airborne pathogens. Current and future establishments will have to adhere to stricter regulations with improved safety measures. These will potentially include new technologies to alert building management of potential health- orientated risks before people enter a facility. Higher rates of air circulation, ventilation, and air purifi cation requirements will demand higher rates of air changes for any space where people formally or socially congregate. Higher quality mechanical and electrical equipment that sanitise facilities, equipment, and shared items, will be a major psychological comfort factor to attract more customers who know that the facility they are visiting is ‘certifi ed’ or ‘compliant’ with new health standards. Impact and considerations on design elements Evolving technologies around biosensors that detect airborne pathogens currently used in the medical industry, are now also being implemented in operational commercial real estate facilities as well as incorporated in the construction of new buildings. Recent studies have indicated that quorum sensing has become the latest aspiration for the development of antimicrobial therapies and bacterial diagnosis – which can be detected with biosensors – and this will enhance the ability The senior project manager at Carter Stephenson Quinn (CSQ), Pierre Engelbrecht, shares how optimised MEP can help F&B be better prepared for another pandemic Designing a safer future post-COVID19 to identify certain viruses and bacteria with the aim to avoid uncontrolled spreading. These technologies will most likely become another “must have” design element that will be implemented at the entrances of facilities, including restaurants. Although biosensors are extremely accurate, they don’t always pick up on all viruses hence ventilation and air circulation health requirements should continuously be improved. Actions that can be taken in this regard include increasing the number of air changes per hour within the occupied spaces in a building, as well as installing high-effi ciency particulate air fi lters on all HVAC equipment. Another way to mitigate the risk of a virus spread is to transfer harmless disinfection chemicals through the ductwork of the facility. The latter is generally easier to implement in new building designs but can also be applied to existing facilities through the retrofi tting of outdoor air handling units. Generally, outdoor air handling units either have heat recovery wheels or pipes for energy effi ciency purposes and this will need to change to avoid particles from potentially contaminated extract air being supplied back into the facility. Heat recovery options will need to be redefi ned to avoid cross air contamination while trying to increase energy effi ciency. To minimise cross contamination, cellular Pierre Engelbrecht Senior Project Manager, CSQ type designs need separate air circulation zones to minimise the amount of people that could be affected if a virus were to be carried by someone in the facility. Many day-to-day operational activities such as pushing a button to open a door or paying a bill will be digitised going forward and become the norm. Touchless doors, voice-activated elevators, cashless payments, etc. require electricity, which increases the overall heat dissipation, hence requiring more cooling, and this needs to be accounted for when designing the power and air conditioning systems of a facility. Restaurants in the US are already installing germicidal UV-C lights in the air ducts to destroy bacteria and viruses, air purifi ers in dining rooms, and heavy-duty UV-C light fi xtures that purify air and surfaces overnight. UV-C light, a form of ultraviolet light with a short wavelength, damages pathogens’ DNA and RNA, which stops them from reproducing. New strategies are being applied to standard design philosophies, procedures and regulations as a result of COVID-19, whilst others are being tweaked. When new devices are introduced within the ductwork it changes the static pressure within the ducts, which require fan reselection processes and potential duct dimension changes as well. Some facilities have limited available power which means that power upgrades might be needed when a new high spec design element is implemented. This will increase operational costs and the question is whether restaurant operators are willing to absorb this to ensure footfall in their business. Water supply and drainage systems also host large risks for viruses such as adenovirus, astrovirus, hepatitis A and E viruses, rotavirus, norovirus and other caliciviruses, as well as enteroviruses, including coxsackieviruses and polioviruses, which was evident during the SARS outbreak. It’s critical to design systems where microorganisms cannot multiply by ensuring suffi cient P-traps for drained water with low levels of air leakage for drainage are incorporated. Ensuring effi cient dehumidifying devices will also be a key design consideration to ensure such viruses are kept at bay.With the consequences of COVID-19 still affecting the construction industry amongst many others, Construction Week's Dispute Resolution Question Time will explore how technology is being utilised for late payment resolution, contract claims, arbitration options and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanisms as we enter a more digitally driven world. Find out more: www.itp.events/DRQT-Dubai WEDNESDAY 17th FEBRUARY, 5PM - 8PM FOR SPONSORSHIP ENQUIRIES: SARASWATI AGARWAL Commercial Director T: +971 4 444 3352 E: Saraswati.Agarwal@itp.com FOR EVENT ENQUIRIES SHERDIL BABAR Conference Producer T: +971 4 444 3223 E: Sherdil.Babar@itp.com le royal Meridien beach resort & spa dubaiThe future of chiller technology is here. Whichever Midea chiller system you choose, it’ll be 800 TAQEEF | projects@taqeef.com www.taqeef.comNext >