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. 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.
Building services are what makes a building come to life. They include:
- Energy supply – gas , electricity and renewable sources
- Heating and ventilating
- Water , drainage and plumbing
- Daylighting and artificial lighting
- Escalators and lifts
- Ventilation and refrigeration
- Harnessing solar, wind and biomass energy
- Communications, telephones and IT networks
- Security and alarm systems
- Fire detection and protection
- Air conditioning and refrigeration
- Facade engineering