New HVAC design for architects and owners
We design heating, ventilation and air conditioning for new buildings, additions and major renovations. We join the architect’s team as the mechanical consultant, or work directly for the owner, from the first concept through permit, tender, construction and handover.
When you need it
- You’re an architect who needs a mechanical consultant on a new building or addition.
- You’re an owner or developer planning a project and want HVAC options and costs before the design is fixed.
- A renovation or change of use means the existing systems no longer fit.
- You have an energy, carbon or certification target the building has to meet.
What we do
Concept and options
We confirm the owner’s requirements, budget and energy goals, then compare system options on first cost, operating cost, carbon and maintenance.
Schematic design
We size the systems, locate mechanical rooms, shafts and rooftop equipment, and coordinate space with the architect.
Design development
We calculate loads room by room, select equipment, lay out ducts and piping, and model energy code compliance.
Construction documents
We issue sealed drawings and specifications for permit and tender, coordinated with the structural, electrical and architectural sets.
Construction and handover
We review shop drawings, answer contractor questions, inspect the installation, and witness balancing and commissioning before occupancy.
What you receive
- A system options report with costs, energy and carbon compared
- Load calculations and equipment selections
- Sealed drawings and specifications for permit and tender
- Energy code compliance documentation
- Site review reports, deficiency lists and a final letter of assurance where required
Questions
Do you work for the architect or the owner?
Either. Most often we are the mechanical consultant on the architect’s team, but owners and developers also hire us directly, especially for early options studies or design-build.
When should the mechanical engineer join the project?
As early as possible. Decisions made at concept, such as mechanical room size, shaft locations and roof space, set most of the system’s cost and efficiency.
Can you also build what you design?
Yes. Through our design-build service one firm designs, installs, balances and commissions the system.
Further reading
- Air density, altitude and HVAC design in Calgary and the Rockies
Learn how elevation changes air density, which HVAC calculations and selections need correction, and what to check when designing, balancing or commissioning systems in Calgary and mountain communities.
- Commercial cooling load calculations explained
Understand what goes into a commercial cooling load, how the ASHRAE methods handle time lag and storage, and how to review a load report before equipment is selected.
- Diversity and safety factors in load calculations
Learn the difference between diversity and safety factors, where each should be applied in a load calculation, and how stacked margins quietly produce oversized systems.
- Envelope heat loss: U-values, thermal bridging and infiltration
Learn how to calculate envelope heat loss accurately, why thermal bridges and air leakage often matter more than insulation thickness, and how these factors affect HVAC sizing.
- Heating load calculations for Canadian climates
Learn the components of a heating load, where Canadian design temperatures come from, and how to avoid the errors that leave buildings cold or with oversized boilers and heat pumps.
- Internal heat gains from people, lighting and equipment
Learn how people, lights and equipment add heat to a space, how to estimate each with realistic values and schedules, and why overestimating them leads to oversized systems.
Related services
Also in HVAC design and design-build: HVAC design-build, High-efficiency HVAC upgrades, Building automation and BACnet integration, Healthcare HVAC, Restaurant and commercial kitchen HVAC, Data center cooling design, Cleanroom HVAC design, Critical airflow control and air valves.
Get a quote for new HVAC design
Tell us about the building and what you need. We’ll be in touch within one hour.