AEC Mechanical Engineering

In the field of Architectural Engineering, often times we think of Mechanical Engineering as the field that relates to air conditioning design.  This misconception could not be any more distant  from the truth. Mechanical Engineering is a very broad discipline of engineering, and perhaps the one with the most diverse background. Did you know that plumbing engineering falls under the umbrella of mechanical engineering? In this brief post my goal is to provide the reader with a better understanding of  Mechanical Engineering and the great value that the profession has to offer.

I have found that  often times clients and colleagues who are non-engineers  are surprised to hear that only one HVAC class is required to obtain a degree in Mechanical Engineering, while the term “plumbing design” is non-existent. How is this possible? The answer is simple. HVAC is nothing more than the application of the fundamental principles of thermodynamics, physics and mathematics; while plumbing design is the application of hydraulics and fluid dynamics. 

During my college days, I spent countless hours advancing my knowledge in mathematics, computer programming, physics, thermodynamics, material science, electrical engineering principles, among others. Decades after graduation I find myself using only a portion of the vast amount of information provided in college. Complex computer programming is not necessary because commercial software such as Excel and HAP facilitate long and tedious calculations at the push of a button. The principles of physics and thermodynamics have been narrowed down to simple equations by using standard values for air and water (the most used fluids in HVAC). Material science and electrical principles are handled as a specialty by different consultants. So is it really necessary for an engineer consultant to have such a broad background? My opinion is YES. Although much of the information is rarely used in the  real world, it is extremely important for an engineer to always understand the WHY behind the HOW. In 1 out of 50 projects an engineer will be challenged with their deep understanding of the codes, equations, and standard practices. It is at such junction that engineers shine through their ability to be creative and innovative, while those that lack a strong background in science can only appeal to industry standards.

Perhaps one of the biggest challenges for the  engineering industry is that it does not offer a tangible product. The task of  recognizing excellent engineering  vs ineffective engineering is a most difficult one. As a client, it is understandable how any two engineers may seem to offer the exact same product. Instead of judging the quality of an engineer based competitive fees or firm size, my suggestion  is to judge an engineer based on their educational background. Ensuring that the entire team assigned to your project has had proper educational training should be in your priority list. You will see the savings in the long run due to an engineer’s ability to see beyond simplified equations and industry standards.