MEP building services engineering
La Rochelle, New Aquitaine

In La Rochelle, the marine atmosphere is the structuring constraint of MEP design: exposed air-handling units, exchangers and networks suffer accelerated corrosion that must be anticipated in the choice of materials and surface treatments, failing which the service life of the installations is greatly reduced. The area's low-carbon approach also steers energy production towards renewables and heat recovery. The university campus and the hotels of the Minimes district add a modulation requirement, with periods of very low occupancy that penalise poorly controlled installations.

In La Rochelle, the sizing of the HVAC, plumbing and electrical technical packages determines summer comfort, RE2020 compliance and operating cost. Integrated MEP design, coordinated with equipment acoustics and the BMS, avoids costly rework on site.