MEP Coordination

Why MEP Coordination Is Construction's Hardest Problem

MEP coordination is challenging because it sits at the intersection of three independent design disciplines (mechanical, electrical, plumbing), each designed by a different consultant, each using their own software, and each optimising their own system without full visibility of the others.

The mechanical consultant routes HVAC ducts for optimal airflow. The electrical consultant routes cable trays for shortest runs. The plumbing consultant routes pipes for gravity flow. When all three are overlaid on the same floor plan, they frequently occupy the same space.

On a typical residential high-rise in India, the number of MEP clash points can exceed 200-300 per floor during the initial design phase. Without pre-construction coordination (using BIM or manual overlay drawings), these clashes are discovered when the plumber can't install a pipe because the HVAC duct is already there.

The Cost of On-Site MEP Clashes

When an MEP clash is discovered on site, the resolution sequence is expensive. The site team raises an RFI to the relevant consultant (3-5 day response typical). The consultant proposes a revised routing (which may affect other systems). The revised design is checked against other trades. The approved revision goes back to site. Work that was already done may need demolition and reinstallation.

Each on-site clash resolution typically costs 3-7 days and involves multiple trades. On a project where 50-100 clashes are discovered on site (a common number when BIM coordination is skipped), the cumulative delay can reach several months.

MEP Coordination Approaches in Indian Construction

Traditional approach: 2D overlay drawings. The architect manually overlays MEP drawings on the structural plan and identifies obvious conflicts. This catches major clashes (a duct running through a beam) but misses elevation conflicts (a pipe and duct at the same height).

BIM-based approach: 3D coordination. All three MEP systems are modelled in a BIM environment and automated clash detection identifies every conflict - including elevation conflicts invisible in 2D. This catches significantly more clashes but requires investment in BIM capability.

Hybrid approach: Design-phase BIM coordination with construction-phase schedule tracking. BIM resolves clashes before construction. Schedule-linked tracking ensures MEP trades execute in the correct sequence during construction - because even clash-free designs can go wrong if the plumber starts before the electrical conduit is complete.

MEP Coordination and the Construction Schedule

MEP work typically represents 30-40% of a building project's cost and an even higher percentage of coordination complexity. The scheduling of MEP work is where most Indian projects lose time.

The common pattern: structural work proceeds floor by floor with a regular cycle time. MEP rough-in (conduits, sleeves, pipe runs) must happen within the structural formwork cycle. MEP finishing (fixtures, equipment, testing) happens during the finishing phase. The gap between rough-in and finishing can be 6-12 months on a high-rise.

This gap means MEP coordination has two critical windows: during structural (where embedded items must be placed correctly in the first pour - there's no going back) and during finishing (where ceiling-level routing must fit within tight clearances). Missing either window creates expensive rework.