As acoustic consultants, we always
strive to find the best solution, which for us means the most sustainable,
flexible yet cost effective solution for a building. With the launch of MACH
Energy, we are now extending our consultancy to address the whole building
design – including ventilation, acoustics, thermal comfort and daylighting.
Although some ventilation and
heating systems for buildings can be relatively simple, the building physics
occurring can be very complicated. In sustainable building design, finding the
right solution quickly to a given problem can be challenging, especially when
working with different consultants and teams.
Clashes frequently arise that
restrict the sustainability of a design – whether a home, school, office or
hospital. A SAP calculation might require a specific wall that then negatively impacts
a building’s acoustics. Or a noisy site might prevent the use of window
openings and necessitate mechanical ventilation, when a thermal model or façade
optimisation might otherwise lead to a naturally ventilated solution.
Such clashes might take a
month to solve with different teams working together – at MACH Energy we have
the technical ability to arrive at the right solution much more quickly.
Because we fully understand the ways in which ventilation, acoustics,
overheating and daylight and energy use perform and affect each other, we can
refine any design to find the ‘sweet spot’ where the building is at its most
efficient and comfortable.
What
does MACH Energy offer?
A
highly technical yet creative, R&D led consultancy
- First and foremost, we are engineers with a strong expertise in mathematics
and extensive knowledge of building physics and sustainability. We relish a
challenge and are always driven to find the most sustainable, aesthetic and future
proof design for any building project. Our bespoke software and use of
modelling means we provide risk-free, compliant designs.
A
multi-disciplinary approach – We bring a
holistic approach and use our own 3D building physics software to model the
performance of the acoustics, ventilation, thermal comfort and daylighting in
any building. We look at how each element affects and is affected by the others
in combination with a building’s usage/occupants’ behaviour and changing
weather, traffic and light conditions throughout the year. From this analysis,
we will produce a range of risk-free, compliant solutions which balance occupant
comfort with the aesthetics and sustainability in a building’s design.
When,
how and why should you work with MACH Energy?
For architects, we can support a competition
design, give technical support before the M&E drawings and add design
insurance. Our reports will increase a bid’s winning potential providing
confidence in the sustainability of a design, insuring a more comfortable
building for occupants. Our fast, holistic, technical approach ensures a quick
set of solutions to design challenges or clashes.
For a contractor, bringing us on board at an
early stage reduces design risks, drives down energy consumption and reduces
costs. We can conduct tender reviews and will work before M&E to ensure a
design concept can achieve regulation compliance. By working directly with contractors,
we offer greater flexibility, reliability and speed.
What’s
different about MACH Energy?
· Holistic approach – Our team of highly
skilled engineers are all mathematicians with sustainable building
qualifications (Part L level 5, Passivhaus), so we can swiftly analyse a
design to find the optimum solution
· Collaborative and proactive – We believe in the importance of communicating
our findings effectively, so we use highly visual reports.
· Focused on value engineering – Our
technical and detail reports remove risk and provide confidence in our designs,
helping remove over-design and limiting energy costs in a building design.
