Introduction
Creating a viable construction project and ensuring its quality is a vital task for interior designers and engineers. Considering that multiple building systems require careful coordination and planning, incorporating these elements into the structure necessitates the use of additional strategies. These responsibilities are typically delegated to interior designers, who aim to create a healthy, secure, and comfortable environment for the future occupants.
Nonetheless, as the building’s core systems, such as plumbing, electrical, and lighting, must be efficient and functional, avoiding collision between their elements and ensuring item compatibility can become a significant challenge. An interesting example involving the integration of multiple building systems is the Silver Oak winery in Alexander Valley, an establishment constructed to meet the demands of sustainability and efficient production. This paper examines the structural attributes of the Silver Oak winery in Alexander Valley, evaluating how fire separation, electrical, and plumbing building systems were coordinated and specifying the conflicts resolved by the interior designers’ team.
Ensuring Structural Compatibility: The Role of Interior Design
Interior designers are required to implement strategies in building system design to properly integrate building systems into the construction schematics. Considering that each project involves using various construction types, structural systems, mechanical and electrical elements, knowledge regarding appropriate methods of building systems design is crucial to incorporate (Hurt, 2017). For instance, to produce a building with the necessary level of fire resistance, an interior designer must consider such attributes as cabling types and junction boxes, which refer to the features of the electrical system (Binggeli, 2016).
After that, the plumbing locations and lighting sources are also vital to examine, as these elements directly affect the overall coordination between the building systems and the interior decoration within the establishment. Therefore, the objective of integrating the design and construction components is delegated to the interior designer.
A significant detail to note is the prevalence of custom-designed buildings in the modern age, which necessitates a thorough understanding of building systems integration. Given that projects highly depend on the client’s preferences, the natural environment, site surroundings, and labor characteristics, adapting the schematics according to these requirements can only be completed using extensive knowledge of the building systems (Hurt, 2017). Mistakes in electrical and fire prevention systems coordination might result in devastating outcomes for the establishment and its occupants, causing substantial financial and physical damage (Binggeli, 2016).
Furthermore, in recent years, multiple organizations and clients started to request sustainable design elements to be included in their projects, which demands additional knowledge in electrical system compatibility to solar panels (Celadyn, 2016). Altogether, addressing such issues can be resolved by utilizing prominent contemporary interior design strategies, which allow creating a safe and comfortable interior environment for any establishment.
Silver Oak in Alexander Valley: Coordinating Functionality and Sustainability
Silver Oak Cellars is a large-scale wine production and distribution company established in 1972. Currently, the organization is focused on developing sustainable methods of wine creation, establishing wineries that adhere to the requirements of the US Green Building Council (Silver Oak, n.d.). Silver Oak has valuable experience in creating safe and ecologically friendly establishments, having built a sustainable winery in Napa Valley, an excellent example of minimizing the ecological footprint (Silver Oak, n.d.).
However, another project was finished in April 2018, implementing unique interior design solutions for energy, fire prevention, and other building systems management, enhancing the previously used strategies. The Silver Oak winery in Alexander valley is an exceptional example of high-quality coordination between fire prevention, electricity, and plumbing building systems, with efficiently implemented interior design methods to overcome possible conflicts.
Potential Conflicts Between the Winery’s Building Systems
To prevent an improper integration of the necessary building systems, it is imperative to examine which coordination issues may occur during development. Such complications, or clashes, might emerge due to incorrect drawings, miscommunication, or absence of relevant data, creating building systems conflicts and decreasing the safety of the building (Chidambaram, 2019). For instance, misaligned electric sockets and floor height, unaccounted inner ceiling spaces, or colliding pipes and cables are typical instances of clashes that might result in safety problems. During construction, unidentified conflicts become exceptionally arduous to eliminate, meaning that appropriate evaluation and clashing checks should be conducted in the planning stages (Chidambaram, 2019). These tasks are usually delegated to the interior designers, who clarify potential misalignments and suggest relevant resolutions.
Multiple Systems Conflicts
While incorporating fire prevention electricity and plumbing systems, the interior designer is required to identify possible clashing issues, aiming to avoid combinations of system elements that could cause damage to the structure or its users. In the construction of the Silver Oaks winery at Alexander Valley, the interior designers’ team had to identify and eliminate several building systems conflicts, which might have resulted in safety and production complications. The first essential problem was related to multiple systems conflict, where the components of two or more distinct systems appeared in the same location on project schematics (Mehrbod et al., 2019).
During the blueprint creation and verification phase, the design and architect teams are often forced to move specific objects depending on the surrounding features and functionality. Nevertheless, as these changes were implemented, miscommunication or missing information might have occurred, originating clashes between fire prevention, electricity or plumbing systems.
A prominent example includes integrating fire prevention and electrical system components, which cannot interact according to the safety guidelines. Such fire prevention elements as sprinklers, smoke detectors, and standpipes are not allowed to interfere with electrical appliances, namely cables, under carpet wiring, or junction boxes (Hurt, 2017). Furthermore, it is imperative to devote a corresponding amount of space for each system component, ensuring that a recommended distance is present between the elements. Therefore, if numerous items are aligned in an enclosed space, a multiple system conflict occurs (Mehrbod et al., 2019). Another instance might be the incorporation of several systems elements, such as a sprinkler, a cable tray, and a plumbing fixture in a small ceiling compartment.
Types of Physical Conflicts between Building Systems
The second issue that could potentially disrupt the building process refers to the physical conflicts between two or more system components. These instances are often classified as temporal, functional, and repeated clashes that could be less evident in large-scale schematics (Mehrbod et al., 2019). Considering the substantial amount of space required for the winery and the consistent use of water in the wine production process, it was essential to avoid such errors, ensuring the safety of the building (O’Connell, 2017). Temporal conflicts frequently occur when different system components occupy the same place in the construction plans, resulting in a duplicate clash (Mehrbod et al., 2019).
For example, a cable tray could be placed in the same location as a standpipe, with both elements colliding at the same route. After that, a functional conflict could emerge if two components are placed in such a manner that prevents the utilization of one or both objects (Mehrbod et al., 2019). A relevant instance is locating a smoke detection system next to plumbing lines, meaning that none of these items could be used.
Another pertinent complication can be described as repeated clashing, where all elements of two or more systems collide. Repeated clashes can be a significant problem for interior designers, as they require redesigning the whole area in which clashing has occurred (Mehrbod et al., 2019). For example, if all cables intersected the water ducts, the resulting complication could become a considerable threat to building safety and functionality (Binggeli, 2016).
The energy output is an essential attribute of the Silver Oaks winery, as the establishment was designed to use only solar power, which requires implementing voltage adaptations (O’Connell, 2017). As solar energy is less efficient for electricity generation, conflicts between the systems and emerging losses of functionality and power could substantially harm the enterprise. Furthermore, productive water delivery and re-use systems were to be incorporated in this building, and possible miscalculations in duct locations and routes might have damaged the utilization of the water-filtration system.
Design Discrepancies Hindering Efficiency
Finally, a substantial conflict might arise if a design discrepancy is present. This type of building systems’ miscoordination can frequently occur during planning when the attributes of one system do not match the corresponding features of the other system (Mehrbod et al., 2019). For example, water pipes and electrical cables require sufficient spacing in the interior environment to be placed. In a scenario where floor or wall openings are too small or large, these elements might become useless or damaged, leading to a collision between these systems (Binggeli, 2016). Overall, to avoid multiple systems and physical conflicts, as well as design discrepancies, it was imperative for the interior designers to incorporate conflict resolution strategies.
Preventing Building Systems Conflicts through Building Information Modeling
To counter possible manifestations of clashes between fire prevention, plumbing, and electrical systems, the construction and interior design team used a Building Information Modeling (BIM) approach. This method includes a process of collaboration between employees from various building teams, namely architects, engineers, and interior designers, that allows them to create a structurally sound establishment and avoid the aforementioned problems (Chidambaram, 2019).
Generally, the workers use a 3D model that reflects the expected building structure and includes all necessary building systems’ details. While architects and plumbers ensure that the structural integrity and water ducts, respectively, are planned according to relevant regulations and safety measures, the interior designers oversee the overall pattern and identify potential clashing possibilities.
The professionals behind the construction of the Silver Oak winery in Alexander valley relied on the BIM approach to visualize the emerging project and make sure that all introduced changes are reflected in the model. As stated before, any shifts in the locations and spacing might prompt the emergence of building systems’ conflicts; however, such changes are highly difficult to track using 2D schematics (Chidambaram, 2019). Although Computer-Aided Design (CAD) is also a viable option, it is less efficient in accounting for alterations and is too challenging to use for collaboration between multiple workers (Chidambaram, 2019). Considering the large-scale site of the Silver Oak project and the issues related to novel sustainable energy incorporation, the team decided to use BIM 360 Glue.
Introducing the digital model of the future establishment has tremendously influenced the project’s success, allowing the teams to identify and eliminate occurring mistakes in the electronic format. As such, the corporation’s CEO stated that they were able to change their approach from in-field problem resolution to digital, avoiding financial and time losses (O’Connell, 2017). When a 3D model is available, it is remarkably easier to note any discrepancies, visualizing a comprehensive picture of the future project. Cello & Maudru Construction collaborated with the Silver Oak executives on the project creation and production process, implementing the 3D environment strategy.
According to the team, this approach was a remarkable benefit, helpful in resolving potential conflicts and clashes in the pre-construction stage (Cello & Maudru Construction, n.d.). Rather than focusing on the physical construction step, the interior designers and engineering teams increased the time spent producing accurate digital models of each winery section, ensuring that no system complications were present (Cello & Maudru Construction, n.d.). Initiating this approach proved to be a tremendous advantage, which preserved time and resources that could have been used in resolving such mistakes in the physical space.
Apart from such essential systems as structure, plumbing, and electricity, other systems and their components can also become visible on the screen, which simplifies building evaluation. The integration of a novel water-filtering system was considerably aided by BIM 360 Glue, as necessary spacing requirements, duct locations, and electrical outlets were first outlined in the digital model (O’Connell, 2017). For instance, such sophisticated items as gravity-flow and pressurized pipes, necessary for the water filtration, require creating a prearranged pattern of intersection, thus avoiding raceway collisions in the future. However, by relying on BIM 360 Glue, all relevant precautions were introduced digitally, ensuring the engine’s functionality.
Of special consideration for the construction teams was the wine-tasting room. This section of the winery was intended to incorporate numerous sprinklers and electronic systems, which spread further to the wine library and acted as a protection system in case of a fire emergency. In this regard, the fire separation system was also perfected using the BIM approach, establishing a functioning network of necessary components that was examined for misalignments and clashing (Cello & Maudru Construction, n.d.). Precise locations of sprinklers and electricity cables were determined early, allowing the workers to prevent systems’ clashing and easily decorate the interior segments of this winery section.
Multiple systems conflicts were one of the core issues eliminated with the use of BIM. Given that all the routes and elements of each building system are depicted in the model, potential clashes and physical collisions can be easily identified during the inspection (Hsu et al., 2020). For instance, if an electrical socket is located too close to a water pipe, the intersection will become visible in the 3D project. In addition, design discrepancies may also be quickly clarified during analysis, specifying the physical parameters for the openings.
A crucial feature of the BIM strategy is the possibility to use a collaborative approach, utilizing insights from every team and initiating supplementary examinations. Although at first, each employee group works independently from others, at an Open BIM stage, the created models are united in a single digital space, allowing the members to establish potential issues between the structures (Chidambaram, 2019).
Communication between teams becomes more efficient and sustainable, while productivity rises significantly due to the established balance. Both Silver Oak CEO and Cello & Maudru Construction executives confirmed that maintaining connections throughout the multiple teams was the best way of resolving system conflicts that arise due to miscommunication or lack of information (Cello & Maudru Construction, n.d.; O’Connell, 2017). By avoiding the scenario in which each professional group works independently, the project leaders resolved clashing complications related to this problem.
Efficiency in Conflict Resolution
I believe that the implemented solutions were especially effective due to the visual imagery created with the up-to-date 3D tool. Producing a comprehensive model of a future building can be highly strenuous in the 2D environment due to the lack of visibility. In this regard, the decision to fully incorporate the digital instruments has positively influenced the structural and building systems’ integrity.
Observing clashes and physical conflicts can be remarkably efficient when the structure is presented from the 3D perspective (Chidambaram, 2019). Furthermore, the decision to contribute additional time to the design and pre-construction stage is also a considerable advantage that impacted the conflict resolution process. Careful examination of each section and system alignment is a crucial detail that requires significant time and effort to be conducted (Binggeli, 2016). Therefore, rather than relying on the possibility that potential mistakes can be alleviated mid-construction, the team focused on creating a perfect representation of the future building.
Another pertinent benefit that increased the productivity in conflict resolution was the quality of communication between the professionals involved in the building process. In my opinion, efficient problem-solving is considerably aided by establishing mutual trust and frequent interaction within and between teams. During pre-construction, when numerous changes are constantly introduced into the schematics, remaining aware of the novel decisions and accounting for the relevant alterations related to such changes is crucial for maintaining structural and system integrity (Binggeli, 2016). Miscommunication and lack of data are serious issues that could lead to gruesome complications.
Nevertheless, multiple teams participating in the construction process sustained a high-quality level of communication, as all changes were incorporated into the public model, and the members were informed of such differences in the schematics. Therefore, knowledgeable of the system updates added by engineers, interior designers applied their decisions carefully and corrected their plans according to the introductions. Overall, such flexibility and detail awareness allowed the workers to successfully eliminate the conflicts between separate building systems, avoiding costly mid-construction changes.
Conflict Resolution Executives: In Charge of System Alignment
The primary team responsible for finding and eliminating building system conflicts was the architect team led by Piechota Architecture. The professionals collaborated with interior and exterior designers not only to create the necessary outlook of the winery but also to avoid clashing between fire protection, plumbing, and electrical systems. The general guidelines for construction were produced by the engineering team, Submit Engineering, and mechanical and plumbing group, TEP Engineering, who presented the initial locations and component distribution for each system (Cello & Maudru Construction, n.d.).
After that, Piechota Architecture was tasked with reviewing these schematics and incorporating architectural and interior design solutions. If any building systems conflicts were observed, architects were to eliminate these complications, adjusting the plans and conveying the information to the interior designers and engineers.
Ensuring Productive System Conflict Resolution: The Role of the Interior Designer
The impact of the interior design process on creating a strong building structure is highly significant for the project’s success. Considering that building systems alignment is an essential feature of a safe and functional establishment, several approaches to the interior designer’s responsibilities have been established. As such, a crucial element for the conflict resolution process is space distribution, the notion that incorporates efficiency and the understanding of dimensional features (Karlen & Fleming, 2016). To avoid potential clashes and present solutions that ensure the most productive alignment of all building systems, the interior designer should consider all possible object combinations in the 3D environment. Examining height, width, and volume dimensions allows to appropriately distribute the building systems’ items, avoiding clashes.
Another pertinent task to be achieved is maintaining flexibility, the ability to adjust to the client’s preferences and security requirements. An interior designer is expected to demonstrate knowledge of task-resolution strategies, adapting to novel directions, and remaining flexible when devising and applying changes (Karlen & Fleming, 2016). Considering new methods of preserving space and openness to different ideas and experiences are vital strategies that allow producing interesting and efficient solutions to system clashes.
After that, the interior designer should also sustain awareness of the factors surrounding the construction process to create viable resolution pathways. During project realization, numerous attributes might influence the organization of building systems elements, from the customer’s desires to the environmental characteristics of the site (Karlen & Fleming, 2016). Therefore, it is critical to uphold a global overview of the construction approach, remaining knowledgeable of the details that might contribute to the emergence of system conflicts.
In light of these considerations, the design process should also adhere to particular strategic demands that increase the endeavor’s success. The first step towards creating a feasible project is to summarize the details of the future establishment, including the client’s preferences, the building’s functions, preliminary budget, and available sites for construction (Binggeli, 2016). After that, the space planning stage begins, where interior design and building systems ideas are recorded and evaluated (Binggeli, 2016). During this phase, the schematics remain preliminary, but their appearance should already be as detailed as possible to ensure which approach may be the most advantageous.
The third step in the design procedure refers to design development, where comprehensive floorplans and elevations are devised. Conducting examinations for potential conflicts is imperative throughout this process, as any misalignments might lead to incorrect administration of final specifications, resulting in clashes during construction (Binggeli, 2016). Developing 3D models and adjusting them is especially common in this stage, meaning that any revisions should be thoroughly recorded and communicated to all building teams. Even in small projects, preventing mistakes is more time-efficient than eliminating them. Therefore, adhering to the guidelines and implementing clash detection strategies should also be conducted in this phase.
Finally, the last step in the design process should be devoted to incorporating concluding specifications and revising the overall plan. Each section of the building should be comprehensively examined, accounting for possible physical conflicts between materials, systems, and items (Binggeli, 2016). During this stage, it is essential to assess the project from a global perspective, ensuring that integrity requirements are met and potential issues in item placement and system alignment are resolved before proceeding to construction.
Conclusion
To conclude, the building systems coordination pattern at the Silver Oak winery in Alexander Valley was discussed in detail in this paper, evaluating potential clashes between fire protection, plumbing, and electrical systems. It is evident that several considerable challenges related to incorporating the fire prevention, plumbing, and electrical systems might have occurred during planning and construction, namely physical and multiple systems conflicts. These complications can often result in gruesome consequences regarding the objects’ functionality and the overall safety of the building. Nevertheless, the interior designer and construction team implemented beneficial practical approaches to avoid undesirable conflicts, using the 3D BIM model as the primary building guide.
The digital environment proved to be a crucial addition to the construction process, which allowed the workers to communicate on the project’s issues and resolve them as soon as possible. Furthermore, a valuable feature of the conflict resolution strategies was the possibility to convey necessary changes to all the involved professionals, which decreased the possibility of encountering miscommunication issues.
Through efficient collaboration and digital environment use, the teams were able to create a comprehensive overview of the future winery, resolving physical and multiple system conflicts in the pre-construction phase. Altogether, interior designers are often tasked with identifying the building systems and adjusting the schematics to avoid potential conflicts between these elements, ensuring that the structure’s integrity and safety are preserved. In this regard, the designer must be knowledgeable of the building systems’ characteristics, possible complications, and resolution methods, thus creating a secure and comfortable environment for future use.
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