Applicable Project Codes
Standard
Building Regulations and Standards
Application area
Compliance review
Project relevance
Current adopted editions verified against design documentation during review.
Advisory services
Independent technical consultancy for project assurance
Design review, peer checking, tender evaluation and construction-phase advisory providing independent engineering oversight through project delivery.
Service scope
Technical consultancy at SEINZEN provides independent engineering oversight for clients, developers and asset owners who require assurance beyond standard design delivery. Services include design review, peer checking, tender evaluation, site inspection and technical due diligence across all MEP disciplines.
Design review assesses third-party design documentation against project requirements, applicable standards and engineering best practice. Peer checking provides independent verification of calculation methods, equipment selections and system strategies before construction issue.
Owner-side advisory supports clients through tender evaluation, contractor selection and construction-phase decision-making. Site inspections verify installation quality against design intent with documented findings and recommendation reports.
Technical due diligence for acquisitions and refinancing assesses MEP system condition, remaining life, compliance status and capital expenditure requirements for existing building portfolios.
Key engineering capabilities
Design review and audit
Independent assessment of design documentation against brief, standards and engineering best practice.
Peer checking
Verification of calculation methods, equipment selections and system strategies by independent engineers.
Tender evaluation support
Technical assessment of contractor submissions, value engineering proposals and bid compliance.
Owner-side advisory
Client representation through design, tender and construction phases with independent technical guidance.
Site inspection and reporting
Construction-phase inspections with documented findings, photographs and corrective action recommendations.
Technical due diligence
MEP condition assessment, compliance review and capex forecasting for property transactions.
Value engineering review
Independent assessment of cost reduction proposals against performance, compliance and lifecycle impact.
Expert witness and dispute support
Technical analysis and reporting for contractual disputes, defects claims and insurance assessments.
Standards and code compliance review
Verification of design compliance against applicable codes, standards and project-specific requirements.
Design and delivery methodology
- 01
Scope and brief agreement
Advisory scope, review criteria, reporting format and deliverable schedule agreed with client at engagement outset.
- 02
Document review
Systematic review of design documentation against checklist criteria with findings categorised by severity.
- 03
Analysis and assessment
Independent calculations, compliance checks and best practice comparison supporting review findings.
- 04
Report issue
Structured review report with findings, recommendations and priority ranking issued to client.
- 05
Follow-up and verification
Design team response review and verification of corrective actions through to resolution.
- 06
Construction-phase advisory
Ongoing site inspection, query response and decision support through installation and commissioning.
Technical design criteria
Design review criteria frameworks
Structured checklists covering load calculations, system selection, code compliance and coordination completeness.
Peer check methodology
Independent recalculation and cross-verification of critical design parameters and equipment sizing.
Tender compliance assessment
Evaluation of contractor submissions against specification requirements, exclusions and qualifications.
MEP condition survey methods
Visual inspection, operational testing and remaining life assessment for due diligence surveys.
Compliance gap analysis
Comparison of existing installations against current code requirements identifying upgrade obligations.
Capital expenditure forecasting
Replacement cost and timing estimates for major MEP plant and infrastructure components.
Value engineering impact assessment
Performance, compliance and lifecycle cost analysis of proposed design changes or substitutions.
Construction quality assessment
Installation quality criteria for mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems during site inspection.
Operational performance review
Comparison of metered consumption and system performance against design predictions and benchmarks.
Risk identification and mitigation
Technical risk register development with probability, impact and mitigation strategy recommendations.
Engineering principles and calculation approaches
Risk_score = Probability × Impact
Variables
Risk_score = risk rating; Probability = likelihood (1–5); Impact = consequence severity (1–5)
Application
Technical risk prioritisation for design review findings and due diligence assessments.
Notes
Risk matrix thresholds defined per client risk appetite at engagement outset.
Remaining_life = Design_life − Age
Variables
Remaining_life = estimated remaining service life (years); Design_life = expected service life; Age = current age (years)
Application
MEP equipment remaining life estimation for due diligence capex forecasting.
Notes
Adjust for maintenance history, operating conditions and condition survey findings.
Replacement_cost = Unit_cost × Quantity × Location_factor
Variables
Replacement_cost = estimated replacement cost; Unit_cost = benchmark unit cost; Quantity = number of units; Location_factor = regional cost adjustment
Application
Capital expenditure forecasting for major MEP plant replacement in due diligence.
Notes
Include installation, commissioning and temporary provision costs where applicable.
Compliance_gap = Current_standard − Installed_capability
Variables
Compliance_gap = performance or capacity shortfall; Current_standard = applicable code requirement; Installed_capability = existing system performance
Application
Identification of upgrade requirements for existing buildings against current code editions.
Notes
Grandfathering provisions and trigger conditions assessed per jurisdiction.
Final design values must be determined using project-specific inputs, applicable standards, manufacturer data and engineering judgement.
BIM, Revit and integrated design
Design review includes assessment of BIM model quality, LOD compliance and coordination completeness against project BEP requirements.
Due diligence surveys may include existing condition modelling from point cloud or manual survey data for asset documentation.
Review findings reference model element tags and drawing references for traceability to specific design issues.
As-built model review verifies installed conditions against construction issue models during handover advisory.
International standards and codes
Client Technical Requirements
Standard
Employer Requirements
Application area
Design review criteria
Project relevance
Project-specific performance, quality and documentation requirements.
ISO 9001
Standard
Quality Management Systems
Application area
Review process
Project relevance
Structured review process with documented findings and corrective action tracking.
RICS Technical Due Diligence
Standard
Building Surveying Standards
Application area
Due diligence
Project relevance
Condition assessment methodology and reporting standards for property transactions.
CIBSE Design Review Guidance
Standard
Peer Review Best Practice
Application area
Peer checking
Project relevance
Independent verification methodology for building services design.
ASHRAE Standards Portfolio
Standard
HVAC Design Standards
Application area
Mechanical review
Project relevance
Reference standards for mechanical design review and compliance verification.
IEC / BS 7671 / NFPA 70
Standard
Electrical Standards
Application area
Electrical review
Project relevance
Reference standards for electrical design review and compliance verification.
NFPA Fire Protection Standards
Standard
Fire Protection Standards
Application area
Fire review
Project relevance
Reference standards for fire protection design review and compliance verification.
ISO 19650
Standard
BIM Information Management
Application area
BIM review
Project relevance
BIM deliverable quality and information management review criteria.
Institution of Civil Engineers
Standard
Design Review Protocol
Application area
Review process
Project relevance
Structured design review process for infrastructure and building projects.
Local Authority Requirements
Standard
Approval and Compliance
Application area
Regulatory review
Project relevance
Authority having jurisdiction requirements verified during compliance review.
Insurance and Warranty Requirements
Standard
Project Insurance Standards
Application area
Risk assessment
Project relevance
Insurance-driven technical requirements for covered projects and claims.
| Code | Standard | Application area | Project relevance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applicable Project Codes | Building Regulations and Standards | Compliance review | Current adopted editions verified against design documentation during review. |
| Client Technical Requirements | Employer Requirements | Design review criteria | Project-specific performance, quality and documentation requirements. |
| ISO 9001 | Quality Management Systems | Review process | Structured review process with documented findings and corrective action tracking. |
| RICS Technical Due Diligence | Building Surveying Standards | Due diligence | Condition assessment methodology and reporting standards for property transactions. |
| CIBSE Design Review Guidance | Peer Review Best Practice | Peer checking | Independent verification methodology for building services design. |
| ASHRAE Standards Portfolio | HVAC Design Standards | Mechanical review | Reference standards for mechanical design review and compliance verification. |
| IEC / BS 7671 / NFPA 70 | Electrical Standards | Electrical review | Reference standards for electrical design review and compliance verification. |
| NFPA Fire Protection Standards | Fire Protection Standards | Fire review | Reference standards for fire protection design review and compliance verification. |
| ISO 19650 | BIM Information Management | BIM review | BIM deliverable quality and information management review criteria. |
| Institution of Civil Engineers | Design Review Protocol | Review process | Structured design review process for infrastructure and building projects. |
| Local Authority Requirements | Approval and Compliance | Regulatory review | Authority having jurisdiction requirements verified during compliance review. |
| Insurance and Warranty Requirements | Project Insurance Standards | Risk assessment | Insurance-driven technical requirements for covered projects and claims. |
Applicable standards depend on the project location, building use, authority having jurisdiction, employer requirements and contract documents. The current adopted edition must be confirmed at the beginning of each project.
Project deliverables and documentation
Design review report
Structured findings with severity ranking, recommendations and reference to design documents.
Peer check report
Independent verification of calculations, selections and compliance with signed certification.
Tender evaluation report
Technical assessment of contractor submissions with compliance matrix and recommendation.
Site inspection report
Documented findings with photographs, location references and corrective action requirements.
Technical due diligence report
MEP condition assessment, compliance status and capex forecast for property transactions.
Value engineering assessment
Impact analysis of proposed changes against performance, compliance and lifecycle cost.
Compliance gap analysis
Existing installation assessment against current code requirements with upgrade recommendations.
Risk register
Technical risks with probability, impact, mitigation and responsibility assignment.
Expert witness report
Technical analysis and opinion for dispute resolution, defects claims or insurance assessment.
Progress review minutes
Periodic advisory meeting records with action items and decision documentation.
Handover advisory report
Assessment of commissioning completeness, documentation quality and operational readiness.
Operational performance review
Post-occupancy assessment comparing operational data against design predictions.
Quality control and verification
Review criteria and checklists agreed with client before document review commences.
Findings independently verified by second reviewer before report issue.
Peer check calculations performed using independent methods and software where applicable.
Site inspection findings supported by photographic evidence and location references.
Due diligence reports reviewed against RICS or client-specified reporting standards.
Advisory recommendations clearly distinguished from design decisions remaining with design team.
Applicable project types
Developer clients requiring independent oversight of design and construction contractor performance.
Property acquisitions and refinancing requiring MEP due diligence and capex forecasting.
Public sector projects with independent peer review and value for money assessment requirements.
Complex buildings where design and build contractor proposals require independent technical evaluation.
Dispute resolution and defects investigation requiring expert technical analysis and reporting.
Portfolio asset management requiring condition surveys and compliance gap analysis across multiple properties.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between design review and peer checking?
Design review assesses documentation against brief, standards and best practice with findings and recommendations. Peer checking provides independent recalculation and verification of specific design outputs with formal certification of review completion.
When should owner-side advisory begin?
Advisory can begin at any project stage. Early engagement at concept or schematic design provides greatest influence on outcomes. Construction-phase advisory supports quality verification and decision-making during installation.
What does MEP technical due diligence include?
Due diligence includes visual condition survey, operational testing where accessible, compliance assessment against current codes, remaining life estimation and capital expenditure forecasting for major plant replacement.
Can technical consultancy support tender evaluation?
Technical assessment of contractor submissions evaluates compliance with specifications, qualifications, exclusions and value engineering proposals. Scored evaluation matrices support client decision-making alongside commercial assessment.
Is expert witness support available for disputes?
Technical analysis and reporting supports contractual disputes, defects claims and insurance assessments. Reports are prepared to standards acceptable for adjudication, arbitration or litigation proceedings.
Discuss technical consultancy scope
Contact our advisory team to review design audit, peer checking, due diligence or owner-side representation requirements for your project.