The Hydraulic Engineer & Real Estate Development

 Those of you who are new to the real estate development business, need to understand what each Design professional contributes to the development team and the specific services they are capable of
delivering for you.

Knowing what they do for you ... what you are paying for is vital.

This is part of a series of articles I am writing for you to explain what each profession does in some detail.

Hydraulic Engineers

Most we know what an Architect does, or what a Structural Engineer does, but the hydraulic engineer is a bit of a puzzle.

When you hydraulic in the development business "think" pipes, "think" water, "think" gas.

In other words "think" of any material that has to be provided by pipes in a real estate development. Lock that
into your brain and we'll get to gripes with this service quickly.

If you are a resident of an apartment or a customer of a hotel, when you turn on a hot faucet (tap) you rightfully expect to feel hot water running into your sink soon.

Have you ever wondered how a person
on the second floor or the sixtieth floor gets hot water on demand ... or cold water for that matter.


Similarily, you can ask the same question about the liquid waste we humans produce in our residential accommodation.

You can add to that fire services and the sprinklers that keep us safe or the gas service if you want to cook on gas on the twentyfifth floor.

Do we want a swimming pool on the penthouse level or on the ground floor or do we want to recycle your waste water and use it to water the garden, then you'll need an hydraulic engineer.

So the hydraulic engineer is pretty important to our health and lifestyle. If he did not exist, then high rise
buildings would not exist.

So with that overview, let's get into the detail.


On receiving the initial project brief, all aspects are examined in detail. The client's brief is expanded, analysed and reports are written.

These reports allow the client the opportunity to evaluate all sections of the report, from a financial and technical point of view, in the full knowledge of the implications of all components of the hydraulic services.

Design co-ordination and control is maintained by regular in-house meetings, with the resultant elimination of site problems.

And the hydraulic engineer's role can be summarised as:

Design documentation - services are drawn to scale.

Obtain all the necessary Authority Approvals.

Prepare the specification, schedules, quantities and estimates.

Complete the 'As Constructed' set of drawings.

Carry out all construction supervision and report.

,i>And the approach to their clients' projects is:

* To be cost effective
* To be efficient
* To contain our latest design innovations

Professional Services

Not all of the scope of professional services set out below can be offered by all hydraulic engineering firms.

These services are offered by the firm I have used on almost all of my developments. They are leaders in their field and design for projects around the world.

Hydraulic Engineering

. Sewer drainage, gravitational, pumps.
Vacuum systems.
. Trade waste drainage and treatment
plants.
. Stormwater drainage.
. Sub-soil drainage.
. Rainwater downpipes & gutters.
. Sanitary plumbing.
. Trade waste plumbing.
. Cold water supply, storage and
pressurisation.
. Hot water supply, boilers & calorifiers.
. Natural Gas service. · LP gas service.
. Sanitary ware. · Taps, outlets and controls.
. Thermostatic mixing valve assemblies.
. Landscape watering & irrigation water supply.
. Grey water reuse.
· Back flow prevention.
. Water feature display fountains.
. Swimming pool systems.
. Steam service.
. Compressed air service.
. Bioremediation processes.

Civil Hydraulic Engineering

. Stormwater drainage detention systems.
. Domestic water treatment plants & reticulation.
. Water harvesting.
. Bore pumping.
. Soil management.
. Nutrient management control.
. Organic sewerage treatment plants.
. Sewerage treatment plants.
. Treated sewerage effluent spray irrigation.

Fire Engineering

. Fire hydrant & fire hose reel systems.
. Fire sprinkler service.
. External fire sprinkler service.
. Pre-action fire sprinkler systems for computer rooms.
. Deluge fire suppression systems.
. Fire alarm services.
. Smoke detection services.
. Emergency warning intercoms.
. Vesda systems for computer rooms.
. Fire extinguishers.


Medical Gases


. Medical oxygen.
. Nitrous oxide.
. Medical breathing air.
. Surgical tools gas.
. Suction.


Scope of Services


No fee advisory service.
Design.
Documentation.
Specification.
Construction quality control.
Hydraulic Feasibility Studies.
Estimating.
Bills of Quantities.
Due diligence.
Professional witness.

Depending on the country in which you develop, you might expect your hydraulic engioneer to be a member of the following professional bodies:

American Society of Sanitary Engineers

American Society of Plumbing Engineers

Hydraulic Services Consultants of Australia

Australian Water Association

Institute of Plumbing Australia

Royal Society for the Promotion of Health (London)

If your country's Institute of Hydraulic Engineers is not listed just go to :
Google Search and type in the Search Box;
"Institute of Hydraulic Engineers"

About the Author

Colm Dillon has developed $1.2 Billion worth of Real Estate and has written the definitive "How To" E-book, "Residential Development Made Easy" selling in 63 countries. Go To:
http://www.realestatedevelopmentcoach.com for more information.

 Colm Dillon

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