PLANNING · BUILDING SERVICES DESIGN
Building services designed around your needs
Building services must match how a facility is used. High Knowledge designs power supply, cooling, building automation and technical safety for buildings with demanding IT requirements. BIM helps us coordinate trades and interfaces, from office buildings with server rooms to data centres.
Design the building and its systems together
A server room affects more than its floor area. Power, heat removal, cable routes, access and maintenance require space and coordinated interfaces. We start with intended use and operational requirements. IT load, workplaces, operating hours and future expansion form the basis.
We distinguish office-building needs from high-availability infrastructure. Not every technical room needs the same redundancy. The consequences of an outage, operating processes and agreed scope determine the design.
Power supply and technical safety
We align connection demand, distribution, protection and, where required, uninterruptible power with building use. Cable routing, maintenance access and expansion allowances are considered early. Coordination with fire-safety designers and other stakeholders prevents clashes from surfacing only during construction.
Cooling, indoor conditions and controls
Heat loads from occupants, buildings and IT change throughout the day and year. We consider operating states, room temperatures, cooling demand and controls together. Measurement points and building automation should support operation. Technical allowances are justified and documented; indiscriminate oversizing creates avoidable capital and operating costs.
BIM as a coordination tool
Building Information Modeling brings geometry and technical information together in coordinated models. We agree which information is required at each stage and who supplies it. This includes responsibilities, exchange formats and approvals. An attractive model alone cannot replace that organisation.
Resolve interfaces before construction
Routes, penetrations, technical areas and maintenance space are coordinated across disciplines. Model checks help identify clashes and missing information. Changes must then be assessed and incorporated. Architecture, structural engineering, building services and IT design can work from a common, traceable design status.
From requirements to coordinated detailed design
We agree our responsibilities for each project. These may include requirements assessment, option appraisal, technical sizing, design documents and input to tendering and procurement. The HOAI technical-equipment service profile provides a professional framework; not every service is automatically included in an appointment.
Include existing assets and live operations
For existing buildings, we review available drawings, actual asset condition and known constraints. Unclear routes or missing measurements are identified before detailed design. Interventions, shutdowns and temporary arrangements must be agreed with those responsible. This matters just as much for a server room in an occupied office as for a larger technical installation.
Deliverables that support dependable planning
Depending on the appointment, deliverables include agreed requirements, assessed options, technical calculations, coordinated drawings or models and defined interfaces. Assumptions, decisions and unresolved questions are documented. We consider asset documentation and operational information needed at handover, so the design remains understandable for future changes.
Technical reference: HOAI, Anlage 15.
Frequently asked questions
Do you also design office buildings with a server room?
Yes. We coordinate building services with IT requirements. Scope depends on building use and project size.
Does every project need a full BIM workflow?
No. Model and information requirements are agreed to suit the project, stakeholders and subsequent use.
Is building services design the same as architectural design?
No. Building services design concerns a building’s technical systems. It is coordinated with architecture, structural engineering and other disciplines.
Let us plan your building’s technical systems.
Bring your intended use, existing drawings and known constraints. Together, we establish the design scope and interfaces your project needs.