C28 -- Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA): Integration Strategies in the HVAC Design of Buildings

Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA) is a proven and established technique in product design for minimizing the number of components and time of assembly. The ultimate aim of DFMA is to reduce the material cost and maximize the profit of the company without compromising on the quality of the product.Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) Design firms and contractors agree that DFMA is providing significant improvements to building cost, schedule, quality and safety performance, productivity, client satisfaction, and their ability to reduce waste. Also, Clients become increasingly comfortable with this process and the outcomes, while the industry develops more resources to support innovative applications.As part of the vision to promote a design that maximizes off-site and prefab approaches, the Mechanical Methodology in the HVAC industry is focusing on pulling back the field knowledge from construction to design. In this regard, the paper showcases how HVAC design can become DFMA enabled and it identifies four DFMA categories for HVAC Modular Configurations: Prefabricated Mechanical Components such as MEP racks, Prefabricated Assemblies and Equipment Skids such as pump skids, Prefabricated Modules and Mechanical Pods, and Prefabricated Plants.