Mechanical Engineering
HVAC, plumbing and mechanical system design for new construction and retrofit projects.
Overview
Mechanical engineering covers the systems that heat, cool, ventilate and move water through a building — HVAC and plumbing design, sized for the building's use, occupancy and Alberta's climate. CanMaple Consultant designs mechanical systems for new construction, retrofits and tenant improvements, coordinated with the structural, electrical and architectural disciplines on the same project.
Mechanical systems are also one of the more common triggers for a retrofit project on their own — an aging furnace or rooftop unit reaching the end of its service life, or a building's occupancy changing in a way that its original HVAC design didn't anticipate. These retrofit-driven scopes are engineered with the same rigour as new-construction design, sized to the building's actual current use rather than its original design assumptions.
Who This Service Is For
- Owners and developers building new residential, commercial or industrial buildings.
- Building owners retrofitting or upgrading aging HVAC or plumbing systems.
- Contractors and architects who need a mechanical engineer as part of a coordinated project team.
Common Challenges We Address
- A new building needs HVAC and plumbing systems designed and sized before construction can be permitted.
- An existing building's mechanical systems are aging, undersized, or need to be upgraded to meet current energy-code requirements.
- A tenant improvement or renovation changes occupancy or space use in a way that requires the mechanical systems to be reassessed and redesigned.
- A project needs mechanical drawings coordinated with structural and electrical work rather than designed in isolation.
Scope of Service
- HVAC system design — heating, cooling and ventilation sized to the building's use, occupancy and code requirements.
- Plumbing system design — domestic water, drainage and venting systems for new construction and retrofits.
- Energy-code compliance documentation, supporting permit submission under current Alberta energy-code requirements.
- Retrofit and upgrade design for aging or undersized mechanical systems.
Typical Deliverables
- Mechanical drawing packages for permit submission and construction.
- Equipment schedules and specifications.
- Energy-code compliance documentation.
- Design coordination documentation where the mechanical scope interfaces with structural or electrical work.
Project Types
Residential
New-build and renovation HVAC and plumbing design sized to Alberta climate conditions.
Commercial
Office, retail and mixed-use mechanical design, including tenant-improvement retrofit scopes.
Industrial
Process-adjacent mechanical design for warehouse and light-industrial buildings.
How the Engagement Works
Program and load review
We review the building's use, occupancy and space program to establish mechanical system requirements.
System design
HVAC and plumbing systems are sized and selected based on load calculations and code requirements.
Drawing production
Mechanical drawings and equipment schedules are developed to permit and construction detail.
Permit and construction support
Drawings are issued for permit submission, with construction-phase support available where scoped.
Alberta & Edmonton Considerations
Mechanical systems in Alberta are designed against the National Building Code – Alberta Edition and the National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings as adopted provincially, both of which set minimum performance requirements relevant to HVAC design. Alberta's heating-degree-day climate makes heating-system sizing and building envelope interaction particularly significant in mechanical design decisions for Edmonton-area buildings.
Working With Your Project Team
Mechanical systems interact directly with structural framing (ductwork and equipment routing), electrical service (equipment loads) and architectural layout (space allocation for equipment and distribution). On coordinated CanMaple projects, mechanical design is developed alongside these disciplines rather than after the fact.
Related Engineering Disciplines
Why Choose CanMaple
- Mechanical systems sized and designed with direct coordination to structural and electrical scopes on the same project.
- Experience with both new-construction design and retrofit/upgrade scopes for aging systems.
- Edmonton-based, with design practice built around Alberta climate and energy-code requirements.
- Scoped proposals — you know what mechanical work is included before it starts.
Service Area
CanMaple is based in Edmonton, Alberta, and provides mechanical engineering services for projects across Edmonton and other Alberta communities.
Industries commonly served with this discipline include Manufacturing & Factory, Chemical, Commercial Interiors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you design both HVAC and plumbing systems?
Yes — CanMaple's mechanical engineering scope covers HVAC (heating, cooling, ventilation) and plumbing (domestic water, drainage, venting) system design.
Can you upgrade the mechanical systems in an existing building?
Yes — retrofit and upgrade design for aging or undersized HVAC and plumbing systems is a regular part of CanMaple's mechanical scope.
How is mechanical design coordinated with the rest of the project?
Mechanical system routing and equipment loads are checked directly against structural, electrical and architectural constraints as the design develops.
What information do you need to start a mechanical design scope?
Building use and occupancy information, architectural drawings or layout, and any existing mechanical documentation for retrofit projects.
Do you provide energy-code compliance documentation?
Yes — mechanical designs are documented to support energy-code compliance as part of the permit submission package.
Can you size a replacement HVAC system for an aging building?
Yes — retrofit sizing accounts for the building's current use, envelope condition and occupancy, rather than simply matching the capacity of the system being replaced.
Do you design mechanical systems for industrial buildings?
Yes — mechanical scopes for industrial and warehouse buildings are sized to the building's use, which often differs significantly from standard commercial HVAC assumptions.
Can mechanical design help lower a building's operating costs?
System sizing and selection decisions affect long-term operating efficiency; specific energy-performance targets can be discussed as part of scoping if that's a priority for the project.
Do you coordinate mechanical design with an architect who isn't part of CanMaple?
Yes — CanMaple regularly provides mechanical engineering as a discipline on projects led by an external architect or contractor, coordinating through the project's normal design process.
Request a Mechanical Engineering Proposal
Tell us about your project and we'll follow up with a scoped proposal.
Request a Consultation