What is Hydraulic Services Consulting?
Plumbing design is carried out by Hydraulic Consultants, who design and document plumbing services for buildings. These services are a critical part of the building as they include the supply and disposal of the liquids and gases throughout the building. Can you imagine a building without a bathroom or a water supply? It would be a different world without these things we consider commonplace. While many people take it for granted that these services just “work”, most buildings require the Hydraulic Consultant to prepare design plans so the Plumber can install the services. Hydraulic Consulting is a stimulating career and gives you the opportunity to work on a variety of construction projects such as hospitals, defence facilities, high rise buildings, shopping centres, recreational facilities, schools, universities and factories.
Just like builders need architectural plans to construct a building, Plumbers need a set of hydraulic drawings to show them what needs to be installed. Hydraulic Services consulting is the design and documentation of plumbing services, including, but not limited to:
- Cold water services
- Heated water services
- Non-drinking water services
- Sanitary plumbing & drainage systems
- Roof drainage systems
- Surface & subsurface (stormwater) drainage systems
- Trade waste & wastewater management systems
- Natural gas & LPG services
- Fire sprinkler system
- Fire hydrant systems
- Fire hose reel systems & Portable extinguishers
- Sustainable integrated water Management
Hydraulic Services consultants work closely with Architects, Builders, Council/Authorities, Developers and other engineering disciplines to put together all aspects of the built environment.
Once a design is prepared, it is coordinated with the other disciplines (Electrical, Fire, Mechanical and Structural) to ensure everything "fits" together within the building envelope.
The Hydraulic Consultant will prepare the following items:
- Drawings Plans
- Specifications
- Reports
- Calculations
- Budget Estimates
How do Hydraulic Services affect the Environment?
In the last few decades, the environment has been at the forefront of Government policies and Developer's minds.
The way we consume our water resources has been a key element of discussions and design. This has required Hydraulic Consultants and Suppliers to address ways to reduce water usage. Some of these include reducing toilet flush volumes, timed flushing or infra-red sensor flushing, sensor tapware and water efficient tapware.
It has also extended into the reuse of rainwater, fire services test water, and in some cases, the reuse of grey water and black water for irrigation and toilet flushing purposes.
Another main factor of environmental design is energy efficiency. The main area for reducing energy consumption in teh Hydraulic Services industry is the heating of hot water. We have some excellent manufacturers in our industry who consistantly update and develop their products to be more efficient with energy. It is the Hydraulic Consultant's responsibility to be aware of the products in teh market and understand how to include them in their designs.
Another growing concern is what we do with our Stormwater and how it can pollute our waterways and oceans. Hydraulic Consultants design systems with suitable filters and stormwater cleaning mechanisms to prevent these pollutants from reaching the waterways before they become an issue.
How do Hydraulic Services affect Health?
If minimum plumbing standards are not followed, there can be dramatic effects on worldwide health. The WHO estimates that approximately 842,000 people die per year because they do not have access to safe drinking water and sanitary systems. Plus, while it may not be the original cause, it has been documented that poor plumbing practices have contributed to the spread of major infections including SARS and Swine Flu.
What education is required?
The current tertiary education to study is the Diploma of Hydraulic Services Design. The course code for this is CPC50620. The Diploma is currently delivered by TAFE (NSW). This is via “blended” delivery meaning you can attend face-to-face classes or attend from remote locations via MS Teams.
Becoming a Hydraulic Services consultant will introduce you to an industry that is fascinating and progressive. No two Hydraulic Services projects are the same. Hydraulic Services could be just the career for you! Especially if you are interested in technical drawing, engineering science, maths and the environment.
