People don’t often think of the quality of their indoor climate, that is, until something goes wrong. Emma Myrén and Marcus Persson work at Värmex AB in Sweden and discuss how they use MagiCAD software to make sure things are just right.
Design that makes a difference
Värmex is a Swedish family-owned company that has grown to around 50 employees with a turnover of SEK 67 million in 2021. The company’s projects consist of indoor climate optimization and improving the energy-efficiency of heating, cooling, ventilation, domestic water and drainage systems. However, plumbing consultant Marcus Persson likes to take a different perspective to the company’s operations:
“It’s easy to get lost in the technical details of drawings and such when you’re working,” he says, “but in the end our work is about the people living in the building. We make sure that they are comfortable.”
Emma Myrén, Head of consulting at Värmex, agrees and adds that what is extra rewarding about working with indoor climate is that you feel that you are making a difference.
“With new construction, you don’t normally get to see how everything turns out once people move in,” she says, “but because we often work with existing buildings, we get to see how people feel both before and after our work.”
MagiCAD is an ace up one’s sleeve
Of the two, Emma has been with the company the longest. Throughout her eleven years at Värmex, and even before, MagiCAD has been the company’s trusted tool. Marcus, for his part, uses MagiCAD for AutoCAD and the MagiCAD Ventilation, MagiCAD Piping and MagiCAD Schematics modules in his daily work and lists some of the biggest advantages of the software:
“You can make automatic calculations, such as flow summaries, dimensioning, and balancing, at the same time as you are drawing a heating or ventilation system. This saves a lot of time. Even functions for otherwise time-consuming tasks, such as adding different dimension texts, are remarkably streamlined. It’s lightning fast to work with MagiCAD.”
Emma adds that the opportunity to experiment with different design alternatives is extremely important, especially when it comes to coordination between different disciplines and contractors.
Creative solutions to complex problems
Marcus highlights two of Värmex’s projects where MagiCAD truly proved indispensable.
“Mörtvikskolan [a school building] in Huddinge, was an extension project where the school kitchen needed to be expanded. As is often the case, there were not any good up-to-date drawings available, which made it challenging to match the systems of the extension part with the existing ones.”
The solution was to go over the existing building thoroughly, draw its systems in MagiCAD before the construction work started, and then connect this with the drawings for the new extension. This allowed the team to simulate the functionality of full systems and to see if there was any risk of collisions or other issues.
“There was also very little space overall,” adds Emma. “All the systems needed to be fitted in between beams, columns and other load-bearing structures. Designers from different disciplines needed to really work together on sorting out the limited space.”
“The 3D models that were drawn in MagiCAD were incredibly helpful,” says Marcus, “it was like solving a big puzzle where we could help each other in the model and see how everything can fit together.”
A second memorable project was updating the Knäpingsborg neighborhood in Norrköping. The project consisted of twelve buildings that had very different uses and needs but still shared a common heating system.
“The various buildings had been renovated in stages and, as usual, proper drawings were nowhere to be found,” says Marcus. “Due to the size and complexity of the block, we had to do the project in parts.”
He describes how the team walked around the area, examined all the pipes, valves, pumps and other components, and drew everything they saw MagiCAD.
“We digitally created all the systems that lacked drawings. We could then see which components were missing and needed to be replaced. The heating system was adjusted to optimize energy use and ensure good performance everywhere.”
With smart design, everyone wins
Going forward, the biggest advantages of digital tools may actually extend beyond what Marcus and Emma describe in the above mentioned projects.
“The demands to build in a more environmentally conscious manner are increasing from all sides,” says Emma. “It can be about using components that have a low environmental impact or that the facilities are designed and constructed for as low energy use as possible.”
“With the help of MagiCAD’s product library, I can easily find components that I know have the proper environmental classification,” adds Marcus. “Sustainable construction is about designing better systems that use less energy.”
Both agree that the digital way of working brings enormous advantages for those who build our homes, for us who live in them, and for the planet at large.
“Smart design is good for the environment and the climate,” concludes Emma.