The Plumbing System of Architectural Utilities

A week just passed and another fruitful discussion was held during the class of BS Architecture 2-4 in Ar. Bano’s building utilities class. The virtual discussion comprises some professional practice experiences of the instructor which makes the lesson more interesting and captivating. I learned a lot of new information regarding plumbing systems that profoundly gave me confidence in studying the course. I was able to realize that architecture does not only focus on physical appearance but the design of its functional components should also work efficiently. Through this essay, I will discuss and expound on the new knowledge I gained from the discussion.

The Plumbing system as a building utility component plays a significant role in the functionality of a certain building. The function of the plumbing system can be compared with how important the circulatory system is to the human body. Just like the circulatory system, it requires a source and a force to pump the blood throughout the human body. This system enables the residents or users of the facility to function well. There are two methods of how water is distributed, the gravity water system that greatly depends on the air pressure at a given height or altitude, and the pneumatic water system that depends on a pump and a pneumatic tank for pressure. The gravity water distribution system also is known as the down-feed water system requires a water supply to be placed at a sufficient height that would provide enough pressure for the entire distribution system (Salvan,1986). This method is often used in high-rise buildings as the increasing height of the building may require extra pressure from a water pump which makes gravity handy for the purpose of easy and cheaper water distribution. On the other hand, the Pneumatic or up-feed water system is a water distribution method that contains water from the water main stored inside a pressurized tank (Ching, 2011). These systems distribute potable water to fixtures such as faucets and mixers through the riser and the branch. Riser and branch are both parts of the interconnected pipe system that distributes water in the house. This method is commonly used in residential homes. The class also discussed different types of water, fixtures, and equipment that are used in plumbing systems. The professor also gave additional information about water heater and cooler types such as instantaneous water heaters and refrigerants, PH level indications, and boiler. He also gave insights on how building utilities such as good plumbing and sanitary system planning should manifest in architectural design.

Overall, the discussion was beneficial as it helped me form a wider and deeper perspective on how plumbing systems work. It gave me a brand new viewpoint on the importance of the plumbing system in the efficiency and functionality of the architectural design.

References:

Ching,F.D.K.(2011). A Visual Dictionary Architecture(2nd ed.). John Wiley and Sons INC.

Salvan,G.S.(1986).Architectural Utilities 1 Plumbing and Sanitary Systems(1st ed.).JMC Press INC.