HVAC in the Office: Air Balance, Collisions, and Service Access (Before the Ceiling Goes Up)

If something can “break” comfort in the office, it will be the air first.
That’s why we start with air supply and exhaust balance, pressure, and speed calculations.
Ceiling plans include not only diffusers and grilles, but also service zones that no one should permanently build over.
In a 3D model, you can immediately see where ducts, light fittings, or sprinklers might collide with a beam.
In practice, an hour of coordination before ordering plasterboard can save days of rework later.
And one more thing: we start HVAC system commissioning before ceilings are closed, because “servicing through paint” is not a real solution.

Electrical and Lighting: Precision That Defines Comfort and Compliance

Electrical systems are the nervous system of any interior.
It’s not just about whether “the lights work” — it’s about intensity, uniformity, reflections, DALI control, and work scenes.
In open spaces, we plan socket flexibility (floor or raised floor), power reserves in switchboards, and grid layouts of lights and inspection hatches before anyone touches the ceiling tiles.
That way, aesthetics don’t fight with acoustics, and lamp maintenance doesn’t require dismantling half the ceiling.

IT in the Office: Network, Wi-Fi, and Switching Without Interrupting Work

The IT network is a “project within a project.”
Wi-Fi access points, cable routes from server racks, CCTV, and PoE — all of these can easily fall a week behind ceiling work if not planned together.
That’s why we map AP points in parallel with lighting and HVAC plans.
Commissioning and switchovers (often overnight or on weekends) are planned with the client’s IT team — always with a rollback plan.
In active offices, it’s not about “it’ll work tomorrow,” but “it keeps working today.”

Fire Protection Systems (SSP/DSO/Sprinklers): Compliance That Defines the Ceiling

Fire safety leaves no room for “it’ll do.”
Sprinkler spacing, detector visibility and reach, and DSO speaker placement determine ceiling layout and finish.
Access panels for valves and dampers are coordinated in advance, so no one “searches for them with a ladder” a week after painting.

Acoustics and Work Comfort: Don’t Build Over the Problem

Acoustic bridges form where installations meet partitions — leaks around walls, ceiling penetrations, or unsealed ventilation ducts.
No “better carpet” will fix that.
It’s best to design seals, dampers, and acoustic infill from the start, rather than “treating” the issue later with decorative panels.
Acoustic comfort is now as crucial a parameter as light and temperature.

BMS in the Office: One Brain for Many Systems

When all systems must work in sync — day/night modes, lighting scenes, technical alarms — a cohesive Building Management System (BMS) is essential.
We define addressing and communication protocols (BACnet/Modbus/DALI) before equipment delivery, ensuring a single, integrated automation system rather than a patchwork of independent ones.

Order and Testing of Installations: Finishes Should Close, Not Reopen

Most rework stems from haste.
If you close the ceiling before testing (airtightness, performance, electrical, IT, fire safety), you’ll almost certainly return to it with a cutter.
Our sequence is simple:
installation → testing → commissioning → measurements → only then finishes.
Ironically, this speeds up the project by avoiding “post-painting” corrections.

Service Access: A Plan for Life After Handover

Access panels aren’t a luxury — they’re a cheap insurance policy for years to come.
We design them wherever they’ll be needed — near filters, dampers, sensors, and controllers — always aligned with ceiling and wall grids.
This way, maintenance doesn’t destroy the interior, and users don’t have to live with “temporary” patches.

Summary: Start with What You Can’t See

A good office “works” thanks to what’s hidden.
If you want a renovation without downtime or costly fixes, start with the installations: coordinated, tested, service-accessible, and managed by a smart BMS.
Only then do you build the aesthetic and visual layer.
That’s how we design at Imago: an office that looks the same in the morning after a night of changes — functional, comfortable, and built to last.