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In this column, we sit down with professionals working in architecture and engineering to bring our readers an authentic look at their working environment, the work they carry out, their responsibilities, and the distinctive features of their profession.
This time, M. Bayarkhuu a certified senior HVAC engineer at MGL E&C, now in his seventh year in the profession joined us for a conversation, sharing his own experience and perspective as we explored what the field is really about, how it is developing, and the pressing challenges it faces.
A brief introduction to yourself
Hello, everyone. My name is Bayarkhuu Munkhbileg. In 2014 I enrolled at the Mongolian University of Science and Technology to study \"Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning,\" and after graduating I have worked in the building design sector since 2018.
Tell us more about your profession
People tend to think of heating and ventilation simply as the field that handles a building\'s heat. In reality, it is a vital profession that determines the comfort of every person inside a building, depending on how correctly and efficiently the calculations for ventilation, cooling, and air conditioning are made. If we look specifically at the heating side, we face the problem of a shortage in heating-plant capacity. Because of this, we increasingly seek out and try to implement solutions such as renewable energy, solar heat, heat pumps, and geothermal energy. However, incorporating and realizing these in a design comes with considerable difficulty. A scarcity of companies that can supply and install equipment suited to Mongolia\'s extreme climate, along with a shortage of skilled professionals who can provide expert guidance on it, are among the reasons these difficulties arise.
On heating and ventilation in green buildings
Heating and ventilation solutions in green buildings are accepted only after meeting numerous standards. It is essential to carry out the planning from the very beginning in accordance with specific norms and regulations. For example, the amount of cooling fluid is specified, with provisions stating that you must meet that amount or may exceed it, and so on. Likewise, depending on how much ventilation a given room requires, the work is coordinated with automation selecting the appropriate grilles for that room, the automatic dampers above them, and how and from where the dampers are controlled, as well as how information reaches the equipment.
On the challenges that arise during the design process
Strong mutual understanding between the client and the design contractor is the most important thing. In the residential buildings of the socialist era, the conventional ventilation system relied on infiltration through the building envelope, windows, and doors; that incoming air created air pressure, forming a natural exhaust system through which ventilation took place. Today, as buildings have become far more airtight, conditions now require windows to be opened for the ventilation system to function. For this reason, we strive to develop the most suitable solution for every building we plan whether residential or multi-purpose, and regardless of whether the structure is small or large. For large industrial buildings and public buildings, planning a sufficiently sized mechanical room and a unified system creates many advantages that, in turn, extend the building\'s service life and produce a comfortable environment for people.
What should HVAC students focus on and work hard at during their studies so that it serves them best when they enter the workforce?
Of course, it is important to acquire theoretical knowledge during your studies. But I would also advise carrying out your practical internships effectively. Through on-site internships at construction sites, you can see and learn firsthand how things actually work the heating risers, the horizontal mains, the riser pipes leading up to the heating fixtures, the various types of polymer piping and how they connect, and so on. Combining your theoretical knowledge with that practical experience will make it much easier to take part in design work.
How do you hope this field will develop in the future?
Beyond designers producing and planning with the right solutions, I see the greatest impactful change for this field coming from advancing and improving the development of equipment suited to our country\'s extreme climate both its intense heat and its intense cold. For buildings planned in areas not connected to central heating, I hope the heating equipment used will develop in a way that can operate fully under Mongolian conditions, with higher quality and greater reliability.