1. What is technical building equipment anyway?

technical building equipment is also abbreviated to TGA and describes all systems and facilities that are permanently installed in a building to increase living comfort or that are necessary for living. The term technical building equipment is therefore used in both public and private buildings. Well-functioning building technology is a basic requirement for buildings to be used or inhabited. The extent of the TGA depends on the building in question and its individual purpose.

2. What does the TGA include?

But what is necessary for a building to be inhabited or used? The technical building equipment includes everything from the electricity and water supply to communication and monitoring systems to sanitation, air conditioning and heating systems.

2.1. Sanitary facilities

Sanitary facilities include all water supply and wastewater disposal facilities. These include toilets and bathrooms, for example.
It is important that they are safe to operate and do not pose a hazard. DIN standards regulate the state of the art to be observed. Only specialists may install the systems, but a certificate from the company carrying out the work is sufficient to prove this.

The top priority is to ensure that no dangers arise from technical defects. The consequences of such a defect can include a water leak, a burst pipe, contamination of the drinking water or flooding. To prevent such things, pipes must be pressure-resistant, frost-proof and protected against corrosion.

2.2. Air conditioning, warm air heating and ventilation systems

If a building cannot be ventilated using windows alone, ventilation systems must be installed. Rooms where this is often the case are:

There are a few things to consider: The exhaust air must always be led outside and redirection into exhaust systems is not permitted. In addition, ventilation systems must not affect fireplaces that depend on the room air. These include, for example, gas ovens or gas water heaters.

These requirements also apply to warm air heating and air conditioning systems, as they also interfere with the natural ventilation of the rooms. In addition, they change the temperature of the air, which is another reason.

2.3. Heat generation plants, combustion plants and fuel supply

Combustion systems are systems that are responsible for producing heat in a building. This not only involves the heat from the heating system, but also the preparation of hot water. A combustion system includes a fireplace, which can be a central heating system or an individual stove, and an exhaust system, for example a chimney or an exhaust pipe.

Ensuring operational safety is particularly important. The exhaust system may only be put into operation once an authorized local chimney sweep has certified that it is safe to use. However, maintenance and checks must be carried out regularly to ensure that safety and technology are always up to date.

The fuels used, such as pellets or heating oil, must be stored in special fuel storage rooms above a maximum storage quantity. These ensure maximum safety with their fire-resistant walls and doors, as the fuel does not pose a danger.
There are also other types of heat generation: in a solar or photovoltaic system, for example, the heat is not generated by combustion. Although these systems also have to be reliable, the effort required in terms of maintenance and upkeep is limited.

3. Planning technical building equipment

There are special TGA planners who take on the planning of the technical building equipment. This is also absolutely necessary, after all, it is not an easy task to always keep an overview of all the necessary systems. In addition, the systems must be compatible with each other and work together reliably.

In addition, systems must not fail during installation or maintenance. The technical building equipment must therefore be set up in such a way that no power outages or short circuits occur.

The TGA planner not only takes on the planning of new technical building equipment, but also checks and inspects existing systems and equipment. Maintenance is urgently required to prevent malfunctions. The TGA planner is therefore responsible for ensuring that all systems are checked at regular intervals.

Technology has now advanced to the point where a TGA planner can set the temperature for each room individually. This not only saves energy, but also costs. In addition, this approach is entirely in line with environmental protection. Climate-friendly living is therefore supported by good planning of the technical building equipment.