Case Study from: Sparks+Partners Consulting Engineers
Learn how Sparks+Partners designed a 13-unit boutique building in 3 hours, saving 2 days using h2x over traditional methods.
Name: Larson Dsouza
Role: Senior Hydraulic Engineer
Company: Sparks+Partners
Location: New South Wales, Australia
Results at a glance:
3 hours to size hot, cold, and fire hydrants (vs. 2 days traditionally)
Instant recalculation when amenities/layouts change
Built-in QA with pressure limit warnings and a clean model for drafting
See how this was done:
The Background
Sparks+Partners were tasked to deliver the hydraulic services for a boutique 4-storey residential building in New South Wales, Australia. The development consists of 13 apartments, including a rooftop 4-bedroom penthouse, 4 x 1-bed units, and 8 x 2-bed units, requiring coordinated hot water, cold water, and fire hydrant design.
The team selected h2x to speed up modelling while maintaining accuracy and a clean hand-off to drafting. The aim was to size systems quickly, test options early, and issue a clear model that the documentation team could pick up without rework.
The Challenge
Under traditional methods, producing pressure, flow, and pipe sizing calculations across domestic hot and cold water plus hydrants is slow and brittle. Making design changes, especially as architectural layouts evolve, adds hours of recalculation and increases the risk of errors creeping into spreadsheets.
Quality assurance can also suffer when changes are frequent. Designers need to confirm pressure limits, velocities, and hydrant duties while keeping a complete audit trail of what changed, where, and why. Doing this manually tends to extend programmes and delay drawing production. According to Larson Dsouza: "I found that h2x increases the quality of the design at all stages."
Interested to learn more about h2x?
The Solution
Using h2x, Larson completed the hot water, cold water, and fire hydrant calculations for the entire building in about 3 hours. Real-time recalculation made option testing straightforward; design edits and alternative layouts could be assessed immediately for pressure, velocity, and pipe sizing impacts. "It is very easy to check different design options and make changes in real time," he notes.
The software also supported a clean hand-off. Once the design was locked, a high quality model was issued to drafting for completion. Ongoing coordination was simpler too: "If additional amenities are added, I just draw the amenities in h2x, connect to the existing system, and all of the results are recalculated instantly." Built-in warnings for maximum pressure exceedance further strengthened QA and reduced oversight risk.
The Results
The full hydraulic design effort dropped from 2 days to 3 hours, and the team ended with a coordinated model rather than just a set of calculations. That combination of speed and clarity helped maintain momentum into documentation and approvals, while increasing confidence in the numbers.
Quality improved alongside pace. Automatic checks, instant recalculation, and clear outputs made QA and change management easier. As Larson sums it up: "Once I finished designing in h2x, I was able to provide a clear, high-quality model for the drafting team to complete."
h2x: All-In-One Tool for Calculating, Designing, Estimating, and Paperwork
Interested to learn more about h2x?
Loved by Engineers
Read More Customer Stories
Designed a 60-storey hotel in 2 hours
How Sparks+Partners sized pipework for an Australian 60‑storey building in just 2 hours, saving at least 1.5 staff days with h2x.
h2x listened, engaged and acted
How Ideal Heating accelerated design validation with hands‑on support, and embraced h2x in just 3 days through rapid innovation.
Cut design time by 50% vs. before
How MEP Design cut time by 50% on a 50-storey mixed-use tower in Manchester, UK, delivering more accurate designs with h2x.
