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Articles

Engineering Office-to-Residential Conversions That Work

January 9, 2026
•
Project

Engineering Office-to-Residential Conversions That Work

For Peak Residences, we converted an office building to multifamily housing by leveraging existing infrastructure, applying code intent—not assumptions—and aligning mechanical decisions with budget realities to control cost and risk.

Office-to-residential conversions look straightforward — until you open the drawings.

Peak Residences started as an existing office building. The goal was to convert it into a functional, code-compliant multifamily residential building — without breaking the project's financial model.

Here's how we approached it.

1️⃣ Existing conditions drive everything Office buildings aren't designed for:• Residential ventilation strategies• Suite-by-suite mechanical systems• Plumbing distribution at residential density

Before designing anything new, we focused on what could realistically be reused:• Existing shafts and risers• Floor-to-floor heights• Mechanical room locations• Structural penetrations

The biggest risk in conversions is designing systems that physically don't fit.

2️⃣ Code intent matters more than assumptions A common mistake is treating conversions like new builds.

Instead, we analyzed:• Applicable building and mechanical code provisions for change of use• Fire and life safety impacts tied to residential occupancy• Where equivalencies could be applied without compromising performance

This allowed us to meet code requirements without unnecessary system replacement.

3️⃣ Mechanical decisions tied directly to pro forma Every major mechanical decision affects:• Construction cost• Schedule• Long-term operating expenses

Rather than defaulting to full system replacement, we:• Retained viable base infrastructure• Introduced targeted upgrades where they had the biggest impact• Balanced first cost against long-term efficiency and maintenance

The result:✔️ A successful office-to-multifamily conversion✔️ Reduced redesign scope✔️ Lower construction risk✔️ Systems aligned with residential use — not office assumptions

Key takeaway for developers :In conversions, the best engineering decisions are rarely the biggest ones. They're the ones that respect existing conditions, code intent, and financial reality — at the same time.

That's how engineers should think.

#BuildingConversions #OfficeToResidential #EngineeringSolutions #MultifamilyHousing #MechanicalEngineering #AdaptiveReuse

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