Amtech / Hevacomp
UK-standard MEP engineering calculation and design software for building services.
What it is
About Amtech / Hevacomp
Amtech and Hevacomp are the two dominant building services engineering software suites used across UK practice. Amtech covers electrical design — cable sizing, load calculations, earth fault loop impedance, and LV network design compliant with BS 7671. Hevacomp (now part of Bentley Systems) handles the mechanical side: HVAC load calculations, duct sizing, pipe sizing, and energy modelling. Together they cover the calculation backbone of every building services project. Building services engineers use these tools to demonstrate compliance with Part L, Part F, and BS 7671 of the Building Regulations, and to produce the detailed design information contractors need to install systems correctly. Outputs include calculation reports, schematic drawings, and equipment schedules — all of which appear in contract documentation.
What you can do with it
Capabilities
Calculate cable sizes, voltage drop, and earth fault loop impedance to BS 7671.
Size ductwork and pipework systems using CIBSE Guide methods.
Model HVAC loads for a building and select appropriate plant.
Produce compliance reports for Building Regulations Part L and Part F submissions.
Generate equipment schedules and schematic drawings directly from calculation outputs.
How to learn it
Learning Resources
Amtech webinar library — free recorded training sessions at amtech.co.uk/training
CIBSE CPD courses at cibse.org — covers the engineering principles behind the calculations
Bentley Learning — free on-demand Hevacomp training at learn.bentley.com (requires free account)
IET online resources for BS 7671 wiring regulations at theiet.org
Pro Tip
Always run the earth fault loop impedance check last — cable sizing often changes as the design evolves, and re-running EFLI on a near-final design catches protection device mismatches before the report goes to the contractor.
Skills that use this tool
Roles that use this tool