Average Estimated Illumination and Gradient Color Fill Plans

Using color to fill to indicate value in Revit MEP models can visually convey data in a meaningful way. For example, indicating average illumination with meaningful colors, red for high lux, yellows and oranges for mid lux, and green for low lux can help one make more sense of a model with a quick glance than having to reference and re-reference the legend when using neutral and/or non-ordered color fills. Follow this Revit MEP workflow to customize the color fill in your models. 

Place the color fill legend anywhere in the drawing area to describe the color scheme used in the view. 

1. Open a floor plan view or section view. 
2. Click Annotate tab Color Fill panel(Legend). 
3. Click in the drawing area to place the color fill legend. 
4. In the Choose Space Type and Color Scheme dialog, select the space type and color scheme, and click OK. 

If the color fill legend that displays does not reflect the color scheme that you want to use, do the following: 

1. In the drawing area, select the legend. 
2. Click Modify Color Fill Legends tab Scheme panel Edit Scheme. 
3. In the Edit Color Scheme dialog, select a different color scheme from the list, and click OK. 

You can also create a new color scheme in this dialog. 

In the illustration below is a typical Average Illumination color fill in Revit MEP. Although the legend indicates the lux level next to a color, the range of colors used is not particularly indicative of the value. 

A better representation would be to use a range from green, through yellow to red, as illustrated with this alternative color fill where green rooms have a low lux level and red rooms have a high lux level, and yellow is used for the mid-range: 

This can simply be set up by manually assigning colors using an RGB value. Let’s take a look at the RGB values of green, yellow and red: 

In order to change from green to yellow, we simply increase the R value incrementally from 0 to 255, then to change from yellow to red we simply decrease the G value from 255 to 0. Let’s consider a lux level range from 0 to 500+ and interpolate the appropriate RGB values: 

These can then be easily assigned to the Color Fill in the Edit Color Scheme dialog:

For more information visit our website at www.ideateinc.com

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Bill Johnson
Ideate Senior Application Specialist MEP/AEC Solutions

Bill has over 25 years experience in applying MEP & AEC design solutions for large commercial companies, this has led to actively develop Autodesk® Revit® implementation strategies, techniques, and procedures for architectural and MEP companies. He has worked for TEECOM Design Group, GTE/GTEL, Greg LeDoux and Associates, and Scottish Power in England. Bill is a Autodesk MEP Implementation Certified Expert, and has been the Lead Designer for several multimillion dollar communication sites which have included structural, electrical, HVAC, conduit, cable plans and equipment layouts. He graduated from the Pasadena Institute of Technology and has a Sustainable Design Certification from the University of California at Berkeley.

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