What’s New with Revit Architecture Beyond the Basics

Hi folks, IX here, AEC Team Lead at Ideate, Inc.

As you read in my last post, Announcing Revit Architecture Families - Online, the team has been heavily focused on building new curriculum and bringing you best-in-class training. During one of our in-house service days, we reviewed our Revit Architecture course offerings, taking a hard look at our material to ensure all courses feature relevant workflows and best practices in order to maximize our students' time out of the office.

In this post, I would like to introduce to you to our new Revit Architecture Beyond the Basic Series. We have taken our very successful two-day class, and broken it up into a series of one-day classes that can be taken together or individually - at your convenience.

One of the reasons we decided to move to a series format is the fact that a high number of students taking our previous, two-day class had an immediate need for the content covered in either the first or the second day, but not necessarily both.  Additionally, as new versions of the software are released, there is more and more ground to cover in the limited time we have with our students.

The series will include three separate one-day classes: “Enhanced Modeling & Techniques,” “Collaboration & Coordination,” and “Model Management & Presentations”. This new format will give students the flexibility to engage with only the material relevant to them and more control over the amount of time they spend in training.

Let's take a closer look at the Revit Architecture Beyond the Basic Series.

Enhanced Modeling & Techniques
This class will be geared toward those about to embark on, or are already working on, Revit projects requiring more advanced modeling and workflow techniques. We will cover many topics essential to various phases of the design and documentation process.

Collaboration & Coordination
This class will focus on topics related to collaborating and coordinating Revit models, not just internally within your office, but with your consultants, as well. We will cover techniques and workflows necessary to collaborating effectively across entire project teams and disciplines.

Model Management & Presentations
This class will concentrate on topics related to establishing Revit model standards, whether project-specific or firm-wide. We will cover how to effectively manage visibility of elements, views, and materials in your Revit models. We will also cover advanced tools for the renderings and walkthroughs necessary for producing quality presentations.

In summary, depending on your project’s or your firm’s Revit requirements, you will now have the option to register for one, two, or all three days of this specialized Revit Architecture training series.

This series will be offered out of our Portland and San Francisco authorized training centers beginning in January. This is a very exciting time for our training department, and we look forward to the new opportunities we know 2017 will bring.

For a more in-depth look at our Revit Architecture Beyond the Basic Series be sure to take a look at our series outline.  To see all our other new Ideate training offerings, visit our classroom training page.

Until next time, Cheers,
IX

Announcing Revit Architecture Families - Online Training

Hi Folks, IX here, 

A lot has been happening in the Ideate world. Since my last post, I’ve been promoted to AEC Team Lead, but more importantly we’ve successfully launched a new virtual training platform. By extending our quality educational offerings online, we are able to keep up with the evolving demands of our industry. The Ideate team has worked hard to create a best-in-class virtual training experience for our students, including the completion of our recording room (lovingly known as the BOX).

Today, I’m proud to announce our next online open enrollment class offering: Revit Architecture Families. 

I can just hear you saying…. WHAT? An online Revit Architecture Families class?

How did Ideate come up with that?

Well, let me tell you the story. I kid you not, there I was one Friday night going home on MAX after a long week of working with the team and transitioning into my new position. I was winding down listening to Journey (Steve Perry NOT the other guy) when my cell rang. I looked down to find it was Bob Palioca calling. Well he’s the boss, so I can’t just let it go to voicemail, right? 

Here’s how the conversation went:

Eugene:

Hi, Bob, What’s up?

Bob:

Eugene! I’m out taking a walk around the neighborhood and a thought just came to me. What do you think about taking our very successful Revit Architecture Families classroom training and offering it as an online class? You know, Eugene, families are an integral part of making a successful transition to Revit and BIM!

Eugene:

You’re right Bob one of the many keys to a Revit model is the ability to create intelligent, parametric families. Creating usable/workable families in Revit could be considered the backbone of a successful model. I’ll look at the team’s schedule and see who would be the best fit to take on this project.

Bob:

No, No. I want you to take this on and run with it start-to-finish.

Eugene:

Okay I can do that. This will be a fun project to take on.

Well, okay, it didn’t happen exactly like that, but you can’t deny that creating usable/workable families in Revit is a must for a successful Revit Model and project deliverables. Plus, offering this class in an online format just makes good sense. Building on the success of our virtual Revit Fundamentals courses, the online Revit Architecture Families course focuses on the fundamentals and best practices of building usable/workable families for Revit Modeling.

Before I get into the actual Revit Architecture Families – Online class, though, let me tell you a little about how our online training works. 

Our training is broken down into four distinct sections:

• Topic Description/Lecture

• Topic Demonstration

• Topic Exercise

• Topic Assessment

Each section will be covered roughly 25 minutes, allowing the student to focus on the material in bite-sized chunks.

The Revit Architecture Families – Online class will be taught over two, four-hour, days. This will allow users to spend a half-day in training, with time left to focus on day-to-day tasks. 

Topics covered will include:

• Working with Solid and Void Forms

• Working with Reference Planes

• Tackling Project and Shared Parameters

• Guidelines for Family Organization

Now, looking to the Future. Our first Revit Architecture Families – Online class is scheduled for next week, December 15th & 16th. 

Additional online training opportunities include Revit for Interior Architecture, Revit MEP Families, Revit MEP Beyond the Basics (Project Set Up & Workflows), and AutoCAD Advanced. Needless to say, this is a very exciting time for our training department. 

I’m looking forward to teaching our inaugural Revit Architecture Families- Online class and I hope to see you there!

Cheers,

IX

Thank you for reading. For more information on the software solutions, training and consulting Ideate provides, please visit the Ideate Inc. website.

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Eugene O'Day, IX
AEC Senior Application Specialist
Eugene A. O’Day, IX, with more than 25 years of architectural and mechanical experience, offers a trained focus on all things Revit and BIM. Teaching is a passion of his. Eugene has been an instructor in undergraduate degree programs, has traveled worldwide teaching Autodesk solutions to major corporations, has taught at accredited ATCs throughout the Northwestern region, and is a frequent and popular instructor, speaker, and presenter for AUGI® CAD Camps, Revit – and related product user groups. He has also been a trusted public school district advisor on new drafting instructor hires. At Ideate, Eugene provides training and support for Revit Architecture, Revit Structure and AutoCAD. Eugene is also a Revit Architecture Autodesk Certified Professional.

Celebrating Bay Area Customers

We wouldn’t be here without our customers. The message may sound cliché, but only because it’s so true, and we at Ideate know it. Our work is interesting and rewarding because of our customers. We thank our customers throughout the year, and we look forward to each December when we bring them together with our team to express our gratitude, celebrate our accomplishments, and have a little fun.

On December 8, 2016, at 11:30 AM at Autodesk Gallery in San Francisco, we are hosting our 6th annual Bay Area Customer Appreciation Party. We will honor our customers and celebrate in the spirit of the word “ideate,” which means to have or form an idea. From the spark of an idea through fruition, we work with customers to strengthen their businesses with building information modeling (BIM). Those ideas—the new, innovative ways of designing, building, and managing structures—create an energetic atmosphere at Ideate in which we all continue to learn, develop strong relationships, and make a positive difference to our teams, customers, and communities.

In addition to using BIM software at their own companies, several of our customers have worked to advance the Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Owner industries by leading discussions at our user group meetings. At the party, Bob Palioca, Ideate president and CEO, will take the opportunity to formally thank them all and present them each with a gift. And of course, we will have food and fun … Bring your smile, because there will be a photo booth!

For more information about our Bay Area Customer Appreciation Party, contact Qatanna Palioca.

Revit MEP Beyond the Basics: Project Setup & Workflow

Hello All, Bill Johnson - Senior MEP/AEC Tech at Ideate writing to you today. I am pleased to introduce to you a brand-new course titled, “Revit MEP Beyond the Basics: Project Setup & Workflow.” This course has been a long time in the making, with lots of on-going discussion and reiterations.

One of the main drivers for this course was driven home to me during my most recent Revit MEP Family class. The question was asked, "Bill, besides specific MEP Families, what else should we have setup in our Revit discipline specific templates?” “What should be setup,” indeed! This is exactly the question our new class will explore. Plus, we will cover some of the more important, yet sometimes overlooked, aspects of Revit MEP, starting with the Three Major Project Setup types. And here you thought there was only one!

We will also review several key setup and configuration items that should be addressed by the advanced Revit user to help with productivity issues and consistency within a project. We will focus on modifying Project and Family templates that are included with Revit MEP, and will review working with Phases and customizing Panel Schedules.

This class will be more than a lecture, it will be a vehicle through which you can share what you have learned, such as the pros and cons of Phasing and Design Options in Revit MEP. You will, of course, also learn how to migrate your AutoCAD settings into Revit MEP; this covers the system environment and the project settings, which help you control the appearance of components and sub-components with a Project. It is our goal that by the end of this class you will have a solid start on your office template, which can be then used as your default template.

Some of the topics to be covered will be:
• Views and view templates
• Using Scope Boxes for view size consistency and manipulation of angled building plans
• Tips for cleaning up architect’s files
• Controlling display of information within linked files
• Separating mechanical equipment types into schedules
• Addressing why pipes seem to have difficulty being drawn when connecting to fixtures
• Differentiate circuited vs. uncircuited electrical devices

Revit itself is one of the most used Building Information Modeling applications across different disciplines, including architecture, MEP and structural. The Revit MEP Beyond the Basics course will offer Revit MEP professionals the opportunity to enhance their knowledge and refine their skills using the software.

The first class will be taught online in two, four-hour days, on December 19th and 20th. In addition to this class, we at Ideate have increased our offerings to include Revit for Interior Architecture, Revit Architecture Families and AutoCAD Advanced. This is a very exciting time for our training department.

For a more in-depth look into our Revit MEP Beyond the Basics: Project Setup & Workflow. – Online class and other new Ideate online training offerings, visit the Ideate website.

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Bill Johnson
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 developed 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 an Autodesk MEP Implementation Certified Expert, and has been the Lead Designer for several multi-million 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.

Revit MEP: It’s shocking news - Electrical Circuit Schedule

Hello All, this post is to remind all the Revit MEP “Reviteers” out there that Revit is as much a documentation and database tool as it is a design assist tool. In this post, I will cover how you can use certain schedules to help make informed decisions about specific elements of design, such as voltage drop and wire sizing.

It’s important to note, Revit tends to overestimate the wire length at times, and therefore outputs a higher voltage drop than necessary. These are not intended to be exact numbers; they are intended to inform the designer when further research is needed. Also, note the Feeder Tag column (i.e., MCB2, MCA2) is not directly related to the wire size. There are still a few quirks in Revit that cause any Automated Feeder Tags/schedules to be unreliable in rare cases, and unfortunately unusable on most projects.

Now, let’s dive in.

First, create an Electrical Circuit schedule with the following Parameters and add a Calculated Value, Voltage Drop (%), with the formula shown. (click to enlarge images.)

The schedule below shows a portion of the resulting Electrical Circuit schedule. This information is directly related to the Panel Schedule, so all information can be updated in any of the three following places: floor plans, Panel Schedules, or the schedule below.

It’s also possible to apply conditional formatting to the schedule to highlight areas of concern. Below, the conditional formatting for the Voltage Drop (%) field is shown, which highlights any value over 3% with a red background. This is very helpful when trying to quickly identify problematic circuits needing more research.

As stated previously, these schedules can be used for design assist tasks. Take breaker sizing for example: adding the True Current field to the schedule will show the design load, or in some cases, one could use the value of Apparent Current. It’s easy to add a few simple Calculated Values and conditional formatting to quickly double-check that the size of the breaker is adequate for the load.

Of course, this will not be 100% accurate in all situations. Motors, for example, will need further engineering.

To check breaker size, first add the True Current, or Apparent Current, field to the schedule (not shown).

Then add the two following Calculated Values with the shown conditional formatting on the Current Difference:

125% True Current is the minimum allowed breaker size, and ensures that the circuit is never more than 80% loaded.

The current difference takes that minimum breaker size and subtracts the breaker rating.

With a value of zero, the breaker size = the minimum allowed, therefore the size is adequate. 

Any negative numbers are acceptable, as they indicate a breaker size larger than the minimum allowed. The conditional formatting, when this number is larger than zero, is highlighted in red to illustrate an inadequately sized breaker.

Now you're ready to get started using Revit for design assist tasks, try this workflow in action.

For more information on the software solutions, training, and consulting Ideate provides, please visit the Ideate Inc. website.

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Bill Johnson
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 developed 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 an Autodesk MEP Implementation Certified Expert, and has been the Lead Designer for several multi-million 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.

Ideate, Inc. Launches Bluebeam Revu Class

San Francisco, CA, November 7, 2016-Ideate, Inc., a Bluebeam value added reseller, announced today that it has expanded its relationship with Bluebeam, Inc. to include classroom training on Bluebeam Revu for the architecture, engineering, construction, and owner (AECO) communities. Bluebeam Revu is a powerful PDF creation, editing, markup, and collaboration software.

“We decided to offer this one-day course after hearing that some of our customers use just a fraction of the tools available in Bluebeam Revu,” said Sash Kazeminejad, an award-winning instructor with Ideate and a Bluebeam Certified Instructor. “In too many cases, field or office professionals learn just what they need to get by. This course teaches the full functionality of Revu so users can achieve greater productivity. During this course, we will walk students through hands-on activities using AECO industry-based datasets. To ensure that everyone is able to start using the tools right away, we will give them a comprehensive workbook and datasets to practice with during and after the class.”

In a progressive learning structure where each session builds on previous objectives, attendees will get an overview of the software and will learn how to save time with:

· Markup tools, Revu stamps, the Tool Chest™, and the Markups list

· PDF creation

· Documentation management and set up

· Studio Session and Projects

After completing the course, attendees who pass an online test with Bluebeam will be able to distinguish themselves as “Bluebeam Certified Users.”

“One of our goals at Ideate is to help our customers get the most out of their software investments,” says Bob Palioca, president of Ideate, Inc. “This new educational offering demonstrates our commitment to achieving that goal.”

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About Ideate, Inc.

Ideate, Inc. is a leading Autodesk Authorized Developer with 25+ years’ experience in software development and specific focus on Building Information Modeling (BIM). As an Autodesk solutions provider, Ideate has offered quality software, training, support and custom consulting services to the architectural, engineering and construction (AEC) industries since 1992. Headquartered in San Francisco, California and operating Autodesk Authorized Training Centers (ATCs) in California, Oregon, and Washington, Ideate is recognized as an Autodesk Platinum Partner for Architecture, Engineering, and Construction, Autodesk’s highest level of authorization.

Managing the Revit Project Browser: View Usage

The Revit Project Browser lets you navigate between project views. When the Project Browser has many views, it can be hard to find the one you want. The good news is there is an option to sort the browser and impose order according to parameter. While default options include sorting by File Type, Discipline, Not on Sheets, Phase, or a combination of these, most people think of View Usage as a good way to sort and arrange the views.

If you add a View Usage parameter, values for view function can be added to the View Properties. This means views can subsequently be sorted using these values. You can isolate View Usage in the Browser for several things, including:

• CD - Construction documentation
• EXPORT - Export to other products such as 3ds Max, Navisworks, BIM Glue, or Autodesk Live
• MODELING - Working or modeling views, not going onto a sheet
• PRESENTATION - Presentation views to explain the model, but not on a sheet
• PRINTING - Views to be printed as posters, not placed on a sheet
• RENDERING - Rendering 3D views to produce images that will go onto a sheet

Project Browser sorted for View Usage

A View List can be used to manage these views in the project and to maintain project standards such as View Usage or designation of View Templates. This will allow you to control what is visible in these views and how they look graphically.

Manage Project Standards

With the Project Browser sorted by View Usage, it is, for example, clearer to everyone on the team which views they should working/modeling in and which managed views are reporting on the model and will be part of the construction document set. The result? Better communication all ‘round!

To see this workflow in action, please watch the accompanying video to this post.

For more information on the software solutions, training, and consulting Ideate provides, please visit the Ideate Inc. website.

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Jim Cowan

AEC Senior Application Specialist

Jim Cowan’s extensive AEC design industry experience, Autodesk design solutions expertise, and status as an Autodesk Certified Instructor have made him a sought after university curriculum developer, instructor, and presenter. Jim’s areas of expertise include eLearning, interoperability between solutions, and overcoming barriers to the adoption of Building Information Modeling (BIM). Educated in Architecture at Edinburgh College of Art/Heriot–Watt University and in Landscape Architecture at the University of Manitoba, Jim has a special focus on sustainability issues: daylight analysis, sun studies, lighting analysis, modeling buildings, and conceptual energy modeling (models with shading devices). You can learn more from Jim on his YouTube Channel.

Revit MEP Families – Diamonds in the Rough

I bet everyone asks the same question when they start to learn Revit: What is a Family?

When you start a new Revit file, you have the option to choose from Project, Family, Titleblock, or Annotation Symbol. It is easy to understand what Project, Titleblock, and Annotation Symbol are without further explanation. But what is a Family?

Families are the components you use to build your model, such as walls, windows, and doors. For the Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) disciplines, Families are items like Mechanical Equipment, Electrical Equipment, and Lighting Fixtures. Each Family can have multiple types of components comprised of differing sizes, materials, or parameter variables.

One of the many keys to mastering Autodesk Revit MEP software is the ability to create intelligent, parametric Families for your content libraries. It's not as easy as simply building a 3D model. Parameters, and the valuable data they contain, make up one of the more powerful functions at the core of Building Information Modeling (BIM), and Autodesk Revit-based software products. The information contained in parameters is of special interest to MEP engineers, and any user who learns how working with parameters in Revit MEP affects project workflow, construction documentation, and the transfer of valuable data.

Recently, we started to receive more requests for training specifically related to Revit MEP Families. With the expansion of our virtual training program, now is the perfect time for us to introduce a new course focusing on those Revit Families specific to MEP projects and designers.

Scheduled over two, four-hour virtual sessions, our Revit MEP Families class will show you how to use the modeling tools in the Revit Family Editor. You will learn the process of creating intelligent parameters to properly control family dimensions, behavior, and visibility. Additionally, we will teach you how to make sure your Families "play nice" with other elements in your model.

Learning Objectives

At the end of this class, you will be able to:

• Employ the modeling tools found in the Family Editor
• Determine the correct Family template on which to base custom content
• List various types of Revit parameters, and explain how they affect your documents, workflow, and time
• Use parameters in the Family, and Project environment
• Work with nested Families
• Apply Revit MEP Connectors and understand how data flows between elements
• Understand Lookup Tables, and how to use them in conjunction with Revit MEP families of certain categories

So, whether you are looking to create that amazing Family that behaves and prints exactly the way you want it to, or want to customize an existing Family to your project needs, mastering the art of the parametric Family is a huge productivity booster, and it’s a lot of fun, too!

Join us for our first Revit MEP Families class on November 21st-22nd. Class times, and additional registration details can be found on the Ideate, Inc. website.

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Bill Johnson
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 developed 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 an 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.

Revit Construction Sequencing: Task Name with View Filters

A Revit model can be organized for export according to the sequence of construction. This sequence for assembly can be appended and assembled in the proper order in Navisworks Timeliner. This makes the Navisworks project scheduler’s task much easier regarding co-ordination of effort.

Since Revit lets you use custom shared parameters, such as “Task Name,” you can assign a construction sequence to Revit Categories and Parts. It also lets you apply View Filters (color overrides), allowing you to color code them according to task. Since View Filters can be turned off/on in a view, you can create views to export the construction sequence. See details in the example below. The building used in the example is from a proposal for a prefabricated house as designed by Eduardo Fernando Catalano in 1945.

Once these tasks are in Navisworks, they can be assembled within the Timeliner feature, and saved out to create a simulated construction sequence.

Color coding using View Filters to visually confirm assignment to a task

Both Revit Categories and Parts can have an assigned task. Parts are sub-divisions of a Revit Category, such as the concrete pours within a floor.

Concrete pours for a Floor

The structural construction sequence can then be simulated in Navisworks.

To learn more about how to use Revit and Navisworks for construction sequencing, please watch my accompanying video to this post.

For more information on the software solutions, training, and consulting Ideate provides, please visit the Ideate Inc. website.

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Jim Cowan

AEC Senior Application Specialist

Jim Cowan’s extensive AEC design industry experience, Autodesk design solutions expertise, and status as an Autodesk Certified Instructor have made him a sought after university curriculum developer, instructor, and presenter. Jim’s areas of expertise include eLearning, interoperability between solutions, and overcoming barriers to the adoption of Building Information Modeling (BIM). Educated in Architecture at Edinburgh College of Art/Heriot–Watt University and in Landscape Architecture at the University of Manitoba, Jim has a special focus on sustainability issues: daylight analysis, sun studies, lighting analysis, modeling buildings, and conceptual energy modeling (models with shading devices). You can learn more from Jim on his YouTube Channel.

Bluebeam Revu: Basics

At Ideate, we have recently made enhancements to our core curriculum and are offering several new training courses. Our goal is to always be providing our customers with more value, more options, and the assurance they will have access to continued education and support after they have taken a course with us. One of these new courses, I am very excited to announce, is Bluebeam Revu: Basics. 

Bluebeam Revu: Basics will focus on the fundamentals of Bluebeam’s award-winning PDF markup and collaboration software. As a Bluebeam Certified Instructor (BCI) and Technical Consultant (BTC), I will have the pleasure of instructing our first certified Bluebeam Course, starting this December.

As you might be aware, a large percentage of the architecture, engineering, construction, and owner (AECO) industry has adopted Bluebeam Revu as part of their PDF markup and collaboration workflows. With Bluebeam Revu, users can easily generate markups on PDF’s and collaborate with other users during live Studio Sessions. Because Bluebeam Revu saves files in PDF format, any recipient can easily open files using their own PDF software.

Our Bluebeam Certified Course will shorten the learning curve for attendees by focusing on the foundational skills needed to use Bluebeam Revu and achieve greater productivity with any project type. We will be focusing on PDF markup and collaboration workflows through the use of hands-on activities and AECO industry-based datasets. To ensure trainees are well equipped with resources after training, everyone will be given a quality workbook and datasets to take with them.

Topics for this course include the following:

• Introduction to Revu
• Overview of the Revu interface, navigation, and profiles
• The Markup Tools
• Revu Stamps
• The Tool Chest
• The Markups List
• PDF Creation
• Document Management and Setup
• Introduction to Studio
• Studio Sessions
• Studio Projects
• Additional Resources
• Next Steps
• Q & A

If you are ready to get started learning the best way to work with Bluebeam Revu for markups and collaboration, come join me this December at our San Francisco office for what should be a very compelling first class!

For more information on Ideate, Inc.’s Bluebeam Revu: Basics training course, be sure to visit the Ideate Training page.

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Sash Kazeminejad
AEC Senior Application Specialist 
Sash is a registered Architect and LEED Accredited Professional who holds a Master of Architecture from Montana State University. Sash’s experience includes project management, BIM management, and design for architectural firms in California, Montana, and Oregon. In addition to being a Bluebeam Certified Instructor, Sash is As an Autodesk Certified Instructor, Sash who provides Revit Architecture training and solutions for AECO firms. @sashpdx 

Revit 2017: Reduce Duplicate Mark Warnings

Prior to Revit 2017, the Mark Value was automatically assigned to the MEP model elements.

In order to minimize the number of duplicate Mark Value warnings generated and maintained when multiple users are working on the Central File, Mark Values are no longer automatically assigned to the MEP categories listed below in Revit 2017:

• Cable Trays
• Cable Tray Fittings
• Conduits
• Conduit Fittings
• Ducts
• Duct Fittings
• Duct Placeholders
• Duct Insulations
• Duct Linings
• Flex Ducts
• Flex Pipes
• Pipes
• Pipe Fittings
• Pipe Placeholders
• Pipe Insulations
• Wires

Bottom Line: Improve performance by minimizing the number of duplicate Mark warnings.

Please watch my video tutorial Revit MEP 2017: Reduce Duplicate Mark Warnings to learn more.

For more information on the software solutions, training and consulting Ideate provides, please visit the Ideate Inc. website.

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Vasudha Dixit
ENI Application Specialist 

Vasudha is an MEP Application Specialist at Ideate, Inc. based on San Francisco office. She has a Master’s degree in Energy Engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago where she specialized in HVAC design, green buildings and energy analysis. Prior to Ideate, she interned at a few multinational companies where she performed finite element analysis for design validation of components. Vasudha provides Revit MEP training and support for various AEC firms.

Rethink Autodesk Dynamo Studio Software with BuildingSP’s Brett Young

Do you only think of Autodesk Dynamo Studio software as a visual scripting language that can simplify API programming for the Autodesk Revit platform? If so, Brett Young, the CEO and founder of BuildingSP, would like to challenge your perception.

Brett, who holds a BS in civil and environmental engineering from UC Berkeley, has extensive experience on this subject. He gained that experience by founding and managing Modulus Consulting, a BIM consulting firm, and from spending nine years managing large commercial construction projects for Cahill Contractors.

He believes Dynamo, and tools like it, will fuel disruption in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry. When talking about disruption, he says, “flat labor productivity, a growing global population, and a tough labor marketplace for AEC are just a couple of indicators that we, as an industry, are experiencing significant changes on both the demand and supply side of our marketplace.” He adds, it is unlikely an outside force will quickly disrupt the industry’s core business, because the industry is very reliant on human systems. Instead, he believes, “individual companies will learn how to dominate their regional and vertical markets using a common formula of people-driven tech and human-centered automation.”

According to Brett, this is where Dynamo Studio software comes in: “It is human-centered automation – it scales what you do, makes you more competitive, and builds tools you control.”

Read the full article on the topic from Brett, “Why Dynamo by Autodesk Is Important for AEC.” 

For more information on BuildingSP and the services they provide, visit their website.

Revit 2017: Optimize Building Performance Outcomes with Autodesk Insight 360

Autodesk Revit 2017 includes access to Insight 360 as part of your Revit subscription. Insight 360 provides Revit users with a fast, intuitive and outcomes-driven guide to better building energy and environmental performance throughout the building life-cycle.

Insight 360 integrates many exciting workflows such as Revit Energy Analysis and Lighting Analysis. Whether you are an architect, engineer, owner, or a building stakeholder, Autodesk Revit 2017 plus Insight 360 is a powerful guide to building energy and environmental performance.

Here is a short video on how to optimize building performance outcomes with Insight 360.

For more information on the software solutions, training and consulting Ideate provides, please visit the Ideate Inc. website.

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Vasudha Dixit
ENI Application Specialist 

Vasudha is an MEP Application Specialist at Ideate, Inc. based on San Francisco office. She has a Master’s degree in Energy Engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago where she specialized in HVAC design, green buildings and energy analysis. Prior to Ideate, she interned at a few multinational companies where she performed finite element analysis for design validation of components. Vasudha provides Revit MEP training and support for various AEC firms.

Revit Fundamentals for Interior Architecture – Online

Hello, folks, 

I wanted to report back after my last blog post, Ideate Announces Revit Architecture Fundamentals-Online.

We launched our Revit Architecture Fundamentals Online course on August 22nd, 2016, and I have to say, it has been a huge success! Students seem to really enjoy the format, and see value in Ideate, Inc. providing this online training option.

Today we are excited announce our next online offering: Revit Fundamentals for Interior Architecture – Online.

We have had many requests from our interior architecture clients asking us to teach a class geared towards their work and focus. Well, we listened and have created an online Revit class aimed at the interior architecture industry. Building on the success of the Revit Fundamentals online course, the Online Revit Fundamentals for Interior Architecture course will explore those fundamental parts of Revit that make the interior architecture industry a partner in the BIM world.

The online program:

How will the online training work? Class agendas will mirror our in house training by introducing the topic with a presentation, followed by a hands-on demonstration of the topic or function, where students follow along with the instructor, and a quick assessment of what was learned. Each topic will be covered in approximately 20-25 minutes, allowing you, the student, to focus on the material being covered in smaller, "bite-sized" chunks.

The class will be taught across five days, with each day occupying a four-hour block of time, break included. This allows users to spend a half a day in training, and still have time to focus on their day-to-day routines. 

Topics Will Include:

• BIM and Revit Overview
• Working with Linked Files
• As-built strategies and phasing
• Grids and Levels
• Working with Walls, Doors, Curtain Walls/Storefronts
• Generating Interior Elevations, Sections, and 3D Camera and Presentation views
• Creating Floors and Ceilings
• Employing Design Options
• Documenting the model
• Working with Schedules
• Assembling Sheets and Printing
• Overview of Worksharing

Looking Forward:

Our inaugural Revit Fundamentals for Interior Architecture online class is scheduled for November of this year, beginning Monday, November 28, 2016 and concluding Friday, December 2, 2016. Future online classes will be released over the following months and will include topics such as Revit Families, Revit MEP Beyond the Basics, and Revit for Landscape Architecture.

I look forward to helping you continue your education, and providing this next online training opportunity from Ideate, Inc.

Take Care Until Next Time,

Ron

For more information on the software solutions, training and consulting Ideate provides, please visit the Ideate Inc. website.

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Ron Palma
AEC Application Specialist
Ron has 25+ years of experience in the architectural industry as a drafter, designer, lead project designer, trainer, and a CAD manager implementing Autodesk Architectural Solutions for residential design firms. His instructional accomplishments include: Autodesk Certified Instructor (ACI), trainer, support technician, educator at Portland and Clackamas Community Colleges, as well as a U.S. Army certified instructor. Ron holds a BA in Instructional Design suma cum laude, is a member of the Oregon Army National Guard, where he is a First Sergeant of an Infantry Company, specializing in training and mentoring soldiers in their careers, and has been deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Resolute Support. Ron is a published author and continues to write professional technical training manuals and shorts for AutoCAD, AutoCAD Architecture, and Revit. As an Autodesk Certified Instructor and Revit Architecture Autodesk Certified Professional, Ron continues to provide Revit Architecture and AutoCAD training and support for various AEC firms. @RonPalmaAEC

Export a Bridge Model from InfraWorks 360 to Revit with One Click

Ok, I lied – it is three clicks: left click – right click – left click.

But seriously, it is that easy with the release of InfraWorks 360 2017. We, at Ideate, are dedicated to highlighting and bringing these nifty new features to you, saving you time and research.

Alright, jumping in; if you conceptualize a bridge using the bridge design tool in InfraWorks 360, you can take it to Revit for structural detailing, analysis, rebar layout, documentation and construction.

One, left click on the bridge model in InfraWorks, let’s say on a pier or its cap.

Two, right click.

Three, left click, select "Send to Revit." 

The command will start cranking and building the model in Revit.

It will build the Revit families and generate the model without any user input.

Then, Voila!, it opens the model in Revit!

You are now free to continue with detailed design and analysis using Revit, and it all started with a conceptual bridge design in InfraWorks 360.

If you want to learn more about InfraWorks, start by signing up for our Intro to InfraWorks online e201 and one of Ideate's experts will guide you through the basics so you don’t have to dig in on your own.

For more information on the software solutions, training and consulting Ideate provides, please visit the Ideate Inc. website.

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Guarav Bagga

Senior Application Specialist Infrastructure 

Gaurav is a Senior Application Specialist for Infrastructure Solutions at Ideate based out of San Francisco. He has over 18 years of experience in construction and related software industry. With this extensive design technology background he helps engineering and surveying companies, federal and state government agencies, and ENR 500 firms critically analyze and improve their construction drawing production process. He implements Civil infrastructure design technology led by InfraWorks and Civil 3D and has helped Ideate grow Civil Infrastructure Services. Being an industry recognized speaker he has presented cutting edge design technology at several industry conferences such as Autodesk University. Find Gaurav on Twitter.