MEP Project Setup 01

Being the BIM Administrator in a 280 person Multi-Discipline firm has afforded me the "opportunity" to become intimately familiar with all aspects of Revit. In addition to using Revit on Architecture, Interior Design, Structural, MEP... we have used it on industrial, bridge, civil and pipeline projects.

Our firm started using Revit MEP (or, Autodesk AutoCAD Revit Series - Systems Plus per the image below:)) right when it first came out in 2006, which was pretty painful in many ways!

However, that early adoption paid off in many ways. In addition to using Revit on 99.9% of all building projects for the past 8 years, we also created the Electrical Productivity Pack which is sold by CTC Express Tools; Stay tuned for exciting news on this, before or during BILT-NA (formerly RTC) next week.

The First Version of Revit MEP

Here is a list of...

presentations I have done related to MEP, in addition to the lighting design sessions I listed in a yesterday's post:

• Revit MEP Plumbing - Mystery Solved
  RTC 2012, Stone Mountain Georgia

• Complex Power Distribution in the Revit Model
  RTC 2013, Vancouver Canada

• Remodels and Alternates in the MEP World
  RTC 2014, Washington DC

• Remodels and Alternates in the MEP World
  RTC 2014, Dublin Ireland

• Complex Power Distribution in the Revit ModelCTCs Midwest University, Minneapolis Minnesota USA

• LAB: Remodels and Alternates in the MEP World
  RTC 2016, Hunter Valley Australia

Here are a few things to consider during the initial MEP project setup:

• Link all files Origin to Origin
• This makes it easy if you need to re link the file
• You may be able to skip the use of Shared Coordinates

• Room Bounding
• Make the architectural model is Room Bounding so you can add Spaces
• Select the architectural link and edit its Type Properties
• Check the Room Bounding option (see next image)

Tip #1: even if you cannot see the linked file, you can quickly select it via the Project Browser. Right click on the “Revit link” listed at the bottom of the Project Browser, and use the Select All Instances option.

Tip #2: if the architects or interior designers add thin finish floors above the structural floors, request that they set these items to non-room bounding. This will help avoid problems with Spaces listing as unoccupied.

 Verify Phases

• The MEP model should have the same phases as the architectural model
• If they do not match, undesirable graphics will happen

• Quickly verify phases in the linked model:
• Select link > Edit Type > Phase Mapping
• Click drop-down under “Phase from link”

• If this list shows additional phases you should create them in your model via Manage > Phases.
• Best if linked model does not have only one phase

Phase mapping – linked model has additional phases

Note: The phases listed in the previous image are from the default Revit template “Construction.rte”, which is also the one Revit has selected by default when a new project is started. If you see these Phase this will be a red flag!!!

Verify Design Options

Not all Design Options in a linked model are something the MEP team need to worry about. Some may be schematic design studies which have not been deleted from the model. The image below shows the visibility settings [for the current view] which indicate the linked model has Design Options. One option appears to be a bid phase alternate the MEP team should be aware of.

Design Options, in an MEP context, are discussed more in a future post. Spoiler: they work more than you may think for MEP...

There is a LOT more to say on this topic. Stay tuned for more...