As with any sophisticated program developed for a professional application, there is a learning curve and a number of things that can go wrong. Some of the problems arise from user error while others can be bugs or limitations within the application.
This post is planned to be a living document on things that can go wrong, and what to do about it, when creating the energy analysis model (EAM) within Revit, as well as troubleshooting problems, further downstream, within Autodesk Insight and Revit Systems Analysis tools and workflows.
When you run into issues, consider the following. Also, if you have items to add to this list, please share!
Note: most of the things listed below apply to both Insight and Systems Analysis as they both use the same Revit model, properties, and inputs/energy settings.
Preparation
Be sure to review analytical spaces and surfaces. I recommend having a separate Revit view for both (Insight only creates a view for Spaces). If you don't review this carefully, you could be sending garbage to Insight (remember: garbage in, garbage out).
- Example BIM Chapters post reviewing floors: https://bit.ly/3yLQgRZ
Training is essential. Like using Revit, if you go it alone you will likely not have a successful experience.
FAILED RUN ISSUES
What to do when you send a model to Insight and receive a 'failed run' email.
Failed run email - Large coordinates
- Make sure project base point and survey points are close the the origin
- Make sure the coordinate values are not large numbers
- Use reset shared coordinates in newer versions of Revit
- Likely need to do this in copy of model to avoid messing up working model
Failed ruin email - Revit material issues
- Can happen when using "detailed items" in energy settings dialog
- This is a DOE2 error
- Certain materials cannot be too thick (e.g. sheet wall material cannot be 2' thick)
- Troubleshoot, uncheck "detailed items"
- Tip, thermal assets may be deleted from project
- delete for all materials except ones needed
- Elements without thermal assets roll back to overrides or conceptual
- Related BIM Chapters posts: https://bit.ly/3wjSR3R, https://bit.ly/3wspbAy
Failed Run email - Energy Settings
- If the building is narrower than the Perimeter Zone Depth, the EAM will be created, but will error out when sent to Insight. Solution: set the perimeter Zone Depth to Zero in the Energy Settings dialog.
- Thermal zoning post: http://bit.ly/2UBaNSe
REVIT MODELING ISSUES
For a successful EAM, the Revit model must be created "per manufacture's recommendations" or how elements were intended to be used.
Modeling problems
- Avoid category miss-use; floor as countertops, ceilings as flooring, curtain wall as cabinets, etc.
- When this has been done, be sure to set them as Non-Room Bounding
- Know the categories used and not used when the EAM is created
- e.g. Structural framing ignored: deep beams can leave large gaps above walls
- In-place anything is ignored
- If using thin floors as finish, above structural floor, set them all to non-room bounding
- Roofs molded as floors, end up working out fine as they become floors in the GBxml export: https://bit.ly/3PpxoOA
Thermal zoning
- When interior walls exist, turn of perimeter zoning (i.e. set depth to 0'-0")
- Caused by room separation lines
- Tip: use a filter, in a QA/QC view, to make these lines stand out (will help with Revit performance too, by deleting unnecessary lines)
Areas not being defined
- Try adding a wall in middle of area to see if EAM space is partially created
- Start moving wall to narrow down where issue is
- Add mass element in area with problem
- A mass can be easily added to a specific area/room where EAM space is not created
- This will pick up curtain wall glazing
- And, define a space (mode must be set to "use elements and massing)
Missing weather stations
- Must have accepted Insight EULA (prompted when generating first Insight run from Revit)
- Must have Insight checked in Autodesk portal
- FYI: Revit 2023 removed Revit internal checked and will always show weather stations
- Lake|Flato is still having issues with some users not seeing weather stations (except in 2023) which may be due to enterprise Windows Defender (antivirus that works at the kernel level) ??? Still working on this one.
Missing Schematic Types (in Energy Settings dialog)
- If custom options have been used by anyone, everyone needs custom XML file copied to their computer
- See more here: Revit + Insight - Custom Schematic Wall Construction
Massing Alternative
For more complex Revit models with many hard to change issues (e.g. several items above) use this simple alternative before wasting too much time trying to make a Revit model work. However, in many cases, training staff on the potential problems can avoid many of these issue on future projects.
- Start new empty project
- Link in project Revit model (do not set type properties to room bounding)
- Copy/paste curtainwall and roof elements
- Tab in to copy directly via linked model
- Only copy roofs with overhangs (for shade surfaces)
- Use curtain wall to add glazing manually, anywhere "window" families have been used
- Create energy model
- Be sure to include perimeter thermal zoning
Resources
Below are several additional resources to consider.
Please share any related tips and tricks you have in the comments below.
For BIM Chapters updates, follow @DanStine_MN on Twitter or connect on LinkedIn
Check out my video-based courses on ArchSmarter.
I also write blog posts for Enscape - a new paradigm in rendering, animation and VR for AEC.
