Points to Ponder

What are the primary goals of creating a building model? Who are the key stakeholders?

• Building models are great for designers because they can make what would be very difficult to draw possible to understand prior to the actual construction of the structure. Designers can also collaborate in teams and all work off of the same building model. Building modeling is a a large part of the design process and can help people realize what needs haven’t been met.
• Clients and the individuals who are paying for the building also benefit greatly from models. It is important to see if everyone is on the same page prior to construction.

How much detail should you include about the composition (layers, materials, thicknesses) of your wall, floor, and roof assemblies at different stages of your design process?

• In conceptual design it is not extremely important to be exacting in layers, materials or thicknesses of components. This is mainly because Revit is fairly flexible and provides many options to edit measurements as the design progresses. Conceptual design is mainly about getting an idea out and it is not always good to get bogged down with measurement and materiality specifics (unless it is critical to the design).
• Materials begins to become important by the preliminary design stage as it can set the tone for the building. Cost is also becoming more of note and all of these details greatly impact the final cost of a project. Roof assemblies is a big part of design and plays a large role in the overall feel of a project which makes now a good time to get the shape of the roof in order.
• Now is the time where measuring and details of wall and floor thicknesses is quite important. It is a good time to start factoring in things like HVAC and energy sources which will greatly impact the wall, floors, and roofs.
• It is extremely important to have detailed measurements and materials at the construction phase. Complications from one aspect of a structure can spread to the entire thing and make the job of a construction manager/ worker extremely difficult.

Many door and window manufacturers provide Revit families for doors and windows that you can specify for your building design.

• Not only is this a form of advertising for the manufacturers as it allows designers to be exposed to their products, it lets them test out their aesthetic and function before investing in them. With a wide range of window and door options in Revit, designers are able to design without sacrificing form for function.
• The largest benefit to using these libraries is that these products are usable in the real world. A client can see exactly what the final product might look like and possibly more importantly, how much it will cost.