What are the primary goals of creating a building model? Who are the key stakeholders?
- What do they need?
- What do they care about most?
The primary goals of creating a building model are to improve contractors’ abilities to convey their visions to clients, facilitate sharing of information, and ensure that everyone working on a project is informed on the latest phase of design/construction. Key stakeholders include the construction team, the client, the owner (if a separate entity), independent contractors, potential tenants, and others. These stakeholders need accurate information on the development of the project. They generally care most about their ability to use the design for a particular purpose, as well as how well the design fulfills that purpose as compared with other methods and technologies.
How much detail should you include in your building model? How do you decide?
- As you develop your initial design?
- As you continue to iterate and develop on your design?
- What are the key stages?
- And how much detail should you include at each stage?
You should increase the amount of detail as you iterate and develop your design. It doesn’t make sense to go into deep detail on the design of a bathroom that you might later decide to turn into a lounge. As the design progresses, it is helpful to include as much detail as possible in order to accurately communicate with the client.
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?
- Conceptual design
- Preliminary design
- Design development
- Construction documentation
Many door and window manufacturers provide Revit families for doors and windows that you can specify for your building design.
- What is the advantage to manufacturers for providing these families? (it's not free to create and provide them...)
- What is the benefit to you as the designer of using these manufacturer-provided families? Is there an advantage to using them versus the families provided in the Revit library?
An advantage to manufacturers for providing thse families is that architects/engineers/designers can see exactly how these particular doors/windows might fit into their projects. This predictability might predispose these companies and individuals to use companies with Revit families. The manufacturer can gain publicity and demonstrate why their products might be useful in a more concrete way than regular advertising.