Design engineers have historically been separated from the design process, using disparate tools to perform various calculations without using a BIM model in the early stages.  In this session, we will explain what the new system analysis tool in Revit is, why is important and the main benefits like being involved in the early stages of the project to perform load and system network calculations.  You will learn how systems analysis provides a fast, simple, and flexible way for a mechanical design engineer to define all the main components and a set of relationships that comprise a system, without having to physically model any part of it, following a more BIM-integrated workflow and taking in consideration how systems work in reality, how engineers think, and how design happens all entirely within Revit.

In this session, we’ll look at ideal workflows for using Revit software, and how to avoid key time-wasting traps, as discovered the hard way by an experienced Revit software-using mechanical engineer. We’ll examine opportunities for fundamental changes to overall workflow, as well as how to improve current methods. Emerging features such as Insight 360 software are shown as a great opportunity for engineers and architects to collaborate during initial design stages and to calculate heating and cooling loads. You’ll receive advice about how to control level of detail and coordination, particularly at early design stages. We’ll also give some specific technical tips and tricks to help engineers get the most out of their Revit software systems and spaces. This is a follow-up to the 2013 class on improving efficiency by using Revit MEP software for mechanical calculations. This session features Revit MEP. AIA Approved

Sundt Construction faced a difficult site work package that included landfill remediation. During the project pursuit, Sundt defined a new process to generate volumetric comparisons from UAS-captured data; align with the project coordinate system; and produce an engineered report. This reduced the risk of over excavation, enabled everyone on the team to see how earthwork progressed, and captured construction progress in a meaningful way. Calculating quantities in Civil 3D software produced accurate quantities and an intuitive visual, and enabled the flexibility required to track 6 different quantity types. This class will discuss the process used to bring new value through these construction technologies and demonstrate the process of generating the data.

Frustrated with getting Revit data to a third-party load software for load calculations? Tired of fumbling with engineering schematics and the lack of connectivity to 3D Revit software’s elements? By combining Dynamo software with Revit software’s new Systems Analysis, your project can get off and running quickly while establishing a solid foundation for project health throughout the life of the project. See how reliable energy models can quickly be set up and ran using EnergyPlus directly in the Revit environment. Then witness how computational design can document the systems with 2D schematics, place 3D Revit elements, and build connections to build a true integrated intelligent model. This class will get you inspired to explore new workflows, and it will provide a basic introduction to the Revit Systems Analysis features, and show the potential for powerful computational workflows for mechanical engineers.

Revit software systems help us to define the MEP (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing) design in several ways, but the main purpose is to understand the relationships between system equipment, such as air terminals to air-handling units, or from a pump through a pipe. This hands-on lab will teach you the comprehensive steps needed for controlling project system settings, and then it will demonstrate how to capitalize on (or disable) sizing and analysis tools related to the system. We’ll cover creating the target-source relationship between parts, and then we’ll review using the systems to improve the quality of your documentation. On top of this, you’ll get a project template that already defines everything in the class, so you can take advantage of these topics right away. The class will cover HVAC (heating, ventilating, and air conditioning) and piping items, so come and join us for this fast-paced but thorough lab—you’ll be glad you did.

Revit software systems help us to define the MEP (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing) design in several ways, but the main purpose is to understand the relationships between system equipment, such as air terminals to air handling units, or from light fixture to panel. This hands-on lab will teach you the comprehensive steps needed for controlling project system settings, and then it will demonstrate how to capitalize on (or disable) sizing and analysis tools related to the system. We’ll cover creating the target-source relationship between parts, and then we’ll review using the systems to improve the quality of your documentation. On top of this, you’ll get a project template that already defines everything in the class, so you can take advantage of these topics right away. The class will cover HVAC (heating, ventilating, and air conditioning), piping, and electrical items, so come and join us for this fast-paced but thorough lab—you’ll be glad you did! This session features Revit MEP and Revit. AIA Approved

Revit systems help us to define the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) design in several ways, but the main purpose is to understand the relationships between system equipment, such as air terminals to air handling units, or from light fixtures to panels. This lab (which has won multiple Autodesk University awards) will teach you the key steps needed to control project system settings, then demonstrate how to capitalize on (or disable) sizing and analysis tools related to the system. We'll cover creating the target-source relationship between parts, and then we'll review using the systems to improve the quality of your documentation. On top of this, you'll get a project template that already defines everything in the class, so you can take advantage of these topics immediately. The class will cover HVAC (heating, ventilating, and air conditioning), piping, and electrical items, so join us for this fast-paced, but thorough, lab-you'll be glad you did. This session will feature Revit MEP software and Revit software.

In this session, we'll cover importing Revit systems, zones, and spaces from Revit System Analysis into HVAC Solution Pro software and creating intelligent HVAC system schematics. HVAC loads can also be imported from industry-leading load providers. This data is used to automatically build systems, calculate projects, and select HVAC equipment from equipment manufacturers. "What if" scenarios can be modeled using various equipment parameters and weather data. Various coordination files can be automatically created, including equipment schedule, schematic, electrical schedule, detailed report, and many more. With our Revit add-in, the schematics and schedules can easily be placed in a Revit drafting view. We use the Revit API to create custom schedules. A variety of systems can be created, including air, hydronic, steam, plumbing, refrigerant, VRF, and fuel gas and controls. See how what used to take days and weeks now takes minutes and hours.

Selecting the best HVAC system for a given building is impossible. Why? Because each design is measured with several contradicting metrics. With computational design, a holistic set of rules can be used to find a range of potential design solutions. The computers then generate and evaluate a vast number of designs. A building's owner can then review these solutions, measuring and visualizing pros and cons. This session will explore this idea, using generative design to evaluate different mechanical systems for a given building. We’ll start exploring methods for gathering Revit software’s geometry and defining parametric rules for other system arrangements. Next, we’ll take things to the next level by building a Generative Design in Revit workflow that evaluates each design option. Architects and engineers will leave inspired, understanding the generative design buzz and ready to use this new way of thinking to disrupt the current design process.

Looking for an easy way to add wireless communications to a project? Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee? Wireless electronics is considered by many to be a dark art, even electrical engineers! However, today’s modular hardware and simplified software resources has made it possible for even nonelectrical engineers to successfully add wireless communications to their designs. This course is for mechanical engineers, industrial designers, architects, and software engineers looking to control objects wirelessly or gather data from devices or systems remotely. Spend time with us learning to add Wi-Fi to your next project! Using Eagle, we will build a small sensor-based system that posts data to the cloud and responds to commands from your browser. Some familiarity with embedded software platforms, including Arduino, Raspberry Pi, or similar will be helpful but is not required. Familiarity with breadboarding concepts will also be helpful.

Got CALC? In Revit software? If you’re a fire protection engineer working in Revit, you need to run industry-standard hydraulic calculations and reports. Design your system in native Revit without any third-party tools, or with anyone’s third-party tools. You can calculate any Revit fire protection system using SprinkCAD’s SprinkCALC software for water-based sprinkler systems. Standards supported include NFPA 13 and 14, EU12845, BS5306, CEA4001, AS2118.1, NZS4541, and FM DS03. Also supported are fluid delivery time calculations for dry-pipe systems—so you can be sure about when the water will be there. We’ll also display the new SprinkCAD for Revit tools. These include the following: the Revit Family Builder, letting you create complex families in seconds without any knowledge of RFA construction; and Head-Connection tools for fast drawing of sprigs and drops, armovers, flex piping, and even entire ranges of branches with the Auto Branch line generator.

This lab will provide a hands-on approach of best practices regarding how to combine civil site designs in Civil 3D software with foundation designs in Revit Structure software in order to ultimately collaborate with architects in Revit Architecture software. This discussion will provide guidelines on where utility modeling for building should transition from Revit MEP above grade to Civil 3D below grade, and how Navisworks software can be used in this review process. Key concepts to review will be the difference between local coordinate systems that building designers work in, as compared to the state plane coordinate system that civil engineers typically use. The discussion will consider civil/structure interaction and the new BIMForum Level of Development (LOD) Specification, and how it relates to setting up projects in Civil 3D and Revit.

Normal duct and pipe systems in Revit software can provide huge value on Building Information Modeling (BIM) projects; but did you know that it's possible to link duct and pipe systems together to automate calculations? This session will show you how to create integrated networks of duct and pipe systems in order to achieve this lofty ambition. We will cover everything you need to know about: the creation of families that automatically recalculate heating and cooling flow rates when duct flow rates change; the creation of systems that use these families to pass information dynamically between duct and pipe systems; and the employment of methods that use mechanical calculations to aid electrical and structural engineering analysis. As an added bonus, this session will also show you how to insert breaks into systems to help organize your Revit system browser into a manageable hierarchy. And if you don't believe it's possible to use these techniques on large projects, wait until you see the model we will use.

In today's complex and fast-paced Digital Prototyping world, architects and engineers need to share data and workflows between Building Information Modeling (BIM) systems and engineering and manufacturing systems. Part families and members defined and managed in the intelligent model need to be passed to engineering to drive detailed modeling, analysis, and ultimately, manufacturing. Likewise, vendors supplying engineered systems to the buildings need to provide their detailed engineering models and data in usable and efficient formats for inclusion in intelligent models. With Autodesk products, you can capture and automate these workflows that are critical success factors in today's large multidisciplinary projects. In this class, you learn about architectures and tools for implementing and automating these workflows and for seamlessly bridging the gap between BIM, engineering, and manufacturing.

The groundwater infiltration model (GIM) has traditionally been reserved for combined sewer systems—but prolonged wet weather response in separated sanitary systems demands a new approach. This presentation will explore how the Trinity River Authority of Texas (TRA) and its consultants redefined modeling practices by applying GIM to better simulate multi-week infiltration events. Historically considered unsuitable for sanitary systems, GIM proved essential for capturing peak flows and volumes critical to treatment-plant sizing, storage planning, and operational strategy. As the design support needs of engineers and managers evolve, TRA’s hydraulic modeling practices have adapted, expanding run durations and improving calibration methodologies. This case study challenges the status quo and sets a new standard for how InfoWorks ICM software’s hydrology can be used to meet real-world operational demands.

Systems analysis is a new set of features and framework in Revit software that enables building and HVAC systems design engineering and analysis workflows to be conducted in a significantly more BIM (Building Information Modeling)-integrated, open, and extensible way. Built using EnergyPlus and OpenStudio in collaboration with the US Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Revit systems analysis provides a fast, reliable, and—critically—entirely open and extensible way to use Revit for many kinds and variations of systems analysis workflow—from early conceptual system selection and sizing to detailed design, code compliance, and even as-built/operational energy. Note that this class is intended to provide a look under the hood of Revit systems analysis, equipping you with the knowledge to create your own custom systems analysis workflows with ease and confidence. For a general introduction to Revit systems analysis seek out other related classes and resources provided.

Systems analysis is a new set of features and framework in Revit software that enables building and HVAC systems design engineering and analysis workflows to be conducted in a significantly more BIM (Building Information Modeling)-integrated, open, and extensible way. Built using EnergyPlus and OpenStudio in collaboration with the US Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Revit systems analysis provides a fast, reliable, and—critically—entirely open and extensible way to use Revit for many kinds and variations of systems analysis workflow—from early conceptual system selection and sizing to detailed design, code compliance, and even as-built/operational energy. Note that this class is intended to provide a basic introduction to the new systems analysis features and framework in Revit. For more-advanced information on how to create custom workflows, seek out other related classes and resources provided.

Revit software’s analytical tools provide powerful capabilities for schematic MEP design. However, the lack of a native workflow to convert these elements into 3D system-based models often hinders their adoption. This session will share the workflow that both electrical and mechanical teams at IMEG have developed to tackle the challenge of transforming analytical intent into fully functional Revit MEP systems. You’ll learn how to map analytical elements to specific family types, create user-friendly configurators for precise family placement, and build complete systems by connecting MEP family connectors. We’ll demonstrate Automation, Integration, & Customization strategies using Dynamo scripting and robust Revit add-in development. This technical instruction will offer practical and repeatable workflows that enhance Revit software’s early-phase design and overall efficiency, while increasing confidence in its analytical and system modeling tools.

Shaun Bryant (a.k.a “Mickey Gervais”) and David Butts (a.k.a “The Redneck Tech”) have decades of combined experience with AutoCAD software and Revit software in both the architecture and MEP (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing) disciplines. Come and join them for “The Showdown,” where they host an industry talk about industry best practices for multidisciplinary, multiplatform projects that will help keep the face-offs between architects and engineers to a minimum. Enjoy the wisdom that will bring peace to the project workplace. Sharing the stage with them will be several well-known, world-class experts whose unrivalled expertise will delight you and educate you at the same time! Come on down and see if you need to “keep the peace” in your project team, and enjoy the banter as they discuss their pet peeves and how they solve them.