Autodesk® Revit® - Digital River, Inc.

Autodesk Official Training Guide
Essentials
® Learning Autodesk Revit
Volume 1
257B1-050000-CM00A
July 2009
® MEP
Autodesk®
Revit®
2010,
Hands-on exercises demonstrate the concepts for building information modeling (BIM)
and the tools for parametric engineering design and documentation.
MEP 2010

© 2009 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.
Except as otherwise permitted by Autodesk, Inc., this publication, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in
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Certain materials included in this publication are reprinted with the permission of the copyright holder.
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Contents
Introduction ...................................................................................................... vii
Chapter 1: Building Information Modeling ........................................................ 1
Lesson: Building Information Modeling for MEP Engineering ............................. 2
About Building Information Modeling ...................................................... 3
About Bidirectional Associativity .............................................................. 7
Chapter Summary ............................................................................................. 10
Chapter 2: Revit MEP Basics ............................................................................ 11
Lesson: Exploring the User Interface ................................................................ 12
The Revit MEP User Interface ................................................................. 13
The Ribbon Framework ........................................................................... 17
Guidelines for Using the User Interface .................................................. 20
Exercise: Explore the Revit MEP User Interface ...................................... 21
Lesson: Working with Revit Elements and Families .......................................... 28
About Building Elements ......................................................................... 29
About Families ........................................................................................ 33
Guidelines for Working with Revit Elements and Families ...................... 36
Exercise: Work with Revit Elements and Families ................................... 37
Chapter Summary ............................................................................................. 42
Chapter 3: Viewing the Model ........................................................................ 43
Lesson: Managing Views ................................................................................... 44
About Views ............................................................................................ 45
Creating Views and Adding Matchlines ................................................... 48
View Properties ....................................................................................... 51
View Templates ....................................................................................... 61
Guidelines for Working with Views and View Templates ........................ 62
Exercise: Work with Views and View Templates ..................................... 64
Lesson: Controlling Object Visibility .................................................................. 70
Object Visibility Settings ......................................................................... 71
Modifying Line Styles .............................................................................. 75
About User-Defined Filters ...................................................................... 75
Creating Filters ........................................................................................ 77
Guidelines for Controlling Object Visibility ............................................. 78
Exercise: Control Object Visibility ........................................................... 79
Contents ■ iii

iv ■ Contents
Lesson: Working with Section and Elevation Views ...................................... 82
About Section Views ........................................................................... 83
About Elevation Views ........................................................................ 87
Guidelines for Creating Section and Elevation Views .......................... 90
Exercise: Create and Modify Section and Elevation Views .................. 91
Lesson: Creating and Modifying 3D Views .................................................... 97
About 3D Views .................................................................................. 98
About Cameras .................................................................................. 106
Creating and Modifying Camera Views ............................................. 109
Guidelines for Creating and Modifying 3D Views .............................. 110
Exercise: Create 3D Perspective and 3D Orthographic Views ............ 112
Chapter Summary ....................................................................................... 116
Chapter 4: Starting a New Project ............................................................. 117
Lesson: Setting Up Projects ......................................................................... 118
About Projects .................................................................................. 119
Project Settings ................................................................................. 122
About Project Templates ................................................................... 126
About the Mechanical-Default Project Template .............................. 128
About Revit File Types ...................................................................... 131
Creating Project Templates ............................................................... 132
Guidelines for Creating Project Template Files ................................. 133
Exercise: Set Up a Project and Transfer Project Standards ................ 134
Optional Exercise: Use Imported CAD Data to Start a Project ........... 137
Lesson: Linking Revit Models ...................................................................... 139
Linking Revit Architecture Projects ................................................... 140
RVT Link Display Settings Dialog Box ................................................ 142
Guidelines for Linking Revit Models ................................................. 143
Exercise: Link a Revit Architecture Project ........................................ 144
Lesson: Sharing Projects Using Worksets .................................................... 147
About Worksets ................................................................................ 148
About the Central File ....................................................................... 150
Process of Sharing Projects Using Worksets ..................................... 152
Moving the Central File .................................................................... 154
Opening Specific Worksets from a Central File ................................. 155
Methods of Setting Workset Visibility ............................................... 155
Guidelines for Sharing Projects Using Worksets ............................... 156
Exercise: Create and Use Worksets ................................................... 158
Lesson: Defining Discipline Settings ............................................................ 162
About Mechanical Settings ............................................................... 163
About Electrical Settings ................................................................... 168
Guidelines for Defining Discipline Settings ....................................... 171
Exercise: Define Discipline Settings ................................................... 172
Lesson: Importing and Editing DWG Details ............................................... 174
Options for Importing and Editing DWG Details ............................... 175
Guidelines for Importing and Editing DWG Details ........................... 178
Exercise: Import and Edit DWG Details ............................................. 180
Chapter Summary ....................................................................................... 184

Chapter 5: Defining Volumes ..................................................................... 185
Lesson: Creating Spaces .............................................................................. 186
About Spaces .................................................................................... 187
Process of Creating Spaces ............................................................... 191
Guidelines for Creating Spaces ......................................................... 192
Exercise: Create Spaces ..................................................................... 193
Lesson: Creating Zones ................................................................................ 199
About Zones ...................................................................................... 200
Process of Creating Zones ................................................................. 203
Guidelines for Creating Zones ........................................................... 205
Exercise: Create HVAC Zones ............................................................ 206
Chapter Summary ....................................................................................... 210
Chapter 6: Building Performance Analysis ................................................. 211
Lesson: Building Performance Analysis ....................................................... 212
About Analytical Models ................................................................... 213
Process of Viewing Analytical Models ............................................... 217
Guidelines for Viewing Analytical Models ......................................... 218
Exercise: View an Analytical Model .................................................. 219
Lesson: Defining Heating and Cooling Loads .............................................. 221
Heating and Cooling Loads Information ............................................ 222
Process of Specifying Project Energy Data ........................................ 227
Process of Specifying Space Heating and Cooling Loads
Parameters ............................................................................... 228
Process of Specifying Zone Heating and Cooling Loads
Parameters ............................................................................... 229
Process of Exporting Defined Energy Data to a gbXML File ............... 230
Guidelines for Defining Heating and Cooling Loads .......................... 231
Exercise: Work with Heating and Cooling Loads ............................... 232
Lesson: Calculating Heating and Cooling Loads .......................................... 236
About Heating and Cooling Loads ..................................................... 237
Heating and Cooling Loads Report .................................................... 239
Process of Calculating Heating and Cooling Loads ............................ 242
Guidelines for Calculating Heating and Cooling Loads ...................... 243
Exercise: Calculate Heating and Cooling Loads ................................. 244
Chapter Summary ....................................................................................... 248
Chapter 7: HVAC Systems .......................................................................... 249
Lesson: Creating HVAC Systems .................................................................. 250
About HVAC Systems ........................................................................ 251
Mechanical Parts in HVAC Systems ................................................... 255
Process of Creating HVAC Systems ................................................... 258
Guidelines for Creating HVAC Systems .............................................. 259
Exercise: Create an HVAC System ..................................................... 260
Contents ■ v

vi ■ Contents
Lesson: Generating HVAC System Layouts .................................................. 266
About Layouts ................................................................................... 267
Duct Sizing ......................................................................................... 269
Duct System Inspection Tools ........................................................... 271
Process of Generating HVAC System Layouts .................................... 275
Guidelines for Generating HVAC System Layouts .............................. 276
Exercise: Create an HVAC System Layout .......................................... 277
Lesson: Creating and Modifying Ductwork ................................................. 280
Ducts and Duct Fittings ..................................................................... 281
Duct and Duct Fitting Control Grips .................................................. 285
Tools for Creating and Modifying Ductwork ..................................... 287
Process of Applying Duct Color Fills .................................................. 291
Guidelines for Creating and Modifying Ductwork ............................. 292
Exercise: Create and Modify Ductwork ............................................. 293
Chapter Summary ....................................................................................... 299

Contents
Chapter 8: Piping Systems ................................................................................. 1
Lesson: Creating System Piping ........................................................................... 2
About System Piping ................................................................................. 3
Process of Creating a Piping System ......................................................... 7
Guidelines for Creating a Piping System ................................................... 8
Exercise: Create a Hydronic Return Piping System .................................... 9
Chapter Summary ............................................................................................. 14
Chapter 9: Plumbing Systems .......................................................................... 15
Lesson: Creating Plumbing Systems .................................................................. 16
About Plumbing Systems ........................................................................ 17
Process of Creating a Plumbing System .................................................. 22
Guidelines for Creating a Plumbing System ............................................ 23
Exercise: Create a Sanitary Plumbing System .......................................... 24
Chapter Summary ............................................................................................. 35
Chapter 10: Fire Protection Systems ............................................................... 37
Lesson: Creating Fire Protection Systems ......................................................... 38
About Fire Protection Systems ................................................................ 39
Process of Creating a Fire Protection System .......................................... 42
Exercise: Create a Fire Protection System ............................................... 43
Chapter Summary ............................................................................................. 48
Chapter 11: Electrical Systems ......................................................................... 49
Lesson: Creating Electrical Circuits .................................................................... 50
About Electrical Circuits .......................................................................... 51
Tools for Working with Electrical Circuits ................................................ 53
Process of Creating Electrical Circuits ..................................................... 55
Guidelines for Creating Electrical Circuits ............................................... 56
Exercise: Create an Electrical Lighting Circuit .......................................... 57
Lesson: Creating Wiring .................................................................................... 62
About Electrical Wiring ........................................................................... 63
Process of Creating a Wire Type ............................................................. 67
Guidelines for Creating Wiring ................................................................ 68
Exercise: Create Wiring ........................................................................... 69
Chapter Summary ............................................................................................. 75
Contents ■ iii

Chapter 12: Working with Architects and Engineers .................................... 77
Lesson: Monitoring Changes in Linked Files .................................................. 78
About Project Sharing ......................................................................... 79
Copy and Monitor Tools ...................................................................... 80
Coordinating and Monitoring Changes in the Current Project ............ 82
Coordination Review Tool ................................................................... 83
Guidelines for Monitoring Changes in Linked Files ............................. 86
Exercise: Monitor a Linked File of Another Discipline ......................... 87
Lesson: Checking and Fixing Interference Conditions ................................... 90
About Interference Checks .................................................................. 91
Guidelines for Checking and Fixing Interference Conditions ............... 93
Exercise: Check and Fix Interference Conditions ................................. 94
Chapter Summary ......................................................................................... 98
Chapter 13: Detailing and Drafting .............................................................. 99
Lesson: Creating Callout Views ................................................................... 100
About Callouts ................................................................................... 101
Creating Reference Callouts .............................................................. 103
Guidelines for Creating Callouts ....................................................... 104
Exercise: Create a Callout View of a Section ..................................... 105
Lesson: Working with Detail Views ............................................................. 108
About Detail Views ........................................................................... 109
Creating Detail Views ........................................................................ 114
Process of Saving and Reusing Detail Views ..................................... 115
Guidelines for Saving and Reusing Detail Views ................................ 116
Exercise: Create a Detail View .......................................................... 117
Lesson: Working with Drafting Views ......................................................... 123
About Drafting Views ........................................................................ 124
Process of Reusing Drafting Views .................................................... 125
Guidelines for Reusing Drafting Views .............................................. 126
Exercise: Create Drafting Views ........................................................ 127
Exercise: Import a View and a CAD File ............................................ 134
Chapter Summary ....................................................................................... 136
Chapter 14: Annotations and Schedules .................................................... 137
Lesson: Working with Text and Tags ........................................................... 138
About Text ......................................................................................... 139
About Tags ........................................................................................ 140
Guidelines for Working with Text and Tags ....................................... 142
Exercise: Work with Text and Tags .................................................... 143
Lesson: Working with Dimensions .............................................................. 148
About Temporary Dimensions ........................................................... 149
About Permanent Dimensions .......................................................... 153
Guidelines for Working with Dimensions .......................................... 162
Exercise: Work with Dimensions ....................................................... 163
iv ■ Contents

Lesson: Creating Legends ............................................................................ 170
About Legends .................................................................................. 171
Guidelines for Creating Legends ....................................................... 176
Exercise: Create a Legend ................................................................. 177
Lesson: Working with Schedules ................................................................. 181
About Schedules ............................................................................... 182
About Schedule Properties ............................................................... 184
Exporting Schedules .......................................................................... 186
Modifying Schedule Fields ................................................................ 187
Guidelines for Working with Schedules ............................................ 187
Exercise: Create and Modify a Lighting Fixture Schedule .................. 188
Chapter Summary ....................................................................................... 191
Chapter 15: Construction Documentation ................................................. 193
Lesson: Working with Titleblocks ................................................................ 194
About Titleblocks .............................................................................. 195
Creating and Updating Titleblocks .................................................... 197
Guidelines for Working with Titleblocks ........................................... 199
Exercise: Work with Titleblocks ........................................................ 200
Lesson: Working with Sheets ...................................................................... 203
About Sheets ..................................................................................... 204
Process of Previewing and Printing Sheets and Views ...................... 206
Guidelines for Working with Sheets .................................................. 207
Exercise: Work with Sheets ............................................................... 209
Chapter Summary ....................................................................................... 213
Chapter 16: The Family Editor (Optional) .................................................. 215
Lesson: Creating and Modifying Families .................................................... 216
About Families .................................................................................. 217
Connectors ........................................................................................ 220
Process of Creating Families ............................................................. 223
Guidelines for Creating and Modifying Families ............................... 224
Exercise: Create an Air Terminal Family ............................................ 226
Chapter Summary ....................................................................................... 232
Appendix .................................................................................................... 233
Contents ■ v

Introduction
Welcome to the Learning Autodesk Revit MEP 2010 Autodesk Official Training Guide, a training guide
for use in Authorized Training Center (ATC®) locations, corporate training settings, and other classroom
settings.
Although this guide is designed for instructor-led courses, you can also use it for self-paced learning.
The guide encourages self-learning through the use of the Autodesk® Revit® MEP 2010 Help system.
This introduction covers the following topics:
■ Course objectives
■ Prerequisites
■ Using this guide
■ CD contents
■ Completing the exercises
■ Installing the exercise data files from the CD
■ Imperial and metric datasets
■ Notes, tips, and warnings
■ Feedback
This guide is complementary to the software documentation. For detailed explanations of features and
functionality, refer to the Help in the software.
Course Objectives
After completing this course, you will be able to:
■ Describe building information modeling methodology.
■ Use the different parts of the Revit MEP user interface and work with different types of Revit
elements and families.
■ Manage the different views and change their properties, control the visibility and appearance of
elements in different views, and work with section, elevation, and 3D views.
■ Set up a project using different templates, link Revit models, share projects using worksets, define
discipline settings, and import and edit DWG details.
■ Create spaces and zones in a Revit model.
■ Analyze an analytical model for conducting a building performance analysis, define heating and
cooling loads information, and calculate heating and cooling loads.
■ Create HVAC systems, generate HVAC system layouts, and create and modify ductwork using Revit
tools.
■ Lay out and create system piping.
■ Create plumbing systems.
■ Create fire protection systems.
■ Create electrical circuits and wiring.
vii

■ Monitor changes in files of other disciplines linked to Revit MEP and check and fix interference
conditions.
■ Work with callout, detail, and drafting views.
■ Work with text and tags, dimensions, legends, and schedules.
■ Add titleblocks to a sheet, update the project information in a titleblock, and work with sheets.
■ Create and modify families.
Prerequisites
This guide is designed for new users of Revit® MEP.
It is recommended that you have a working knowledge of:
■ Basic MEP engineering and design skills.
■ Microsoft® Windows® 2000, Microsoft® Windows® XP, or Microsoft® Windows® Vista.
Using This Guide
The lessons are independent of each other. However, it is recommended that you complete
the lessons in the order that they are presented unless you are familiar with the concepts and
functionality described in those lessons.
Each chapter contains:
■ Lessons
Usually two or more lessons in each chapter.
■ Exercises
Practical, real-world examples for you to practice using the functionality you have just learned.
Each exercise contains step-by-step procedures and graphics to help you complete the exercise
successfully.
CD Contents
The CD attached to the back cover of this book contains all the data and drawings you need to
complete the exercises in this guide.
viii ■ Introduction

Completing the Exercises
You can complete the exercise in two ways: using the book or on screen.
■ Using the book
Follow the step-by-step exercises in the book.
■ On screen
Click the Learning Autodesk Revit MEP 2010 icon on your desktop, installed from the CD, and
follow the step-by-step exercises on screen. The onscreen exercises are the same as those in the
book. The onscreen version has the advantage that you can concentrate on the screen without
having to glance down at your book.
After launching the onscreen exercises, you might need to alter the size of your application
window to align both windows.
Installing the Exercise Data Files from the CD
To install the data files for the exercises:
1.
2.
3.
Insert the CD.
When the setup wizard begins, follow the instructions on screen to install the data.
If the wizard does not start automatically, browse to the root directory of the CD and double-click
setup.exe.
Unless you specify a different folder, the exercise files are installed in the following folder:
C:\Autodesk Learning\Autodesk Revit MEP 2010\Learning\
After you install the data from the CD, this folder contains all the files necessary to complete each
exercise in this guide.
Lesson: Introduction Master ■ ix

Imperial and Metric Datasets
In exercises that specify units of measurement, alternative files are provided as shown in the following
example:
■ Open i_export_ifc.rvt (imperial) or m_export_ifc.rvt (metric).
In the exercise steps, the imperial value is followed by the metric value in parentheses as shown in the
following example:
■ For Length, enter 13'2" (4038 mm).
For exercises with no specific units of measurement, files are provided as shown in the following
example:
■ Open c_boundary_conditions.rvt (common).
In the exercise steps, the unitless value is specified as shown in the following example:
■ For Length, enter 400.
Notes, Tips, and Warnings
Throughout this guide, notes, tips, and warnings are called out for special attention.
Feedback
x ■ Introduction
Notes contain guidelines, constraints, and other explanatory information.
Tips provide information to enhance your productivity.
Warnings provide information about actions that might result in the loss of data, system
failures, or other serious consequences.
We always welcome feedback on Autodesk Official Training Guides. After completing this guide, if you
have suggestions for improvements or if you want to report an error in the book or on the CD, please
send your comments to learningtools@autodesk.com.