Archibus Smart Client Extension for Revit

Preparing a Revit Model for Facilities Management

If you use a separate lifecycle model for facility management, you will need to simplify the as-built model down to the information relevant for facility management.

This topic will lay out the process for simplifying a model from an as-built construction model to a level of detail more appropriate for Facilities Management. This topic assumes a low-to-moderate experience with Revit Architecture, Revit MEP, or Revit Structure, and describes the process of preparing a Revit Architecture Model for Facilities Management.

Determining the Files to Include for Facility Management

When a Revit model is received, it will likely be in the form of multiple .RVT files, classically configured so that there is one file for Architecture, another for Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing, and a third for Structure. These files should be archived as they were received as a record of the as-built conditions. A copy of the file(s) is used in the following procedure to prepare the simplified model. It is likely that a structural Revit model will be unnecessary for the sake of facilities management, and as such will not be addressed in the procedure below. Similarly, it could be the case where mechanical, electrical, or plumbing equipment will not need to be tracked – if this fits your environment, the MEP model can also be left only in an archive and not actively used within the Revit-Archibus system.

Note: As you prepare your model files, be aware that the actual Revit model file(s) received will have a level of variability in them – not all files will necessarily have all of the same types of information, have files organized exactly the same way, or be modeled in the same fashion. The process outlined below may need to vary slightly from building to building as the delivered Revit files might also vary. You will need to apply knowledge of how Revit works to make minor adjustments to this process so that the end result is correct.

Procedure: Preparing the Simplified Model for Facility Management

1. Open the original Revit model using the “Detach from central” option and save the file to a temporary location.
2. From the Ribbon, select Insert / Link / Modify Links command, and examine the list of CAD, Revit, and DWF links.

   

3. From the Manage Links dialog, run the Unload command to unload any links that are not necessary for the facilities model, for example, linked AutoCAD construction details, linked Revit Structure data, etc.

   

4. Exit the Manage Links dialog box and examine the model to see if unloading the links caused any undesired loss of data. This can only be accomplished through a visual inspection of the model – comparing the graphics of the version with unloaded links to an unedited model (typically as-built paper construction documents.)
5. As needed, reload any linked files and optionally detach all of the files that have been confirmed as unnecessary.
6. From the Ribbon, select the View / Sheet Composition / Revisions command, and clear any filled-in check boxes under the “Issued” column. Revisions cannot be deleted, but they must be “un-issued” to allow the next step.

   

   

7. In the Revit Project Navigator, delete all Sheets.

   Note: You can delete only Sheets, not sheet categories that might appear in the Project Browser. This might require you to delete sheets individually, or to utilize the CTRL or SHIFT key on your keyboard for standard Windows multi-select options.

8. In the Project Navigator, delete all Views, leaving one overall Floor Plan view and one overall Ceiling Plan view for each level of the building – deleting any child dependent views.

   Note:  You can delete only Views, not View categories that might appear in the Project Browser. This might require you to delete Views individually, or to utilize the CTRL or SHIFT key on your keyboard for standard Windows multi-select options.

9. It is recommended that all exterior and interior elevations, and all sections also be deleted in this process. If any exterior elevations are required, they can be re-created on an as-needed basis without maintaining any extra annotation or overhead that might exist within the original elevation views.
10. In each Floor Plan and Ceiling Plan view, go into Visibility / Graphics Overrides and turn on all Model objects, all Annotation objects, then remove all filters, and turn on the visibility of all Worksets and Revit Links.

    

    

11. These visibility settings can be saved as a View Template and applied to other views to speed up the process. To create a view template, right-click on the view name in the Project Browser and choose “Create View Template From View”. Provide a name for the View Template and accept the default settings in the final dialog box that pops up.

    

12. To apply a view template, Ctrl+select all of the views within the same category to which you want to apply the view template, right-click, and choose “Apply View Template…”

     

    Note:  This process will need to occur separately for Floor Plan Views and Ceiling Plan Views.

13. Delete all unnecessary annotation – this is a manual process of looking through each view and identifying the annotations that are no longer required . This will include such things as revision clouds, dimensions, text notes, etc.

    Use “Select all instances…” in the right-click menu to speed up selection and deletion.

14. Inside Visibility / Graphics Overrides, turn off visibility for any furnishing, fixtures, or equipment that does not need to be tracked within the FM system. Optionally, consider deleting these building components instead.
15. Set the view to a Coarse level of detail.

    

16. Delete all Schedules and Legends.
17. From the Manage Ribbon tab, use the Purge button to clean the model of all deleted elements.
18. Save the simplified model to its final location, using the settings available from the Options button in the Save As dialog to both compact the file and to make it a new Central file.