Archin3D

Last post for this Blog

2009-12-29T17:42:00.003-05:00

From this point on you can follow me on:
http://jasongrant.squarespace.com/

Thank you for all who have followed up to this point.

I have tranfered the history of this blog to the new site and thus will leave Archin3D up for only a few months more before I close it.
http://jasongrant.squarespace.com/archin3d-blog-archive/

Sheet Creator Application for Revit

2009-12-24T20:42:00.003-05:00

In case you did not notice this morning, I uploaded the application as promised.

http://jasongrant.squarespace.com/jason-grant-blog/2009/12/24/sheet-creator-application-for-revit.html

Have a Happy Holiday!

Revit Add-In Gift on Christmas Eve

2009-12-18T14:25:00.002-05:00

On Christmas Eve I will be uploading an Add-In for Revit that will help you more quickly create sheets with significantly less clicks. In fact, it somewhat provides a solution for #10 of the AUGI Revit Wishlist given to Autodesk this year at AU2009. Check out http://jasongrant.squarespace.com/ for an early Holiday gift on Christmas Eve and I hope everyone has a Happy Holiday.

Revit API Software

2009-12-15T19:10:00.002-05:00

Check out my new blog... just posted what software options you have for doing Revit API work.

http://jasongrant.squarespace.com/jason-grant-blog/2009/12/15/programs-for-revit-api.html

AU API Examples Session

2009-12-11T07:59:00.004-05:00

Watch my AU session on Revit API examples at my new blog.

http://jasongrant.squarespace.com

New blog... Follow for AU updates

2009-11-29T10:27:00.004-05:00

I have been working on many things.... one of those is my API examples session at AU. I have also been working on a new blog format and name which I am going to kick off this AU week. I appreciate all who have followed up to this point and hope to give you even more to look forward to at http://jasongrant.squarespace.com/

The squarespace site structure gives me the ability to, in one place, place content for download, allow you to upload info to me, forms and more. I look forward to being able to share a wealth of information with you.

If you are attending the AU event and want to follow where I am, follow me on twitter also.
http://twitter.com/JasonGrantArch

I am really looking forward to AU this year and hope to see you there.

Revit API Suggestions

2009-10-30T09:07:00.005-04:00

I have a session at AU this year that I am doing along with Michael Coviello from TRO Jung Brannen on API examples that we use in our work environment. We are looking another 1 or 2 great ideas for what would make your work in Revit easier, more efficient or just something you think is missing. Any ideas that get used will be shared with the Revit community so toss out anything no matter how trivial you think it is. I look forward to seeing many of you at AU and have a Happy Halloween.

CP304-2

Autodesk Revit API examples from Real Office Applications

90 Minute Panel

Little bits of increased speed make a difference

2009-05-11T15:03:00.003-04:00

Part of my job here is to ensure that all of the users have what they need to be productive. Maybe you have a similar role in your company also, but have you ever thought that something basic in the content that you provide could actually hinder the performance of your users? This first of a series of explorations into different families. In this instance, we will examine the simple downlight since it is in just about every project in every office. What is a downlight but a hole in the ceiling, trim on the surface, a box behind and the light source. There is nothing that could be improved... or is there?

I have always questioned to myself and to others about whether the hole in the ceiling is necessary or if it could possibly create performance issues. Think about how many times you place a light, the fact that it is a curved surface within the cut and that every time you move it needs to regen the relationship between the elements. To test this theory, I created a benchmark journal test that included placing 1,500 downlights, modifying the size of the downlight opening and moving the entire set of downlights. I had (2) downlights that I used for the test, one had a hole cut in the ceiling and the other had no hole cut but another solid extrusion to add a material on the surface of the ceiling where the hole should be.

The results were interesting:
Placing 1,500 downlights - Without the hole cut, the downlights were placed 18% faster.
Modifying the downlights - The downlight tests were about equal
Move 1,500 downlights 6" - Without the hole cut, the downlights were moved 35% faster.

FYI - The results are based on the average of multiple runs after different restarts.

So maybe you think that the millisecond delays within your work do not make a difference but if you have enough of those maybe it will make a significant difference. Lets say that you actually did have a 35% inefficiency because of slower downlight movement. That would mean that you had 2.8 hours that you lost in a 8 hour day if all you were editing were downlights. That's pretty amazing. But if you have 50 users each loosing 35% productivity then you lost 140 hours worth of work in one day.

This issue alone is one of the reasons I am so cautious about letting outside content from external websites to populate our projects. Why risk the multitude of possible issues that can result of downloaded content to save an hour.

If you have an idea or a family that you would like see explored for my next post please let me know through comment or email. Even send me a family that you think is built for speed and I will see if it can be improved.

Influence the next AU

2009-05-04T19:38:00.005-04:00

In past Autodesk University events have you ever wished that you could influence what sessions you have to choose from? There is actually a venue to do so. For the second year, Autodesk is allowing the AU community to vote on their favorite session options for Autodesk University 2009. Your vote will help influence what classes there are and when they are scheduled.

To vote, simply go to the AU Session Selection Page and login with your AU account info. If you don't have one then just sign up.

The deadline is Friday, May 8th at midnight PDT.

Now that I have your interest, I would like to do some self promotion. I have proposed four classes in an attempt to present for my first time at Autodesk University. If you want to see any of these classes at AU please login and vote for them. Click on the names below to link to the sessions. I hope that I can share some of this information with you at the next AU.

Revit API Examples from Real Office Applications

Learn how utilizing the API can help automate even more of your Revit process or how it can help you better manage and present the "i" of BIM. Two prominent Boston firms, Payette and TRO JungBrannen, have teamed up to present examples of how the API is being used in their offices. We will also exhibit code from a simple API to describe a basic code understanding and provide useful resources to help you manipulate the API. If you are looking to have more control over the functions and data within Revit, then this class is for you.

Hardware Benchmark Testing with Revit

This lecture is intended to share the knowledge of hardware benchmarking to BIM and Revit Managers so they can help influence the decision on hardware purchases for use with Revit. This presentation will cover the results of a multitude of different hardware setups as well as provide the knowledge for each attendee to create their own internal company Revit benchmark. If you ever felt like you were making blind choices on hardware decisions then this class will give you the research and facts that you require.

Transforming a Revit Group into a Passionate Tribe

The traditional way of documenting our work has been challenged by BIM but the architectural field has been stuck in the status quo of 2D documentation which is persistent and resistant. People fear change and lack the faith that something else could be better. How do you change the few Revit users within your firm from a group of individuals into a passionate tribe that can change the future of your firm? This class will explore the challenge of stepping beyond the fear of change and leading a tribe of passionate users. Can you be an effective leader?

Lean, Mean and Organized Revit

Organization is the key to effectively dealing with hundreds of views and different phases within a project. We will explore different ways that you can pre-categorize views within the project browser and add shared parameters for additional control and organization. From there, we will examine the effect that unclean families have on a project when populated numerous times on a project. Tips and tricks will be shown on how to effectively keep your project clean, lean and running smooth. Attendees will learn the little oversights that had dramatic effects on their file performance.

Article on Boston Architects and the Economy

2009-04-30T11:10:00.003-04:00

Interesting Article by Robert Campbell from the Boston Globe Online about the state of the economy for Architectural Firms, especially for the Boston Area. I would be interested to hear how other areas of the US are doing if anyone wants to comment.

Architects search for blueprint to get by
As building plans stall in a recession, architects tend to get hit first and hardest. That's proving to be brutally true in Boston, a city with more than its share of professionals in the field.

Nancy Jenner, the acting director of the Boston Society of Architects, estimates that the average layoff rate in Boston architecture firms is already pushing 30 percent. In some it is more than 50 percent. Firm after firm report that with no new work coming in, things will only get worse this spring and summer.

"They are the ones that get busted around more than other professionals," said Kermit Baker, a Harvard researcher who also serves as the American Institute of Architects' chief economist.

Baker cites US Department of Labor figures for the nation as a whole, which reveal that from the level of peak architectural employment in July 2008 through January, architects lost jobs at double the rate of lawyers and accountants.

Massachusetts ranks seventh among states in the number of licensed architects, although it is only 15th in population. Nearly all of them are concentrated in Greater Boston. According to the Boston society, there are just over 8,000 employees of architecture firms in Massachusetts. About 3,200 of them are licensed architects.

Architects are nothing if not inventive, and they are trying everything to survive the drought of new work.

Some firms have cut salaries from top to bottom. Others have moved to a four-day week. Some have stopped taking interns. Still others offer unpaid furloughs to valued employees, aiming to keep them around for the future when times get better.

What happens to the employees who do get laid off? Some reinvent themselves. Others leave the profession.

One who is trying reinvention is Graham Ruggie, 40, of Ashland. Ruggie used to be director of product standards at Cubellis, a firm with 16 offices in several states. Since last summer, Cubellis has dropped from 500 people to about 300 and closed some offices entirely.

Ruggie remembers the January day he got laid off. "I took 10 or 15 minutes to feel sorry for myself. My boss felt almost as bad as I did, and he gave me three or four days to wrap up what I was working on," he said.

"I used some of that time to make calls. I put out all my tentacles. I'd been talking to my wife and others about striking out on my own not only with my own architectural practice, but working on real estate development."

"I've been through three downturns," he said, "and this is definitely the worst."
Another recent layoff victim is Ann Berman, who was a project architect at Arrowstreet in Cambridge. Because it did a lot of commercial work, Arrowstreet was one of the hardest hit. Berman began looking elsewhere last year, failed to find a new job, and was laid off in September.

"I see it as a forced vacation," she said. "I'm doing the things I want to do. I volunteer for community service, I design sets for a children's theater, and I've applied to be a substitute teacher. I would love to be an art teacher."

But she adds that if another job opened up in architecture, she would grab it.
Jim Batchelor is a partner at Arrowstreet who is this year's president of the Boston Society of Architects. He admits to a precipitous drop in the firm, from 170 people to "around 50 or 60."
But he, too, sees a bright side, or at least claims to.

"It's a time to learn new skills," he said. Architects he knows are becoming qualified to rate the energy consumption of buildings, or are learning a new computer-based method of communicating between architects and builders.

"We all believe that's what's going to be our future, and we have time to retrain in a way we didn't when we were busy," he said.

Some architects are abandoning the job market altogether and going back to school. Applications at Harvard's Graduate School of Design are up 30 percent this year. At MIT's architecture program, applications are up 40 percent. There just aren't any jobs, said Deborah Johansen, Harvard design school spokeswoman . Harvard plans to host a session in New York where students will network with alumni who may be potential employers.

There are no fewer than five schools of architecture in Greater Boston, more than any other US city except New York, which also has five. The Massachusetts College of Art and Design expects to soon gain an accredited degree program, thus giving Boston six. Many of the graduates of these schools work for years in local firms before becoming licensed.

Richard Fitzgerald, the recently retired director of the Boston Society of Architects, likens this recession to the last big one, which was back in the early '90s. "It was a tragedy of lost jobs," he said. "We lost a whole generation of young architects who went into other fields, who otherwise would be moving into leadership positions in architecture firms today."

But Fitzgerald also notes, "I think there are few professions as resilient as architecture. Architects aren't used to being rich. They're in it to survive, not for the dollars."

Of course the problem isn't limited to New England. One hundred architecture firms recently showed up to compete for a single, rather modest library renovation in Malibu, Calif. And in Britain, government figures show that the number of architects filing for unemployment benefits increased by 760 percent in the last year, more than any other profession.

Baker points out an ominous difference between this recession and earlier ones. In the past, he says, institutional work - buildings for nonprofit clients such as hospitals and universities - held up better than commercial work, such as office buildings, condos, and retail stores.

But today, says Baker, with banks not lending and endowments shrinking, institutional projects, too, are being put on hold.

Some cite the government as the architectural client of last resort. They hope that the stimulus package will fund public works such as schools and healthcare and transit facilities.

Alex Krieger, a founder of Chan Krieger Sieniewicz in Cambridge, said he is facing a new kind of competition. "We do a lot of planning for government agencies," he said. "In recent months we've found that some of the biggest, best known architecture firms in the country, people who wouldn't normally go after small planning jobs, are competing with us. Suddenly, everyone becomes a planner. Public clients are impressed by these big national names. We've lost jobs that we think we'd normally have gotten."

Globe architecture critic Robert Campbell

Revit Ribbon Wow Factor

2009-04-24T11:32:00.002-04:00

Autodesk has been coming up with new ideas each week for why the "Ribbon" was a positive move. While I would like to believe all the new reasons for why Autodesk forced the ribbon, I still believe it came from some marketer's dream, that influenced corporate, which then became a movement requiring all software packages to look the same. They were going for a wow factor. The wow factor being that if something looks better then people will want it. This works for product design, sometimes websites but rarely on software. Below are some examples:

Product Design
People will buy electronics that have less features and costs more than another on the shelf simply because it is better designed and more visually appealing. When perusing the shelf or website they created a wow that separated this product from that. Design for this has a purpose and it works.

Websites
An overly designed "Wow" website with animated graphics and shifting/sliding of content and controls can actually make it more difficult to see the important information that the website is trying to reveal. While you may get more people wanting to look at the site, they are looking at your "Wow" and not YOU and what YOU can provide to them. The person who clearly states their core values and services on the front page, easy to read, will probably get a better business response.

Software
So recently I was trying out different DVD ripping programs so that I can copy my toddler's movies onto an external drive so that when he destroys the disk, I can just burn a new one. I had two serious contenders for my money and both were on full use trials. The first I decided to try was because they had created a Wow Factor in their User Interface design, the downside was that it actually did not work well. The burned DVD would automatically skip from chapter to chapter 50% of the time and you would finish the movie in seconds. So I tried the other which was a basic interface with nothing graphical about it and few buttons or options. It worked perfectly and did what it was designed to do. Which one do you think I spent my money on?

Today I will be completing the 4th day of Revit 2010 training for a new team that has never used Revit. While one of the premises for the new UI was that it would make it easier for new users to grasp, I actually believe that it is harder. With everything shifting and sliding, tools there and not there, go to this tab and then back again... the issues go on and on. There is no easy way to say when you want to do this you go here. Everything is in constant movement and revealing tools in different places. What is interesting is that I see more users who will probably go back to text commands (like Autocad) because tools like the copy button move all over the place and you are constantly having to think and search out the command. While there is nothing that can be done going forward with the UI since it is here to stay, I sure hope Autodesk makes some huge advancement in the tools for the next release. Otherwise, it is a "Wow" type interface which is hard to navigate, does not follow the flow of working on design projects and has many tools that still do not adequately perform the tasks that they are suppose to do.

Revit for the Unemployed Update

2009-04-06T09:06:00.002-04:00

I got an interesting RSS feed from http://dwf.blogs.com/beyond_the_paper/ today.

Autodesk is taking an interest in today's economic crisis where they will actually help those of you who are unemployed. Follow this link for more information http://students3.autodesk.com/?nd=assistance_home&lbon=1 and this one for a detailed .pdf explination http://students3.autodesk.com/ama/orig/Autodesk_Assistance_Program_Customer_FAQ-_FINAL.pdf

In one of my previous posts, I had thought it would be beneficial for the unemployed to be able to get a student version at a student cost for a 13 month license. Autodesk seems to have taken it one step forward and is offering the software free. This is a great move by Autodesk to show that they understand where the economy is and that they care about the users of their programs.

Check out the links above for more information.

Quick Access Toolbar - Boston RUG

2009-04-02T07:00:00.001-04:00

A week ago today, Autodesk hosted our area Revit Users Group at their new facility in Waltham. They previewed Revit Architecture and MEP 2010 which included the new user interface (UI), Customization, Conceptual Massing and the API. While each of the presenters from Autodesk did a great job, the greatest nugget of information that I received was that you can set the quick access toolbar (QAT), copy the file and then you can deploy it to all your new installs.

Why is this important?

You will probably find out that there are tools that you will need frequently and switching between the tabs on the UI just seems time consuming. While I am assuming what my users will need, I had found that Switch Windows, Text, Aligned Dimension, Measure and WORKSETS will be a few of those tools that are essential to be at your fingertips. I will also probably deploy it with about 1/2 the default QAT selections turned off. Also with the assumption that these will be used a lot, I am going to put it below the ribbon.

You can decide what your desired setup is for your users but you will probably not be able to find the file that retains the information without the information below:

The ribbon and QAT data is stored in the UIState.dat file.
To reset the UI to its default state just delete the file.
UIState.dat file is located in the Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010 folder under one of the following folders:
o For Windows XP
%USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\Autodesk\Revit
o For Windows Vista
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Autodesk\Revit

Note: Your users will be able to customize it once they start using it since this also holds the information on the ribbon and other UI info.

Thanks to Erik at Autodesk for supplying me with the path for the .dat file.

Revit for the Unemployed

2009-03-27T08:30:00.000-04:00

I read a facebook status update the other day from a friend who was laid off from an architecture firm due to the economy. He wrote that while unfortunate, it is allowing him time to work on his exams, study for LEED and to learn this BIM thing. It got me thinking about how he would actually learn BIM. He could download the Revit trial, use books to train and try to learn it but what can you actually do in the 30 days of the trial version. Is 30 days enough to learn? When I first started on Revit, I had gotten a demo while at Autodesk University 2004. I had demos beforehand but you just start getting into it when the demo expires. The demo that they gave at AU 2004 was either a 60 or 90 day (can't remember). What I do remember is having adequate time to learn and start implementing it.

While pondering this, I thought about whether Autodesk could do something to help the numerous unemployed which would not cost much but could lead to significant gains for Autodesk's future. What if Autodesk could provide Revit to the unemployed using the cost structure of the Student License and also have the similar 13 month license? Of course, there would need to be some type of proof (unemployment check, call to the last employer or something similar). This would allow numerous individuals with the ability to learn Revit, become proficient and be more marketable. The benefit for Autodesk is that there would be many more users of the program for when the market rebounds. When these users go into their new jobs they will essentially be your sales force within those companies. Another senerio is that many of these individuals may end up starting their own practices. After seeing the benefit of Revit, what software do you think they would choose to buy when the license expires?

Something interesting to think about and I would like to hear some of your comments.

Revit Innovations

2009-03-26T22:11:00.003-04:00

In one of my previous emails I may have been slightly harsh about the releases of Revit. In my mind, the time and energy spent on the UI is not worth while since not enough of the actual tools have been perfected enough yet to take the fustration out of day to day use. While I stongly believe that there are serious flaws in the workflow and use of the tools, the Revit team has been innovative on an actual tool that should help with the early design of a building. The conceptual massing tool is that innovation and is a great first pass at a Sketchup like flexibility to massing.

Kudos to the team that worked on conceptual massing. You are definately going in the right direction and I look forward to where you take it from here.

But my comment still stands... make the product work as perfect as it can and then pull some of the programmer's time away for other things. I know Revit as a whole can never be completely perfect but it CAN be a lot better.

Product Comparisons

2009-03-26T08:39:00.002-04:00

Continuing on the previous topic...

Version Comparisons can offer more than just justification for upgrades, it can actually help your users find which product is best for their needs. For instance:

Navisworks - Do I need Manage, Simulate or Review? There is also Freedom but that is just the viewer but where do the options of the viewer overlap the others?

Max or Max Design?

Alias - Would I need Design, Surface or Studio?

There are probably others but I think my point is made. The moment that you start creating a disconnect by increasing the options for a single product line it is imperative that you include some type of comparison. At least Navisworks tries to do it but only on a high level. For example, all have Review Toolkit and 3D File and data aggregation but what does that mean to someone who has not used it? I challenge the people who created this list to go home and ask their spouse (or better yet call your mother), show them the list and ask them what the differences are between the products. Ask them what Review Toolkit is and see if they can come up with a remotely similar description to what you think is straight forward.

Why make this confusing when you probably already have the information at your fingertips. You spend a huge time marketing your but you missed something big when you don't allow the users to understand differences without extensive research.

Comparison Charts - What Autodesk is missing...

2009-03-24T09:05:00.007-04:00

With the economic downturn affecting many architecture firms, there is a movement to re-evaluate what they spend money on. One significant aspect of every budget is software. Do the companies who almost force you into subscriptions really give you the benefit of getting each new software release? Adobe gives you a comparison chart to help you evaluate what has changed and thus puts the power in your hands to determine if the software advances from the company warrant the payment for the upgrade. Autodesk will give you a feature summary but is that enough?

I was recently asked to look into Ecotect training since there are only a few individuals using our network license within our office at a limited capacity. We would like to leverage the product more throught our design process and on more projects. With that research, I thought I would look at the upgrade of our 5.6 version to 2010 since the users would most likely be trained in the new version. I was shocked to see that the price has risen to $3,500 and then they want $750 on top of that for subscription which they try to justify by giving you Green Building Studio.

But what has been improved?

By Autodesk putting their name on it after aquisition, the price increased significantly. With the next release (2010) it increased again by $1,000. So what justifies this increase? Give me a product comparison since the product detail brochure and questions & answers paper do not mention one benefit to upgrading. Is there even a new feature? Autodesk, How are you going to get new customers for these products if you make it cost prohibitive? I can't sell this to our CFO in this market but if it was less expensive (like Pre-Autodesk days) I would be able to. If I could sell it and train it then they would see the benefit, use it a lot and need to buy even more licenses thus providing Autodesk with even more money then at the current cost since we will not buy it. How will you even get people to try it at this cost?

In the past, Revit was worthwhile to be on subscription. With the aquisition, they started a strong push to improve the product with frequent updates which has seemed to fizzle. Are they in the "the dip" or do they need to find their new "Purple Cow". Both are fast read books by Seth Godin and if you have not read them then you need to. I used to look forward to the improvements of each release but I have not seen this in the last couple releases. They always seem to focus all efforts in one area. 2009 brought us the rendering and 2010 will bring us a new user interface but what happens to all of the issues that you may think are little but really significantly affect the everyday use?

Autodesk, Please keep up with being innovative and make it worthwhile to be on subscription.

Another example of product version comparisons from Techsmith on Camtasia. They allow you to pick your version and have it compared to the current. Simple idea that most software companies do...

Boston Revit Users Group

2009-01-28T11:38:00.009-05:00

Sorry for the long time in between posts. I have been working on internal presentations and a couple RUG groups (both internal and external). This post is to announce the Boston RUG group going public. This group is run and attended by users just like you. Please sign up if you are interested in being part of this exciting group. If you have any questions about the group please feel free to email me. (Email Address on Right Bar)

http://www.meetup.com/Boston-Revit-Users-Group

The following is from a email that Laura Handler (BIMx) sent out.
Next Meeting
Our next meeting is February 17th, at ADD Inc. You can get more info and RSVP on the website.

Organization of the Group

As you may have heard (via an email from Steve Rines), the leadership of the group is morphing. We are starting to utilize an advisory board method of organization, with representation from ALL of the ‘players’: Architecture, Structure, Systems Engineering (MEP), Contractors, Subcontractors, Owners, Facilities Management, etc. However, we need to find all of these people first. We will introduce the current board members at the first meeting and discuss this structure in greater detail.

Funny Coversation while at AU

2008-12-03T23:08:00.004-05:00

While I have been in Vegas my 4 year old son has been asking my wife when I will be home. This is a conversation that he had while on his way home from school today:

K: I don’t want to take a nap.
Mama: I know, but you have to.
K: But, I need Papa to be there so that you can sing and he can (motions waving with his hands).

I sometimes make hand/arm motions while my wife sings
Mama: I know, but Papa had to go on a business trip.
K: But, I don’t know. Where is he?
Mama: He went to Las Vegas.
K: Space! (Very Excited)
Mama: No, Las Vegas… it’s a city.
K: Yeah, but I don’t know what Las Vegas is…

Maybe AU 2030 will find that the largest venue available for the attendees is the moon and then my son won't be so confused.

AU 2008

2008-12-01T15:20:00.004-05:00

I'm off to Autodesk University. If you want to get together to network please send me an email. Hope to see you there!

Always Test before Mass Update

2008-10-21T20:54:00.003-04:00

Sometimes I forget with simple "Service Packs" of any program, that they all should get adequately tested before installing on a mass of computers. So, we have a user that was having serious issues that the rest of their team was not having on a 180mb Revit file. Even though none of this user's issues were on the fix list I had hoped that it would resolve some of the issues until we could get the user a new computer. After installing the Service Pack 2, the user would have Revit close (without warning or error report) when they would attemp a save to central command. I had to do a system restore because there was nothing I could alter on the machine that would allow the program to save to central. Luckily, since we are switching out hardware so that the users will have Vista 64bit with Revit 64, I only installed the Service Pack (Web Update) 2 on one computer.

Just a reminder that you should always test before installing on too many computers. I almost forgot and if we were not changing out hardware I would probably have suggested installing it on 50 computers. That would have been a headache!

This could have been a system issue so I am in no way suggesting that you not use the new Revit update.

Revit 64-Bit Benchmark Results

2008-10-02T14:37:00.016-04:00

Before the 64-Bit was even released I was just finishing up a benchmark program that was very difficult and taxing on RAM and processor. We were trying to figure out what laptop would be best for our Revit users. Since the 64-Bit has been released I have now run it and was shocked at the improvement. On another note, I was let down that the SP2 for 2009 was actually slower then the WU1 but that quickly disappeared when I heard about the 64-Bit version. Below are the results:Below is an image from the benchmark. It is way overmodeled with bolts, complex chairs, glass beakers in the shelves in the lab and so forth.

Revit 64-Bit Released

2008-09-30T13:14:00.003-04:00

Autodesk has released the 64-Bit Revit and can be downloaded on the subscription website. A longtime dream of many has become a reality. We have a difficult benchmark within the office that takes about 2 1/2 hours on the 32-Bit Revit so I will let you know the results on the new version.

Thank you Autodesk!!!

New Revit Blog

2008-09-12T21:25:00.004-04:00

I was wondering how long it would take for Autodesk to finally have solid Revit Blog. The wait is gone and I look forward to seeing what insight can come from constant, more relaxed, topics of discussion from the source. Written by Harlan Brumm, he lists this on his bio:

"As the Global Technical Lead for Revit Architecture within Product Support, I train our support staff on the technical side of the software and I help solve pesky Revit problems. I also help to author white papers and technical solutions on our Knowledge base."

The site called The Revit Clinic describes itself as Preventative and Rehabilitative BIM Care. With a start of about one post every three days he is off to a great start with some interesting topics.

ABC3D Book

2008-09-01T01:01:00.002-04:00

This is just too interesting not to share. Some gifted minds are just specially made to see objects and in this case typography in creative 3D.

Hidden Gem

2008-08-29T20:23:00.004-04:00

A blogger that I enjoy reading has changed the name of his blog in the hopes of getting better stats. The name was changed to Zooming with Revit. It used to be “Life’s too short to drink cheap wine.” Great name that's really memorable but even more memorable is the great posts that are created on this blog. If you get a chance, bookmark his site... The more hits the more likely he will keep blogging. Ohh... and the site has more than just Revit on its posts.

Interesting Revit Site

2008-08-19T21:37:00.003-04:00

I was browsing the web and found this site. While it mostly has Green Building articles it has the potential to be a very interesting Revit News site.

Check it out! http://www.revitcommunity.com

New Versions of NavisWorks

2008-08-14T09:40:00.002-04:00

Just announced today by Autodesk "New Versions of Autodesk NavisWorks Product Line Now Available"

Some key quotes from the announcement include:

UPDATES
Updates were made to the full Autodesk NavisWorks product line, whichenables seamless visualization of all types of models, precise replicationof designs, and accurate simulation of 4D construction schedules. TheNavisWorks products help keep all project stakeholders on the same digitalpage, whether they are creating, viewing or reviewing 3D models.

The updated version of the Autodesk NavisWorks line of products nowalso provides:

Support for Revit assembly codes for "symbol" element types
Properties support for new style DWF files (as exported from Revit)
Asta Powerproject V10 support
AutoCAD Mechanical 2008 64-bit support
64-bit exporters now included in the main installer
Vico Constructor 2008 support
Enhancements to application programming interface

AVAILABILITY
Autodesk NavisWorks 2009.1 products are now available worldwide inEnglish, French, German, Japanese, Russian and Simplified Chinese.Additionally, Autodesk NavisWorks Freedom is now available as a free add-onproduct with Autodesk NavisWorks Manage, Autodesk NavisWorks Simulate andAutodesk NavisWorks Review installs. More information can be found at http://www.autodesk.com/navisworks.

New Job, New Design

2008-08-12T12:04:00.005-04:00

Three months ago I accepted a position as BIM Specialist at a Boston, MA based Architecture firm with about 200 employees. After 10+ years of working on Architectural projects I have now begun supporting those teams producing the work. I am very excited about this change and the ability to explore Revit, BIM and many other programs with more depth than ever before. Now that I have settled into my position I would like to share with everyone some of what I have learned recently.

Autodesk Expands Sustainable Design Product Portfolio

2008-02-12T21:21:00.000-05:00

The following link from Autodesk descibes the acquisition of Green Building Studio by Autodesk.

Autodesk Press

and below is the email I just recieved from Green Building Studio

After nearly 10 years of market changing innovation, Green Building Studio is delighted to announce we have signed an agreement for Autodesk, Inc. to acquire our assets. In other words, our Green Building Studio (GBS) web service will soon join the Autodesk product family. Please be assured that our talented team will continue selling, training, and supporting architects as they use our web service to design carbon neutral buildings today and in the future.

“Autodesk is committed to providing technology that makes sustainable design easier and more efficient,” said Jay Bhatt, senior vice president, Autodesk AEC Solutions. “We look forward to adding the Green Building Studio technologies to the Autodesk portfolio and helping our customers more easily leverage the coordinated, reliable data created in the Revit® platform for building information modeling (BIM) to help predict performance and design buildings with reduced environmental impact.”

After closing this deal, Autodesk also plans to continue support for the Green Building Studio web service, carbon neutral building design training, and to strengthen the web service’s integration with its BIM software. The gbXML schema will remain an open industry standard, and the GBS web service will continue to be available to any other BIM software.
“We have partnered with Autodesk for many years, and commend their ongoing support for sustainability,” said John Kennedy, President & CTO, Green Building Studio. “We are eager to contribute our industry expertise in green buildings to drive mainstream adoption of sustainability and accelerate the AEC industry’s transition to carbon neutral buildings.”
We expect to finalize the acquisition in the next few months. In the meanwhile, if you have any questions please feel free to contact us.

Green Building Studio - web service facts
6600+ Users
6200+ Projects
646 LEED Projects
35,000+ Simulations
210+ million floor area (ft²)
20 second average simulation time
ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 140-2004

Revit Architecture and Max

2008-01-23T15:38:00.000-05:00

Recently, I rendered my first Revit model in Autodesk 3ds Max. While I had extensive previous experience with Autodesk Viz, I had only used AutoCAD models in the Viz environment. I have rendered many Revit models in Accurender within Revit and have been able to tweak the settings enough to get very decent models. On this rendering though, we wanted to create a nightime rendering and that was something that you can not create well in Accurender.I was thrilled at the easy transfer from Revit into Max. While you have to export to AutoCAD first, when you bring that file into Max it allows you to select items by object. This project had three buildings, thus three linked files, and by being able to select the similar objects of each building allowed me to go from Revit to finished renderings in one day. Mix the easy use of the Revit/Max combo with ArchVision's RPC objects (People, Trees and Cars) and you can go from simple to amazing.

I am soon at the end of the 30 day trial that they allow from the download at the Autodesk website but I will be highly recommending the purchase of this product for our company. I will also try a copy of Viz to see if the operability is the same and will report back to everyone once I have reviewed it.

Project North / True North

2008-01-16T21:41:00.000-05:00

This has always puzzled me and wanted to find out if anyone else out there felt the same. When setting up a project you do not always know what project north will be on new construction project. The default orientation though for Revit is set to Project North.

So, basically to get things setup correctly from the beginning I have to put in the property coordinates from the surveyor, test out options to figure out the building orientation, rotate the entire project so that it lays out correctly on the sheets, set the view properties to True North and then finally go to Tools > Project Position / Orientation > Rotate True North.

Is it me or is this set backwards? Does anyone out there have a good reason why it is acceptable as it is currently set-up? Is this something that the Revit development team can fix? Kinda like the Ceiling misspelling on a tab that took them a few releases to fix.

Revit Wish List

2007-10-05T23:32:00.000-04:00

AUGI has announced wish list voting on AutoCAD, Inventor, Civil 3D, and Revit Architecture. What is important to you in the continuing development of Revit? Click on the this link to voice your opinion. http://www.augi.com/revit/ballot.asp

USG Design Studio

2007-10-04T12:45:00.000-04:00

It seems as though in the last month, USG has developed an amazing amount of information able to be downloaded for use in Revit. You can find it at http://www.usgdesignstudio.com

This includes Wall Types, Acoustic Ceiling Tile and their Specialty Ceilings. As you can see below they have a simple search tool for the wall types depending on the what you are looking for. You can choose by material, interior or exterior, fire rating, STC rating and the framing type.

After you have made your selections you can download a Revit file that includes multiple versions of the wall types fitting your search criteria. It shades the insulated walls in yellow and the non-insulated ones are white. You can change these to fit your standards but it makes it easy to distinguish between the types.

You can then create schedules utilizing the impressive amount of information provided if desired or just use it for your reference when creating partition type drawings or specifications. This information includes URL, Fire Rating, Fire Test #, USG Fire Test URL, STC, Sound Test #, UL URL and Specification URL.

Also, if you think this is impressive you should also check out the ceiling information. It is great that manufacturers are now focusing their efforts on Revit rather than just AutoCAD or dxf.

Revit Architecture & MEP as a Team

2007-08-01T21:13:00.000-04:00

So we have just finished our bid/permit set for the project utilizing Revit Architecture and Revit MEP. While it has shown me that it has a lot of potential, it will have to be developed over more projects. This was the first project completed by this MEP/FP engineer in Revit MEP so they had to crib in a lot of typical details from AutoCAD in order to get the drawings done on time. Also, due to Revit crashes they had to finish the fire protection drawings in AutoCAD.

We plan to have a meeting in the next weeks to evaluate the process and I will share the information that we compile so that others may work more effectively. This is also very important since we received approval to proceed with two new buildings on the same site. We are going to push this project forward utilizing complete use of Revit Architecture, MEP, and Structure. Each of the consultants are on board so hopefully we can weed out some of the issues and have a very successful project.

No change in programs can ever go perfect so I will try to weed out the comments that are due to learning and those that are due to how we work together. More to come soon so check back often. I will also post the 3D renderings once they are done. The facade work as shown below includes brick, EIFS (stucco), metal panel and curtainwall system.

JELD-WEN "Stands Out"

2007-06-21T19:58:00.000-04:00

I recieved an email today in response to a previous post on manufacturer content from JELD-WEN. The subject of this email was "Most extensive 3D window drawings available online for designers". This is definately true and is making JELD-WEN stand out in the window market for Architects who use Revit. They have set the bar high for other window manufactuers and you will know why when you look at this link.

www.parametrx.com/912/templates/index.asp

You can configure any custom type of window and/or door from JELD-WEN. After configuing the unit you then get a link to download the unit you configured. The configuration options include: Size, finish, operation, and more. The doors come with the hinges and handles on the family. It is amazing to use and I commend JELD-WEN for creating an exceptional tool.

Area Plans

2007-06-21T13:55:00.000-04:00

Area Plans can serve a great purpose to contractors who are bidding a project. It also helps to define the exact scope of work to be completed so that you have a more even comparison between bidders. We always include area plans and a schedule, as you can see below, on the cover of our pricing and construction drawings. There are a lot of variance on the cost of a project including addition vs. renovation and finished vs. unfinished spaces. A simple diagram helps the client, contractor, and subs to quickly see the scope of work and the intention of the project.

How to Show Millwork?

2007-06-14T21:10:00.000-04:00

What is the best way to show millwork on a construction set?

One of the tasks at Colin Smith Architecture that we have struggled with in Revit is how to create millwork legends. Our goal is to make each set of construction documents that we produce better than the one before it. Millwork is a place that we are trying to improve. Sometimes you want to show a section of millwork but have trouble navigating through all the elements in the floor plan to show a good view. Below is an image of an example that we have created that we are integrating into all new projects. We use this to create and show traditional paneling, benches (Mudroom), beadboard paneling, wall base, crown molding, chairrail, and window & door casings.
In this case, by creating an axon of the millwork (or Architectural Woodwork depending on your nomenclature) we can show how this wall paneling should be constructed including both inside and outside corners. We can also create detail sections both vertically and horizontally through the modeled wall. So that this does not schedule in your project or is an anoyance in your plans, we have created a "Administrative" phase that is after the "New Construction" or "Complete" Phase. We use the Administrative phase to create elements that we want shown on the construction set but that do not scheduled for the construction work. We then created wall sweeps and integrated details thin those sweeps to create the wall paneling and other millwork items. We downloaded the autocad profiles from a local company around us (Andersen & McQuaid) and convert the autocad linework into profiles that we can use as wall sweeps.

Got It!

2007-06-08T22:20:00.001-04:00

The reason I started this blog was to descibe our experience of working with consultants who use Revit Structure and Revit MEP. While I have not been able to do that to date, all is about to change. Today we recieved a signed contract for converting a 37,000 GSF warehouse into retail space. While the owner already has a structural consultant on board who did not use Revit Structure on the project, we have a MEP consultant who is willing to use Revit MEP. This will be their second project that they have started in Revit MEP. My goal is to share as much as possible (the good and the bad) about the coordination, file transfers, and workflow.

This is a really exciting development in the way that we work within our office. Not only will things be more coordinated but it will be really interesting to see it all in 3D. Isn't it amazing it has taken this long to get to this point. You would think that since we design 3 dimensional structures that we would have moved away from 2D drawings a long time ago. I look forward to sharing and would like some feedback from anyone else who has tried this.

Too busy creating to Blog

2007-06-04T12:34:00.000-04:00

I have been hard at work at Colin Smith Architecture, Inc. developing the way we use Revit and making our deliverables outstanding within the architecture community. Our first year of using the product revolved around learning the product and how to create a full set of construction documents without utilizing AutoCAD. After the first 3 projects (about 6 months in) we were able to stop using AutoCAD and get a decent set out of Revit. Now, as we approach our 3rd year of using the product, our focus has been on productivity and precision. Below are some images of current projects where we are now pushing the limits of custom families, sweeps, modifications, and repeating elements. As we continue to develop the construction documents from project to project, we see the improvements during the construction administration phase. Drawings are more coordinated, explain the project better to the client and contractors, and thus the end product of the construction is almost exactly as it was designed.

Architectural Home Addition to a 1900's Home
Front View in Lexington, MA
Architectural Home Addition to a 1900's Home
Rear View in Lexington, MA

Home Renovation & Horse Barn Design
Lincoln, MA

Kitchen Addition
Danvers, MA

Is Revit Hard to Learn?

2007-04-27T22:23:00.000-04:00

The first thing I hear when I tell someone that I use Revit is “Really… I heard it is great… But” and then the second part that always follows is “Is it hard to learn”. The simple answer to that question is No but it depends on what you have already learned. If you have never used any type of CAD program then I believe that it would be the easiest program to learn. If you had AutoCAD or ADT background then I believe it will be a little harder because of all the bad habits, shortcut keys, customization, and workflow that we learned along the way. It took me months to stop using the space bar as enter or the escape key.

Some of the differences are:
Layers – Revit has none since you control objects (Doors, Windows, Plumbing Fixtures, and many other categories) It is great to be rid of all of those layers. No longer do you turn off one layer and something else goes off that you did not intend.

Shortcut Keys – Revit also has some but you can not easily alter them like in AutoCAD. This is good because it was really annoying when I went to another co-worker’s computer and I could not do simple commands since they changed them. Shortcut Keys also are not as needed in Revit since the layout of commands are easier to get to.

Customization - As I mentioned before you can not customize as much as in AutoCAD but it is really a good thing and this is the quickest thing you get over.

Workflow – This is the biggest difference and too much to explain effectively. Basically, in AutoCAD you draw in 2D, ADT you almost draw in 3D but very difficult to use, and in Revit it is very easy to do work in 3D but sometimes you need to decide what is worth the time to do 3D and what you can just do more quickly in 2D. The power in the workflow comes from things like the details knowing where they are on sheets and the keys renumbering themselves when they get moved and automatic scheduling of anything you want to schedule.

So what about Learning it?
Basic Commercial buildings are easier to learn on then Basic Residential buildings but it is all fairly easy to learn either way. Revit was designed for Architects by Architects so the program controls revolve around Architecture and thus makes it much more user friendly. AutoCAD was designed for mostly machine drafting and then for some reason became the basis for most architects.
The problem with the learning curve comes from when you want to add a lot of detail to the interior and exterior elevations. If you try to do this all in 3D you will have to invest a lot of time. When first starting, I would suggest creating your floor plans and schedules dynamically and then using the dynamic elevations as an underlay and draw 2D linework over it. Then turn off the dynamic element and you will have a clean elevation. Once you have a couple projects done then try experimenting more. Make every project better then the one before it and never stop pushing the limit of the program. It seems limitless, so keep pushing until you find that limit and then tell Autodesk if you did find one. I have found things that could be improved but not anything that stops me from getting a great end product.

What's New with Autodesk

2007-02-20T22:19:00.000-05:00

What is new with Revit? Unless you work for Autodesk or are a Beta tester in the new release, you won't know until it is released. One thing we do know is that you will see a new name on the box when it is delivered.

Revit Building 9.1 will now be Revit Architecture 2008
Revit Structure 4 will now be Revit Structure 2oo8
Revit Systems will now be Revit MEP 2008

Ohh... I almost forgot my pre-Revit software
Architectural Desktop will now be AutoCAD Architecture 2008
I think this is fitting since the product is just basically AutoCAD with a couple other features.

Along with this name change are some changes to the Autodesk website. HOK seems to have a lot of exposure on the Autodesk Website and other sites relating to Autodesk. Anyone know what the connection is?

Phases of Revit

2007-01-24T21:30:00.000-05:00

I did not create this list but I have always thought it was a great explination of how you feel as you start experiencing Revit. This list was created by Christopher Zoog, who also has a Revit Blog. This list is timeless and will probably always relate to the latest release.

Recently, my boss has started using Revit since we only have one project left in AutoCAD and it has been interesting to watch him go through these phases. Although, he does have the benefit of asking me questions as he learns the program which I did not have the luxury of. Therefore, my Phase two was much more painful than his has been. I do believe that if you have never used CAD, Revit would be more easy to learn than AutoCAD or ADT. If you do have a background in AutoCAD you can find that it is difficult becuase you can not use the same commands in Revit. I bet you AutoCAD users can agree that you also use the escape key in every program when you make a mistake, I know I used to. Revit works different from AutoCAD or ADT. If you can step away from the ways that you used to do things, learning Revit will be simple (for the most part).

THE SIX PHASES OF REVIT

Phase One - Initial Excitement!!!
"Holy Crap! Look what I can do with this thing!"

Phase Two - First bump"Hmmmm...?
Why won't it do what I want? That's not how I do it in (insert other cad software here)!"

Phase Three - Creamy Middle
mmm... things are going more smoothly, now......mmmmm"

Phase Four - WTF stage
The family editor "eats you up and spits you out"!

Phase Five - The EnlightenmentThings really begin to click!
You understand why things are happening in your model, and better yet how to control them and avoid problems. You have conquered the family editor.

Phase Six - Zen of Revit
You have mastered nearly all things Revit. You "know" what Revit "likes", and what it "dislikes" during model construction, a sixth sense, really. You spend your time exploring and tweaking advanced scheduling, OBDC, external parameters, AR3. You have a template to beat all templates, families for every situation.

Manufacturer Families - Part 2

2007-01-20T21:15:00.000-05:00

After thinking more about my last post on this subject, I have come to the realization that Autodesk will probably never create content based on manufacturers. There would be many legal issues and ramifications with them creating these. This could stem from many aspects: incorrectly sized object creates a cost impact in the field, wrong part number brings the wrong item to the field, and the big thing is how does Autodesk pick the manufacturers. They could really alienate themself from companies if they chose one over another to create content from. Why should they worry about this even though it is the largest hurdle that a new user finds with Revit? The family editor is definately the hardest aspect of learning Revit. You need to understand what the best type of family you want to create to get the best end result, know what aspects should be locked and what ones are dynamic, what information you want to schedule, referance planes, visibility settings, add enough detail but not too much also, and they just take a lot of time to make correctly which is never in the budget. If you really master the Family Editor then you have pretty much mastered Revit and you can do anything.

With that said, we are left on trusting how others create content and then downloading from a variety of sites or just creating our own. My goal by the end of this year is to create or download a lot of content so that we can work more efficiently in our office. Here is a list of what I need more of..... What would you like to see? Throughout the year I will upload some of my good families to Revit to pay back the Revit Community for the many downloads that I have used in the past year and a half. It would be great to hear what you think would be beneficial to have more of.

1. Doors - Variety of interior and exterior with different panel options, glass options, and an adjustable swing. Also, I need these in single, double, bi-fold, and pocket. The other item not really well covered is garage doors. I have a lot of manufactures in mind for the door category but it really matters what you are working on.

2. Windows - Where do I start with this.
For our residential projects it would be great to have Double Hung (regular, cottage style, half-round, and archtop), casements, awning, and transom units. It would be great to have these with different grille patterns but it would be best if you could at least turn on or off the bottom grilles or both the top and bottom grills since not every project uses them. Manufactures for this would at least be: Andersen, Marvin, Pella, Duratherm & Jeld-Wen.
For our commercial work it would be really great to have some content from EFCO, Kawneer, and Vistawall. This includes regular aluminum windows, storefront, and curtainwall.

3. Plumbing - This is an important category since it really does affect layouts in bathrooms but it would also be great to be able to schedule. Some key companies could be: Toto, Elkay, Kohler & American Standard.

4. Elevators/Lifts - Not as important since you have many variables to consider before having a set size and manufacturer but some standard sizes would be great.

5. Fireplaces - There are a few of these around but I think this category could always be expanded with some more parametric models. Also, chimney caps are really important but hard to find.

6. Architectural Woodwork - Stairs, Railing, Ballusters, Generic Cabinets, and more trim profiles.

7. Site - Bicycle Racks, Site Benches, and Planters

8. Toilet Compartments & Accessories - Don't really know who I would use as a manufacturer for toilet compartments but I would probably use bobric for the accessories.

9. Lighting - Too many manufactures to list. I started recently with taking the Iris line from Cooper Lighting and creating downlight and downlight accent fixtures. They started out simple but at least they look good on the schedule. This is a category that I will focus a lot of time on.

What do you think about the list? What do you think is important, what is not, and what would you add? It was really great for me to think this through but other input is always great.

Seasons Greetings

2007-01-15T08:49:00.000-05:00

While this has almost nothing to do with Revit, I thought I would show it anyway. We have had fun showcasing our first Revit home (currently under construction) and this holiday card showcases the house and some other projects. I used Illustrator to create the sketchy illustration on the front of the card. While this is a little late, I hope everyone had a happy holiday.

Manufacturer Families

2007-01-05T23:26:00.000-05:00

Why is it so hard to find manufacturer based family content? There doesn't seem to be anything out there. Sure, we have the Andersen Windows that we can download from autodesk and you can find Pella Windows and some other things at RevitCity. Where is everything else??? We can not be expected to create architecture and then all of the furniture and fixtures that go into it. The biggest problem that I come across is that the standard families that you can use are not realistic sizes and/or do not work correctly.

There should be someone at autodesk who only creates family content. Getting over the learning/concept of the Family Editor was not as painful as how many families I download and then need to fix because they forgot to lock something to a reference plane or you try to make something a little smaller or bigger and the family freaks out. Even the out-of-the box content has this problem.

How much would you pay to download good clean families that would make your job easier? I know I would pay (or make my boss pay) A LOT!!!

Manufacturers... people would spec your product just because we can insert a family of that product and have it automatically scheduled. Easier for us... more sales for you.

Sorry... Had to get that off my chest.

Future of Revit

2006-11-20T19:32:00.000-05:00

The future of Revit looks good. Autodesk is continuing to work on refining Revit Building to make the product more efficient in what we do on a day to day basis as Architects. Today, I went to the Autodesk facility in Waltham, MA to test out some refinements to the program. While I did not sign a Non-Discosure, since the revisions I tested are not slated for use in a specific release, it is understood that I can not release too many specifics. This test of the program was a follow up to Autodesk observing me and asking questions about Revit in my office in Lexington, MA. Autodesk believes that customer contact is key to developing the product and it shows. Basically, Revit in the future will be faster and more efficient while other programs just get slower as they add features to be more like Revit.

PreFab House & Revit

2006-11-13T11:50:00.000-05:00

Reading Architectural Record this weekend, I came across an interesting article on prefab houses written by Russell Fortmeyer. In this article, the architect KieranTimberlake Associates, uses the Revit Building software to create a BIM model that they can precisely order the aluminum frame from in addition to many coordination items. While the actual design of the prefab house can be debated, the use of the software is great and should be recognized. The following images are part of that article http://archrecord.construction.com/resources
/conteduc/archives/0611edit-1.asp.

Revit Consumer Council

2006-11-13T11:40:00.000-05:00

The Revit Building Customer Council is a great way to help the product that you use grow and develop. I signed up for it, and while I can not reveal what was discussed, I have had a phone conversation with Autodesk last week and I will have someone video taping me this week to see how I work and use the product. While it seems invasive, I believe that it is powerful to help inform Autodesk how we use the product and by this information get a better end product. During the interview and filming this week I will ask how much I can discuss with the public and will share what I can later this week.

Opening Post

2006-11-06T13:15:00.000-05:00

This is my initial post as a blogger. As you can see from my description, I have been using Revit Building for over a year. Most of the projects completed during this time have been residential projects. Currently, we have a project about to start that is 2 small commercial retail buildings. We are putting together a consultant team that will be comprised of Revit users. I plan to keep this blog up-to-date with how coordination works between Revit Building, Revit Structures, and Revit Systems. In addition to this project I will blog about tips & tricks, links, and other useful information that any level user can use. Below is an image of my first residential project completely done in Revit and a commercial building refacing. Visit my company's website for even more projects: http://www.colinsmitharch.com/