Best Practices Modeling

Revit is not intended to be used like Inventor…we are not manufacturing components from this data; we just need a suitable graphic representation of an element and any connections if applicable.

Avoid using model lines as these are visible in all views. Instead, use symbolic lines in the views in which you need them. If a model line must be used, create a new subcategory for it and turn it off in all but essential views.

Component family guidelines: • Do not model information that is smaller than 3” when possible; instead represent it symbolically in necessary views. • Avoid families created with information from programs other than Revit. Native Revit-created families will perform better. • Avoid parametric arrays in families when possible. • When possible, avoid using voids. • Set the visibility settings appropriately for level of detail. • Use sub categories to allow better control of information in the project. • Use symbolic information in plan and elevation views, turning off the modeled information in views other than 3D. • Do not over parameterize a family. • Keep file size to a minimum (less than 1/2 mb ideally).

When downloading families from the internet: • Check the file size. Keep in mind that bloated families tend to be heavy in the project. • Open them and upgrade them to the current release. • Place them in a test project before using them in your project.

Groups and Arrays

Groups are a necessary tool, but updating large numbers of groups can consume significant amounts of system resources. • This includes grouped arrays.

Avoid Nested groups (groups inside of groups).

Locking and Constraining Elements

Constraining elements (locking) will add file size (this is true within a project or a component family).

Only attach or join essential geometry.

TECHNICAL WHITEPAPER

Best Practices

File Organization and Maintenance

In This PaperThere are several things that add size to a file. Modeling in general, of course, adds to the file size. But there are some things that add size and impact your model performance that you may not know about. Below is a breakdown of various things to be aware of when modeling in Revit.

Revit Modeling Best Practices

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DWG files

Whether linked or imported (importing being worse) they will add size.

Linking is preferable to importing. • Link CAD information current view only if possible.

If you need to import DWGs then make sure you import them only into the view you need, not all views. • Delete unnecessary layers if possible (this will depend on the DWG being created with everything on the proper layer).

Additionally, never import and explode a CAD file in your model, this changes it from a single entity into hundreds or thousands of elements.

In Place Families

These are intended for one off elements like a reception desk or a wall sweep that can’t be created any other way, not for something that will be used in multiple places. If the element is needed in multiple locations then a component family should be used. In place families will create a new instance every time it is placed somewhere, whereas a component family will reference the type information from the original component.

Stairs and Railings

Limit the visibility of subcategories except within essential views.

Images

Remove unneeded raster images.

Delete renderings from model, export them instead if possible.

Monochrome images are smaller than color, so consider using those instead.

Links

If you are using worksets, then links should be on their own workset and turned off by default. Views will then be created that have the workset on for coordination.

If you are not using worksets, unload links if they are not used, or temporarily unload them in a view to help preserve memory resources needed to open the file.

Views

Close hidden windows (views) before saving.

• Revit updates all open windows affected by changes in the model.

Save, synchronize and close operations should be done from a drafting view.

Minimize view depth where possible.

Minimize far clip offset (camera views).

Use section boxes in 3D views.

Visual styles: Wireframe and shading without edges regen times are considerably faster than any other visual styles.

Leave shadows off, they severely slow down view regen and manipulation.

Delete unnecessary views, including area schemes.

Avoid hiding large amounts of elements using hide by element.

Zoom in to improve drawing speed and snapping.

Limit snaps.

Detail level should be left at course if possible. Views requiring more detail will generally be suitable at medium detail. Medium and fine detail are slower to open.

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Rooms and Spaces

Links should not be set to room bounding unless necessary to avoid negative model performance.

Avoid placing room separation lines and space separation lines in the same place. • If this is a work shared file, place room and space separation lines on their own workset that is off by default. Set to visible in necessary views.

Resolve overlapping room separation lines with room bounding elements.

Resolve overlapping volumes.

Turn off volume computation if possible. • Volume computation will need to be on for the following: w Color fill in Section views. w To compute room volume for schedules. w Exporting to gbxml. w Building performance analysis. w Coordination with Revit MEP models.

Design Options

Once a design option is finalized, make a copy of the project for archiving (in case you need all of the design options in the future), then make sure you set that final option as primary and accept the primary.

Avoid the use of rooms in design options as this requires additional resources for detecting conflicts.

Do not use design options for variations of an entire model.

File Organization and Maintenance

Workshared files Create worksets for links and set them to off by default. Create the minimum amount of worksets needed for the project. Use element borrowing rather than checking out worksets. Save to central from a drafting view after first closing all other open views. Reload latest before saving to central. If you have not accessed your local file in a couple of day, it is better to create a new local file as it may be too far out of sync with the central file. Use the Specify option when opening. Close unnecessary worksets. Periodically verify that information is placed on the correct worksets. Keep workstation specifications common among project team. Make sure software has the most current software updates on all systems. Regularly perform maintenance on the central file.

Upgrading Projects

Archive a copy of all files prior to upgrading.

Before upgrading a project with links, create a copy of the file for the new release and unload all links. You will need to do this in all files that have linked models in them.

Upgrade each separately and perform file maintenance.

Reload from to access the newly upgraded links.

November 2013

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November 2013

File maintenance Periodically open the file with Audit selected (If the file is workshared, Select Audit and Detach from Central). Purge unused. Review and resolve warnings (as many as possible). Excessive warnings can increase file size and greatly impact performance. Save the file with compact selected (if saving over the same file). • If this is a workshared file I recommend that you archive the original central file and its backup folder before saving in the same location with the same name. Save the file with a new name: Compact will automatically be selected and this will compact the file further than just selecting compact.