Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
clearly. If you are linking in files from MEP consultants, use the visibility
control options for linked files to achieve the desired result.
If you intend to display the ceiling grids on your lighting construction
documents, you have to make visibility adjustments to ensure that the
building model is displayed correctly. Remember that with a reflected
ceiling plan, you are looking up at the model, so certain elements, such as
plumbing fixtures or windows, may not appear as desired until you adjust
the view range and the Visibility/Graphic Overrides. Stairs also display
differently in reflected ceiling views than they do in normal plan views.
Also, consider that the order of objects is different than in a plan view. A
fixture shown below an object in a plan view appears to be above the object
in a reflected ceiling plan view. This may have an adverse effect on your
construction documents.
Another method for displaying ceiling grids on the construction documents
of your project is to create a reflected ceiling plan view that shows only
the ceiling objects. This view can be placed on a sheet in the same location
as the lighting floor plan view. When placed onto a sheet, the view can be
snapped to the same location as the floor plan view so you can be sure of the
alignment. This allows you to display the model correctly as a plan view and
still be able to see the ceiling grids or surfaces. For best results, you should
place the ceiling plan view on the sheet first and then the lighting plan view
on top of it.
Thereisoftendebatebetweenarchitectsandelectricaldesignersastowhose
model should contain the ceilings. Ceilings are not always required in early
project submittals, so the architect may not get around to modeling them
when the electrical designer needs them. This may prompt the electrical
designer to create ceilings in their model in order to begin the lighting
design, which can cause coordination issues after the architect begins
designing the ceilings in the architectural model. Having duplicate
information in multiple models can be a recipe for error. The electrical
designer would have to keep the ceilings in the electrical model coordinated
with the architect's ceilings and would have to ensure that all model views
were displaying the proper ceilings. This extra effort defeats the purpose of
using a BIM solution such as Revit MEP and hampers the effort to achieve
a coordinated project delivery because it adds another level of manual
coordination that creates more opportunities for error.
