Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
A Fitting End
In early 2008, an AEC firm from Knoxville, Tennessee, was working on
a hotel project in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. It was the first hotel
produced in Revit for this firm. This work for a 90-room hotel had
already gone over the estimated projected design hours because of
constant changes of field conditions.
The building used conventional sanitary plumbing with traditional
multiple-vent stacks. The project went out for bid, and when the bids
came back, the building was slightly over the estimated budget. The
design team was asked to figure a way to reduce the costs back to the
budgeted amount. After carefully reviewing the project, the plumbing
designer and engineer decided to use a PVC version of a Sovent
plumbing system. Only two families would have to be created for Revit:
an aerator and a de-aerator fitting. The cast-iron version of the system
has been successfully used in northern parts of the United States in
high-rise design for years.
The problem the plumbing designer faced with using such a system was
that no one had installed one in eastern Tennessee. Plumbing code
officials had never seen the system installed, and they stated it did not
meet traditional methods of vent design. By using a section under codes
that allowed for the use of engineered plumbing systems, the design
team proceeded to design the system. Because the existing layout was
already in Revit, using it to redesign the system was the logical choice.
Within two working days, the model and contract documents were
revised with the new layout, which was then rebid. The cost of the vent
system was reduced by one-third, which led to fewer holes being cut,
fewer man-hours, and reduced fire-stopping costs. Because the
plumbing contractor had never before installed a Sovent system, being
able to use printouts of the 3D model helped speed up the installation
of the system and ensure that it was installed properly.
