1

BIM TECHNOLOGIES

Module -03 Linking and Coordination

Lesson -08
Introduction to LINKING

As more people adopt Building Information Modelling (BIM), the need for sharing data and information
among disciplines has become increasingly critical. The Revit platform facilitates collaboration and
coordination among members of an extended design team by providing tools enabling better
understanding of designs and methods to enhance communication between design team members.

Generally there are two main scenarios where you would want to do the Linking process.

1. To Share a massive construction among the same department.

When you want to split your project into a "site file" and a "building file". This helps keep each one
smaller and also helps with collaboration. This would probably be appropriate when either of the files
is large in size or you are developing a "campus" model- i.e. a site with many different buildings on it.

2. For the Referencing between departments.

The next three scenarios are where you want to split your project into different disciplines. For example
the MEP and structural elements of the project are being developed independently (in Revit MEP and
Revit Structure). In this Scenario, each department will develop the model in reference with
Architectural model.

1. To build up design development for the structural and MEP services in coordination with the
Architectural model independently.
2. To conduct interference detection to avoid collisions and to create construction documents.
3. To bring everything together in one "master file. This is the As-Built drawing preparation stage.

Through the use of these tools, architects and engineers using Revit with Architecture Template,
Structure Template, Mechanical, Plumbing, and Electrical Templates can produce projects, coordinate
work between disciplines, identify and correct interferences, and use Revit’s revision tracking to keep
track of changes.

In most building projects, a team of architects, engineers, and others collaborate on the overall building
design. For example, a mechanical engineer uses an architect’s building model as the starting point in
the design of the HVAC system. Proper coordination and monitoring helps ensure that the mechanical
model is synchronized with the changes that the architect makes to the building model. Effective change
monitoring can reduce errors and expensive rework during construction.

When architects, structural engineers, electrical Engineers and mechanical engineers collaborate on a
building project, they must share information about the design, so that all teams are working with the
same assumptions. By coordinating efforts across disciplines, the teams avoid expensive errors and
rework.

https://bimtechnologies.com.au
 2
BIM TECHNOLOGIES

To simplify design coordination and change management, the Revit products provide the following
tools:

A. Copy/Monitor: Monitors elements between the host project and a linked model, or within one
project. When one team moves or changes a monitored element, other teams are notified so
that they can adapt their designs or work with team members to resolve issues.
B. Coordination Review: Displays a list of warnings about monitored elements that have moved or
changed. Use this tool after implementing Copy/Monitor. Teams can periodically review this
list, specify an action (such as reject the change or modify the design), and enter comments to
communicate with other teams
C. Interference Check: Identifies elements that interfere with one another within a project, or
between the host project and a linked model. The interference check locates invalid
intersections between elements of different types, whereas the Copy/Monitor tool monitors
pairs of elements of the same type.

Lesson -09
Linking to an Architectural design

Objective: - In this lesson, we will see how to link an Architectural model to an Electrical Project.

Open School Building .rvt file

1. Inspect the Architectural Design received from Architect.

1. For its functional details and to understand the intent of the design like, placement of
fixtures, Positions of switches and fixtures, other design parameters and so on.
2. Identify the Building Levels, Ceiling heights, Duct | Ceiling Spaces, Furniture Placement.
3. Identify the Illuminance standards | Room Names and Functions | Construction Materials
suggested if any.
2. Start a new Project using “Electrical Template". Match up your project with Architecture model to
suit the unit system (Optional).
3. Activate the South Elevation view - Delete all the default Levels and corresponding Views

Linking an Architectural Model

1. Using the ‘Link Revit” tool (INSERT – LINK REVIT – (Select the Architectural design - School Building
.rvt file) – POSITIONING = Auto Origin to Origin – Open.
2. This will link the Architecture model to your Project. Use the PIN tool (Modify tab- Modify Panel –
PIN) to ensure that references won’t change

https://bimtechnologies.com.au
 3
BIM TECHNOLOGIES

3. Select the model attached – Select PIN (from Context Tab)

3. If you are not able to select the Linked File, Check for the Selection Settings in the “SELECT”
Panel.
4. Save your project.

Creating Levels for the Project in reference to the Linked Architectural model

You are not allowed to perform any modification in the connected Architectural model. It is against the

BIM protocol as the Architect team has the complete ownership on it. As a MEP designer, you can refer

to the Linked model and develop your model. Following are the important activities that to be carried

out.

Create Levels using Copy/ Monitor tool.

1. Activate any Elevation View and ensure you have deleted the default Levels.
2. Start Copy/Monitor tool

Click on Collaborate Tab - Coordinate panel (2) - Copy/ Monitor tool (3) - Select Link (4) - Click

on the Architectural Model (5).

From the Context tab - Click on COPY (1) - Select Multiple (2) - Select the Levels (3) (use Ctrl or

Crossing selection) - Click Finish (4) - Click Finish (5) to exit. (Some time the Context

https://bimtechnologies.com.au
 4
BIM TECHNOLOGIES
tab COPY/MONITOR' will shift the location, Click on the Context tab 'COPY/MONITOR' and

select the Finish (5) to exit.

3. Drag and move the newly created Levels. Click on it and find the monitor symbol appears on the
corresponding level.
4. Convert the Non Storey (Black Colored) Levels to Storey level (Blue Colored)

 Go to View Tab - Create Panel - Plan Views - Floor Plans - (Select all the Levels) - Ok.

 Go to View Tab - Create Panel - Plan Views - Reflected Ceiling Plans - (Select all the Levels) -Ok.

https://bimtechnologies.com.au
 5
BIM TECHNOLOGIES

5. Modify the Discipline and Sub discipline to Electrical and Lighting respectively for all the Ceiling Plans
under the "?".
6. Select all the Power Floor Plans and Modify the View Template to NONE.
7. 7. Select the Floor Plans views under Power Sub discipline one by one and create Floor Plan views
for Lighting Floor Plans views using Duplicate, Rename, and modify the sub discipline steps.
8. The modified Views will be similar to the image shown below.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

https://bimtechnologies.com.au
 6
BIM TECHNOLOGIES
Lesson -10
Managing a Linked Model

Controlling the Visibility of the Linked Model.

The Architectural Model that is connected to the Project cannot be selected element wise or we

are not able to perform any modification in the model development. But we can able to control

the visibility of the Architectural models as per our requirement.

The following describes the settings available on the Basics tab: • By Host View. When you

select this option, you cannot override any visibility settings for the linked model, because the

host view governs its appearance. When the primary linked model is set to By Host View, each

copy or instance of the linked model can still be overridden on an individual basis by checking

the box for Override display settings for this instance. This option appears on the Basics tab when

a copy or instance of a primary linked model is selected in the Visibility/Graphics dialog. • By

Linked View. When you select this option, you can choose which project view should display

for the linked model by choosing from a drop-down list. The views in the list depend on the view

for which you are currently applying visibility and graphics settings. • Custom. When you select

this option, you can select override settings on all available tabs. Note that filters do not apply to

elements that are part of linked models.

The Visibility Graphics Override Edit tool is view Specific. Hence activate the view and modify

the VG.

Activity -3.

1. Modify the Color of the Furniture to Red Color of the Linked School Project in the Floor 3

Lighting Plan

https://bimtechnologies.com.au
 7
BIM TECHNOLOGIES
2. VG – Revit Links – Custom (Under display Settings) – Model Categories – Custom (Choose)

– Furniture – Override –Color.

Using the Manage Links tools.

In addition to the proper position of the linked project, the team members should also be aware

of how Revit deals with any project files that were themselves linked to the project files that they

link to their models. Revit deals with linked files similar to the way AutoCAD deals with

external references.

There are two different ways in which one file can be linked to another: Overlay and Attachment.

You can control the method used to link files from within the Manage Links dialog. To display

this dialog box, from the File menu, choose Manage Links. The Manage Links dialog lets you

control any files linked to the current Revit project.

Notice that the dialog box has three tabs: CAD Formats, Revit, and DWF Mark-ups. Linked

Revit files appear on the Revit tab. Revit files can be linked using either the Overlay or

Attachment method. Overlay is the default method.

When a file is linked using the Overlay method, the linked file appears in the file it is linked into,

but the link will not follow the host if the host becomes linked into another file. Using this

method, if the architect subsequently links the structural model into her architectural project file,

she will not create a circular reference back to her architectural file that had already been linked

into the structural file.

When a file is linked using the Attachment method, if the host file is subsequently linked into

another file, all attached links are also included. If the architectural model had been linked to the

structural model using the Attachment method, and then the architect subsequently linked the

https://bimtechnologies.com.au
 8
BIM TECHNOLOGIES
structural model into her architectural model, Revit would display an alert telling her that the file

being linked contains a linked file that has the same name as the host model. In that case, Revit

automatically unloads the attached link to avoid creating a circular reference. If the model being

linked has other files linked to it using the Overlay method, Revit may display an alert telling

you that those linked files will not be visible in the current project.

1. Using Unload and Reload.

2. Using Reload From
3. Using Add or Remove

Reload. Loads the latest version of the linked file. You can also close the model and reopen it,

and the linked file is reloaded.

Reload from use to load a Revision of the linked File received with a different file name, or to

load the linked model from a different location.

Remove is used to remove the Linked model after the development of the service drawing.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

https://bimtechnologies.com.au
 9
BIM TECHNOLOGIES
Lesson -11
Adding SPACES

Revit uses the space component to maintain information about the area where it is placed. Spaces store

values for a variety of parameters that affect the heating and cooling load analysis, Lighting Illumination

Parameters, and other parameters for a project. Be sure to place spaces in plenums and shafts, chases,

spaces that would not be typically assigned a room component by an architect in the architectural

model.

Rooms and Spaces

Rooms and spaces are independent components used for different purposes. Rooms are architectural

components used to maintain information about occupied areas. Spaces are exclusively used for the

MEP disciplines to analyse volume. They contain parameters that maintain information about the areas

in which they have been placed. This information is used for performing a heating and cooling loads

analysis.

Spaces can be placed (added) and unplaced, and deleted. Unplacing spaces is not the same as deleting

spaces. Spaces are immediately assigned to the Default zone when they are initially added to a project.

Spaces can be viewed in a section view. Spaces cannot be viewed or placed in elevation or 3D views.

https://bimtechnologies.com.au
 10
BIM TECHNOLOGIES
Spaces should be placed throughout the model, including unoccupied areas such as plenums areas.

Spaces that are created (manually or automatically) in an area that contains a room are created as

occupied (Occupiable parameter selected).

Room-bounding Components

When placed in an enclosed area, the volume for a space is calculated to the surfaces of room-bounding

components, such as walls, floors, ceilings, roofs, and space separation lines. The volume for the space

expands horizontally and vertically to the extent of the face of the room-bounding components.

Surfaces fall into one of two categories:

 Exterior. Except when the component’s type parameter, Function, is specified as Interior or
Core/Shaft, surfaces for room-bounding components (such as walls) have spaces adjacent on
one side only, or they have no spaces adjacent and are treated as exterior surfaces. Heating and
cooling loads analysis treats these surfaces as exterior, even if they are interior.
 Interior. These surfaces for room-bounding components that have spaces adjacent on both
sides are treated as interior surfaces or components whose type parameter, Function is
specified as Interior or Core/Shaft.

When spaces are not placed throughout the model, internal walls can be incorrectly identified as

exterior walls, which results in an inaccurate heating and cooling loads analysis. The only exception is

when the type parameter, Function, is specified as Interior or Core/Shaft for the room-bounding

component.

For example, assume that the walls in the following illustration do not have their Function type

parameter specified as either Interior or Core/Shaft. The illustration shows several areas where a space

has not been placed. In each case, the surface for the office wall that is adjacent to the area is considered

exterior even though it is an interior wall.

https://bimtechnologies.com.au
 11
BIM TECHNOLOGIES
Rooms names and Space Names

We can add the Space name from the Room name. In the Analyse tab - Spaces and Zones Panel - Click

on the Space Naming tool.

Activity: - Open the attached School Building Electrical Project.

1. Select the Linked file - Edit Type - Room Bounding = ON

2. Activate the 'Floor 1 Lighting" Floor Plan.
3. Add Spaces in the Rooms. To Add Space, go to Analyze tab - Spaces and Zones Panel - Click
on Space tool - modify the space parameters like Height shall be up to Floor 2 and the offset
=0
4. Use Space Naming tool and place the Space names
5. Add Space name using manual method in the spaces where you don’t get Room information.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Module -12
Copying Lighting Fixtures

Copying Lighting Fixtures from the Linked Architecture Model

1. Open the Electrical Project School Building .rvt and continue to work on it.
2. Download the Attached School Building Rev -1
3. Use the Manage Links - Reload from and connect the School Building Rev-1
4. Activate the Floor 3 Ceiling Plan
5. You find the Lighting Fixtures Placed by Architect. To use them to add Electrical Circuits, Use the
Copy/Monitor tool.
6. Collaborate Tab - Coordinate Panel - Copy/Monitor- Click on "Select Link" and Click on the Linked
model
7. In the Context tab - Select the Copy tool - Multiple option - Choose all the Lighting Fixture ( Use
Ctrl to add multiple)
8. Click FINISH - FINISH and complete the copying.
9. Go to Visibility Graphics Override Edit- and OFF the lighting Fixtures of the LInked Architectural
model.
10. Do not save the model.

https://bimtechnologies.com.au
 12
BIM TECHNOLOGIES

Working with 3D Views, Floor Plan Views

1. Creating a new 3D view using Default 3D view tool and rename it

2. Using Orbit tool
3. Create 1-Point Perspective in the Floor 3 Lighting Plan view inside the class room
4. Create 2 Point Perspective view in the Software Lab room of Floor 3 Lighting Plan view
5. Change the View Discipline to Coordination and shade the view
6. Create Section views in the Floor Plan view. Use the Section line controls
7. Changing the View Controls – Underlay, View Range.

https://bimtechnologies.com.au