How deep do your Levels go in a Revit MEP model?

Ran into an interesting problem...we're working on a couple of different ways to approach projects - one them involved several buildings that make up a single project. Originally, we have modeled all of the buildings in a single Revit project (yes, they were all small), based on a common coordinate at one building. For specific reasons, we had to break the project up so the buildings were in their own file.

Since the MEP project was already defined with the overall file linked in, and the levels copied and monitored from that file, breaking it down into several pieces created a problem. We also want to keep all of the MEP in a single model, so little things like schedules, panel schedules, electrical circuits, shared process systems, etc. all stay connected together nicely (since we still can't connect to items in linked files without a connector - hint, hint). There's two answers, so here's the easy one first.

Since the individual buildings (4 total) were all placed from a common origin point, all we had to do was create 4 copies of the original master, then open them up and delete anything not related to each specific building - that included levels, walls, views etc.

From this point, we could link each individual model directly into the MEP model - but now we had four links instead of one, and load times suffered. There's also a fear that a novice user could try to move or rotate the buildings to plan north and the original project base point (at which point, my hand would reach out of their monitor and wring their neck).

Here was a different tack - we kept the original composite model and attached all four buildings as linked files (not overlay - attach). Next up - copy monitor the levels from each building into the master. Once this was done, we can just load the master file in the MEP model. The levels that were copied and monitored into the composite can also be copied and monitored into the MEP model , and maintain all of the levels from separate models with one step. Imagine...copied and monitored levels being copied and monitored again...but it works, nice and clean - with all levels in the MEP file still coming from a single source.

I talked about using scope boxes to limit the extents of levels in an elevation or section view, and in this case, it's good idea to do this in the master file, so the levels coming into the MEP model don't stretch all the way across the project.

So - which approach do you think will work better for you?

Later - David B.

LOONNNNGGGG Datum Levels - Use Scope Boxes to Limit!

We had a problem where we had imported some sites that were pretty spread out - so when my using maximized his levels to 3D extents, they went WAAAAY off in space. After a half hour of stretching the grips, it started to get pretty frustrating, so I did what I should always be doing - go to the Autodesk support discussion groups (support.autodesk.com). I found this solution from Cliff B. Collins, a Registered Architect/BIM Manager at Thalden Boyd Emery Architects in St. Louis, MO .....on the Revit Architecture page...go figure, an MEP guy looking to the architect page for help (thanks and kudos to Cliff, BTW).

He recommending using scope boxes to limit the extents of the datum levels. You'll need to do this in the file that the original levels are placed (in our case, the architectural model) From the view tab, pick the scope box tool:

Next, pick two points in a plan view around the building you want to restrict the levels to:

Once the box is placed, you can stretch and rotate the boundaries as needed. Before you switch to an elevation or section view, you need to make sure the scope box is visible. While it's still selected, go to the properties and pick the Edit tool for Views Visible:

Change the elevations from invisible to visible in the view you want to use (I'm picking South - Mech as the override).

Go to that view. You'll see the scope box, and can edit the boundary from here as well. Pick the level you want to pull back to the scope box - when the level is selected, go to Properties, and change to the Scope Box 1 as the extents.

Now the level matches the scope box boundary. This tool comes in handy when you have more than one building on a site, and want to just show the levels relative to the specific structures. If you have more than one structure, name the scope box after the structure so it's clear. When the MEP engineers get your architectural model this way, we'll promise to love you forever...until you ask us to make some other flaky change...

Now we can all play nice - David B.