BIM and Hoops...March Madness is upon us...

Yeah, I haven’t posted in a while, but geez…I’ve been busy. But now that March Madness is upon us, office work is about to get pushed aside for what really matters in life – the NCAA tournament…

I'm not sure how much I ever talked about this, but I volunteer for a local non-profit that offers youth athletics in my hometown. For 13 years, I coached basketball, baseball and soccer, served on their board of directors, and ran their basketball program for 10 of those years. Last year, the town, in an example of a monumental government mistake, decided to stop working with the association that ran these programs on their behalf (and at no cost to the town) and run a smaller, non-competitive athletic program.

Another great example of a bureaucrat thinking they know better how to raise children than a parent (just ask our Wake County school program, who believes fundraisers should only sell healthy snacks such as carrots and celery instead of Krispy Kreme “hot and fresh” doughnuts…if you’re from the South you know what I mean…some folks have no concept of what a fundraiser means).So after 4 years of retirement, I'm back running the basketball program. It’s been interesting, but the season wraps up this weekend. We had 511 kids in our program (compared to about half that much in the town’s), and for the most part, we accomplished the goal of keeping the program afloat long enough to regroup and work on a new program using county facilities instead of the towns…their loss.

And that's where this story starts. So how does this tie into BIM? It’s actually pretty easy – you can take anything you learn in real life, and turn it into an object lesson. I came up with three of them that relate to both hoops and BIM.

1 – You can’t win if you don’t play…

Lottery players know what I mean…well maybe that’s a bad example. Whether is volunteer work or regular work, you're going to run into challenges and frustrations. But you never know how things will turn out if you at don’t at least put in some serious effort to succeed. How you deal with those frustrations is no different, whether you’re trying to move an old school architect into BIM or trying to get a coach to stop yelling at his kids.

So I’ve got assigned tasks for all the coaches, and one of them is that they have to stay and clean up after a game. I also deal with a lot of complaining about officials, parents, and more. I got an email from one of my coaches frustrated with the officiating, and complaining about the parents a couple of days ago. When I could finally rewind, I remembered that I was at his game, the last game on Friday night…and he left without saying anything, leaving me and the other coach to clean up. It ticked me off that here this guy was, complaining and leaving, so I had to call him.

We talked about the officials, about players getting techs for cussing, and the “rough” group of parents he had sitting behind his team where they weren’t supposed to be. After going through this, I brought how having to clean up behind coaches was a pet peeve of mine – so what was his excuse.

He told me, “I’m sorry, I hadn’t told you…I’ve been getting treat for a form of leukemia, and I had chemo all this week…it was just starting to get to me…”.

I had to stop – dead in my tracks.

That caught me completely off guard.

Here was a guy, volunteering to coach his kids and others in a game that everyone loves to play, and loves to complain about.

He’s dedicating his time to working with kids not just how to be better at the game, but work better as a team. He’s a great example of being in the game – he’s there because he was committed, not just to his kids, but to himself.

And he’s doing this while undergoing medical treatments that are tough enough, much less deal with the mental aspect of fighting cancer.

I didn’t really know what to say.

I stumbled through a discussion about a couple of friends of mine, and a parent of kid I coached who later passed away from leukemia. And I remembered how hard it was on his son and wife, and how young they were when he passed.

At the end, we talked about his upcoming chemo treatments, which he has at the end of the month – right when our tournament starts. He was positive about the potential outlook, and was ready to be on the court and lead his team. All I could think of to tell him was I’d be happy to help him with his team if had any problems that weekend, or just needed the support.

All too often we get caught up in what we’re doing, and don’t realize how fortunate we are to live in this life, in this country, in this time, where in just a decade, the survival rates from cancer have increased dramatically, but still paint our immortality in bold letters. We think we’re doing the right thing by clinging on to what we’ve done for years, but get to the moment where we wished we’d done something different when your clock shows up.

And I thought about how hard I’ve hammered some of my co-workers about not moving forward, when compassion and a little patience would have gotten me further. I still believe that improving your skills, working to better your process, not to make more money but to gain more time, with family, friends and loved ones, is what this is really about. I remembered the long days and nights I used to work (and that some of my co-workers still do), and it drives me more to make their lives better.

But ultimately, it boils down to a simple thing – if you choose not to participate in the game, then you’re just an observer. Basketball and BIM have a lot in common this way – if you want to be successful, you have to put in the time and effort.

2 – My new motto – Learn to Earn!

While all of this is going on, I’m starting to get frustrated with my nephew. Family is family – you love ‘em all, no matter how nuts they (or you) are. We got into a big discussion about entitlements, where he made a statement that every person should be “entitled” to a good job, food, healthcare, etc. And I wasn’t raised that way – neither were my parents, who I still consider to be a part of the greatest generation.

It’s funny how the new town program is built that way. Everyone gets the same playing time…nobody keeps score…so it can all be “fair”. After all, isn’t that what sports is about? And man, I couldn’t disagree with that more. Sports is like work – you only become successful when you can do something better and smarter than anyone else. That’s what kills me about the entitlement mentality – you shouldn’t have to earn something to get something. So does that mean that even though we’ve made a substantial investment in technology, worked hard to train our staff, spent countless personal hours honing our craft so we can be better prepared to support those who need us…that another company, that’s still stuck back using thirty year old technology, be given the same consideration as those who have made the investment? All in the name of being “fair”…

It kills me to see owners and facility managers that go strictly on price when quoting a job. To me, design is a relationship – and BIM is a tool that’s used to improve that relationship. I can probably go give somebody a cheap price just to upfit a single room, but if I’m not talking to my clients about the big picture – about how BIM, when used in the entire lifecycle, dramatically reduces and simplifies to overall cost of designing and maintaining a structure. When you don’t work to train your client, then you’re no better than the parent or coach who doesn’t teach the kids the value of effort. Reputations are earned – good or bad – by the actions you take.

What Learn to Earn means to me is not being guaranteed a successful outcome, but rather the value of effort, hard work and desire…all things needed to be successful in life. In order to win, whether it’s contracts or basketball, you have to learn what it takes to earn the business or the game. Failure is a critical part of learning, so when you take failure out of the equation, then desire gets lost. Ask any 9 year old how they feel after they lose that close game – and instead of coddling them, teach them what it takes to get past it.

In BIM, it’s earned by time. You have to use the tools and be invested in them to be successful. We are always telling our managers that you can’t get there by doing tiny little bits and pieces. The entire job needs to be modeled, as much as the software can handle it. And the data has to be integrated, down to a single source. Giving up their old defense, and learning new ways to win is always tough – but you never stop learning.

3 – The officials never affect the outcome of the game…

Try telling this to the coach who just lost a game because the kid didn’t hit the rim on his free throw, but one of his teammates grabbed the rebound and made the basket that won the game. The rule is that you’ve got to hit the rim, but the official missed it. I heard about officiating all year – how “unfair” it was, how many missed calls, how they did or didn’t manage the game.

The funny thing about it, the bulk of the coaches that were complaining were the ones that weren’t winning. Somehow they misconstrued their success with another person having the ability to affect their outcome. Basketball – as much as any other sport – is a team effort that boils down to execution. Are you able to execute a game plan, within given parameters, to gain a successful outcome – the win? It doesn’t matter how many fouls are called, if you don’t make more shots than the other team – you lose. One play only has a minimal impact. The outcome is a result of the whole body of work, so if you were lazy on defense, turned the ball over too many times, didn’t square up before taking a shot…these were more likely the reason why you lost.

We had a game against a team from another town, which turned out to be a travel team made up of 16 and 17 year olds. Playing against them was one of our 13-15 year old teams. They were getting pounded, as our team obviously wasn’t in the same class. After the game, one of the parents I’ve known for a long time came up raising Cain, asking me if this was what FVAA was boiling down to.

I told him he missed the whole point. What he hadn’t noticed in the game was the smallest player, a 13 year old named Demarcus. He was constantly hustling, harassing the bigger players, getting called for fouls, taking and making long shots…he never quit. I had coached his older brother, but even he didn’t have the fire in his belly the way Demarcus did. That’s a kid that I will go to bat for a million times…because he never accepted defeat, but instead fought all the way through it.

The parent missed the whole lesson – no matter how adverse your situation is, you never just quit. You don’t give up on yourself, your team, your players…when you do, then you become part of the problem. It’s easy to quit – that’s why so many people do it. Look at all the “CAD” guys that are having a hard time finding work. It’s because they quit working on themselves – they stopped trying to learn, stopped putting in the effort, to make themselves better.

It’s the same way with BIM. It’s not easy – in fact, it requires much more initial effort than just throwing lines on paper and calling it design. But the rewards are immense, because eventually, you do get that time back. And we won’t ever quit – working to improve our process, our work conditions, our impact on the environment, and more – not because it’s not easy, but because it’s the right thing to do.

Wrapping up this way-too-long article…

Technology and life moves forward inexorably, improving in many ways, but you have to recognize, and accept it, in such a way that you can better yourself and your life. This coach, this player and this opportunity to serve others helped remind me that recognizing the work and effort of others that take the thankless job, deserve the recognition and thanks…and our gratitude. And that quitting on yourselves and others is never the right thing to do. And that getting and staying in the game is the only way to be successful and happy in life. Observation is for the jealous…

Find that technician that’s been working overtime to get your project out the door, and learning how to use new software every day, and tell them thanks. Talk to the older engineer, the close to retirement project manager, and learn from them – they’ve got an entire lifetime to share.

And don’t forget to contribute to the office pool and make your picks early. Go with your gut and you’ll win every time.

Enjoy the tournament!

David B.

Getting in the Flow with Revit HVAC

Been spending some time trying to get more into the sizing part of duct for Revit… we’ve been working on a project for a client that required well formed systems.  When I turned the duct systems checking tools on, I kept getting some really nasty little errors that I couldn’t figure out…and a couple of items that should work, that didn’t…at least from my understanding of how duct systems should be defined. So here’s the notes from what I learned.

         Regardless of whether the program can define a system when adding  a duct or not, I found that systems normally aren’t “well connected” when you follow this method. I’ve gotten repeated errors, that I believe came down to how I was adding the duct.  The safest method for defining a system and getting the duct sizing results needed, is to create the system first by selecting the targets, such as air terminals. Selecting the source equipment (such as a VAV) once you’ve defined the duct system usually creates the most stable system, and results in the fewest errors with the data tables.

         This includes upstream systems, such as the primary air supply to the VAV boxes. One big issue we’re having with vendor provided air handling units is the lack of good, clearly named connections. No matter who the vendor is, open the family up and put in a connection name, such as primary supply or return air intake. This way, when you are defining the upstream systems, you can select the correct connection even if there are multiple connections.

         The biggest problem I ran into happened in regards to the flow direction settings at the connectors. In order for a system to be sized correctly, the source (such as the VAV box) should have the flow direction set to OUT, and the Flow Configuration set to Calculated:

  

         A loss method should also be specified – so if you set this to specific loss, make sure you put a value in here – leave it at 0 and you’ll get an error.

         The reciprocal is on the target, or air terminal. Check the flow connection, and make sure it’s set to In for supply air, and leave the flow configuration set to either preset or system. The default air terminals are set to Preset, but you can change this. If it’s set to Preset, flow factor is disabled, and you can set the loss method to coefficient or specific loss. As with the VAV, if no value is set for specific loss for pressure drop, you’ll get an error.

          
When using the Calculated/Preset combination, the airflow for the equipment is set to match the total airflow assigned to all components downstream. If you have 10 diffusers at 50 CFM, that means you’ll have 500CFM assigned to the VAV box as the calculated value in this configuration.

System flow configuration is a little different – instead of using an aggregate airflow total from all diffusers, the system will calculate the equipment airflow based on a percentage allocated to each air terminal.  If you set the flow configuration to System, and have the loss method set to specific loss, you can specify a flow factor (using a factor between 0 and 1 – with the total of all air terminals equal to 1):

If the loss method for a system flow configuration is set to Coefficient, then you can also set the loss coefficient value for the connector itself(and pressure drop will be disabled):

As with the specific loss method, if you leave these values set to 0, you’ll get an error.

Be aware that Revit already has a loss coefficient tables defined for fittings, based on ASHRAE  Duct Fitting Database, which assigns a loss to specific fittings and accessories. By assigning a coefficient directly to the air terminal, the Equal Friction/Static Regain methods for duct sizing will return better results.

If you are using specific loss, I’d recommend using a shared parameter for that value, so it can be changed without having to directly edit the connector in the family. Use the Associate Parameter tool to add the parameter. By using a shared parameter, you can also include this as part of a schedule or tag.

Here's the help file's description of what each of these settings is for:

This should help you a few of those nagging duct sizing issues - have a great day!

David B.

Wrapping up on 2012, and getting ready for 2013

Man, what a year...we're seeing more and more projects based in BIM, and our staff continues to improve on their skill sets. Overall, despite the lingering tough economic conditions, we keep pushing forward and working to improve on the gains we've already made. Looking forward, next year should be an improvement, now that the election is past. But that doesn't mean we can go back to our older methods of producing projects.

We had a great conversation with one of water guys about BIM, and we talked about the issues we expose are not necessarily tool-based, but more design workflow based. CAD gave us a great ability to "hide" flaws in the design process, but BIM kicks the rock over and exposes all of the weakness you may have in a design. It's up to the project engineers and designers to get back to making sure their designs work first, and a 3D model really demonstrates this well. So next year will include more training for that level of employee, that will hopefully help alleviate fears about change, and keep them moving forward.

So here's my look back and look forward:

Autodesk University 2012 - this year, the crowd was really energized and wanting more. One of the general feelings I get now is that we can't rest on laurels from previous classes. Yikes - the students are on to us, and we (the instructors) really need to raise our game for next year. For the first time, it felt like the crowd had a better understanding of the basics of BIM, and fewer of the fears. The AU crowd's adoption of technology was very obvious. When I stepped out from behind a screen as Dr. Shots, about 50 iPads, tablets and cell phones popped up and started recording...I got a little "discombobulated" and almost cracked up...and yes, I promise to go slower in that class and cover a few less items (thanks for the feedback!). Nobody seemed to mind that they weren't any handouts - which is a great step for creating a more sustainable environment, as we used to kill quite a few trees every year...

One part that I left with mixed feelings about was the integration of shared data between BIM and other applications. There are a lot of new ventures out there, but it seems that we're only getting pieces, instead of the whole, big picture. At this stage in the development of BIM and other data-centric models, it seems that Autodesk would have a better idea of where they want this to go. We really need some focus to bring all the different pieces together, so that we're not all developing the same applications with different degrees of results. There are a lot of great new products, but some leadership from Autodesk on this other than talking about how we're all going to be in the cloud (without providing more specifics) would really be helpful at this point. Even in my own class, where the topic was about how we developed our own application to deal with linking data between applications, left me with more questions that answers. It will be interesting to see if they come up with a more uniform method for controlling the export and import of data - for example, the dbLink extension needs a lot of work (dynamic versus static, user control of what data is exported, etc.).

While there's lots of space at Mandalay, I'm personally glad we're going back to the Venetian - better quality of service, a more central location, which all lead to better attendance. Next year should really be a great event, and I can't wait. And yes - I'm already working on all NEW classes, with new material - keep doing the same thing and it gets stale quickly...

Changes in the Autodesk Sales Model - if you've ever been in a sales channel, you had to know this was coming. Web-based purchases, cloud-based software, annual versus perpetual licensing...all of these lead to the coming demise of the Autodesk reseller channel. Financially it doesn't make sense for Autodesk to keep supporting the channel, when in reality, we're no longer getting much out of them that bring additional value to the product sale. Support is direct with Autodesk through subscription, and most of the issues we have, the reseller can't fix since there either flaws in the program, or very simple " how do I..." questions. It's a bit sad, but savvy resellers should be looking to the add-in market, as well as the more refined services. Not every company can afford to have a BIM manager or developer on staff, so that market should be sustained...but it will have to be self-sustaining.

From the user perspective, the suites have been golden. They're still a bit pricey, but I'm using more of Inventor now than I ever have, and having a single version of Revit has been really nice. It makes the management of the tools much easier, but 50gb installations can be tough...hey, I'll wait. Next year, I'll be looking forward to upgrading to a more powerful system, so it will be interesting to see how the laptop versus tablet market is rolling along next fall.

Odds and ends:
-If you are in college, working on your engineering or architecture degree, take Revit classes - students with Revit experience or any 3D modeling experience are like gold to us.
- If you are a 30 CAD draftsperson, learn how to get up to speed in BIM AND Design - one without the other doesn't make for a very long term career outlook. Get at least a two year associates degree - that's better than nothing. If anything, really start looking at the post design market and tools. Applications like Navisworks still need solid users, and offering digital coordination/estimating/fabrication services is still not a bad idea.
- If you are a project manager or business owner, learn and understand BIM. Many people in the profession that haven't bought in to this are getting behind in the game. You've got to understand how this works and how it affects a project's bottom line. Stop hiding behind "how productive we are with plain AutoCAD"...with current trends showing BIM being more prevalent in the market that 2D now, all you're doing is kidding yourself.
- And if you are a facility owner, that hasn't starting requiring BIM as part of your deliverables, please step to the back of the bus...the rear door now opens automatically. Anyone had any validation or compliance issues lately, and had to deal with hundreds and thousands of paper documents, drawings, etc. with no real organization? Layer it - start with renovations, additions, and build your models over time, if you can't afford to get a good as-built modeled. It doesn't matter if it's AutoCAD Architecture/MEP, Revit, Bentley, ArchiCAD, or anything else. IFC is improving, and the next generation of users is going to wipe us all out if all we leave them is a stack of papers...go ahead...ask your kids...

For everyone, please enjoy the holidays. Spend some time with your family and friends - recent events have shown us that you can't take time for granted. Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year - we'll see you next year!

Take care - David B.

Revit 2013/AutoCAD MEP 2013 IFC Improvements

This post is part of an AU class this year, MP1465, Supercharge Your AutoCAD® MEP 2013. It came up as we started working with outside vendors that are solid AutoCAD MEP users, but not Revit users - and that's what we're using.

First up, know the rules:
- Architecture and Structure items convert pretty nicely, with ACAD Arch walls converting to Revit walls. You may need to swap some styles, check justifications, etc. but getting the overall model works pretty well.
- MEP objects come into Revit from ACAD MEP as in-place families, but if you setup your import options, and have your classification definitions assigned to MEP objects in ACAD MEP, then they come in as "pipes, pipe fittings, duct, etc.". Be aware - they don't have the same behavior as a duct, pipe, etc. that was created with native Revit tools. But you can add connectors as needed to make these types of connections.

Here's the excerpt from the class (or as I like to call it, the "tease")...

IFC stands for Industry Foundation Class, and it’s a file format that is universally shared between CAD platforms. The intent is that an object in a program like AutoCAD MEP can be converted into the same type of object in Revit, or other BIM applications.

In order for an object to be exported to IFC, it has to have an object classification assigned. To look at the default styles go to ProgramData\Autodesk\MEP 2013\enu\Styles directory and open the IfcShareBldgElements (MEP).dwg file.

 

In the style manager, look at the classification definitions under Multi-purpose objects. IFC properties can be assigned to these objects:

 



Once the items are selected, the classifications tab lists the information associated with an MEP object that will be exported:

 

To use these in a file, and assign them to MEP objects, you have to copy them into your current drawing. Use copy and paste in the style manager to add both classification definitions to the current drawing.

Select OK to exit the style manager. Now that they’re in the drawing, you can edit the properties of objects to assign the classification. I’ll grab the ductwork, and then go to the properties palette:

For most other parts, IFC Type Classifications are mapped to MvPart Objects (such as equipment, panels, and devices) automatically. This classification is added in the Autodesk Catalog Editor by default. You can modify this classification or add more classifications to the content library in the Autodesk Catalog Editor.

Once you’ve added the correct classifications to MEP objects, review the IFC export settings. From the application menu, select the Export tool, and then select IFC. The options are located on the export dialog, and the object tab lists all objects that loaded into a drawing – you can choose to add or remove objects as needed.

After you review the options, you can run the export. The IFC file is created in the project folder. To test this, I’m going to open the file in Revit. Before doing this, open the IFC Import options on the Application menu, under Open:

Before importing an IFC file, you need to go through and map IFC class names to Categories and sub-categories. This tells the MEP object what is used to control its display in Revit.

Once the IFC file is imported, it will appear something like this:

The imported objects take on most of the characteristics of the equivalent objects in Revit. You may need to check IFC mappings in both the AutoCAD MEP file and the Revit file during this process, but this represents a major leap in compatibility between the applications.

Be aware that imported objects may not completely take on the behavior of a normal duct. For example, the duct is treat like a duct with properties assigned, but it does not include the connection, system or sizing behavior. You have to add a connector to attach duct to it.

I don’t care what anybody says…this is really cool…

Happy BIM'ing - see you in Vegas!

zzzz....uh...huh? AU is in a week? Geez, I overslept..

Wow, where does the time go? Autodesk University (#au2012) starts classes one week from today...and the last couple of months have been crazy, getting all of the handouts, datasets, powerpoints, props, home movies, etc. finished. But I'm about there...

And when you finally get a moment to reflect, you hope you've put something together that really hits home with users. This year's approach was a little different - I wanted to find what the really obscure little things were that come up as support issues, and get them addressed. But I also needed to hit on the bigger picture, and make sure that the day to day items - using systems, making families quickly from scratch, or from manufacturer's content, etc.

And then I an email from an engineer I know, saying that he doesn't think MEP BIM is ready for primetime yet. And I couldn't disagree more, but if you don't train your staff for a few years, then, yeah - you're likely to have the same attitude. So here's what I think - Revit MEP 2013 and AutoCAD MEP 2013 represent the best two MEP design applications on the market, hands down. Both have their strengths, but both require you to make some changes to your design process.

Here's an example. In one of my classes, we talk about adding an instrument connection to a duct or pipe. The instinct says, add a tap. Instead, if we're making this connection at a fitting, such as a duct tee or flowmeter, why not add the physical connection to that component? It will stay connected to the part, if the part moves or changes size, the connection is still there. It can be fabricated into the part prior to being added in the field, so that may save a little "field fit and finish" time.

That's one of the challenges that comes with BIM. If you're still in the drafting mentality, then all you're thinking about is a line or circle - but in BIM, you HAVE to think more from a DESIGN standpoint. It's all about making a more easily constructable building, that's more sustainable while allowing for creativity in the design.

The beauty of AU is that it's a gathering of like minds, that are looking for that tip, or method, that helps you stay current with technology, or gain that competitive advantage. We're driven to find better ways to leverage our tools, and make life easier for ourselves (as though it isn't already). And we really want to find ways to interconnect all of this information, and come up with the big picture, that satisfies the client's and end users needs (think airport electrical outlets).

So take a little time this week - network with your peers, get to know some of the industry leaders, and take advantage of some of the best and most passionate instructors in the world. We'll all be hanging out in the same place - so come by, say hello, and let's talk about the future. And if you can't make it, check our AU Virtual - last year, tens of thousands did - so the learning doesn't stop on November 30th. I'm ready - are you?

See you in Vegas!

'Peat and Repeat....Additional Revit Labs coming soon for AU 2012

Looks like my two Revit MEP labs will be repeated, due to demand. If you tried to get into either one of these sessions, but couldn't, check back this week. I've approved them being added, and are just working on the details for the time and location with the AU event staff...so stay tuned!

Class ID: MP1477-L  - REPEAT is MP6895-L!
Class Title: FASTER Families for Revit MEP!
Class Type: Hands-on Lab - Wednesday 1:00p

Class ID: MP1478-L - REPEAT is MP6889-L
Class Title: Perfecting the System for the Revit MEP Project
Class Type: Hands-on Lab - Tuesday 10:30am

Anybody got a throat lozenge I can borrow....?

thanks - David B.

Revit MEP Circuiting tips...poles or phase?

Ran into this one recently...we have a project with a new user that is adding devices to circuits. In the project she's working on, we have number of poles and voltage assigned as a parameter, but somewhere along the line added a phase parameter that was also equal to the number of poles...which, if you're the electrical designer, you know is wrong.

So here's my simple explanation, with a little help and clarification from my buddy Dan Stine...the Number of Poles in a circuit relate to the physical slot locations on a panel. The Phase refers to the A/B/C branches of a panel. Phase is a product of typical AC (or alternating current). Without going into great detail, know that Revit support single phase (panels with A/B branches, just like your house) or 3 phase (A/B/C - most commercial applications).

With electrical connections, you'll have these types of connections:

120/240 - these are single phase panels, with two poles - most commonly found in residential
120/208 - a three phase panel, more common in commercial applications. This type of panel also requires 4 wires to use all three slot sizes, from 1-3. In some cases, a 120/208 single phase connection can also be used - for example, in a apartment building.

120V is common in the US, but not common in other areas, such as Europe.

120V - A single phase, single pole Circuit - unless it's a GFI circuit, which could be single pole but 2 phase
208V/240V -  typically a 2 pole, 1 phase circuit, but also could be three phase (for example, in the event of a 208V GFI Circuit). 208 volt or 240 volt systems can both be either single phase 2 pole, or 3 phase 3 pole circuits.

Higher voltage panels for commercial and industrial applications are typically 277/480, indicating a one to three pole circuits. 277 volt circuits are almost always single phase, single pole, while most 460-480 volt circuits are 3 phase circuits. Depending on the power requirements, you can have 480 volt, single phase, 2 pole circuits - so make sure you check for this when specifyign your equipment.


In my simple little, non-electrical mind, it's a bit confusing, but from Revit, it's pretty straight forward.

If something is 120v, set the number of poles to 1. This will take up one slot in the panel, or one "circuit"

If something is 277v, set the number of poles to 1. The phase will also be set to one. For 208v/240v circuits, these can be single phase 2 pole, or three phase, 3 pole.

For 480V, in most cases, the number of poles will be 3. a 3 pole circuit takes up three slots, and can only be used in a panel that is defined as a 3 or 4 wire, 3 phase panel. You can have some systems, such as electric heat, use a 480v single phase, 1 pole circuit - again, check with your vendor before defining the circuit.

These are all set under electrical settings, for the distribution systems:

Revit requires that the proper combination of poles and voltage in order to add something to a circuit. There are two configurations for any type of a three phase panel - Delta, which doesn't include a neutral branch, and Wye, which does include a neutral.

Revit only recognizes single or three phase systems when you define your distribution system. For example, you might have a device or circuit, that requires 208v service but is single phase - you still have to assign the number of poles to 2. Otherwise, it can't be connected to a panel.

For more information, talk to a more reliable source than me - your local electrical engineer.

Hope this helps - if anyone wants to add to the conversation, knock yourself out!

thanks - David B.