Building Construction Types & Energy analysis

[wblaney]

So I've figured out how to make new building construction types and select different wall, roof & glass assemblies from the predefined lists. How do I add things to the list of standards? Do I just have to pick an assembly with the closest U-value to the assembly I actually have?

I'd really rather have the wall and roof assembly use the data from the actual walls and roof elements in the model, but until that functionality gets added, I'll be content to modify this list.

Any ideas? TIA-

Wes

[nubrun.188780]

So I've figured out how to make new building construction types and select different wall, roof & glass assemblies from the predefined lists. How do I add things to the list of standards? Do I just have to pick an assembly with the closest U-value to the assembly I actually have?

I'd really rather have the wall and roof assembly use the data from the actual walls and roof elements in the model, but until that functionality gets added, I'll be content to modify this list.

Any ideas? TIA-

Wes

It is very simple to modify the constructions list, as well as add new wall types. Under
C:\Program Files\Revit MEP 2009\Program\Constructions.xml you can open the constructions file with wordpad, and using the same format as the pre-defined ones add your specific wall, roof and window types. Make sure to keep the syntax the same, as well as keep the ID unique. Here is the xml format:
<VEConstruction type="c" id="CCR100" name="100mm Reinforced-Concrete Ceiling" u="3.6842"/>

Important things to note are, make sure you place your new construction under teh correct type, for example c for ceiling, w for wall etc. As I mentioned before also make sure to name the id unique.

After you make the changes simply restart Revit and tehy should appear in the construction types.

I hope this helps,
Nick

[wblaney]

that's it. thanks!

[sinzoff]

Hello!
Somebody knows as it to make in Revit MEP 2010?
The xml in Revit MEP looks as follows (example for ceiling and Interior wall):

  <Construction id="CCR101" surfaceType="Ceiling">
    <Name>Carpeted 4 in reinforced-concrete ceiling</Name>
    <Description>Carpeted 4 in (100 mm) reinforced-concrete ceiling</Description>
    <LayerId layerIdRef="lay-CCR101"/>
    <U-value unit="WPerSquareMeterK">2.2826</U-value>
  </Construction>
  <Layer id="lay-CCR101">
    <MaterialId materialIdRef="mat-827"/>
    <MaterialId materialIdRef="mat-AF17"/>
  </Layer>

 <Construction id="con-p7" surfaceType="InteriorWall">
    <Name>Frame construction, R-4 board insulation, wood studs</Name>
    <Description>Frame construction, no cavity insulation, R-4 board insulation, wood studs [Source: CIBSE] </Description>
    <LayerId layerIdRef="lay-p7"/>
    <U-value unit="WPerSquareMeterK">0.7892</U-value>
  </Construction>
  <Layer id="lay-p7">
    <MaterialId materialIdRef="mat-468"/>
    <MaterialId materialIdRef="mat-842"/>
    <MaterialId materialIdRef="mat-846"/>
    <MaterialId materialIdRef="mat-530"/>
  </Layer>

What is <MaterialId materialIdRef="mat-468"/> ?

[tys90]

It's the reference to the material if you were to render it

[jason.martin]

The material ID has nothing to do with rendering materials. The constructions.xml file follows the same format as gbXML does for defining constructions.

Each construction is made up of a name, a descriptoin, one or more layers (technically there can be more than one layer in gbXML, but there are some applications that do not support this, so each of the constructions in the file is limited to one layer), and a U-Value.

Each Layer consists of more than one materials.

Materials (and this varies a bit) generally consist of a Name, a description, a thickness, a conductivity value (including the units for the value), a density (including the units for the density value), and a specific heat (including the units for the specific heat).

Material definitions are in the same constructions.xml file as the constructions and layers. Items in xml are not order dependant and it looks like most of the material definitions are at the bottom of the constructions.xml file as in general they may apply to more than one construction.

Please note: There is danger in editing this file and modification of this file can cause issues. If you modify the file on your machine and send the file to someone else who has a different version of the file there is no way for the application to know what you meant by "my special construction" as it doesn't exist as far as their version of Revit is concerned.

hth

jason

[ddraynor]

I must say that I have been spoiled by how intuitive and well thought out the rest of Revit has been. Unless I am missing something, the constructions.xml file has been a huge disappointment. It is difficult to find the construction types you are looking for. Many common construction types are missing, or in odd places. A 1" acoustical ceiling tile is not defined for a ceiling. But it is included as part of a roof construction. How does that get missed? So then I consider making my own constructions.xml file, but realize that if I do, and someone else opens the model, they won't be able to use the 'I" in the BIM of that model because they won't have my constructions.xml file. PLEASE correct me if I am wrong about that. Lastly it's a pretty daunting task to create all the common construction types I will need, does anyone know of a different standard constructions.xml somewhere on the net? Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks,