Can Area rules be set to match GSA Space Assignment Policy?

[Rustle]

Is there an automated way to calculate areas in Revit consistent with the GSA Space Assignment Policy?

[wmullett]

There is no setting that says GSA Space assignment calculation. Seems like an incomplete question. Perhaps you should enlighten us.

[mthurnauer]

You intrigued me to look into this. I found a revit file that has schedule keys that you could transfer into another project. Here is a link to the website where I found the file:
http://www.bimwiki.com/About_BIM/BIM_Applications

Go down to Revit and you will see a GSA template. It is dated, but I don't know how often these things change. You can use Insert File>Views to import the Schedule Keys and the color-coded GSA plan into your project.

[Rustle]

What we have figured out so far is although their space assignment uses the “Standard Method for Measuring Floor Area in Office Buildings” (ANSI/BOMA Z65.1) as a foundation, they do deviate. Revit Area Calculation “Rules” don’t have settings specific enough to correlate with wall types or area categories, in order to make this automatic. This doesn’t mean we can’t generate the required plans and schedules, but just means that some degree of drawing and area boundary manipulation will be required. (Not a huge deal) The good news is that a lot of the lines can be automatically generated, since one of the Revit area calculations uses the centerline of wall, which is the boundary location in much of the space assignment guidelines. More good news is that area boundary lines can be associated with walls so that if a wall moves in plan location, areas will recalculate and update in real time. Specific exceptions making full automation impossible are:

-Separations between Building Common areas and Office Space (The line falls on the interior face of Office Space)

-Separations between Vertical Penetrations and Office Space (The line falls on the interior face of Office Space)

-Boundary at the “Dominant Portion” on the interior face of an exterior wall (The area boundary line’s plan location follows the location of “the majority” of the wall surface, meaning to the glass on a curtain wall, but most likely to the non-window portion of a wall with punched openings. This obviously varies depending on conditions)

-Alcoves (If an alcove or recess is used, the line separating the “corridor” (common) from the office goes straight across, capturing the area of recess and charging it to the office, not common) Area separation Boundary lines in Revit typically follow walls…

I recommend that we use Revit’s “Rentable” area calculation settings, and name the area scheme “GSA Space Assignment”. This automatically locates area boundaries on wall centerlines, and then we will need to draw any special circumstances manually. I have started a system for tagging and scheduling according to the specific items the GSA would like to see for each area. Below is the Area tag we will use to show in GSA Area Plans.

Consistent with the GSA BIM guide series, this provides spatial information including:

1- Space Name
2- Space Number
3- Occupant Organization Name
4- GSA STAR Space Type
5- GSA BIM area in square meters.

The GSA BIM guide also requires floor gross areas. Fortunately, Revit’s gross area plan calculations will do these automatically. (To exterior face of exterior walls)

[Rustle]

I found this also.
GSA BIM Resource Center
http://www.adskhost.net/51005/

And I got this from our reseller.



DRAFT


July 14, 2006



Notes on applying GSA Space Standards from the 1800 F Street Revit Building Test Model to your specific Federal Building Project



The provided file “GSA Spatial BIM template Revit 9.0.rvt” is a subset of a test model done by Autodesk as part of our ongoing efforts in support of the GSA’s BIM Guide process. This model was created in Revit Building 9. Refer to a draft copy of the GSA BIM Guide for a complete explanation concerning the GSA space standards and required space data that must be assigned to the rooms in Revit
This model was set up with special project parameters, Room Schedules, Schedule keys, and Gross Building Area schedules all related to classifying rooms and areas according to the GSA Space Assignment Guide specifications.
To get a feel for the type of GSA specific space/room data that is being stored with the Revit Model try the following:
In Revit Building 9.0 open up “GSA Spatial BIM template Revit 9.rvt”
Click on the floor plan level 2 with Star Space view
Hover the cursor over any room
When it highlights (X) click on the room object
Click on the properties tool to see all of the data associated with the rooms
Under IFC properties you will see all of the required data fields for the GSA spaces

Some of the GSA room data fields in Revit have been set up to get automatically populated by leveraging the Revit Schedule Key capability. In this Revit test model we have set up schedule keys for:
GSA STAR Space Category
GSA STAR Space Type
GSA Occupant

In the case of Occupant, the GSA has over 1000 unique classifications for Agency Bureau Codes and Names. The Occupant Key Table in the test model only contains a subset of these classifications for demonstration purposes. As you apply to your specific Federal Building project you will have to add the specific names and codes to the Occupant key table for your specific building occupants. An excel spreadsheet containing the complete list of bureau codes and names is being provided along with this Revit file.
Steps for adding the GSA Spaces Data to the Rooms in your Revit Project


First we recommend that you first attempt this on a new project or on a back up copy of your current project rather than on a “live” version of your current ongoing project. Once you are comfortable with the procedure you can do this on your live project.
Have this template open in Revit 9.0 as well as the project that is going to receive this data
While active in the template model:
Group select all of the views under schedule quantities. Do this by clicking on Area Schedule Gross Building and then while holding down the shift key, select the last schedule view which should be room schedule level 2
On the Revit “Edit” pull down menu hit “Copy to Clipboard”

Now switch to the target project or start a new project
On the Edit Pull down Menu click on “Paste from Clipboard”
You should see that these views have been added under Schedule/Quantities in the Revit Project Browser
Create a new room or click on an existing one and look at its properties to verify that the GSA space classifications have been added
While still in the room properties, under identity data verify that schedule keys for Occupant, STAR Space Type and STAR Space Category are present. Experiment with select different values to validate that the schedule keys are functioning as designed.

You should now be ready to proceed with creating your initial assignment sheets and classifying these rooms according to the GSA’s assignment guidelines

[nickm.226336]

russellh: I have found you to be very helpful. Thanks mang!