Fixtures - AR vs MEP

[esatis]

Hi,

I see that in Revit Cloud Family Library all the Fixtures and Equipment (Electrical, Lightning, Plumbing) are divided into Architectural and MEP. The MEP Fixtures have connectors and AR don't. 

Does it pays off to manage Family library of two types of Fixtures - Fixture with connectors for MEP and same Fixture without connections for AR?

We are converting on working using Central models and Copy/Monitor for all/most Fixtures. So my first thought is to model Fixture with connectors so that AR Discipline place that Fixture and later MEP discipline can Copy/Monitor that Fixture and use Connectors.

I am responsible for Family library and at a first glance I see no benefit but increased complexity of managing library for two Disciplines with same Fixtures (one with connectors and one without connectors).

What best practices regarding Fixtures for AR and MEP?

[ToanDN]

I use MEP fixtures in architectural model.

[machycekF254L]

In your case, using MEP fixtures in AR model makes more sense due to workflow. If you design AR only, and your model is then used by f.e. other company who does MEP only, then they could use their own MEP families and not even copy it from your model.

[HVAC-Novice]

Look at what the difference is. I suspect the AE fixtures don't have connectors and fixture units assigned etc. the MEP version would have that. 

Depends on how things are scheduled as well. the Architect may want to schedule a WC and declare it being ADA, white and have shiny things and wants it to look in renderings exactly as the proposed model. MEP wouldn't care as long as it looks like a WC from a distance. 

The best use will depend on info AR and MEP are the same team, company, or different companies etc. You could use the very same fixtures with all information, or separate ones. It depends. the oob families are basically a very coarse starting point based on some assumption Autodesk had. 

[barthbradley]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ub8f-bS0EM

[HVAC-Novice]

Interesting. I downloaded an "architectural" oob family and it is ceiling-based instead of face-based for MEP fixtures. that seems to be the only difference.

OP: probably depends on who is responsible for lighting design and how that is done. I do the lighting with elum tool and also electrical design in Revit. So my families need to be very accurate (correct wattage, ies file, complete model number). and designing is an iterative process (which fixture, which lumen package etc.). So I need full control over that and decide where how many and what fixtures go and rely on the family data being accurate. From a BIM perspective, I'm a one-man show. YMMV. 

If the design process is different, this may differ. For example, an architect decides placement of fixtures just based on some rule of thumb, and the lighting designer (if there even is one) uses a 3rd party software, and an electrical engineer just uses some assumed place holder fixtures, the architectural family may not need all data. 

It depends and has to work with the rest of your and your team's workflow. Sometimes it is good to re-think things since a lot of design processes are based on "we have always done it this way".