Can you share tips for improving efficiency and reducing rework in MEP BIM projects?

[helenmiller_mh]

I'm looking for advice on how to improve efficiency and reduce rework in MEP BIM projects. As many of us know, managing mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems in a BIM environment can be quite challenging, especially in large-scale projects. What strategies or best practices have you found effective in ensuring accurate coordination and minimizing errors throughout the project lifecycle? Are there specific tools or workflows that have significantly enhanced your productivity and reduced the need for rework? Any insights or experiences you could share would be greatly appreciated!

[iainsavage · Accepted solution]

Communication.

The software is not a substitute for teamwork and speaking to each other.

[fabiosato · Accepted solution]

Hello,

Try to use other disciplines linked to your model, define a priority for the disciplines, and avoid clashes and conflicts in your designs.

If you detect a problematic area, communicate and try to find a solution before populating that area.

Of course, these measures are not always possible.

[RLY_15]

To expand in a specific subset of Communication - generate snapshots. Many of them. At various points, push out plans stuffed with as much design data as possible (Space Definitions, Loads, Programming, etc.). They do not have to be finished. They can be barely readable due to overlapping text. The only purpose is so that changes in between delivery milestones can be tracked internally.

Project data can become so dense that designers aren't fully aware of what's complete on the project - they know what they're personally responsible for and that they need to communicate that they've implemented something that other designers should react to. Sometimes you need to be able to just look at some really ugly pages of views and go "Oh yeah, that placeholder duct's been modelled at 9000 FPM for a while now....we should probably fix that before people think it's intentional." Ideally, a coordinator of some kind with basic rule-of-thumb industry knowledge should be able to sit down with a stack of snapshots, and know what work is and isn't quite finished. Evaluating what in the model is good enough to design around versus bad placeholder modelling or uncommunicated helps a LOT in minimizing rework.

[HVAC-Novice]

Use the " I" in BIM. Perform as much in Revit tools and schedules as you can. That way changes are easier. 

I still have a lot to learn, but I manage all ventilation calculations, load calcs, lighting, electrical and mot plumbing calcs as much as possible in Revit. that makes the (nasty) changes easier. If you use 3rd party software or spreadsheets, any re-work is much more painful and may be forgotten. 

Look into elumtool for lighting and Ripple HVAC for load. 

And make sure the architect (and others) communicate when they think their layout is final and don't start before they ensure it is. 

[Rafael_MartinezV]

I'll speak on the Revit side from my experience with mechanical on increasing efficiency and performance. 

I have revamped our mechanical template to do to following for development:

Coordination specific view templates (plan, sections, isometrics) with filters for linked models with graphic overrides (i have my filters set with other engineering disciplines all showing up as red). This provides a better visual stimulus that helps avoiding clashes, therefore reducing rework)

Developing pyRevit (free addin) scripts to QC development. I have been creating scripts for a little over a year now and they have helped point out issues. 

These are a few I have created based on my teams workflow. 

"Check" parameters. This is a new one I implemented. A yes/no parameter applied to Mech equip., duct, duct accessories, duct fittings set up as a filter that turns these to black (since we colors for different systems). This helps me select work i have checked and apply the parameter. It provides a visual for me that lets me know i have already check all this area up to this point. 

Revit Schedules with QC Formatting. This is one we use a lot to know if we have tagged items correctly. 

hope this is useful.