Electrical Circuiting With Design Options

[Anonymous]

Hello Everyone,

We are currently in the early stages circuiting two nearly identical low rise apartment homes. The architect is using design options to differentiate the two buildings and so far there hasn't been an issue with wiring the first building. What i'm trying to figure out is how am i going to circuit the second building. Am I going to have to duplicate every single light fixture, receptacle, switch, etc in the same place so that I can circuit them to different panels? Is there a more efficient way to go about this issue? would Copying the phisical model be a better option for us?

Please advice.

[robert.klempau · Accepted solution]

Hello @makianichivo,

Well, it all depends on how you work with the Architect.

Are you linking his model to your MEP model or are you modeling the electrical system directly into the architectural model?

I would suggest linking the architecture model to your MEP model.

There are two options you could do:

1. use one linked file.
2. use two linked files

1: Use one linked file:

In this case, you link only one Architecture model to your MEP model

The Architect has to create several Views where he shows the Design option.

You will use these specific Design option View from the Architect in your MEP Views. (Visual Graphic Overrides per View, Revit Link and use Linked View)

Then you design your electrical system and add them to your Design options.

you will then set your design option per View.

Please see my Screencast.

2: Use two linked files:

In this case, the Architect gives you two models.

One where de the design option 1 is set as the Primary option in his project and one where de the design option 2 is set as the Primary option in his project.

Link both models to your MEP model.

Create a design option for the linked models.

A Primary option for Architecture link option 1 and a secondary option for Architecture link option 2.

Now you can choose which link you want to have as your primary link.

Then create the design options for your MEP models.

Create the electrical system and add them to your MEP design options.

Then change the electrical system of your secondary options with the secondary option of the Architecture model.

Note:

There is a third option where you create two MEP project files and link the architecture model with design option 1 set as primary option and one where you link the architecture model with design option 2 set as primary option.

[robert.klempau · Accepted solution]

Hello @makianichivo,

Well, it all depends on how you work with the Architect.

Are you linking his model to your MEP model or are you modeling the electrical system directly into the architectural model?

I would suggest linking the architecture model to your MEP model.

There are two options you could do:

1. use one linked file.
2. use two linked files

1: Use one linked file:

In this case, you link only one Architecture model to your MEP model

The Architect has to create several Views where he shows the Design option.

You will use these specific Design option View from the Architect in your MEP Views. (Visual Graphic Overrides per View, Revit Link and use Linked View)

Then you design your electrical system and add them to your Design options.

you will then set your design option per View.

Please see my Screencast.

2: Use two linked files:

In this case, the Architect gives you two models.

One where de the design option 1 is set as the Primary option in his project and one where de the design option 2 is set as the Primary option in his project.

Link both models to your MEP model.

Create a design option for the linked models.

A Primary option for Architecture link option 1 and a secondary option for Architecture link option 2.

Now you can choose which link you want to have as the primary link.

Then create the design options for your MEP models.

Create the electrical system and add them to your MEP design options.

Then change the electrical system of your secondary options with the secondary option of the Architecture model.

Note:

There is a third option where you create two MEP project files and link the architecture model with design option 1 set as primary option and one where you link the architecture model with design option 2 set as primary option.

[Anonymous]

thanks alot this was very useful