IMAGINiT Building Solutions Blog

Solar Radiation Technology Preview for Revit

Autodesk is offering a free preview of Solar Radiation Techonology for Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010 (update 1 or update 2, 32 bit and 64 bit) and Autodesk Revit MEP 2010 (update 1 or update 2, 32 bit and 64 bit).

Solar Radiation Techonology is used to analyze the effects of solar radiation on various surfaces of your conceptural building model. Using the Solar Radiation Technology Preview during the conceptual design stage of your project can help you make fundamental design decisions about building shape, orientation, and surfaces early on, when changes are least expensive. The technology preview uses the geometry of conceptual massing elements from Revit and calculates the amount of solar radiation hitting the surfaces of the massing shapes, based on location and weather data. It is possible to display the distribution and availability of solar radiation over an entire building or even a city block. This can be particularly useful when considering shading requirements or assessing the best areas to place photovoltaics for maximum collection.

The output of the technology preview can be saved as images in the Revit project that contains the massing elements. After these images are added to the project, you can place them on sheets and print them. You can also export the images from Revit for use in presentations or for editing in external software applications.

This technology preview is a limited term release to seek customer feedback on its performance and expires on January 13, 2010.

See this Featured Video: 

 

To download the Solar Radiation Technology Preview go to the following website: http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/ecotect/overview/

 After the installation it will appear in Revit in the Add-Ins Tab:

Revit Architectural Columns vs Revit Structural Columns

In Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010 and Autodesk Revit Structure 2010 you have a choice of Architectual Columns and Structural Columns. What is the difference between them?

Architectural Columns:

You can use architectural columns to model column box-outs around structural columns and for decorative applications. Architectural columns inherit the material of other elements to which they are joined. Compound layers in walls wrap at architectural columns. This does not apply to structural columns.

 

Structural Columns: 

Structural columns are used to model vertical load-bearing elements in a building. Although structural columns share many of the same properties as architectural columns, structural columns have additional properties defined by their configuration and industry standards.

Structural columns differ from architectural columns in behavior as well.

Structural elements such as beams, braces, and isolated foundations join to structural columns; they do not join to architectural columns.

Typically, drawings or models received from an architect may contain a grid and architectural columns. You create structural columns by manually placing each column or by using the On Grids tool to add a column to selected grid intersections. It is helpful to set up a grid before adding structural columns, as they snap to grid lines. The grid lines also provide vertical planes for braces. You can place structural columns that attach to other structural elements.

Structural columns can be created in plan or 3D views.