IMAGINiT Building Solutions Blog

Navisworks Quantification 2015 Unit Problems and Fixes

By Veredith Keller, IMAGINiT Building Solutions

When you create a Project for Quantification, you select the catalog content to import, and you specify project settings, such as measurement units. A project is a collection of files and takeoff items that you use to produce detailed material quantities. Units can be set up for the project and for each property.
There are times you may want to change a property unit after you set up the project. This can be done by changing the units with a formula.
When you first open a file in Quantification, the Project Setup Wizard is displayed. This is where you specify Measurement Units and the catalog you want to use for organizing your takeoff data. You can integrate all the common catalogs you use for takeoff before you begin Quantification.

When you choose Next you can select a Unit from the drop down for each property.

Note: ModelVolume is set up for Cubic Feet.

When finished with the setup, from the Quantification Workbook, choose Item Catalog.

From the Item Catalog dialog box choose a group name and pick New Item  and give it a name.

Note: the Item Catalog for Volume is set up for Cubic Feet.

From the Selection Tree, drag items to the Item in the Quantification Workbook.
In this example all the Foundation - 12” Concrete walls are counted.

Note: in the WBS the total Volume is Cubic Feet.

Change the Volume to Cubic Inches; choose from the unit drop down Cubic Inches.

The Problem: when you change the unit to Cubic Inches the number does not change.

You can change this to read correctly, but you need to change the Formula. This can be done in the Item Catalog or in the Workbook.

Example in Workbook: Change the formula by choosing by line under Volume and type in the formula on the Function line.

Example in Item Catalog: under the Formula column type in the formula.

Note: If you set this up initially when creating a Project for Quantification from the ”Project Setup Wizard”, you can change the units from the drop down for each property and do not need to change the formula.

As seen in the example below ModelVolume is set for Cubic Inches.

 

 

 

Multi-Category Schedules in Revit

By Heather Alley, IMAGINiT Applications Expert

While at our local Revit User Group last month I was approached after the meeting by an "experienced" Revit User. He asked if it was possible to list all of the plumbing and electrical requirements in a industrial kitchen as part of a hospital. The issue, he explained, was that Revit separates families into different categories so that Plumbing Fixtures, Specialty Equipment and Mechanical Equipment all produced separate schedules in Revit. He wanted a way to combine them.

I was surprised he had not heard of Multi-Category schedules, and I wanted a way to easily explain this often overlooked schedule type. This white paper walks through each step of creating a multi-category schedule, as well as pointing out some stumbling blocks.

Please note this PDF is on the ProductivityNOW Portal. It is free to view, but if you have not already created your guest login, you'll need to do that before viewing. 

Healthcare Facilities Management –Using Continuous Survey Readiness to Ensure Regulatory Compliance

By Peter Costanzo, Director, Facilities Management Team

In healthcare, facilities records and compliance information must be up to date at all times. When auditors, such as the Joint Commission or boards of health visit for inspections and surveys, the last thing the facilities management team wants is to be scrambling to gather the right information and present it in an easily understood form. Continuous compliance or continuous survey readiness is a proven way to meet the demands of different standards and regulations.

Here are four things to know about continuous compliance:

1. Continuous compliance focuses on five processes. These include process development, deficiency identification, prioritizing the work needed to address deficiencies, ongoing surveillance and corrective action, and continuous improvement.
   
   
2. The key to effective continuous compliance is easy access to data. A common obstacle is data silos which make it hard to comply with standards and regulations.
   
   
3. An integrated facilities management system can reduce costs and simplify continuous compliance. With a push of a button, it’s possible to report on condition assessment, environment assessment and monitoring, building operations, emergency preparedness, and more.
   
   
4. Integrated facilities management leverage existing data by linking disparate systems together. It’s important to look for facilities management solutions with an open architecture. Another consideration is finding a system that takes a modular approach that can be expanded over time.

With continuous compliance and the right technology infrastructure in place, it is possible for healthcare facilities managers to find the right balance between compliance and cost control. What challenges does your organization face with regard to facilities management and regulatory compliance? Have you tried continuous survey readiness and if so, how did it work? We’d be interested in your experiences. To learn more about how a flexible facilities management system can support continuous compliance initiatives, download our white paper The Healthcare Facilities Manager’s Dilemma: How to Ensure Compliance While Driving Down Costs.

Learn more about our Facilities Management Team.

FM 101 for Executives

By Peter Costanzo, Director, Facilities Management Team

As most people are aware, real estate and facilities are often the second largest expense category for companies, second only to labor. As a result, facilities management is, or should be, top of mind for most executives. Facilities management covers a wide range of activities including:

• Space management. Facilities managers are responsible for the optimal operation of buildings. This requires space management, resource scheduling, security, facilities planning, and more. Effective use of existing space and planning for future needs can have significant impact on the bottom line.
  
  
• Maintenance and asset management. To keep buildings in top condition, facilities managers must perform both preventive and unplanned maintenance. Maintenance also includes work order administration, parts and inventory management, and building assessment.
  
  
• Sustainability and energy management. Organizations are becoming increasingly concerned with their buildings’ environmental impact. Facilities managers are responsible for energy management, cost savings, carbon credit calculation, energy efficiency reporting and Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) certification.

Given the direct linkage between facilities management work and the organization’s bottom line, it’s not surprising that technology can play a central role in improving efficiency and minimizing unnecessary expenditures. Facilities management systems can help standardize processes, automate work, and generate analytics that can be used for decision support.

Technology trends affecting facilities management include integrated workplace management system (IWMS), facilities management systems, enterprise asset management, as well building information modeling (BIM). The key to effective facilities management is access to data at the right place and time. The intelligent use of technology enables facilities managers to track assets, streamline capital planning, forecast needs and expenses, generate reports needed for regulatory compliance, and reduce buildings’ carbon footprint. It’s important to remember, however, that data analysis, in conjunction with best practices and a deep understanding of business requirements, are the key to developing the best facilities management solutions.

Learn more about our Facilities Management capabilities. 

Fix Light Fixture copy problems in Revit Ceilings

By Howard Roman, IMAGINiT Building Solutions

There seems to be a problem in Revit when you attempt to copy or array a light fixture within the standard Gypsum Board Revit Ceiling.  When you individually place a light fixture in the “Compound Ceiling, GWB on Mtl. Stud" ceiling  and you try to copy or array it within the same ceiling, a warning appears to tell you that the fixture will not be copied:

If you right click on the light fixture and choose “Create Similar”, you can start the command again and insert other lights, one by one, but this is not a very efficient way to create patterns or rows of light fixtures.

The problem lies within the “none” surface pattern of the out-of-the-box Gypsum Wall Board material. To change the surface pattern of the material you must go to the Type Properties.

Now all of the editing commands will operate.

 

Facilities Management Blog Posts

By: Peter Costanzo, Director, Facilities Management

We recognize that facilities managers face tough challenges. They are responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of aging buildings and mechanical systems, while playing a key role in cross-functional initiatives like environmental and sustainability programs, improving operational efficiency, and streamlining capital planning.

Thanks to our work with clients in many different industry sectors, IMAGINiT Facilities Management has insight into the trends that influence facilities management best practices. The facilities management blog series is intended to highlight these developments and serve as a resource for facilities managers and the people who work with them.

We’ll be discussing how to leverage technology to streamline processes and exploring topics like sustainability, BIM, building lifecycle management and more. Let’s make this a two-way conversation – feel free to offer your comments and thoughts at the conclusion of each post.

Learn more about our Facilities Management capabilities.