The Best of BradleyBIM.com

BradleyBIM.com was launched in February 2011. It's initial goal was to serve as an online technical support tool for Revit professionals using the Bradley Revit Family Library. (1,000 families)  

Now totaling over 350 articles; Revit-BIM educational topics include LOD, prefabrication, staff training, software implementation, industry-market trends, winning new business, production tips, architecture, engineering, construction, facility management and so much more.

Averaging 50,000 visitors per year, we've listed our visitors' most viewed and shared articles from our Revit-BIM Article Library. 

Articles are sorted and listed below in the following 5 categories:

Revit-BIM for Design Reviews\Client Presentations
McGraw-Hill SmartMarket BIM Studies, Surveys & Reports
Architectural, Design & Specifications
Engineering, Design & Construction
Revit Implementation, Training & Management

Revit-BIM for Design Reviews\Client Presentations

 BIM for Virtual & Augmented Reality. Game On! (video gallery)

5 Revit Presentation Tips | Architect Steven Shell

Revit 10-Step Guide to Setup Lights for Interior Renderings

Owner Design Reviews | Expedite Multiple Revit Walkthrough Videos

Free Downloads of McGraw-Hill SmartMarket BIM Reports

(Download Reports from 2009 - Present)

Architectural, Design & Specifications

 BIM for Toilet Room Design | Construction Specifier AIA Convention Issue

Download Pre-built Revit Accessible Toilet Room Sample Model

4 Revit Fixture-Room Layout Tips | ADA-Universal Design Review

4 Bradley Revit Lavatories for ADA Compliant Toilet Room Renovations

BradleyBIM e-SPECS-for-Revit Begins 5th Year Commitment

Download Bradley Visual MasterFormat Specification Product Guide

Compact Accessible Green Toilet Room Design | Advocate Revit Library

5 Sustainable-Quality Benefits of Powder Coat Paint Partitions Revit Library

4 Hours | 2D AutoCAD to Visually Data-Rich Revit Documentation

Bradley Solid Plastic Revit Lockers | Easter-Egg Parameter Options

Bradley Molded Shapes | Solid-Surface Lavatory Systems - Revit Library (videos\product images)

Engineering, Design & Construction

 BIM Means Business | Plumbing Engineer Magazine - ASPE

BIM Means Business | Plumbing Heating-Cooling Contractors-WI

Skanska Revit-MEP Prefabrication | New Assembly Line Efficiency

Keltech Tankless Water Heater with Revit Type Catalog | Clearance Box

SysQue Provides Bradley Revit MEP \ Autodesk Fabrication Model Library

Revit-BIM Manages Construction Site Assets and Safety

Mayo Clinic BIM Manager - Project Model Development Specification (LOD)

 BradleyBIM for Design-Build \ Integrated Project Delivery \ EPC

BIM Process Improving Construction Site Safety | Turner Construction

5 Sustainable Features of Keltech Commercial Tankless Water Heaters - Revit Library

Revit Implementation, Training & Management

 Revit Implementation Puzzle - 5 Basic Planned Investments

Low-Cost Revit Implementation Strategy That Wins Business

Revit Implementation Secrets - 10 Best Revit Process Features

What is the Best Timeline for Upgrading Revit Software?

Below is a brief 10-point list of BIM-Revit Manager recommendations I've found and have provided to BIM Managers during their training  process.

Consider these points; prior to upgrading Revit software.

1. "How will a Revit product upgrade affect your project's current timelines and team members?"

2. If a project's print or submittal milestone date is looming in the next 30-60 days, consider waiting to upgrade; especially for larger project teams.

3. When the project is long term and does not have an immediate print/submittal milestone; the PM/PA should consult and discuss the impact of a software upgrade and the potential switch date with his/her entire team (design, engineering, contractor).

4. Based on software subscription dates; Autodesk software is updated each March-April. Knowing this, BIM Managers will "look out" 4-6 months from March to review new incoming projects; that may be acceptable for the next Revit version. 

5. During this time, BIM Managers should review, What current or future projects should be considered for upgrade or will remain on their current version of software?

6. Consider having the  BIM-Revit Management Team actively participate with Autodesk's Beta software programs. They can be helpful to "kicking the tires" early using test equipment to anticipate any training, equipment or process changes to the project team(s).

7. IT & Project Teams may choose to wait until the first service pack is issued before rolling out a new release. Re-patching (updating) an installed release is disruptive.

8. The First Customer Shipment(FCS) version is often used to do major testing of deployment images, upgraded Revit standards, project testing, equipment upgrades, 3rd party applications and creating training update materials.

9. Revit success is highly dependent on processes. Review new Revit features against processes; as these need to be integrated into the update training and revising the firm's process standards.

10. Many firms use a similar 'pilot project' process; that started their use of Revit within the firm. Only now, the pilot project is used to roll out and update the software firm wide.

The recommendations and suggestions are based on technically supporting and consulting the Revit upgrade process with hundreds of Revit-based design firms since 2002.

Special thanks to the hundreds of clients using Revit; that I meet annually at my educational speaking events, Bradley plant tours and through our Bradley BIM Customer Service Portal.

We appreciate their enthusiasm to share tips on their firms' winning processes listed above.

Daniel Hughes | LinkedIn Profile

You may reference my Revit-BIM industry expertise & credentials using my Linkedin profile. If you wish to connect; please send me a Linkedin invitation to connect to your network.

Related Revit Articles

• Revit Implementation Puzzle - 5 Basic Planned Investments

• Low-Cost Revit Implementation Strategy That Wins Business

• Revit Implementation Secrets - 10 Best Revit Process Features

• Update Bradley Revit-BIM Family Components to Latest Revit Version

Bradley Keltech Commercial Tankless Water Heater Models as the perfect sustainable design option for reducing a facility's water and energy consumption for these applications:

• Car and Truck Wash Facilities
• Water Heating for Remote Toilet, Shower & Locker Rooms
• Sports & Healthcare Laundry Sanitization
• Geo-Thermal Heat Pump HVAC Systems
• Solar Water Heating Heat Pump HVAC Systems
• Food Service Dishwasher Sanitization Processes
• Emergency Eye\Face Wash Systems
• Enclosed Safety Showers - Eye\Face Wash Systems

The Keltech Revit Model Library is located in the Bradley Revit Library (1,000 models).

Benefits of Tankless Water Heating Applications

Save Money

Easy installation means lower labor cost. A small footprint means less square footage needed for utilities. Lower energy use and less maintenance mean lower utility and maintenance costs over the life of the product.

Save Energy

Inefficient boiler systems have to generate heat and maintain temperature 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Keltech tankless heaters only heat water when needed. And, Keltech's innovative controller is fully modulating so you only use the actual kW needed, not full power or stages.

Save Space

A large commercial tank water heater requires a large space. Keltech tankless water heaters only require 3 square feet (.3 square meters) of space to generate 491,000 BTUs.

Simple Installation

Requires only one electrical connection and water. No pumps, no external fusing, and no design needs to be considered externally - it's all built into the heater.

Simple to Maintain

No tank to maintain, no anodes, no softeners.

Related Bradly BIM Commercial-Industrial Articles

BIM Means Business | Plumbing Engineer Magazine – ASPE
Revit File Exports Serve Solidworks – Process Pipe 3D DWG
BIM Means Business | Plumbing Heating-Cooling Contractors – WI Association

Bradley BIM for Plumbing Prefabrication

Skanska Revit-MEP Prefabrication | New Assembly Line Efficiency
SysQue Provides Bradley Revit MEP \ Autodesk Fabrication Model Library

The efficient use of Revit VOIDS will minimize your Revit family file size. Bradley Revit Library (1,000 Revit Families) reduces both the number of voids and the size of the voids in our Revit families.

Its been my experience, that Extrusions (solids and voids) produce a smaller Revit family file sizes; when compared to using of Sweeps and Revolves.

I recommend incorporating the Revit Voids within the extrusion as "closed loops"; within the "extrusion's closed loop". This avoids the creation of individual VOIDS; that need to be Cut from the solid extrusion.

Consider using VOID Extrusions to efficiently sculpt your Revit family model.

Over-sized Extrusions increase the Revit family file size.

For example, if the void is penetrating 1/2" of material, use a void that is 5/8" to 3/4" deep. Excessively deep voids create larger Revit family file sizes.

McGraw-Hill Construction Press Release (Jan 08 2014) announced the download availability of their new BIM for Construction SmartMarket Report:

This sixty page report reveals the value contractors find in their use of BIM in nine of the largest global construction markets: Australia/New Zealand, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, U.S. and U.K. It offers insights, both overall and by market, into the profile of contractors using BIM, the benefits and ROI derived from their BIM investments and the critical activities and practices for which they are using BIM. Specific snapshots of the contractor responses by region also provide additional understanding of the current use and future potential of BIM globally.

This link takes you to the McGraw-Hill site to obtain the free download thru their e-store.

 The Business Value of BIM for Construction in Major Global Markets SmartMarket Report

If you prefer, you can download the report from Bradley BIM site:

The Business Value of BIM for Construction in Major Global Markets SmartMarket Report

Recent (2013) and additional McGraw-Hill SmartMarket BIM Reports can be downloaded from the Bradley BIM Industry Links Page.

"Lean Construction" and "Information Mobility" SmartMarket BIM Reports were both released in 2013.

The Plumbing Heating-Cooling Contractors \ Master Plumbers - Wisconsin Association released my BIM Article for their Summer 2014 magazine. (View article on Pages 10-12)

Download: BIM Competency Delivers Competitive Advantages | Summer 2014

Plumbing_Heating_Cooling_Contractors_PHCC_Bradley_BIM_Article_2014_July

The article outlines at least 2 reasons that Building Information Modeling (BIM) processes; are determining the winners and leaders in both the plumbing design and contracting markets.

(1) BIM Design-Construction Mandates (Public & Private)

(2) BIM’s Core Support for Digital Design, Construction & Maintenance Processes

How do you envision "the cloud" when you hear the term "Revit cloud computing";

Do you envision "the cloud" as just a remote computer server for centrally storing and accessing your Revit project files?

Below, are just 5 major costs and processes for managing current Revit projects --the Revit Cloud seeks to change that.

The efficiency of Revit Cloud functionally offers the opportunity to evolve, replace or potentially eliminate these Revit process costs?

A Blank Revit Screen Can Be Challenging for New Revit Users Once They Leave Class

Below, are common training experiences, that owners and BIM managers have shared with me; after they sent their staff to Revit 101 Basics Training.

We sent our staff to 3-days of basic, Revit 101 training and when our staff returned; they

• couldn't start a Revit project from a Revit template.

• didn't know how to load a Revit family from a folder.

• weren't sure how to print Revit Views & Sheets

• created TEXT for a room name; without realizing how to insert a Revit Room Tag.

• understood only a few options for creating & editing dimensions.

• lacked basic competency for using placing views & sheet layout process.

• weren't sure how to create Drafting Views or loading of Drafting Family Components.

• couldn't edit Revit wall placement or components by editing Revit dimension values.

• were unable to start or setup a basic Revit schedule.

• could place lights, but couldn't start or edit a custom reflected ceiling boundary

• had little experience with basic editing commands (copy, mirror, offset, align, rotate)

• felt the instructor was very Revit knowledgeable; however the training process did not deliver the results of self reliance.

Stop and consider these points when you interview the Revit consultant, trainer or training company that will deliver your Revit 101 training processes.

Join Bradley BIM at The ASPE Phoenix AZ Chapter - BIM Technical\Educational Seminar | BIM for the Plumbing Engineer on Friday, April 18, 2014 from 12:00 - 3:00pm.

The Bradley BIM 3-hour educational seminar is taught in two- presentation sessions; with a short intermission between sessions.

Session #1 - How BIM Changes Everything

The Building Information Modeling (BIM) process offers multiple opportunities to automate and coordinate the construction documents and specifications, using a virtual 3D facility model.

BIM authoring software (Revit, Bentley, ArchiCAD, Vectorworks) allow multiple users (disciplines) to work simultaneously in the facility model file during the construction + design processes. This collaborative workflow uses new tools for project programming & phasing, creating specifications & cost estimates, and prefabrication & commissioning documentation.

We'll take a visual tour of 3rd party applications, BIM-based projects & discuss how firms have saved time & labor using BIM.

Session #2 - Revit Family Secrets - Creating Quality Content

This technical session is designed for attendees; that are building or managing Autodesk Revit family content for their organizations and projects. Every Revit project has the time and labor costs for gathering and\or creating Revit project families.

Class content provides proven and tested Revit family creation techniques; that was used to create thousands of Revit families for hundreds of Revit projects since 2003.

It has trained more than 150 professionals to assume the role of a Revit-BIM Manager. It provides basic techniques to quickly evaluate, perhaps edit and use pre-built Revit family content found on manufacturers’ and Revit user group websites --to meet your standards.

ASPE - Phoenix Chapter Technical Seminar Location

Aunt Chilada's Restaurant
7330 North Dreamy Draw Drive
Phoenix, Arizona 85020 | T 602.944.1286

Cost: $25.00\person - Includes Lunch - Continued Education Units (CEU)

Please RSVP \ Email your reservations to Mark Tanner.

Image courtesy of ASPE Phoenix Chapter Website

Our thanks to John Lee, from PIR Sales Inc (Bradley Sales Rep Organization) for his efforts to bring the Bradley BIM educational presentations to ASPE Phoenix Chapter.

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Related Bradley BIM Articles:

Download Complete Bradley Revit Family Library (1000 Families) – Download All Options

Download Bradley Revit Family Library From Autodesk Seek Building Product Manufacturer Revit Library

Our thanks to both the Dallas and Fort Worth Texas ASPE Chapters | American Society of Plumbing Engineers -- for the opportunity to share our Bradley BIM presentation;