10 Reasons to Use Revit MEP for MEP Coordination

Autodesk Revit MEP is an important component used for design by the AEC industry. Globally, AEC firms are increasingly using Revit MEP to produce 3D M&E (MEP) coordinated drawings, and Revit MEP tools to update their BIM models with MEP information, and thus, enhance their architectural and engineering design development and construction documentation process. Businesses using Revit MEP are starting to realise the potential of this technology to deliver more value to the AEC industry and also manage their own budgets and profitability at the same time. Before we look at the reasons to use Revit MEP for MEP coordination, let’s briefly cover the subject of Autodesk Revit MEP for MEP coordination.

Autodesk Revit MEP for MEP Coordination

Autodesk Revit MEP, a building information modelling (BIM) software is a leading Autodesk product that is used by users engaging in MEP engineering projects. MEP is an acronym for Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing which forms the three engineering disciplines addressed by Revit MEP. Using BIM software rather than CAD (computer aided drafting), Revit MEP consists of dynamic information in the form of intelligent models, letting complex building systems to be precisely designed and documented in a shorter amount of time. Within Revit MEP there are a series of intelligent models that combine to form a complete project, all stored in a single database file. With this, the changes made in one part of the model can then be automatically propagated to other parts of the model, thus reducing the timeframe to alter designs during the design process. As far as MEP coordination is concerned, it involves coordination of all building services (HVAC, pipework, public health and electrical systems) with other disciplines making up the structure of the building, fabric and external envelope, i.e. steel, concrete, false ceilings, etc.

Having refreshed our memories with Autodesk Revit MEP, let us focus on the reasons why it is useful for MEP coordination. There are of course many reasons, however a few are listed below that will hopefully demonstrate the value of this tool for coordination.

10 Reasons to Use Revit MEP for MEP Coordination

The top 10 reasons to use Revit MEP during MEP design and coordination are summarised below:

• Revit MEP produces high end building information models that represent realistic, real time design scenarios, helping users to make more informed design decisions earlier in the process. The team working on the project can better meet goals and sustainability initiatives, execute energy analysis, examine system loads, and produce heating and cooling load reports with native integrated analysis tools.
• Revit MEP software’s modelling and layout tools let engineers create mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems more easily and precisely. Also, the software’s parametric change technology means that any change to the MEP model is automatically coordinated throughout the model.
• The complexities of today’s buildings require leading edge system’s and engineering tools to optimize performance in both use and efficiency. As complexities increase in the projects, communicating design changes among MEP engineers and their extended teams is critical. Revit MEP’s purpose built systems analysis and optimization tools lets team members receive feedback about their MEP designs in real time, resulting in better performing designs in the process.
• Using Revit MEP, the MEP engineers can more effectively collaborate and interact based on workflow and project requirements through use of a range of compatible collaboration tools such as BIM360. The software also helps to minimize design coordination errors among the extended project team, and helps to reduce design conflicts with real time clash and interference detection.
• In Revit MEP, all model information is stored in a single, coordinated database. Revisions and modifications to information are automatically updated throughout the model, helping to significantly reduce errors and omissions. Autodesk refers to this database driven simultaneous update to file output as multi-directional associatively which explains that a change in one area manifests in all other parts of the file.
• Parametric components, also called families, are the basis for all building components designed in Revit MEP. These components provide an open graphical system for design thinking and form making and offer the opportunity to adjust and express design intent at increasingly detailed levels.
• Revit MEP software is a much more streamlined and intuitive user interface that is easier to learn and adopt. Users can thus find favourite tools and commands faster, identify tools more efficiently, and discover relevant new features easily.
• Revit MEP works holistically, treating information in terms of entire building, linking mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems with the building model - thus increasing collaborative working and a team based approach to projects.
• Revit MEP updates model views and sheets, thus helping to maintain document and project consistency. With its help MEP engineers can for example, create HVAC systems with mechanical functionality and offer 3D modelling for ductwork and piping.
• Revit MEP has built in calculators that allows MEP engineers to execute sizing and pressure loss calculations as per the industry standard methods and specifications

At XS CAD, we have developed the required expertise and extensive knowledge of providing Revit 3D BIM Modelling and MEP coordination drawings services to MEP engineers, MEP consultants and MEP trade contractors in the US, UK, Canada, Australia and India. To learn more about our Revit MEP Services, drop us an email or call us for more information.

Detailed Retail Construction Drawings Play a Key Role in Design-Bid-Build Projects

The design-build model of project delivery is one of the most used approaches, particularly for large-scale, high-end architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) projects. These include infrastructure projects, such as healthcare and medical research facilities, airport terminals, bridges, educational institutes, and large custom homes. Nevertheless, very few residential and retail construction/redevelopment projects, primarily with tight budgets, use the design-build delivery method. Department stores, supermarkets, warehouse stores, and shopping centres / malls which are not linked to multinational retail owners and have a limited geographical reach fall into this category.

In case of such projects, a design/architectural firm is contracted to come up with the designs, plans, drawings, and detailed specifications which clearly convey the architect's / designer's intent. After initial meetings between the owner and architect/designer, all retail construction drawings are finalised. Depending on the scope of the project, this set includes floor plans, internal& external elevations, construction plans, setting out drawings, composite plans, finishing plans, lighting plans, ceiling plans and sections.

Once all the plans and CAD drawings are in place, the project undergoes a competitive bidding process used to shortlist a general contractor (main contractor) to implement the construction work mapped out in the detailed retail construction documents. Since this design-bid-build method of project delivery involves roping in distinct teams for design/planning and construction, detailed and accurate retail construction drawing sets play a key role in ensuring that the change orders on-site are avoided. Owing to a significant reduction of change orders during construction, the time, effort, and resources that would have been wasted on rework or modification are saved.

Whilst the retail construction drawing sets are important to seek site permits and regional building licenses, the level of detail/development necessitated by the permit documents are far less than what ideally need to be passed on to the general contractors (main contractors). Moreover, in the design-bid-build method, the amount of information incorporated in the construction drawing sets determine, to a large extent, the number of change orders. Since the construction documents are made especially to seek permits from the local authorities feature less detail, the competitive bids from all the participating general contractors (main contractors) will be lower; however, the lower bids will not truly reflect the nature of project's requirements.

As a result, detailed, clear, and unambiguous retail design drawings significantly lessen the chances of unanticipated change orders on site. When the chances of change orders reduce, the project becomes more profitable and completes on time, which is precisely what all the key parties involved in the project strive for. In order to achieve this, designers/architects involved in such design-bid-build projects perform constructability review of design at regular phases during the pricing phases.

In some cases, designers/architects rope in offshore CAD services providers to prepare detailed production drawing sets for them. Experienced companies providing retail design and documentation services take basic conceptual and schematic designs or sketches from the architects and deliver detailed construction drawing sets as per requirements. This enables architects to efficiently focus on seeking client's and local council's approvals over schematic designs, manage the project effectively, and administer construction-related issues.

All things considered, detailed retail construction drawing sets and specifications not only benefit designers, architects, and contractors but also reduces construction change-orders, which effectively leads to on-time and within-budget project delivery for relatively small-scale retail construction projects using design-bid-build delivery method.

Outsourcing vs. Completing Retail Designs In-House

When planning store refurbishment exercises or when opening new stores major retailers across the world face tough decisions about their design process and whether to handle all (or a part of) the retail design and documentation work in-house or to engage the services of a skilled outsourced CAD services provider to assist them with some or all of the retail design and drafting process. Choosing one of the two options is not only a difficult task but also depends upon several factors unique to each retail firm and the availability and selection of an outsourced design partner.

For retailers, looking inward at their own team it is of course good practice to evaluate the internal design support capabilities vis-à-vis the retail chain's strategic goals. The evaluation should be two-pronged: firstly, the availability of in-house skills with respect to the expected design standards and secondly, on the basis of the speed of the design cycle the internal team can provide to support the firm’s growth objectives. Any shortcoming in one of these two areas is a strong reason to partner with an experienced offshore retail CAD team to successfully drive the retailer’s strategic objectives.

Entering into an architectural CAD / BIM outsourcing services model can also help the retailers accelerate their time to market especially in cases where the internal design team has the requisite skills but finds it difficult to meet the rapid turnaround expectations of the fast-paced retail environment. The key point, however, is to choose the 'right' service partner - a partner that seamlessly extends the in-house capacity, meets the design standards and fits into the required workflow.  The vendor should also have established work processes, virtual communication tools and quality control procedures in place. The best way to evaluate all the above factors is to meet offshore partners on a face-to-face level. 

Meeting the offshore partner in their environment in face-to-face meetings allows interaction with the management and drafting/modelling team of the potential partner in a way that cannot be replicated remotely via email and telephone calls.  This will also allow the retailer an opportunity to review and validate the skills, processes, technology backbone, experience and quality levels of the outsourced partner. A face-to-face meeting or set of meetings will also allow the retailer to understand and familiarise themselves with the underlying culture of the partner organisation and whether it is conducive to an effective working relationship. The outsourcing partner's culture and way of working will dictate the success of communication for the relationship. Communication is arguably the greatest challenge facing firms that engage outsourcing models and it is only with face-to-face meetings that the retailer will gain an understanding of communication effectiveness. In most cases the retailer may also wish to understand the social values and aims of the partner in both a formal and informal environment. This will provide further insights into the culture of that partner and allow the retailer to understand the potential partner in a different context.

Whether face-to-face or remotely another factor that retailers need to review is the relative experience of their internal resources versus the outsourcing team, especially on projects that the firm is embarking on for the first time. For instance, if the in-house design/documentation team has been using AutoCAD as a preferred drafting tool and the retail firm decides to adopt the building information modeling (BIM) process across all the new projects, it is advisable to partner with a vendor which has suitable experience in handling projects having a similar scope. It is also worth checking whether the firm is familiar with the requisite processes associated with BIM, including worksharing, IFC linking, family modeling, interoperability, material takeoff, clash detection and support with other CAD/BIM tools. An experienced team that has relatively more experience than the in-house team can help the retailer to smoothly transition to the new process with ease.

Whilst it is essential to focus on building a strong internal team, there are scenarios wherein retail design outsourcing adds significant value in terms of increasing success rates on projects never undertaken by the in-house team, speeding up the turnaround times on high-priority projects and extending the capacity of the in-house team without increasing direct overheads.

At XS CAD, we work with retailers across the globe, supplying retail construction drawing sets, 3D BIM models and computer-generated images that are used for pre-construction planning, construction build and project management purposes. We have experience working seamlessly with our clients’ local design teams and providing production drawing services for a range of retailing organisations operating in the apparel, fashion, banking, fast food, restaurant, electronics, telecoms and IT sectors.

Identifying the Right Retail Design Outsourcing Partner

Retail companies operating in the modern and fast paced retail environment have two key challenges when designing their outlets. The first is to get the latest outlet open and ready to trade as quickly as possible, whilst keeping the project cost under control. The second factor is to ensure the optimum use of space in a way which maximises the leasable areas but ensures that the retail brand is consistently served to customers. These two challenges apply to new and existing outlets that require continual updates and complete re-designs in most cases. The need to get the outlet opened or re-opened quickly and the need to maximise space mean that the design and design process needs to be more accurate than ever before. The use of modern design tools, including BIM software options for retail provides many advantages but the challenge is to ensure ample, skilled resources for the detailed planning that is required in the modern outsourcing world. Large retail firms typically have in-house architectural design teams; however, the need to scale their operations without increasing direct overheads means that many firms are increasingly looking to outsource some of the design process. Where an in-house team is not in place, retailers typically use specialist architectural and store design firms that also require the additional resource that outsourcing can provide.

Deciding to use the services of an architectural CAD outsourcing services provider into your workflow is a positive move to drive profitability, cut delivery times, maintain retail design standards and keep costs in check. However, it is very important to exercise due diligence when selecting the most aligned offshore design support partner for retail projects. Factors such as the complexity of the project involved, the elements that are considered options for outsourcing and the core expertise of the partner will have a bearing on the selection. The following provides guidelines that no retailer can ignore:

1. Domain experience and track record 

The importance of evaluating the core areas in which the outsourcing partner specialises cannot be emphasised enough. For instance, if the client's design team seeks expertise in CAD design support for retail extension, refurbishment and upgrade projects for a fast food restaurant chain, it is best to select an offshore CAD team which has a track record of working on similar projects. Besides project expertise, the offshore provider should have expertise on the software platforms used by the client team to deliver schematics, concepts, detailed designs and construction documentation to facilitate seamless collaboration and interoperability.

2. Compatibility with your in-house design team 

The cultural fit between the client's in-house design team and the outsourcing team is a vital factor that can make the client/vendor partnership successful. Both the in-house and offshore teams need to be on the same page on aspects concerning CAD/BIM design standards, project workflow, brand direction, sustainability objectives, project goals and time schedules. The best way to ensure team compatibility is to ensure that face to face meetings take place - especially at the pre-selection stage. Such meetings should include a formal and informal get-together so that the business culture and the social culture can be evaluated by the retailer/retail design team. By taking the opportunity to meet the partner at their own location, the retailer/retail design team can review a number of technical and non-technical elements. However, the opportunity to meet the management and design team, that will in effect become an extension of the retailer's team, is the most important aspect of the face-to-face meeting. Indeed, as well as the initial face-to-face meeting, the most successful partnerships also involve continual face to face meetings as part of the ongoing governance of the partnership.

3. Technical expertise with requisite tools and processes

To serve as a reliable retail design extension to the in-house team, the vendor should have a team of technically proficient resources as well as well-established work processes and quality control procedures with quality accreditations (such as ISO9001:2008 quality control standards) in place. Again it is advisable to visit the partner/vendor and see their team and their processes in person. This will provide a clear picture of whether the firm has a diverse mix of architects, design consultants and project management professionals that have an in-depth knowledge of modern CAD and BIM tools (such as AutoCAD, Revit and Navisworks) and if they can handle your quality and time expectations. It is also very important to assess the relationships that such partners hold with key software resellers. For instance how does the partner purchase software from Autodesk and is the software purchased with subscriptions.

4. Communication tools and methods

Evaluating whether the outsourced CAD services provider has systematic processes and protocols for day-to-day communications, file sharing, query resolution and quality control is critical to a fruitful partnership. Having virtual collaboration tools in place indicates that the firm is available for continuous interfacing with your design team. Also important is the cultural and linguistic fit so that the offshore support team is not just ready but also aware of the discussions and resolutions whenever the need arises. Communications tools, frequency, modes and timing are all important elements to consider. It is the underlying communication culture of a partner and his employees that will dictate the flexibility of team members to discuss their issues openly and honestly with your own in-house design teams. It is very important for example that partners understand and respond to your own culture when it comes to communication. For example, communicating potential delays very early on in the process is not something that some cultures understand while others will just not be ready to say 'No' to a request which is impossible to deliver upon.

5. Local market presence 

The availability of local contacts for an outsourcing partner is an important consideration. Although not always possible, the availability of a local partner (in the retailer's own region) provides additional benefits, such as a standard time zone, local contacts and local insurance requirements being met if needed. The local contact can also facilitate the process of project start up, ongoing project management and regular communication. In cases where outsourcing is new to a retailer/retail design team, this level of local support may be useful when selecting a retail design outsourcing partner.

The Importance of Retail 3D Rendering

Retail stores are much more than stores displaying products. It is also about providing a lifestyle experience to consumers, persuading them to linger in the store and influencing their mood. An engaging retail store design in sync with your brand can provide customers with a new retail experience. You just have to make sure that the first impression becomes a lasting impression. To make that first impression of a retail store a perfect one, retail 3d rendering plays a vital role.

Suppose you have a perfect design, a concept or a structure of your retail shop visualized in your brain. An image, so intricate, that it would be difficult to put it on paper as an image. It would take a minimum of three drawings viz. the top view, front view and the side view just to give a sketch of the mental image that proves your concept. So convoluted, that only the artistically abled few would be able to grasp it and picture it from all angles. While all the measurements of the image are explicit, it gives no visual perception of the depth. Thankfully, 3D Architectural Visualization services are offered especially to overcome this shortcoming.

3D Architectural Rendering services are conceptual illustrations of the proposed architectural plan with photo-realistic effects to visualize the final structure before it is actually built. It is an excellent and fast technique to get your ideas from concept to prototype. It also helps the designers and architects to find out any structural flaws or find out if a re-design is needed. It is an art that takes you on a virtual tour of your imagination.

Retail 3D Rendering bridges the gap between imagination and reality to an extent that it is difficult to distinguish retail stores from photographs in their realism. It acts as an effective marketing tool, helping to communicate your idea clearly to the clients rather than relying on blueprints. The image you had in your mind of the store would be translated into a vision of the future using retail 3D rendering. It is a more effective communication technique compared to the conventional 2D CAD drawing.

With having prior knowledge of how the retail store would appear when finished, the design could be altered accordingly to get the desired look. Without the Architectural3D rendering technique, re-design would have been a costly affair involving money and time loss. With your visualization being transformed into a reality, the retail store would definitely leave a lasting impression on the consumers.

Kuldeep Bwail is a Director at XS CAD Limited, a leading Retail Design Drawing and Shopfitting Drawings services provider to customers in the UK, US, Australia, Canada, Europe, India and the Middle East.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kuldeep_Bwail

High Precision and Accurate Retail Design and Documentation Services

XS CAD is a proficient market leader offering retailers across the globe retail design and documentation services, retail bim modeling services and rendered 3d retail images to facilitate planning, construction and the operation. Our cost-effective services are availed to a wide spectrum of retailing organization such as department stores, telecoms, banking, restaurants, apparel, IT retailers, fast food outlets, electronics and many other retailers.

XS CAD is a premiere resource for integrated and comprehensive retail construction drawing sets used for procurement and construction. We provide construction drawing sets for retail stores – for new and refurbishment projects.  We work from the initial survey and concept design to detail the store layout and then provide the full set of drawings based on clients’ typical/standard sets.

Equipped with the latest technology and highly competent team of designers and modelers, we have great level of expertise in providing our clients with accurate retail design drawings as per the International Building Codes and Standards. Our team members continuously upgrade themselves with dynamic global trends to adhere to various clients requirements.

Utilizing latest software from Autodesk, XS CAD provides retail drawing sets incorporated with all key drawings including floor plans, internal elevations, external elevations, construction plans, setting out drawings, composite plans, finishing plans, lighting and ceiling plans. In addition to these key drawings, our retail drawings also consist of comprehensive equipment schedules and material and component take-off data.

Owing to the numerous benefits that a BIM model provides in terms of cost and time, XS CAD also offers BIM services to retailers. A 3D BIM model created using Revit software is tested for interferences, allowing a final clash-free 3D model.  The 3d model is then embedded in sophisticated 3D rendering software to produce photo-realistic rendered 3d retail images that help in tender/bid stages. With the support of our bim retail design, clients can benefit from cost-reduction, faster completion of a project, increased productivity and minimum re-work.