Revit MEP – The Language of the Construction Industry!

Autodesk’s Revit is a BIM – Building Information Modelling Software. As the name suggests, BIM has got something to do with buildings and civil structures. The software allows users to design a building and structure and its components in 3D, annotate the model with 2D drafting elements, and access building information from the building model’s database. Originally, this software was developed by Charles River Software in 1997. After that, it was renamed Revit in 2000, and bought by CAD software giant, Autodesk, in 2002 for 133 million cash!

Revit is software with a wide userbase. It is used by architects, landscape architects, structural engineers, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) engineers, designers, and contractors, basically everyone related to building a civil structure and construction. This makes it an essential must know for anyone thinking of working in this industry. Because of the various use cases, Revit has been further broken down into two parts – Revit MEP and Revit Architectural and Structural. In this blog, let’s explore further on Revit MEP.

BIM (Building Information Modelling) methodologies enable MEP professionals to seamlessly work with multiple construction disciplines on the same Revit model by delivering a feature-rich toolset to help engineers reduce design conflicts, easily design, explore and modify MEP systems and help MEP professionals deliver projects on time with reduced project costs.

The MEP in its name stands for Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing. This part of the software deals with the engineering side of things. The software is powerful enough to leverage dynamic information in intelligent models. The software is used to streamline the engineering design process making product design and development more efficient. It helps to reduce risk and develop better quality MEP systems. The software fast tracks the design and construction of the project by enhanced visualizations. It streamlines the engineering design process using a single model for better design communication. The software will help in building element energy analysis, structural analytical modeling, duct. The HVAC/electrical design helps to see the room color-fill plans visually. It helps contractors, designers, and engineers across MEP trades create highly-detailed and coordinated models.

There’s a myriad of benefits that can be leveraged using the Revit MEP toolset for BIM. Outlined below are significant advantages of using Revit MEP over other software. These would directly translate toward better productivity, high-quality and on-time deliverables, reduced rework, and more.

Benefits of using Revit in MEP

• Easy-to-use BIM authoring tool with an intuitive interface that requires a reduced learning curve
• Transform simple drawings into accurate & detailed models
• Place objects from the Revit library or use manufacturer-dependent components
• Quantify project components accurately to build automated project schedules
• Reduce auditing time for deliverables through consistent modeling
• Reduce costly and time-exhausting rework with streamlined Navisworks file compatibility
• Lower RFI count with a seamless model linking to projects
• High-level element validation through inter-object relationships and interaction
• Visual checking of design information through tags
• Model-wise updates across multiple views for changes in design to garner time-savings
• Productive and efficient review meetings through 3D views to identify and resolve problem areas
• Build fabrication-level Revit MEP models with fabrication-level information to reduce fabrication errors

Revit MEP is a software, it is a Building Information Modeling platform by Autodesk. It is used to develop Mechanical (HVAC, Fire Protection), Electrical (Lighting, Power, Low Voltage- TV, Communication), Plumbing (Water Supply & Drainage) BIMs. It is most widely used for the development of Coordinated and Clash free BIMs. Also, Drawings and Quantities can be directly retrieved from the Model, this, in turn, can reduce cost and time during installation on site.

To conclude, Revit MEP has proved to be a front-end tool for engineers, designers, and contractors, and other stakeholders to coordinate MEP projects seamlessly. With a rich toolset, Revit has the potential to create precise, client-centric, sustainable, and efficient MEP systems.