The Model Diagnostic Tool will provide diagnostic information on the model before analysis starts. It will highlight issues which may interfere with successful analysis.
Model Diagnostic Tool helps audit the Revit Model
Find the Model Diagnostic Tool on the Welcome Screen (top left). When this option is selected, the model elements will be loaded into the Tool. To save time, the Energy Model will not be created at this stage.
The Tool will walk you through the process with step by step stages using a wizard to check various conditions and settings. This wizard process may be hidden (Hide Diagnostic Tool Wizard) and you may revert to a manual process if you wish to check model issues and element conditions. Note: you must complete all steps in each Stage to progress to the next Stage.
A panel at the top of the main window (Expand Menu) may be expanded to reveal a Dashboard Menu.
Stage 1 is create an Energy Model and check for Analytical Surfaces, Spaces and Rooms. As each step is completed, the View will adjust to focus on the current elements being checked.
The Dashboard Menu displays, once expanded. Here, you may focus on either a Standard 3D View or the Energy Model View (with Analytical Surfaces/Spaces).
There are options to view specific Levels, Room Bounding Elements or include a 3D Grid. There is also an option to create a simplified version of the model (we will examine this option later).
Rooms may be reviewed as 3D Spaces. Missing Rooms or Upper Room Extents which fall short may be easily seen.
Allow the Viewer to load. Depending on the complexity and size of the model, processing time will vary. The default view will open (the Energy Model View). This will display the Analytical Spaces and Surfaces. Items in the panel on the left may be expanded and Surface Types may be reviewed. If there are missing Surfaces, it will indicate a modeling issue (enclosure issues, element functions etc).
Hovering over an item in the list will highlight its location in the Viewer. The Revit ID is also displayed for each item.
Step 2 involves reviewing model elements such as Interior and Exterior Walls, Roofs, Floors and if they are Room Bounding. Exterior walls should not appear inside the building. Likewise, Interior walls should not feature outside. Floors similarly should have correct functions (Ground Floors should have an External function while upper Floors may be Interior). Roof elements will always have an external function and this parameter is not editable in Revit. Element Functions currently must be adjusted in Revit.
Roofs and Floors may also be reviewed. The panel on the on left includes a list of all element types and instances. By expanding these lists and hovering over items, the element will highlight in the viewer. A panel in the lower center of the main window displays properties for the element and will indicate if thermal properties are present. Room Bounding conditions are also shown.
Levels may also be reviewed and there are planes for each Level that may be turned on/off as required to assist.
Stage 3 involves running a Test while in the Standard 3D View (this will automatically adjust when you enter this stage of the workflow). This will display any warnings from the Energy Model and modeling issues that are explored. You may also manually run the Test anytime using the Test button on the Dashboard Menu. Expand the lists under the heading on the right hand side for Building Elements and Energy Model.
A list of warnings will appear in the lower section of the main window. As issues are resolved these will reduce. Issues may need to be resolved back in Revit. This Tool is not currently regenerative (it will not update as issues are fixed). Please close the Tool, resolve modeling issues in Revit and relaunch the Tool to review any remaining issues. By hovering over the items in the list, the Viewer will highlight which elements are affected.
Room Bounding condition of elements may be reviewed by checking this setting on the Menu. Only Room Bounding elements will display in the Viewer and this will help to reveal if any elements are not Room Bounding. This button is only available once you are in the Standard 3D View. This will reveal if walls, floors or roofs are not room bounding. It may be correct or intended that some elements are not room bounding and so the User should make decisions on whether these notifications need attention or are as expected.
Fix Analytical Properties
It is possible to assign default glazing properties using this Tool to remove warnings where windows and curtain panels do not have any Glass Type set. These may be later adjusted in FenestraPro. Click on Fix Analytical Properties to assign thermal properties to glazed elements which do not have any Glass Type assigned.
This will help produce results in FenestraPro. The default Glass Type used is a Double Glazed Domestic Type with ST = 0.4. This may later be swapped out for another Glass Type.
In the left-hand panel, items may be selected and will display in the viewer. Information is also provided in the lower panel on thermal properties, Revit Family name, Family Type and Room Bounding status.
Hovering over entries in the list will highlight and isolate that element in the Viewer. Checking the box beside that element will display more details of properties and parameters relating to that element.
Revit ID numbers are also listed and may be searched by inputting a value on the left-hand panel ‘Building Elements’. Project warnings on the right-hand panel also includes the Revit element ID. This may be useful for finding the element in the model to resolve any issue.
Simplify your Project
For some models, where the file size is large or there are a lot of elements that are not essential for Energy Analysis, a simplified version of your project may be created.
You may start this process by clicking on Create Project on the Dashboard Menu. Your current original project will remain unaltered and a Temporary Copy will be made. A message will appear to save your project and close it before making a copy. Confirm this by clicking Yes or Decline by selecting No.
This will create a copy of your project with only the envelope elements in the list. You may also include other elements if you wish (eg. stairs, structural elements etc). While the purpose of this workflow is to reduce the file size to a minimum to make processing faster and assist in diagnosing model issues, flexibility is allowed to include additional items.
A New Sheet with a default 3D View of your project will be added to this temporary file in Revit. This Sheet may then be saved as a new file on your computer by right clicking on it and selecting the option Save as New File.
If Yes is chosen, the model elements will load into a new temporary project. This is saved in your FenestraPro folder under Temporary Projects.
Note: If the elements do not load into the new file, please exit the Model Diagnostic Tool, save the project as a new local file on your machine and restart the process. Central files may need to be detached for the process to be successful.
In Revit, the new temporary project will be opened automatically and the Sheet will be created. Right click on the Sheet Title (not on the 3D View) and use Save as New File.
The new file will be reduced to a minimum size as Views, Sheets, unused families etc are removed. Open this file in Revit and use the application to analyze the simplified model.
Note:
- Currently the Site Location, True North setting and Project Information are also removed and will need to be restored when the new file is opened in Revit.
- The new file will contain only the essential envelope elements required (Floors, Roofs, Walls and Glazing).
- Some model elements may prevent saving of the new project eg. wall sweeps/reveals. These may need to to be first adjusted in the model by changing the wall type under Revit’s Type Properties. A message will appear to advise which elements if any, are preventing the workflow. Once these are resolved, the file will be saved when the process is repeated.
- While simplifying the model will assist in diagnosing model issues, not all issues can be resolved by the application eg. overlapping elements, gaps in the enclosure, Roofs modeled as Floors etc. Some modification of the model may still be required to improve the Energy Model generation.
Summarizing the workflow:
1. Click on the Model Diagnostic Tool in the Splash Screen
2. Wait for the Tool to load model elements
4. Follow the Steps provided in the Wizard or switch to the Standard View and run a Test
5. Hover over Revit ID’s in the list to review elements in the Viewer
6. Expand the items list in the panel on the left hand side and hover over items to highlight elements in the Viewer
VIEWER CONTROLS
The model may be orbited in the Viewer by using the right mouse button. Shift + right mouse button allows panning in the Viewer. The scroll wheel on your mouse may be used to zoom in/out.
Orbit = Drag right mouse button
Pan = Shift + Right mouse button
Zoom = Scroll wheel on mouse
