This article refers to the older version 6.0 and is being updated…
The Add Window feature allows windows to be created on the Revit model directly from FenestraPro. Performance targets are used to define the number of windows on a Surface and dimensions may be suggested if required.
These windows can have custom dimensions and glazing specifications and will use FenestraPro window families but these may be later changed for other window types with similar properties and dimensions if required.
The Add Window feature only becomes available when a solid wall is selected from the Revit model. If there is glazing present on this Surface already, this feature may not be available.
A suitable Façade should be selected on the Revit model where windows are to be created. This Façade may be selected on the Revit model by highlighting the wall or by selecting from the Façade Navigator. When you select a wall on the model, all Surfaces on that model face will be selected in the Façade Navigator. You may only wish to select one or two Surfaces. If this is the case, un-check some Surfaces in the Façade Navigator.
In the Facades tab, the button will appear on the Toolbar.
If you have not used the Building Manager to calculate the Solar Loads, a message will prompt you to do so. This may display after the model has been changed eg. glazing has been added or deleted.
When the Add Window button is clicked the first time, the FenestraPro glazing family will need to be loaded into the Revit project (a message window will advise of this). The button should then be clicked again to begin the window creation process. If this feature has been used before and the glazing family is already loaded, the Add Window dialog window will open immediately.
There are 4 steps to creating windows using this feature:
- Set the method for calculating the number of windows required. This will be either:
a) Target Solar Load
b) Maximum Solar Load
c) Target Percentage Glazing
If you input a value into one box and then click on another method, the one that is currently checked will be used. The unchecked methods, even if they have a value in the box, will be ignored. You may only use one method to create the windows (not a combination of options).
- The Glazing Specification should be selected
- The Window Dimensions may be input (Width, Height and Sill)
- Equally Spread may be checked if you wish
- Click on the Create and Preview button to view the proposed new glazing
Note: Specification and Dimensions may be later adjusted and the Preview Windows button used again to see the modified proposal.
Tabs are available to review each Surface. Settings may be modified for each Surface independently before the windows are created. Settings such as the number of windows (increase or decrease), Width, Height, Sill and Equally Spread may be modified for each Surface separately.
Selecting Glazing Specification
Note: If you select a Glazing Type which Revit does not yet have in it’s internal list, Refreshing after this process will not immediately provide results on the Dashboard or in the Charts. Revit will need to be restarted to write the new Glass Type to it’s internal construction types. FenestraPro will then query Revit to ask for the current glazing specification and receive data which can be used to calculate results. This only needs to be done once to add the new Glass Type to Revit’s own list of Construction Types. You may write multiple windows with different Glass Types to the model and then Restart when complete. All new Glass Types will then be added to Revit at the same time.
It is possible to set different Glass Types if windows are created in separate sessions for separate Surfaces (Select one Surface only and assign windows there. Open another session for the Add Window function and select another Surface to control settings there separately). If you select one Facade with several Surfaces included, all Surfaces will receive the same Glass Type.
Note: When a Glass Type is selected for the windows, this will be used in the name for the window family that is written to the Revit model. If you subsequently change this Glass Type, to avoid confusion, it would be advisable to also edit the window family name to reflect the new Glass Type. This may be done using Type Properties in Revit.
Note: the number of windows on the Surface may prevent your input for Window Separation being used if it is too wide. For example, if you have 5 windows on the Surface and you wish to have a separation between each window of 3 feet, this may not be possible and the value will adjust in the input box to one which can be accommodated.
Use Create Windows to write the required glazed openings with these settings to the Revit model. A message will display to advise. FenestraPro will then update its results by including these changes and display them in the Charts. Please wait for the results to be updated and for calculations to complete.
Please use the Refresh button to update the results when you have finished creating windows. This will include the new elements in the Surfaces list. Then open the Building Manager and Recalculate Solar Loads to make sure that the results are updated. The Surfaces will then receive values for these window elements.
The windows generated are FenestraPro window types. These windows can be resized in FenestraPro or the dimensions can be modified as normal in Revit’s Properties Palette. The windows may be replaced by other window types that are loaded in Revit.
Note: Any replacement windows should contain similar dimensions and thermal properties to satisfy the target goals of window creation.
You may reverse the window creation by clicking on the Undo button in Revit which will return the model to the previous state. You will need to use Refresh again to restore the Energy Model to the previous state (without the windows).
You will see the new windows listed in the Façades Tab and may click on the entry to highlight it on the model.
Note: If adjacent Curtain Walls are very close to the solid wall (abutting) or an internal wall is abutting the solid wall, ‘Add Window’ may not work. These should be moved 1 foot / 300mm away from the solid wall to allow this function to operate. This is due to the edges of the solid wall (where windows are to be placed) being too close to existing glazing and avoids the two adjacent walls joining incorrectly. In this case the ‘Add Window’ function may be disabled.
Where the Add Window function does not become available for a selected area on a model, this may be due to adjacent glazing being too close to the solid wall. Glazing that abuts a solid wall where windows are to be added, may prevent placement of windows there as the joint condition cannot be verified.
This may be overcome by moving the glazing away from the solid wall (eg. 3 feet / 1 metre). This may also occur where internal glazed partitions abut a solid exterior wall – the Add Window function may be disabled.
