B4 BIM Macros

Project Description

The topic of our project is BIM macros. I will work with Yipin Geng to explore Revit’s macro language. We will develop one or more useful macros to show the potential and advantages of this tool.

Why I Chose Revit Macros

Revit is the most frequently used BIM software. It helps the industry in every perspective. From architectural designing phase to structural and MEP engineering phase as well as from the simulation and analysis phase to scheduling and construction phase, Revit plays a huge role connecting everything and everyone in the industry together. It saves money and time while reducing errors and mistakes. Revit is so powerful that companies will change to use Revit gradually in the future.

As an Architectural Engineering student at Drexel, I learned Revit in several courses. However, I only learned simple concepts, tools and applications to finish my homework assignments. There are still a lot more Revit could do that I want to explore. That is the reason I chose Revit macros.

Relation to Intelligent Building

Working in Revit, sometimes there are boring or repetitive tasks. For example, renaming sheets, renumbering rooms, changing family names are all not exciting tasks that you have to do it more than once. However, Revit provides a tool called Macro to do the tedious job for us. A macro is a series of user-created commands and functions that are written using the Revit application programming interface (API) and created in SharpDevelop, an open-source integrated development environment (IDE) integrated into Revit. Macros are stored inside Revit project files and are run directly from Revit. [1] Using macros, Revit can automate these kind of repetitive tasks. You can save tons of time and money and work more accurately by writing macros. I consider Revit macros as one big component of intelligent building since it is intelligent and it can do human’s advanced job.

Challenges

The biggest challenge is programming skill. Although we can choose from four different languages to write our macros codes, we are required to learn at least one language to develop one fully functional macro. The other challenge is finding a repetitive task that applies our macro.

Reference

[1] https://www.augi.com/articles/detail/getting-started-with-revit-macros

[2] https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/revit-products/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2015/ENU/Revit-Customize/files/GUID-4DFDA8CD-B0FD-492E-8EDE-A28C29B1E316-htm.html

[3] https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/revit-products/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2015/ENU/Revit-Customize/files/GUID-D3A09447-BA7F-4045-88BF-EA8B37F0D46D-htm.html

Comments

Maissoun Ksara

I personally consider that intelligent building and green building will be the next generation of the architecture and construction industry. I’m excited to see your project that focuses on the relationship between these two subjects. Combining intelligent building and green building, the living environment would be perfect for us in the future.

Aziz Alsaleem

Artificial Intelligence is not far away from us. It is coming to us very soon. AI could be implemented in almost every industry. I’m excited to see your project on AI integration into the construction industry. It seems very challenging to me since the concept is still so new. For the topics we discussed in class, I think that AI is behind everything including intelligent building, robotics, and 3D printing.

Rachel Frank

The current applications of robotics in the construction industry are powerful and various. Robotics can tremendously increase the safety and efficiency of construction. I can’t wait to see your project. I’m wondering how much work robots can do now and in the future. Also, I would like to see the disadvantages of robots in the construction industry.