Advantages and Use Cases for Revit MEP

Introduction

Autodesk Revit on its own is a comprehensive BIM software that offers both 3D and 2D perspectives on a project and offers a lot of use cases and tools for architects, contractors, designers, and, of course, MEP engineers.

Originally, Revit was released in the year 2000, a Building Information Modeling (BIM) software that was most suitable for architects – since it allowed for the creation of a data-rich model with both geometrical and construction information in mind. The needs of MEP engineers were only satisfied in 2006, with the release of Revit MEP as a separate product.

Revit MEP

It should also be noted that, while Revit MEP was a separate project for a while, it still retains the important features of Revit software, in general. For example, Revit MEP models are parametric, just as any other BIM model – meaning that the general model constantly updates itself whenever there is any change in one of the connected resources or links. This could also be a two-way street, too, transferring changes from a Revit model to one of the linked sources, practically eliminating the chance of a miscommunication in regards to outdated model data.

Even though Revit MEP was pretty much discontinued as a separate entity back in 2013, it doesn’t mean that it stopped existing altogether – all of the separate branches were rolled into one complex solution that is Revit as we know it today. The definition of Revit MEP did not really change, either – it’s still a BIM solution, it’s still created by Autodesk, and it has a lot of different appliances and tools for MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) professionals.

Features of Revit MEP

The overall workflow of a BIM solution such as Revit offers a lot of versatility and productivity improvements, as well as a simplified documentation workflow. Some of the features that MEP specialists can use in Revit are:

• Pressure loss reports;
• Autodesk 360 integration;
• Parametric components;
• Construction documentation;
• Performance analysis of an entire building;
• Calculations for pressure, flow, and other parameters.

Revit MEP actually offers over 140 plugins built specifically for various MEP-related purposes, to make the entire project more MEP-friendly. It is worth noting, though, that some of these apps may conflict with each other when they’re working within a similar feature set.

Use cases for Revit MEP

Some of the use cases for Revit MEP that could be utilized by mechanical, electrical, or plumbing engineers to improve communication between different departments, reduce overall risks, improve the design speed of the project in question, and so on. The usage of a single platform for most of the project’s stages allows different teams to achieve better results with less confusion and better accuracy. It also helps stakeholders with making informed design choices, which, in turn, leads to higher overall building quality.

It’s also way easier to check for conflicts when it comes to plumbing or electrical systems with Revit MEP since Revit’s clash detection features are great and offer a fine number of notifications about any potential parts of a project that may collide when built in reality.

Revit also offers the ability to share your project’s information with people that do not actively work inside of Revit – it can be done with a variation of exporting process. For example, exporting to Excel is available when it comes to accounting and purchasing operations or processes.

Benefits of Revit MEP

To make matters easier, we can present a more detailed list of the biggest benefits Revit MEP can offer, including, but not exclusive to:

• Perform accurate model conversion from the design model to the fabrication model using various industry standards and capabilities of Autodesk
• Offer easy access to issue tracking and clash detection results, better visualization results in more effective problem solving down the line
• The ability to output data in regular formats that support automatic content updates and other advantages, as well as in traditional 2D AutoCAD format that may be still needed for some situations
• Easy collaboration for Revit models with Navisworks allows for quick and accurate clash avoidance at the earliest stages of the project realization process
• Revit is relatively convenient to work with, especially when it comes to modeling – the existence of an automated modeling tool makes it relatively simple to create various MEP objects at a moment’s notice, be it pipes, ducts, fittings, etc.
• Access to all project items in the same place makes it easy for Revit to perform accurate and detailed estimates on a regular basis
• Consistency across different teams is ensured using built standards within Revit to check various deliverables and their status
• Revit MEP usually has a pre-existing library of items and components for future use, so there is no need to start from scratch in most cases
• Revit’s intelligent tagging greatly improves the quality of design information that is provided automatically – offering a better visual picture for design requirements adherence, as well as other necessary topics

There are plenty of different benefits that Revit MEP can offer, plenty of use cases it can work in, but it is not the easiest software to get into, and the learning curve is very steep. However, learning Revit is still necessary – something we are going to expand upon below.

Why learning Revit MEP is important?

Autodesk Revit MEP is one of the most popular software offerings in the BIM industry – and there is a good reason for that, as well. Revit MEP is incredibly effective at solving various engineering design process issues, which tends to improve the overall effectiveness of the project development process.

Even if your specialty is with other MEP software – or you have no MEP software experience at all – it is always useful to know at least something about Revit MEP’s capabilities and functions, since it is too big and popular to not be involved in most of the construction projects on the planet.

However, while getting into Revit with some prior MEP knowledge is a bit easier, starting to learn Revit MEP as a student from the get-go is a complete nightmare due to its incredibly steep learning curve. Luckily, there are plenty of different courses, presentations, videos, books, and other forms of media all over the Internet that offer a lot of knowledge about Revit MEP – including both theoretical information and practical examples. Here are five examples of such courses:

• Revit MEP 2022 from Zero to Hero. A helpful course covering various features of Revit MEP 2022-2023, goes over the basics and also delves deep into some of the more advanced features of the solution. A good cheap and versatile course that would be suitable for both fresh students and MEP engineers who have the need to improve their knowledge of the subject.
• Revit MEP Full Tutorial. An extensive set of YouTube tutorials on the topic of Revit MEP – with plenty of important topics covered, such as Revit’s GUI, the creation of cooling/heating systems, space separations, HVAC pressure loss reports, split systems, and many others. Does a great job at highlighting the importance of Revit MEP to the overall construction industry, would be the most useful for students and people less knowledgeable on the topic, and is completely free.
• Autodesk Revit 2024 MEP Fundamentals. A very large but thorough book on the topic of Revit MEP, it teaches the concepts and basics of the solution, as well as plenty of examples of when 3D parametric models are created. Works great as a guide when it comes to introducing less knowledgeable customers to both Revit’s user interface and the components that are MEP-related in the solution. Not particularly expensive but may be difficult to work with due to its book-like nature.
• Autodesk Revit MEP The Complete Guide. A 30-hour-long course that does a great job of explaining the way Revit MEP works while also offering a few advanced topics afterward. It manages to cover plenty of different topics – from the general overview of Revit’s interface to the process of creating a plumbing system, a mechanical system, an electrical system, as well as various construction documents.
• Revit MEP Professional Bundle. An interesting set of five courses that cover different topics and knowledge bases – starting from the overall introduction to Revit and then switching to more advanced Revit MEP knowledge, and even a separate course covering the Navisworks integration. It is rather convenient in general and would be a great help to a variety of potential customers – from students to specialists in different parts of the construction industry.

This list is far from conclusive, but it should be enough to show that there are plenty of different resources that can help with Revit MEP knowledge for both newcomers and specialists that are already experienced in this particular field.

Conclusion

Revit MEP is a highly versatile solution that is made to make the life of mechanical, plumbing, and electrical engineers easier. It also has all of the benefits of Revit itself, such as the uniform information source, the collaboration possibilities, and so much more than that.