One of the best ways to get really efficient with Revit is to use templates. Templates let you configure your project file once and re-use it over and over again. A good template is a force multiplier. It helps you work smarter, not harder.
The big issue with templates is that they’re time-consuming to create. Even if you use a well-defined approach, like the C-B-T method, an effective Revit template can easily take 40+ hours to create. Yes, you’ll get this time back the more you use the template but it’s often hard to find that time when there’s deadlines to meet and billable work to do.
But what if you could download a pre-configured template that was optimized and ready-to-go? Sound like a good idea?
ArchSmarter reader Mark Bruce posed just this question to me last week. Mark writes:
Would it be good for the AEC industry if there was one ‘ultimate’ Revit template that was made available for everyone? I understand each office has their own standards, graphic requirements, and building types so a one size fits all template would be hard, but I guess there is so much time spent on BIM management, content management, training, deployment, etc. . that it become such a beast in itself and detracting from the point of it all.
Mark has a really valid point. The purpose of a template is to save time. But what happens when we lose control of our template because it’s too difficult to maintain? Let’s face it when faced with a list of competing priorities, who really wants to spend time editing and updating a Revit template?
But by not updating your template, you’re squandering the potential for significant time savings.
That’s why an open-source Revit template makes a lot of sense.
An Open-Source Revit Template
Open-source projects benefit from the collective input from a community of dedicated users. Rather than relying on the experience of one person or one firm, an open-source Revit template would represent the best practices of potentially hundreds of users and firms.
True, a one-size-fits-all template wouldn’t work for every firm or every project type. However, it would represent a starting point that’s based on a wealth of experience.
Jared Banks writes about all things ArchiCAD on his blog, Shoegnome. He has created an open-source template for ArchiCAD, which is freely available on his site. The template has evolved over time with each new release of ArchiCAD. Jared incorporates user input and meticulously documents each version. It’s a great model for an open-source template.
What do you think?
Creating an open-source Revit template is something that’s been on my todo list for some time. Mark’s email spurred me into action. I heartily agree with him. This is something the industry needs. And it’s something I’m willing to spend some time on.
So what do you think about an open-source Revit template? Is it something you would use? If so, what should be included in the template? How specific or generic should it be? What standards should it follow?
Also, should it be hosted by a site like ArchSmarter or through an online version control site like Github?
I’d love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment below to continue the conversation.
I think an open-source Revit Template is a great idea! I would add one suggestion: make it grounded in one person’s/firm’s workflow. If a template is divorced from real design and production its utility will be limited. Ideally this open source REVIT template would be based on your current practices and focus on one project type—which can of course be amended to others. So for instance, my open template for ARCHICAD is based on my work and research (and feedback from others). It is geared towards residential work in the USA, but has been used for small commercial and projects in metric. The farther from US residential it gets the more customization that is required, but I’ve also learned to pare down my template to the bare minimum to make it easier to adapt. There’s a lot of bloat we add as architects that’s just not necessary.
I’m excited to see where this project goes.
Oh and host the template yourself and make sure it’s the template you personally use for your own projects.
Jared,
Thanks for weighing in. I’ve long been inspired by your ArchiCAD template and the fact that you offer it freely on your site. Based on the comments alone, it looks like you’re getting some great feedback from users. How often do you update the template? Also, do you test out potential updates on your own project first?
Michael
I do 2-4 major updates per ARCHICAD version, along with 2-4 minor ones . So my template goes from v20.1 to 20.11 to 20.12 then 20.2, 20.3, 20.31, etc.
All the updates are based on things I’ve learned from doing projects. I’ll start a project on v20.1 and by the time I’m done with my first project in the template, I’ve probably done 2-3 minor updates and one major update. I get the first version out as quick as I can so there are always plenty of things to be tweaked/added/learned from the first few months using the template.
Right now I have about a dozen items I need to add to the template for the next revision. I keep a running list and then dedicate a few hours one day to updating and resharing. I’m overdue for one of those updates, but am waiting for a particular update/patch to ARCHICAD 20.
And yes I get plenty of feedback from people using the template! Often that feedback results in blog posts and videos to provide clarification.
I love the idea of an open source template. The template(s) should be based on various trades, and also various existing industry standards. I know there are MEP standards which would be enormously useful if converted in to their Revit equivalent.
I totally agree with Jared’s comments. I have recently downloaded his open template and think it’s a great idea. It would be really good to have something similar for Revit. As a fairly new Revit user, I have found it difficult to find good open source template material. I’m sure there must be plenty of people in a similar situation.
It’s also difficult to find such material in metric, as most bloggers seem to be based in the US. I have started to convert Jared’s template to metric for my own use. Maybe this will be the perfect opportunity to contribute to a metric Revit version.
I will be following with interest also.
I’ve built a lot of templates for different practices over my career…unfortunately there is no such thing as cover-all template, and if there was it would be useless.
Templates should be specific to their purpose. We have different templates for residential vs commercial work for example.
Its also near impossible to do in one sitting (you’ll need minimum 1 week full time).
From my experience I’d advise building a project (bill’able time) with all your preferred settings with a template in mind as the end goal. When you’re finished, rip out the geometry and save the project as a template – it won’t be perfect but it will get you a lot closer than trying to make one from scratch.
The development of an open source Revit template is a great idea and it’s little wonder why Autodesk have not already shipped it as default with their software packages as a basis to build on. Granted a one size fits all approach will not work, but there are workflows and common threads we all share as part of the AEC industry which could definitely be adjusted to suit once the bare foundations have been set.
I look forward to the progression of this topic.
Andrew
This is a brilliant idea! As well as metric/imperial it should be split into disciplines, as Jared suggested.
Incidentally, the firm I work with spent a great deal of time (easily 40 hours) preparing templates for residential architecture and interior design use, but after a couple of months of use, it has been abandoned, citing the time to maintain it and ensure newly developed details and standard notes were included — the old (now new again) approach is to open+detach the last similar project, delete the building and save it as a new central file.
I expect any CAD/BIM manager will realise the patently obvious flaws in this primitive workflow (which many offices use), and we are working to convince the management of the benefits of Project Templates.
I have worked with numerous small firms in the past to train and setup their Revit systems, and it’s clear that Project Templates are a great way to solve a lot of questions from new users, before they happen — the information / system families / notes / typical details / etc are in all of their projects from the get-go, and as long as they are properly documented, users will not have to go looking for those system families, or call for help about them.
I believe a template is a great idea. Problem I always see is that the families that come with Revit are designed by someone other than an architect it seems, I find I have to go and change all the basic families just to make them relate to the real world. Typical is a door is always 2″ thick instead of industry standards. Families are just not very well detailed compared real world properties.
Look at this:
http://www.revitstandards.org
DutchRevit Standards version 2.5.2 – Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution
Based on
http://malleristicrevitation.blogspot.com/2011/03/creating-revit-template.html
US Army already done it !
https://github.com/USACE/BIM-Revit-Templates
But yes, it’s a very good idea. I was thinking about it too for a French architectural template.
This encourages the use of good practice and helping people change jobs or collaboration because they can regain their habits.
The question would be how to update it to several and make live several template for different disciplines…
As much as I would love an open source template, I think the real problem with such an approach is that there is no consensus in the AEC industry for standards. Graphical styles differ from region to region, country to country, office to office, individual to individual. Workflows differ, and the variety of ways people can achieve the same end result makes it difficult to create a truly unified template, let alone a common standard for architectural drawings.