How does Revit help us design high-quality buildings and infrastructure?

From Artificial Intelligence to cloud computing, there is no denying that technology is rapidly changing the way we work. For some, this may be worrying, but the majority of professionals see this as a great opportunity to introduce more efficient tools and processes, boost accuracy and save time and money. 

Revit is a widely used tool in building and infrastructure. Used to help collate, work on and present a wide range of project information. We explore this tool and how ambitious, multi‑discipline professionals are applying it to design high‑quality buildings and infrastructure. 

How is CAD supporting engineering?

Computer‑Aided Design (CAD) is used by professionals such as construction managers, engineers and architects as a direct replacement for manual drafting. CAD tools allow these professionals to develop 3D or 2D models of projects. This can include anything from building alterations to full building design. This approach is significantly more productive for designers. 

For example, where drafting multiple items would take considerable time when done manually, CAD allows designers to draw an item once and replicate it for use as many times as required. It can also improve drawing quality through the use of cutting‑edge visualisation tools and removing potential human error from the design process. Another benefit of CAD is easier communication of design through digital workspaces. 

What is Revit used for?

Revit is a dedicated software tool used for Building Information Modelling (BIM). It is primarily used by professionals such as mechanical and electrical engineers, landscape architects, architects, structural engineers, designers and contractors to design, visualise and document their projects.

The tool is typically used alongside CAD within organisations. It is applied centrally to collate all data surrounding a specific project - including CAD drawings. The main difference between CAD and Revit is that CAD is used specifically for designing individual visual elements of a project, whilst Revit is then used to model those elements along with other project information (including real‑life information) in one centralised location.

Using Revit to design high‑quality buildings

Sustainable processes

One of the biggest benefits of Revit is the ability it offers engineers and designers to collect and visualise high volumes of information on building and infrastructure projects in one space. This enables designers to better understand the environmental impacts of those projects, as well as apply new sustainable processes in order to understand the improvements they may offer and their overall viability.

Energy efficiency

Through the development of conceptual full‑building models and digital twins, engineers and architects using Revit can easily assess ways to improve energy efficiency for new and existing buildings. For example, creating a digital twin of a building in Revit will allow engineers to swap out aspects such as windows and doors to assess their viability and impact on the energy efficiency of the building as a whole.

Collaboration 

As teams grow increasingly geographically distant due to the rising popularity of home working, the importance of collaborative tools has also increased. This has seen many software developers lean on cloud‑based hosting as a way to ensure that projects can be worked on by anyone, from anywhere, as long as they have the relevant access and credentials. 

Revit offers project teams a platform where several users can work on the same model at the same time. This is unlike AutoCAD, which only allows one user to develop and edit a .dwg file at once. Revit is generally considered a better and more suitable tool for project team collaboration. 

The collaboration functionality in Revit uses a 'Sync with Central' feature which offers high levels of flexibility. Meaning users can collaborate on a 'central' model, whilst pulling out updated items from that central model and working on them locally. This approach mitigates confusion and keeps centralised plans clear and accurate. 

Streamlining of processes

The collaborative nature of Revit ultimately results in design and development processes being significantly more efficient. When compared to manual or other digital options, Revit provides a suite of specialist tools that support more accurate, faster and less complex processes. 

Some key Revit features which support streamlined processes include: 

• Annotations - for better communication of design intent 
• Interoperability - making it easier and faster to pull elements from other software
• Worksharing - allowing for seamless collaboration 
• Generative design - offering designers a simple method for comparing design methods at scale 

Engineering opportunities at AtkinsRéalis in India

With an ever‑increasing population and the challenges that this brings, India offers several exciting and unique opportunities for those who want to pursue a career in engineering. Whether you are just getting started in the engineering space, or you are a seasoned professional with years of experience with engineering tools such as Revit - here at AtkinsRéalis, we have some of the best job opportunities available in India. 

Start your journey with us now by browsing our engineering jobs in India. Or, if you just want to keep up to date with all the latest and best opportunities you join our talent community and sign up for job alerts.