You will want to start your model by understanding where your water supply starts. Normally the architects will provide location details, and you can then display this information in your design model by either creating a water meter family or modifying an end cap family. To modify an existing family to indicate the water inlet point, do the following:

You should try to preassemble as much of the fire protection components as possible to help with production time. Figure 16.2 shows a fire pump preassembled so one would only have to change out certain components, such as changing the pump for a smaller or larger pump depending on what the calculated fire flow demand calls for.

Figure 16.2. Preassembled fire pump

To create a preassembled fire pump, do the following:

Using the link method will give far more flexibility when positioning this object — as long as it is subsequently bound to allow access to the connections. Be aware that any hosted families used in this process will lose their associated host and will require rehosting.

The copy-and-paste method will give you a warning (see Figure 16.4), while the link-and-bind method will not. It is left to the user to check elements for hosting, although they retain their location properties correctly.

Figure 16.4. Copying and pasting fire pump into a new project

Fire risers for most small projects are typically assembled in the same manner most of the time. The ideal way to handle assemblies like this would be to create the family as Mechanical Equipment. The reason for this is that during schematic design, placing the fire riser is crucial for understanding where the fire line will need to be routed (see Figure 16.5).

This family is created by nesting pipe fitting and pipe accessories families. To review what components make up this family, do the following:

By assembling the riser together, you can coordinate the location it was be installed in and then start planning how to route your piping.

Since you now know about fire pump assemblies and how to create a standard fire riser, you will start planning for the type fire protection sprinkler heads you will need to use for your model. Within Revit MEP 2011, there are several different types of sprinkler heads to choose from. The different family types of sprinkler heads are hosted and nonhosted.

Hosted sprinkler heads are normally face-based families. When using these types of families, you will need to locate them on a surface. These locations depend upon the installation and the type of sprinklers, which could be Wall, Ceiling, Slab, or Soffit mounted. These surfaces can be part of the linked architectural model or walls/ceilings that have been created in your file using the tools located on the Architects tab.

A Strategy for Sprinkler Heads

You can use the reflected ceiling of a linked architectural model to coordinate the location of your sprinkler heads and to provide a surface for them to mount to by creating a fire protection ceiling plan. Type VG while in the model view or select View

Nonhosted sprinkler families must have the offset height parameter set to locate the heads at the proper elevation (see Figure 16.7).

Figure 16.7. Nonhosted sprinkler heads

Upright sprinkler heads normally are nonhosted because they are located in spaces that do not have ceilings such as storage rooms or mechanical closets. If you do not set the offset height, then the heads will come in at a default of 0', which could locate the heads on or below the floor level.

When creating a fire protection wet system or one of the systems previously mentioned, you will first want to select all the components that are going to be associated with that system (see Figure 16.8).

In case a system has already been started, you can add to the system by selecting a component on the system. Click Piping Systems

Once your fire protection system is created, you will need to make sure the piping will filter correctly. Using filters correctly (that is, by assigning colors and line types to piping) will help keep your systems organized. To create a fire protection filter, do the following:

Figure 16.10. Verifying the system name

Figure 16.11. Matching the system name in the filter to the created system name in the model

Deciding what colors and line types you want for the fire protection will most likely come from existing CAD standards. Once the filters are created and applied to the views, save them as view templates, and load them into the main templates. This will add to the ease of completing a design in an efficient manner.

Now you should be ready to route piping. Select one of the sprinkler heads that you have added to the fire protection system, and then press the Tab key a couple of times until the autorouting features highlight its suggested path. Or you can select Generate Layout under Modify Sprinklers. (Refer to Figure 16.13.)

You have four options to select for generating the layout: Network, Perimeter, Intersections, and Custom. Each one has several routing solutions to choose from.

Figure 16.13. Autorouting path

Autorouting is great for generating layouts very quickly, but it may not give you ideal results and could lead to substantial rework. There are a variety of options for splitting and redirecting main runs, but these tools do require some practice.

The manual routing of piping will give you the missing control. When routing, manually start your piping at the elevation that you know will be most likely out of the way of other disciplines. Cutting sections when routing piping can really improve the success of your coordination of your Revit model. Lay out the mains first, ensuring that most of the piping fits. Then work on connecting the heads to the mains. The adage of "measure twice, cut once" still applies. Taking a few minutes to review structural, mechanical and architectural models can really cut down on modeling time. After you coordinate and verify your routing, finish your layout. (Refer to Figure 16.14.)

If your systems were configured accurately, your piping will be filtered to the colors and line types selected.

Figure 16.14. Fire protection layout