Housing and Innovation in Revit (HIR)

Request for Proposal: Housing & Innovation in Revit

Introduction and Overview

As Brooklyn establishes itself as a technology and innovation hub, projects to modernize Downtown Brooklyn and the MetroTech area are being set into motion. New York University (NYU) plans to expand its Brooklyn campus to reflect its desire to foster innovation, engineering, and a successful college experience. To that effect, NYU has issued a request for proposal seeking organizations that can create a unique design for the reconstruction of the Jacobs Administration Building (JB) at the Tandon School of Engineering.

The current industry-standard software for Building Information Modeling (BIM) is Autodesk Revit. The ultimate goal is to present the university with a building model that will include classrooms, lecture halls, a recreational space, dorms, and facilities to enhance the student quality of life. The final submission will include an Architectural, Electrical, and Plumbing Plan.

The Housing & Innovation in Revit (HIR) project is a pivotal step in solidifying NYU’s place in Brooklyn and providing students with modern living space, resources, and an ever-growing campus.

Figure 1: The Washington Square Arch, widely regarded as the main symbol of NYU.

Specifications

The new building must meet the high standards and aesthetic expectations of the university. NYU has provided the following guidelines for the building.

The completed building must have at least six floors. The lot is approximately 200 ft by 200 ft and bound by Jay Street and Johnson Street. The campus expansion must include:

• Classrooms
  • Ten 40-student classrooms
  • Eight 20-student classrooms
  • Two 100-student lecture halls
• One recreational space
• Dorm rooms to accommodate 100 students
• One facility of choice
  • Restaurant/cafeteria, gym, tennis court, etc.

Additional rooms should be placed in the building as long as the basic requirements are met. Additionally, electrical and plumbing schematics must be completed for one recreational space, one dorm room, and one classroom. This includes all electrical wiring and plumbing. Using these schematics, the cost of operation must be calculated for the entire facility. The campus must also achieve a Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) accreditation of at least Gold (four categories of the six available categories). The LEED accreditation system is explained further down the page.

Figure 2: Exterior of the Jacobs Administration Building on Jay Street

Building Code

The new campus must adhere to the General Engineering Building Code:

• Fire Code
  • Each floor must be equipped with sprinkler heads and emergency evacuation stairs
    • It is mandatory to include the sprinkler system in the plumbing plan of the classrooms
  • Fire alarms must be placed in each classroom, dorm hallway, and recreational space
    • Electrical wiring for the fire alarms is not necessary.
• Wheelchair Accessibility
  • Each walkway must be at least 6 ft wide
  • At least one bathroom stall per floor must be wheelchair accessible.
• Security
  • Every entrance and exit must be guarded by a 24/7 security guard with a desk and tap-in system. This can be illustrated in the design by having a security desk with turnstiles or a system to scan IDs
  • Entrances to dorm areas must have a turnstile in addition to a security guard
• Structural Rules
  • All doors must be at least 6 ft 8 in tall and 3 ft wide
  • All walls must be at least 8 ft tall (from floor to ceiling)

LEED Accreditation

LEED accreditation is a green building certification program encouraging environmentally-conscious design. To receive LEED accreditation, building projects must satisfy prerequisites and earn points to achieve different levels of accreditation. Designs choose the prerequisites that best fit their project goals. The six categories of the LEED checklist correspond to principles of design, construction, and maintenance. LEED Silver acreditation requires completion of at least two categories; LEED Gold, at least four categories; and LEED Platinum, all six categories.

For the purposes of this Semester Long Design Project (SLDP), the building project will adhere to the Streamlined Checklist below. All prerequisites from a category must be incorporated into the building design to count toward accreditation. Achievement of each prerequisite will be accomplished through drawings, cost estimates, and explanations of the design. There will be a few design features that cannot be shown in Revit, but they must be discussed thoroughly in the final LEED Accreditation Report to satisfy the prerequisites.

Streamlined Checklist:

1. Location and Transportation
   1. Diverse land use – Design provides space for goods and services not directly related to the college campus. (Examples: cafe, gym, multi-purpose spaces for the public, etc.)
   2. Disability access – Detailed features are provided for Americans with Disability Act. (Examples: reserved parking, wheelchair-accessible ramps)
   3. Bicycle and EV facilities – Bike racks and electric vehicle charging stations labeled in drawings.
   4. Reduced parking footprint – Realistic dimensions for parking spaces with minimal allocated space for a parking lot if the facility of choice is a parking area.
2. Sustainable Sites
   1. Open space – Inclusion of green space on the campus grounds. (Examples: gardens, park space, rooftop vegetation, pond)
   2. Rainwater management – Reducing stormwater runoff and built land impact on the hydrologic cycle. (Examples: rainwater retention pond, rainwater storage, rainwater reuse)
   3. Heat island reduction – Minimizing paved and rooftop surfaces. (Examples: vegetative surfaces, trees, shade from energy generation systems)
   4. Light pollution reduction – Detailed placement of outdoor lighting fixtures, maximizing security and minimizing light pollution.
3. Water Efficiency
   1. Water quality management – Real-time quality monitoring system, shutoff system for cases of contamination.
   2. Water use reduction – Use of low flow appliances and minimal irrigation, details for all water uses. (Example: sprinklers, sinks, toilets)
   3. Water heating and cooling – Intelligent placement of high efficiency systems.
   4. Advanced water metering – Real-time quantity monitoring system of all water use. (Examples: irrigation, indoor plumbing, reclaimed water, boiler usage)
4. Energy and Atmosphere
   1. Optimize energy performance – Use of low energy systems. (Examples: lighting, refrigeration, appliances)
   2. Advanced energy metering – All electrical use runs through a single meter.
   3. Demand response – Energy use changes throughout the day.
   4. Renewable energy production – Location and connection to the electrical system. (Examples: solar, wind, thermal)
5. Indoor Environmental Quality
   1. Air quality management – Ventilation and monitoring of air. (Examples: carbon monoxide detectors, exhaust vents, air filtration system)
   2. Interior lighting/daylight – Enhanced interior lighting. (Examples: dimmers, daylight, window shades)
   3. Thermal comfort – Enhanced temperature control for individual comfort. (Examples: localized heating and cooling, circulating fans, radiant flooring)
   4. Acoustic performance – Sound absorbent surfaces are greater than the ceiling area. (Examples: acoustic tiles, acoustic wall panels)
6. Innovation
   1. Connected building – Design the campus for internet connectivity and connected devices. (Examples: Wi-Fi router, networked registers, inventory systems)
   2. Intelligent inventory – Real-time monitoring of inventory, if applicable. (Examples: shelves with sensors, database connected to registers, exit door scanners)
   3. Security and safety – Enhanced security technology. (Examples: automatic police contact, automatic fire contact, notifications)
   4. Sustainability – Focus on innovative green technologies not included in other categories.

Examples mentioned in the Streamlined Checklist can be found on Revit City or BimSmith. The design is not limited to the examples in the checklist.

Power/AC/Heat Calculations

Use the information from electrical schematics, plumbing schematics, and outside research to:

1. Calculate the total power usage for the operation of the building per day.
2. Calculate the energy costs for a typical year.
3. Determine the total A/C and heating requirements.
   1. To do this, research the power, heat, and AC calculations of buildings that are similar in size and efficiency ratings as the building design
4. Tabulate this data neatly in a table, graph, or chart that presents the information clearly.
   1. The standard unit of measurement for these power measurements is the kilowatt per hour (kWh).

Microsoft Project

Two separate Microsoft Project schedules must be made; one schedule to manage the progress of the design process and one Construction Schedule outlining the theoretical construction schedule of the building design. Instructions for how to access Microsoft Project can be found on the Software Requirements page of the manual. Learn Microsoft Project by accessing the Microsoft Project Student Guide.

The SLDP Schedule must include all tasks related to the project design from the start to Early or Final Submission. The Microsoft Project schedule should include the following:

• Minimum of 20 tasks, not including Milestones.
• Milestones, which should be clearly indicated on the project plan (Duration of zero days).
• The person responsible for completing the task (Resource names).

The original and updated SLDP Schedules must be included in the Milestone Presentations.

Use the "Copy Picture" function to include the project plan in the presentations. Do not take a screenshot.

• Gantt charts must be displayed alongside the tasks list (fit onto one slide)
• Gantt charts must clearly show a progress line
• Clearly state during the presentation whether the project is on-time, behind schedule, or ahead of schedule

For help in planning the project, review the manual page Planning Project Scheduling & Costs.

The Construction Schedule must include:

• Clearing site
• Laying foundation
• Studs and structural members
• Wall construction and window installation
• Painting
• Electrical wiring and lighting installation
• Plumbing

Model the schedule after similar sample construction projects.

Drawings

The following paragraphs discuss the drawings required for the project using Revit. No other software will be accepted for submission. Revit is free to download using an NYU email on Autodesk student accounts, and all computers in the EG1004 Model Shop and NYU Tandon computer lab have full copies of the software.

Consult the Revit-How-To Guide to create the building design. The How-To Guide contains useful examples for designing the building, but do not copy the instructions for the project as they only serve as examples of the features available in Revit.

Other helpful resources include the Autodesk Revit Knowledge Network. The Linkedin Learning Architectural & Mechanical Guides are also very useful for any questions.

Each floor of the building design must have an accompanying drawing. It must be fully dimensioned and include all aspects of the room design including:

• All door and window openings
• Material choices
• Furniture
• Lighting fixtures

All electrical and plumbing drawings must include:

• Wiring, outlets, switches, and light fixtures
• Sinks and showers
  • Sanitary pipes, hot water pipes, cold water pipes
• Toilets
  • Sanitary pipes
• Sprinkler systems

All of the floors must be created in one project file. To design all of the floors in the same file, levels must be added. Click on an elevation view (North, South, East, or West), then, click on Level in the Datum panel of the Architecture tab in the Ribbon. Draw the level elevation with the cursor. The elevation of the level can be changed by editing Elevation in the Properties tab and applying the change in the Offset input. The levels can be viewed by looking at Floor Plans in the Project Browser Tab. Do not create new files for each floor. Only a single Revit file can be used for Submission.

Model

Design the building using Autodesk Revit as the primary design tool. Create a layout to accommodate the items listed in Specifications. Once the design is complete, generate a walk-through video of the campus. Create a walkthrough by clicking on the View tab and then clicking on Walkthrough from the 3D View dropdown in the Create tab Additional 3D printing details can be found in the 3D Printing and Logo Guide. Extra credit can be achieved by 3D printing on the floor plan with only structural elements of that floor. That does not include any furniture.

Figure 3: Example of a classroom in Autodesk Revit

Cost Estimate

Three separate tables (construction, operation, and labor) for cost estimates must be created using the following guidelines:

• Cost of Construction: Using the wholesale price of all materials and components in the design, calculate the total cost of construction of the building design (not including labor). The materials can be found in the Schedules tab and create a tabulated bill of materials and generate a complete cost estimate for the entire building

• Cost of Operation: Calculate the total cost of operation per day and per year of the design for reconstruction. Tabulate energy usage and associated costs into a neatly organized table, as described in the Power/AC/Heat Calculations section

• Labor: Calculate the total cost of labor for the construction of the building. Do not include the cost of labor for operation. Refer to the Construction Schedule to create this estimate. Neatly tabulate the costs into a table

CATME

When working on engineering team projects, peer evaluations and self-evaluations are critical for assessing how effective all contributions are to the project. In EG1004, the recitation professor will use evaluations at each Milestone using a software called the Comprehensive Assessment of Team Member Effectiveness (CATME). More information can be found on the Teamwork Expectations page.

Engineering Notebook

While working on the project, a record of all work done and future plans and goals must be maintained. To complete a Benchmark assessment, show the Engineering Notebook to the Lab/Open Lab TA completing the assessment. For all Milestones and Final Submission, the Engineering Notebook must be approved by the recitation professor and be prepared to make it available to an Open Lab TA in a Word Document (.doc or .dox) format. A guide to writing a notebook, and a basic overview of the expectations and frequency of updates to the notebook, can be found on the Keeping an Engineering Notebook page.

Extra Credit

HIR groups can receive extra credit for:

• Achieving Platinum LEED certification in the building design.
• 3D printing the exterior of the building
  • More details about creating an Exterior Print for HIR extra credit can be found in this Basic Exterior Print Guide

Additional extra credit opportunities are as follows:

• Completing Benchmark A, Benchmark B, or Submission early
• Completing HIR's 3D printing Extra Credit task of printing two stackable adjacent floor plans as described in the 3D Printing and Logo Guide.
  • More details about creating two stackable adjacent floor plans for HIR 3D printing Extra Credit can be found in this Basic Floor Plan Print Guide

Refer to the EG1004 Grading Policy for exact point values. Creativity and innovation are always rewarded. Original designs will receive extra credit.

Milestones, Benchmarks, and Deliverables

As work on your project continues, periodic reports on the progress will be presented in three Milestones. All of the items assigned in each Benchmark are the deliverables. These deliverables often consist of a combination of written submissions, presentations, and demonstrations. Benchmark assessments evaluate the progress of the project.

Note: A benchmark and commission approval from a TA for the project may only be made at the end of the Lab or during Open Lab

Preliminary Design Investigation

The Preliminary Design Investigation (PDI) is extremely important, as it lays the groundwork for the project. The PDI outlines the project idea, inspiration, and goals.

The PDI must include:

• Cover Page
• Project Overview
• Goals & Objectives
• Design & Approach
• Cost Estimate
• Project Schedule
• Relevant Pictures

An PDI template can be found here. The PDI is due by Benchmark A and can be approved by any Open Lab TA. Do not forget to include the items listed above, but do not feel limited to only these items. Use this link to access the HIR PDI Rubric.

Milestone 1

See How to Give a Milestone Presentation for the format of a Milestone presentation.

Milestone 1 is a presentation of the PDI. It is important that this presentation outlines the project goals and shows that the project is realizable.

The Milestone 1 presentation must include:

• Company profile
  • Company name
  • Product name
  • Company officer title(s)
  • Mission statement
• Project objective
  • What is the project about?
  • What tasks are the company aiming to accomplish? (Benchmark A requirements)
  • Overall design approach to complete objective
• Background information
  • Why is the project happening?
  • What does the audience need to know?
• Technical design description
  • Brief explanation of the LEED categories being tackled
    • All four required categories
    • Give a few examples on how it will be accomplished
  • Preliminary conceptual drawing of floor plans
    • Rendered and digital sketches are acceptable, CAD not required
• Cost estimate
  • Cost of construction table
  • Cost of labor table
• Microsoft Project schedule
  • Click here to access the guide on how to transfer a file
• Teamwork agreement summary
• Summary
  • Overall assessment on current state of project
  • Is the project on schedule? Is it on budget?
  • Next steps and future tasks

Look Ahead: What tasks are planned between now and Milestone 2?

Benchmark Assessment A

Benchmarks evaluate the progress of the project. Benchmark A is due at the end of Model Shop Session II. There are penalties for not completing this on time. Refer to the EG1004 Grading Policy for more information.

To pass Benchmark A, the design must complete all of the following:

• Preliminary Design Investigation
• One recreational space Revit design
• One 40-student classroom Revit design
• One 20-student classroom Revit design
• Submit an .STL and a .3mf (Cura Project file) of the company logo through the 3D Printing Submission portal on the EG website
  • The 3D Printing and Logo Guide contains information on the 3D printing requirements and guidelines.
  • The ProtoLab schedule is available on the 3D Printing and Logo Guide
• Updated Engineering Notebook

Reminder: All of the floors and rooms must be created in one project file.

Milestone 2

See How to Give a Milestone Presentation for the format of a Milestone presentation.

Milestone 2 is a project progress update. It must explain all changes and developments made to date, particularly in regard to Benchmark A. Include whether or not the Benchmark A requirements were completed, and if not, explain why. Also, highlight any planned changes for the design or project, in general.

The Milestone 2 presentation must include:

• Company profile
  • Company name
  • Product name
  • Company officer title(s)
  • Mission statement
• Project objective
  • What is the project about?
  • What tasks are the company aiming to accomplish? (Benchmark A/Benchmark B requirements)
  • Overall design approach to complete objective
• Background information
  • Why is the project happening?
  • What does the audience need to know?
• Technical design description
  • Explanation of design changes, if any
  • Brief explanation of the LEED categories being tackled
    • All four required categories
    • Show examples of LEED implementations in Revit
    • Give a few examples on how it will be accomplished
  • Revit floor plan drawings
    • Dimensions
    • 1:240 scale
  • Exterior 3D views of building: front, side, and isometric
    • Dimensions
  • Preliminary conceptual drawing of floor plans
• Cost estimate (previous and current costs)
  • Cost of construction table
  • Cost of labor table
  • What changes were made, if any?
• Microsoft Project schedule (previous and current)
  • What changes were made, if any?
  • Click here to access the guide on how to transfer a file
• Summary
  • Overall assessment on current state of project
  • is the project on schedule? Is it on budget?
  • Next steps and future tasks

Look Ahead: What tasks are planned between now and Milestone 3?

Benchmark Assessment B

Benchmark Assessment B is due at the end of Model Shop Session III. There are penalties for not completing this on time. Refer to the EG1004 Grading Policy for more information.

To pass, complete all of the following tasks:

• One recreational space Revit design
• All classroom Revit designs
  • Eight 20-student classrooms
  • Ten 40-student classrooms
  • Two 100-student lecture halls
• Facility of choice Revit design
• Electrical and plumbing for one dorm room
  • Some of the LEED requirements should be shown in the Revit model
  • Elements of the design that cannot be shown in the Revit model should have a more detailed explanation:
    • Examples of other building projects implementing something similar
    • Explanation of the technology required
    • Justify this decision over more common solutions
• Have an .STL and a .3mf (Cura Project file) of the company logo approved by a ProtoLab TA through the 3D Printing Submission portal on the EG website. Students must physically go to the ProtoLab before their Modelshop Session 3 to get their logo approved. Logos cannot be approved during Modelshop sessions.
  • The 3D Printing and Logo Guide contains information on the 3D printing requirements and guidelines.
• Updated Engineering Notebook

Reminder: All of the floors and rooms must be created in one project file.

Milestone 3

See How to Give a Milestone Presentation for the format of a Milestone presentation.

Milestone 3 is the last project progress update. It must explain all changes and developments made to date, particularly in regards to Benchmark B. Include whether or not all Benchmark B requirements were completed, and if not, explain why. Also, highlight any planned changes to the Revit design or project, in general.

Your Milestone 3 presentation must include:

• Company profile
  • Company name
  • Product name
  • Company officer title(s)
  • Mission statement
• Project objective
  • What is the project about?
  • What tasks is the company aiming to accomplish? (Benchmark A/Benchmark B requirements)
  • Overall design approach to complete objective
• Background information
  • Why is the project happening?
  • What does the audience need to know?
• Technical design description
  • Explanation of design changes, if any
  • Brief explanation of LEED categories being tackled
    • All four required categories
    • Show examples of LEED implementations in Revit
• Revit floor plans
  • All floor plans
  • Plumbing plan
  • Electrical plan
  • Dimensions
  • 1:240 scale
• Exterior 3D views of building: front, side, and isometric
  • Dimensions
• Cost estimate (previous and current costs)
  • Cost of construction table
  • Cost of operations table
  • Cost of labor table
  • What changes were made, if any?
• Microsoft Project schedule (previous and current)
  • What changes were made, if any?
  • Click here to access the guide on how to transfer a file
• Summary
  • Overall assessment on current state of project
  • Is the project on schedule? Is it on budget?
  • Next steps and future tasks

Look Ahead: What tasks are planned between now and the completion of the project?

Commissioning

Projects must be commissioned before Submission. Refer to the syllabus for Submission deadlines. There are penalties for not completing this on time. Refer to the EG1004 Grading Policy for more information.

To pass, the design must complete all of the following:

• Approved and updated Engineering Notebook. The Engineering Notebook can be approved by any Open Lab TA. Make sure significant progress has been made and recorded since Benchmark B.
• Revit drawings (1:240 scale)
  • Floor plan for all floors
  • Plumbing system (recreational space, one classroom, and one dorm room)
    • In addition to traditional appliances, like sinks, include fire alarms and sprinkler systems.
  • Electrical system (recreational space, one classroom, and one dorm room)
  • Front elevation of the building design
  • Most detailed side view of the building design
  • Be sure to also include each of these requirements in your LEED Accreditation Report
• Model of building (3D Revit) (1:240 scale)
  • Walk-through video
• Achieve Gold LEED accreditation
• A LEED accreditation report
• Have an .STL file of the company logo printed through the 3D Printing Submission portal on the EG website
  • The 3D Printing and Logo Guide contains information on the 3D printing requirements and guidelines.
  • The ProtoLab schedule is available on the 3D Printing and Logo Guide
• All 3D prints must be approved by a ProtoLab TA

LEED Accreditation Report

A LEED accreditation report is required for Commissioning. The LEED accreditation report uses different section headers and content than those used int he lab reports, but all LEED accreditation reports must follow the EG1004 style guide. Use this LEED outline accreditation report template with the following outline:

• Cover Page including a title, project name, and company officer names
• Introduction
  • Short explanation of LEED
  • Explain why LEED accreditation is beneficial
  • Explanation of the project
    • Include screenshots of the Revit model
  • Level of LEED certification being tackled
• Overview
  • Checklist showcasing the LEED categories being tackled
    • Can be showcased through a table, checklist, or other form of graphic
• LEED categories
  • Explanation of how each of the requirements for the category are being implemented
    • Examples of other buildings (only to be done if implementation cannot be presented in through Revit)
    • Explanations of how and why requirements that cannot be illustrated in the Revit model would be implemented
  • Screenshots of Revit model where these are implemented
  • Drawings showcasing some of the LEED requirements being implemented

Final Presentation

The Final Presentation will be a technical briefing, similar to the Milestones, but also serves as a sales presentation explaining why the company should be selected instead of the competition.

The Final Presentation must include:

• Company profile
  • Company name
  • Company officer profiles, role(s), and qualifications
  • Mission statement
• Problem statement
  • Why is the project happening?
  • What does the audience need to know?
• Project objective
  • What is the purpose of the project?
  • Who does this project help?
  • What problem does the project solve?
• Project description
  • Specify LEED certification
    • Examples of LEED implementations in Revit
  • Revit drawings
    • All floor plan drawings
    • Dimensions
    • 1:240 scale
  • Views of exterior of building: front elevation, side elevation, isometric elevation
    • Dimensions
• Market and product viability
  • Does the company have competitors?
  • What makes the project unique?
  • How does the design compare to competitors - cost, quality, features?
  • Is the project versatile?
  • What is the price of the project?
• Conclusion
  • Reiterating project purpose
  • Highlight project features
  • Future goals of the company
  • Why should the company be awarded this contract?
• Video pitch
  • Price of project
  • Walkthrough animation of building in Revit
  • Embedded into Final Presentation

Submission

All SLDPs must be submitted online. Please visit this page for the link to the Project Submission form and each project’s individualized login information. To submit, login to the EG1004 website using this special login information. Submitting with an NYU account or any other account will generate an error. Components may be resubmitted at any time before the deadline. Please note that submission times are based on the most recent submission.

Please note the deliverables for this project are as follows. If any of the following items are omitted, there will be a penalty. Be sure to click "Submit" at the bottom of the form and allow sufficient time for uploading. The following list includes deliverable items that are required:

• Submission deliverables:
  • Final presentation
  • LEED accreditation report
  • Initial sketches
  • Final drawings of Revit design
    • All floors must have an accompanying drawing
  • Model
  • Walk-through video
  • Final Microsoft Project schedule
  • Final construction schedule
  • Final cost estimates (include all costs - construction, labor, operations)
  • Table with power, A/C, and heat tabulations
  • Resume(s) (no fictitious resumes will be accepted)
  • Final Engineering Notebook

Required elements may be resubmitted at any time before the deadline. Please note that submission times are based on the most recent submission. Multiple members can update different parts of the form at the same time to expedite the uploading and submission process. Just make sure that whoever submits refreshes the form and confirms all necessary files have been saved to it.

Late Submission

Late submission is not allowed. If a project does not Commission or receive Partial Commission by the deadline set forth in the syllabus, the project will not be allowed to submit and will receive a 0 for the project grade. To receive Partial Commissioning, two TAs must evaluate the project and determine its degree of completion according to the Commissioning requirements and the project will be given a grade accordingly. Please refer to the EG1004 Grading Policy for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can a 40-student classroom aa a 20-student classroom be used?

A: No, each type of classroom must have a unique design. But, all ten 40-student classrooms can be the same design as each other. The same applies to the 20-student classrooms and 100-student lecture halls.

Q: What's the largest number of floors that can be created?

A: The largest number of drawings that can be created before the end of the semester. 100 floors = 100 drawings.

Q: What does an error message when adding sanitation pipes to the plumbing plan mean?

A: Check the Plumbing section of the Revit How-To guide.