Building A Greener Future With Revit

The place that Revit holds in Australia's architecture and construction scene is simply undeniable. Since the time I became one of Australia's first users of the software back in the early 2000s, I've seen its presence Down Under grow in leaps and bounds, and for good reason.

But where does the appeal even come from in the first place? I think the solid backing and reputation of Autodesk, who owns and produces Revit, certainly has a part to play. In addition to its technical superiority there's a huge worldwide support base to fall back on, and that definitely lends it an aura of credibility. There are certainly a lot of other products out there - many of which I've used at some point - but it's clear that few come close to Revit.

It's become even better over the years. With a new rendering engine, you can do a lot more things with it than before. From incorporating structural and MEP disciplines to point cloud compatibility, it's a much more slick and powerful package, while still staying true to the core Revit essence.

This, I believe, is what makes Revit such a suitable program for one of my specialties - green building design. Those on a maintenance subscription can make use of a huge array of additional tool sets that can help in this application of the software. It's all about getting access to "greener" tools, such as those offered by Autodesk Green Building Studio.

With these tools, I can do everything from assessing how thermally efficient a building will be, use solar tools to see how it will perform against adjoining buildings and the surrounding environment and gauge energy use against predetermined levels, all with a few clicks of the mouse.

All in all, Revit gives you the tools to help design a more energy-efficient building.

I've certainly turned to Revit almost exclusively in all of my projects since I first started using it, as I believe it's helped me become a better building designer. Because you're drawing everything in 3D you gain a much better perspective and see where things might go wrong. Many clients, of course, love nothing more than visualising their building in a 3D environment before it even gets built.

Revit's immense global user community is also something that makes the software stand out and such a pleasure to use. As the inaugural chairperson for the South Australia Revit User Group and once a member of the board of directors for AUGI (Autodesk User Group International), I've experienced first-hand the vibe that comes out of like-minded users talking to each others and working off each other's perspectives.

Add to that a range of training, support and additional services you can get from providers like Redstack, and taking advantage of the power of Autodesk and Revit has never been easier. It's things like the face-to-face training offered that makes the difference - there are some things you can't learn by just watching a YouTube clip, for example.

I just find Revit an absolute joy to use. In all fairness it can be a bit of a love-hate relationship, but I'd like to believe it's a lot more love than hate!

For more information on Revit and sustainable design, give me a call on 1300 667 263 or email solutions@redstack.com.au.