Space properties and engineering data in AutoCAD MEP

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Spaces include a variety of information designed to help the architect and engineer with several design features.

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One of the most powerful features relates to the use of property set definitions.

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Every space has some specific properties, such as area, assigned by default.

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The space automatically includes these properties, and you can add more data to a space.

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Select a space in the left side of the building, as shown.

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Open the Properties dialog.

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From the Design tab, review what data the space already has assigned to it.

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Key space properties that are created upon generation include Layer and Style.

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The Layer is based on a layer key style that is associated with spaces, and which complies with the national CAD standard.

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The building can include a variety of styles, which control all examples of a space.

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To import space styles, from the ribbon, Manage tab, Style & Display panel, select Style Manager.

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In the Style Manager, click Open drawing from the toolbar.

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From the Favorite Places list, select the Content shortcut, and then double-click the Styles folder to open it.

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Double-click US Imperial, and then browse to locate and select Spaces - Commercial (Imperial).dwg.

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Click Open.

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Expand the Spaces – Commercial (Imperial) folder from the selection tree, and then expand the Architectural Objects sub-folder.

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To copy all of the space styles into your drawing, right-click Space Styles and select Copy.

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Scroll up to the exercise file, right-click the title, and select Paste.

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When the Import/Export – Duplicate Names Found dialog appears, make sure Leave Existing is selected, and then click OK.

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Close the Style Manager.

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In the drawing, select the same space.

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In the Properties palette, Design tab, Expand the Style list and select the Office_Large style.

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Note how the style now has a different color and hatch pattern.

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Right-click the space and select Edit Space Style.

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The Space Style Properties dialog opens, where you can control how a space appears in the model,

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set design rules for sizes and names, apply hatch materials for floors and ceilings,

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and set classifications for items such as phasing and BOMA space types.

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When you assign the style, a predefined list of room names is also loaded, but you can add to this list and edit it as needed.

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Close the Space Style Properties dialog.

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Select the space again. In the Properties palette, Design tab, the Component Dimensions reflect the overall height,

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ceiling height, floor and ceiling thickness, and other key dimensional data.

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Since this space is associative, it acquires the length, width, base area, perimeter, and volume from the actual dimensions,

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which are defined by the bounding elements, such as walls.

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Switch to the Extended Data tab.

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This tab allows you to add your own custom scheduling data.

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Some items are included by default, including: Classification of the space for phasing, BOMA standards, and more;

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Documentation information for links to website, notes, and reference documents such as specifications; And Property Sets.

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Property sets are not automatically added in most cases, so you may have to use the Add Property Sets icon to add more data.

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One key property set that engineers need is the Space Engineering Objects.

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This property set is stored by default in the Aecb Model (US Imperial) template,

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and includes key information that is exported to a gbXML file.

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gbXML is the file format needed to export space and zone geometry and data to external applications such as Trane Trace,

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which is what AutoCAD MEP spaces were originally designed to work with.

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Also from the Extended Data tab, you change engineering data, such as the space type, the condition type, equipment load, lighting load,

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occupancy, and design air flows.

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By storing this data with the space, you can export it to Excel, create schedules that automatically populate in AutoCAD MEP,

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and export or import data to external design applications.

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Work with your CAD manager and design engineers to decide how much of this information you want to use.

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It is recommended that the minimum change you need is to add the Spaceobjects Property Set.

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Assign names and numbers to your spaces so tags can be used in view drawings,

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which only have to be placed once and update automatically.