Revit Getting Started Guide: Creating a Solar Study

"create an animation of the solar activity at a particular place and time in order to study
the light and shadows that affect the building site."

1 Open a 3D view.

2 Adjust Shadow intensity, under View tab and Graphics panel, click the small arrow to the right of the word "Graphics" to open the "Graphic Display Options" dialog box. (keyboard shortcut = GD)
■ Under Shadow, verify that Cast Shadows is selected, and for Contrast, specify 24.

3 Modify the Sun Settings, Click the Sun Icon then, Sun Settings... to open the dialog box.
(the icon is in the Visibility settings menu at the bottom of the view screen)

4 select a city near your location, and click OK.
■ For Date, enter 6/22/2012.
■ For Time Interval, select 15 minutes.
■ Clear Ground Plane at Level so that the shadows fall on the terrain.
■ Click Apply, and then click OK.

5 Preview the solar study, click the sun icon to access this option.

6 Export the animation:
Click File menu ➤ Export➤Images and Animation➤Solar Study

Click ok to save the .avi file to the desired location.

Revit Rendering

I am experimenting with rendering, I will post links to helpful hints and some of my own findings as they come.
First few passes:

TIFF, Default Image exposure settings.

TIFF, Adjusted exposure...I will add more detail about the settings once I learn more...

JPEG, High quality setting

First note, saving to TIFF loses the "sky" and JPEG retains it, no idea why yet. Will update when I find out.


Rendering resources from around the web:http://revitclinic.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/07/10-rendering-tips.html

http://revitclinic.typepad.com/my_weblog/2010/02/3-more-revit-rendering-tips.html


10 Revit 2011 Visualization Tipshttp://revitclinic.typepad.com/my_weblog/2010/05/10-revit-2011-visualization-tips.html

Getting Started: Creating Levels

Levels are modified and created in building elevation views. Double click an elevation view to work in.

Modify existing: Double click Level name and dimensions to change either.

Create new: Click Level command found under Home tab; Datum.
Offset or draw new, to draw freehand set offset to 0'-0".
Offsetting is recommended as you can control the new level dimension and the extents match the level you are offsetting from.
In the drawing area, highlight an existing Level line; when a dashed line is displayed above or below the level line, click to create a level.

To create a level marker without creating a plan view, good for datum points for the building elevation where a plan may not be needed. Uncheck "Make Plan View" before proceeding with placement.

REVIT 2012 UPDATE:
The offset command no longer works to create new levels. You can still copy but that does not produce additional plans, only an elevation marker in the elevation and section views. To create a new level with associated live plan views you must use the Level command and draw from "scratch".