This article will guide you on how to create a "mapping template" using the settings file generated by the One Click LCA Autodesk Revit plugin. The term "mapping" refers to linking Autodesk Revit materials and objects with One Click LCA data points for life cycle assessments. Once created, these mappings can be reused in future Revit projects, saving time and ensuring consistency in your assessments.
Why use a mapping template in the Autodesk Revit plugin?
You will benefit from a mapping template by:
Reusing existing mappings across multiple projects saves time and effort.
Ensuring consistent and accurate linking of Revit materials and objects to One Click LCA data points, improving the quality and reliability of your life cycle assessments.
Sharing your mapping template with team members in projects to streamline their workflow and enhance collaboration.
Creating a mapping template in the One Click LCA Autodesk Revit plugin
Step 1: Map your Autodesk Revit materials and objects to OCL resources.
Open the One Click LCA Revit plugin within your Autodesk Revit project or Revit template that you decided to use as a template for One Click LCA mappings.
Map your Revit materials and elements to corresponding One Click LCA resources in the plugin or work with the projects already completed including One Click LCA mappings.
Ensure you map Revit materials and objects that are commonly used across multiple projects. This helps maximize the reuse of your mapping template.
The plugin will memorize the mappings for Revit data points that share the same following characteristics:
Revit Category
Revit Family
Revit Type
Revit Material Name if using the "Split" option in the plugin
Revit object/layer thickness
One Click LCA Revit Plugin Unit
One Click LCA Revit Plugin Class (not defined in the plugin but based on the Revit category)
Memorizing mappings for "split" Revit objects (Recommended)
A "split" Revit object refers to a composite or non-composite element that is divided into individual layers or materials. For example, a cavity wall is split into its separate material layers, while a column is identified by its specific material.
The settings file serves as a template for all Revit objects whose both Categories and Family/Type are set to "split" into individual materials within the One Click LCA Revit plugin.
Memorizing mappings for "grouped" Revit objects (Known issue when reusing in different models)
Please note there are known issues for memorizing the "grouped" Revit objects when using Revit settings file as a mapping template. The settings file doesn't memorize whether Families and Types were "split to materials" or not. It is setting all to be "split to materials". Our team is working on improving this.
For "grouped" Revit objects, the settings file can only act as a template after the user manually specifies which elements should be treated as "grouped" in the new Revit project within the plugin interface before applying the template.
A "grouped" Revit object refers to a composite or non-composite element treated as a single item. For example, a cavity wall's material is grouped by its type name, and a column's material is similarly considered by its type name.
Customize other settings
In addition to material and type mappings, you can customize other settings in the One Click LCA Autodesk Revit plugin to fit your organization’s needs or create a consistent template. This includes:
Define exported model content
Adjusting database settings to align with your project or organization’s requirements.
Add Revit parameters tailored to your workflow.
Define which elements should be "grouped" or "split" for analysis.
Save your mapping as a template
Once your mappings and settings are configured:
Save the plugin settings including mapping as a file within the plugin using "Save" buttons. The file can be utilised as the "mapping template".
Name the file something descriptive (e.g., "Revit_LCA_Template_V1") for easy identification.
Note: This template file can be saved in a shared location if you want others on your team to access it.
Using the mapping template for future Autodesk Revit projects including One Click LCA Revit plugin
To use the mapping template in future life cycle assessments:
Open the One Click LCA Revit plugin at the start of life cycle assessment via the One Click LCA Revit plugin.
Load the saved template file before beginning your assessment. Please refer to the know issues in the Step 1.
Your previously mapped materials and settings will automatically be applied to the new project, saving you time and ensuring consistent results.
You can resave the setting file and treat it as the main One Click LCA Revit plugin settings file for your Revit project.
Updating the mapping template
As your Revit projects evolve, you may need to add new materials or objects. Here’s how to keep your mapping template up to date:
Open a copy of your updated Revit project. Gather both the previously mapped Revit data and the new objects or materials that need to be included.
Review and update the mappings for the newly added elements and materials. To maintain the connection between your mappings and the Revit data, manually save the mapping names to their relevant Revit parameters.
Once your updates are complete, save the revised settings as a new template file or overwrite the existing template to reflect the latest changes.