Connecticut State Department of Transportation

CTDOT CONNECT DDE GUIDE VOLUME 12 - OPENBUILDINGS DESIGNER


Section 1 - Base Modeling Overview


OPENBUILDINGS DESIGNER INTRODUCTION
HELP AND TRAINING
BASE MODELS AND THE FEDERATED PROJECT

 

OPENBUILDINGS DESIGNER INTRODUCTION

OpenBuildings Designer is a multi-discipline Building Information Modeling (BIM) solution that combines architectural, structural, mechanical, and electrical design into a single application.

This application addresses the following project needs:

  • Preliminary Planning
  • Placement of structures, walls, windows, doors, casework, HVAC systems, and electrical systems
  • Production of drawings, schedules and reports
  • Analysis and Simulation capabilities
  • Visualization

 

HELP AND TRAINING

Bentley offers the following resources to help users navigate and learn the application.

The online OpenBuildings™ Designer Help can be accessed through the application by entering Help in the Search field.

 OpenBuildings Designer Help

On demand training can be found on the Bentley Learn Server. Go to Bentley Training, click on the Orange Find Training button and enter OpenBuildings Designer.

It is suggested to start with the following courses:

  • OpenBuildings Designer: Welcome to the CONNECT Edition for New Users
  • QuickStart for OpenBuildings Designer: Architectural BIM Modeler Accreditation
  • QuickStart for OpenBuildings Designer: Electrical BIM Modeler Accreditation
  • QuickStart for OpenBuildings Designer: Mechanical BIM Modeler Accreditation
  • QuickStart for OpenBuildings Designer: Structural BIM Modeler Accreditation

 

BASE MODELS AND THE FEDERATED PROJECT

OpenBuildings Designer uses a federated approach to assemble the 3D building model. A design should be divided into several DGN files so it can be worked on simultaneously by the entire project team. This means the project team will create several different working models (also known as base models), these will be referenced together to create a discipline master model, and that will ultimately be referenced with other discipline models to create the final building master model. An added benefit is that repetitive portions of the building, such as typical architectural floors, need only be modeled once. A project Floor and Grid System will be used to help keep the various model files aligned in 3D space. These referenced models typically include Building (architectural) models, a Structural model, a Site (civil) model, a Plant model, and a Mechanical model (HVAC and plumbing).

The capability of referencing carries over into all Bentley DGN based applications, for example, OpenSite, OpenRoads and OpenBridge.

Master models may also be created for specific purposes, for example separate clash detection and rendering master models.

The master models will be used to create the drawings. When an element is placed in the model it appears as a 3D element and becomes the source for all extracted 2D information. That information can take form as plans, elevations, sections, reports, schedules, and other documentation. The entire design process, from Schematic Design to Presentation, evolves and originates from this data. All design revisions are made in the model and the 2D data is automatically updated.