One Click LCA Integration

for Autodesk Revit

 4.7.4. Results > Table
One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit 4.7.5. TABLE OF CONTENTS 2
4.8.
Table of contents 2 4.9. Benchmark 27
Terms and definitions 3 5. Modeling guide and considerations 28
1. Introduction 4 5.1. Material modelling in Revit 29
1.1. About this report 5 5.2. Level of detail related recommendations 29
1.2. What is BIM? 5 5.2.1. Hollow core slabs 30
1.3. Why integrate LCA with BIM? 5 Recommendations
1.4. About Autodesk Revit 5 5.2.2. Composite metal decks 31
1.5. One Click LCA integration in Revit 5 Recommendations
2. Installation 6 5.2.3. Windows 31
3. Integral options 8 5.2.4. Doors 32
3.1. Overview 9 5.2.5. Curtain Wall mullions 32
3.2. LCA in Cloud 9 Recommendations
3.3. LCA in Revit 10 5.3. Classification considerations 33
3.4. Revit to excel 12 5.4. System boundary related considerations 34
4. LCA in Revit — a detailed review 13 5.4.1. Missing materials 34
4.1. Overview 14 5.4.2. Materials that are out of scope 34
4.2. Primary tabs 15 5.4.3. Accuracy of material information within the
4.3. Settings 16 BIM elements 35
4.3.1. Settings > Options 16 5.4.4. Duplicates 36
4.3.2. Settings > Export additional Revit parameters 17 5.5. Objects imported from other modelling tools 36
4.3.3. Settings > Element scope grouping 18 6. Performance optimization with Revit and One Click LCA 37
4.4. Models 19 6.1. Early-stage assessments with Revit 38
4.5. Detailed scope 20 6.2. Hotspot analysis 38
4.6. Materials 21 6.3. Performance monitoring 44
4.6.1. Materials > Top tabs 21 7. LCA in cloud or Revit 45
4.6.2. Materials > Filter & search 22 Data confidence 46
4.6.3. Material > Project materials 23 Automated mappings 46
4.7. Results 24 Personal preference 46
4.7.1. Results > Top buttons 24 8. Frequently asked questions 47
4.7.2. Results > Table 25
4.8. Chart 26

One Click LCA

One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit TERMS AND DEFINITIONS 3

Any terms and definitions that are esoteric to the field of LCA and the construction industry are explained Revit family
here, as well as terms and definitions that are relevant to the One Click LCA software or Revit. A Revit family describes a type of Revit elements with common characteristics. More information about
Revit families can be found in this article.
EPD
EPD stands for Environmental Product Declaration. It is a document that provides transparent information Revit family type
on a product's environmental performance, based on a life-cycle assessment. It helps make informed A Revit family type describes an element subtype. It shares the same common characteristics with all
decisions about the environmental impact of products. other types in the same family but is differentiated via some parameters. For example, a Revit family can
be created for rectangular concrete columns and several family types for different dimensions of the
LCA same rectangular column.
LCA or life-cycle assessment is a scientific method to assess the environmental impact of a product
throughout its entire life-cycle, from production to disposal, and helps identify and quantify potential
environmental impacts.

Private data
Refers to materials and material constructions that have been created by a user within their One Click
LCA company account.

Generic data
Refers to materials and resources similar to EPDs however often based on average emissions of the
product type, they are useful in the earlier stages of a project when the specific product to be used is not
known, or the chosen product does not have an EPD.

Manufacturer data
Is data relevant to specific manufacturers and their specific products in the form of an EPD. This data is
very accurate and therefore give you highly accurate results.

Plant specific data

Refers to EPDs that represent products form a very specific manufacturing plant.

Constructions
Refers to material data in the One Click LCA software that are material build-ups representing entire
building elements like an external wall from the inner leaf to the outer one.

Datapoint
Refers to any EPD or generic material included in the One Click LCA database.

LOD
Refers to the Level of Detail of the Revit model.

Revit Category
Revit categories are used to classify the Revit elements as explained in this article by Autodesk.

One Click LCA

One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit 4

Chapter 1
Introduction

One Click LCA

One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit INTRODUCTION 5

1.1. About this report In addition, BIM can help with life-cycle assessments, cost estimation, electrical, and plumbing), and structural engineering. It has a range
This report provides guidance on how to utilize the integration of One scheduling, and facility management. of tools and features that support these tasks, including 3D modeling,
Click LCA with the Revit plugin. It covers the installation process for drawing generation, scheduling, and data management.
different integration options, provides descriptions of all input fields in Many software programs, such as AutoCAD, Revit, and ArchiCAD, are
the 'LCA in Autodesk Revit' window, explains considerations that available for creating BIM models. This guide is about the integration One of the key features of Revit is its ability to support collaborative
should be taken when modelling various building elements for with Autodesk Revit. workflows. Multiple users can work on the same model
analysis, outlines how to optimize building performance using the simultaneously, and Revit includes tools for tracking and resolving
Revit plugin, and recommends the most suitable integration method 1.3. Why integrate LCA with BIM? conflicts between different user changes. This can help to improve
to use. Life-cycle assessment (LCA) is a method for evaluating the communication and collaboration among project team members.
environmental impacts of a product or system over its entire
This report aims to assist One Click LCA users in understanding the life-cycle, from raw material extraction to disposal. In the Revit is regarded as the industry standard for BIM software and
practical benefits of integrating LCA and BIM, providing guidance on construction industry, the assessed product is a building or widely used in the AEC sector in many countries.
how to achieve this integration, establish internal workflows, and use infrastructure. By integrating LCA with BIM, it is possible to use BIM
the information as a reference book. It includes documentation on models to conduct more accurate and comprehensive LCAs of 1.5. One Click LCA integration in Revit
each of the plugin's settings and data inputs. buildings faster. Integrating One Click LCA and Revit enables users to extract relevant
data from their models, such as material names, categories/classes,
Throughout the guide, the Revit plugin features are stated according BIM models contain a wealth of information about the materials, geometric data, and units.
to varying license levels (business or expert). components, and systems that make up a building. This information
can be used to assess the environmental impacts of those materials This is highly effective at speeding up the process of inputting data
This is a comprehensive guide that is regularly updated to cover the and systems more accurately. into the ‘building material’ data query of the main One Click LCA
latest features of the One Click LCA plugin for Revit and to address software, allowing the user to work directly from Revit to perform
any new frequently asked questions from plugin users. The most Another benefit is that BIM models can be used to simulate different complete LCA studies on the building materials of their designs.
recent version of this guide was compiled for the One Click LCA design scenarios and compare the environmental impacts of those
plugin for Revit version v4.0.6. scenarios. This can help designers and decision-makers choose the Furthermore, the plugin allows the user to perform quick analyses to
most sustainable design options determine the best material choices (i.e., the most sustainable) while
1.2. What is BIM? designing their models in Revit. This is valuable in that there doesn’t
Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a digital representation of a Integrating LCA with BIM can also help to improve communication have to be a long, disruptive process in gaining insights into the
facility's physical and functional characteristics. It is a process for and collaboration among project team members, as it allows embodied carbon/ environmental sustainability of the material
creating and managing building data during its lifecycle, from design everyone to work from a single, comprehensive source of choices, nor does there have to be any change in the Revit modeling
and construction to operation and maintenance. information. This can reduce errors and rework and help ensure the as the plugin works over the top of the Revit modeling, not changing
final design is as environmentally friendly as possible. any of the geometry but rather assessing any changes of the
In BIM, a building is represented as a 3D model that contains geometry.
information about all the physical and functional characteristics of 1.4. About Autodesk Revit
the building. This information is stored in a digital database, which Autodesk Revit is a BIM software widely used in architecture,
can be accessed and shared by all project team members, including engineering, and construction (AEC). It allows users to create,
architects, engineers, contractors, and facility managers. visualize, and analyze building designs and generate construction
documents.
One of the main advantages of BIM is that it allows for better
collaboration and information exchange among project team Revit supports a wide range of design and documentation tasks,
members. It also allows for better visualization of the building, which including architectural design, MEP engineering (mechanical,
can help identify potential problems and conflicts before they occur.

One Click LCA

One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit 6

Chapter 2
Installation

One Click LCA

One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit INSTALLATION 7

The plugin installs seamlessly without options. Download the Revit plugin directly from the Autodesk App Store, as shown in the figure below:

2 3 4

One Click LCA

One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit 8

Chapter 3
Integration options

One Click LCA

One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit INTEGRATION OPTIONS 9

3.1. Overview 3.2. LCA in Cloud

There are three available options for integrating LCA into Revit. These are: The LCA in Cloud option sends the material information directly to One Click LCA. Clicking on the “LCA in
Cloud” button at the One Click LCA ribbon, the plugin will collect the material information of all the
● LCA in Cloud elements in the Revit model. By default, it will export the material quantities instead of the family type
● LCA in Revit ones; however, if the relevant setting is changed in the “LCA in Revit” option, this is also applied to the
● Revit to Excel “LCA in Cloud” one. This is the simplest and fastest way to export the material information from Revit to
One Click LCA. However, as BIM models are not only modeled to enable LCA calculations, they contain
To access any of the three available integration options, the One Click LCA plugin for Revit must be elements that fall outside the LCA scope. These elements/materials can be removed from the Revit
installed and initiated from Revit. To start working with the plugin, follow the two steps below. model before exporting the material information to One Click LCA or removed from One Click LCA once
imported. Alternatively, the physical scope of the assessment can be defined in the LCA in
Step 1: Open the One Click LCA plugin from your Revit model Revit option.

To use the One Click LCA plugin, open the Revit model to be assessed and then go to the One Click LCA
ribbon.

Step 2: Select “LCA in Autodesk Revit” or “LCA in Cloud”.

“LCA in Autodesk Revit”: This option allows you to edit the plugin settings, tailor the system boundary of
your assessment, and undertake the assessment within the Revit environment.

“LCA in Cloud”: This option exports quantities directly with default settings and opens your web browser
so you can choose the project and design you wish to import them for.

Figure 1: One Click LCA plugin ribbon and available options

One Click LCA

One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit INTEGRATION OPTIONS 10

3.3. LCA in Revit

Open the One Click LCA plugin for Revit

The "LCA in Revit" option allows the user to

undertake the assessment within the Revit
environment and adjust the assessment's
Review the settings tab (Define the database, default
physical scope, i.e., the Revit elements that shall
quantity types and any additional parameters)
be included in the LCA. Chapter 4 of this guidance
provides a detailed overview of the LCA in Revit
option. The steps that are typically followed in the
LCA in the Revit option are shown in Figure 2. Define the assessment system boundary based on
phases, worksets, design options, visible elements or
selected elements.

Finetune the system boundary based on Revit categories,

families and family types.

Cloud Continue Revit

Map Revit materials with EPDs and
LCA in Cloud in Revit
or generic materials
or Cloud

Get instant results in Revit

Send Revit information
to One Click LCA

Get results in Revit

Map Revit materials and family types with EPDs

Optimize your design with One Click LCA
and generic materials

Send your assessment to the Cloud

LCA in Cloud

Save your assessment in One Click LCA. Check

detailed results and optimize further.
Figure 2: LCA in Revit workflow

One Click LCA

One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit INTEGRATION OPTIONS 11

Once the Revit model is open, the first step is to define the basic settings. The most important
question is whether the default quantities taken from the Revit model should be material or
family-type quantities. This can be adjusted later for entire categories or family types if needed. In
the initial setup, the user may also define the unit system of preference and the database to be
used in the assessment if this is to be undertaken within Revit. One Click LCA integrates virtually all
available EPDs and embodied carbon databases. As some LCA methodologies require the use of
certain databases or EPD types, this can be achieved by specifying the database to be used. For
example, assessments undertaken in the USA or Canada should be undertaken with TRACI EPDs. For
the rest of the world, most EPDs will be made available with CML characterization.

The next step is to define the scope of the assessment in the “Models” and “Detailed” scope tabs of
the plugin. This can be done in various ways, as explained in Paragraph 4.

When the scope of the assessment is defined, the user may continue with the calculations in the
plugin or export the material information to the Cloud. When continuing to the Cloud, the material
quantities are mapped, and the results are presented in the Cloud version of One Click LCA. When
continuing in Revit, the material quantities are mapped in the plugin interface, and the results are
presented inside the plugin and can also be visualized in the 3d view of the Revit model. The user
may, in parallel, send the assessment in the Cloud at any point to generate and review additional
graphs and charts to support hotspot analysis.

The process always ends with sending the assessment to the Cloud. This is where it can be revisited
and modified at any time. When changes have been made in the Revit model, the assessment can
be done again in Revit and sent later to the Cloud either as an additional design iteration or to
replace a previous assessment.

Figure 3: Settings Tab

One Click LCA

One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit INTEGRATION OPTIONS 12

3.4. Revit to Excel

In this option, the material information is exported from Revit to Microsoft Excel to be processed before
being imported to One Click LCA. The export to Excel functionality is available once the data has been
sent to the Cloud by clicking the “Download Excel” button at the “settings” step of the import process.

Figure 5: Revit material information exported in Excel

Detailed guidance on importing material information from Excel to One Click LCA can be found here.

Figure 4: Download Excel functionality

The data sent to the Cloud may include all material information if sent directly from the One Click LCA
ribbon, or they will be limited to the assessment’s scope as defined in the LCA in the Revit option.

The data exported in Excel can be reviewed and adjusted before being imported using the Excel import
feature in One Click LCA. This workflow is recommended for assessors using externally sourced Revit
models for the material take-off who want to ensure the quality of the dataset they use in their
assessments. Typical actions taken during this step include the following:

A. Review and cross-check unclear Revit materials and/or family types, along with other design
documents like detailed drawings, specifications, etc.
B. Remove materials that fall outside the assessment’s scope, especially when this has not
been defined with the LCA in the Revit option.
C. Rename Revit materials using a standard naming convention to maximize automated
recognition and mapping with EPDs.
D. Add materials and elements that were not modeled in Revit.

The data are exported in a standardized structure in Excel that is recognized by One Click LCA when
imported back.

One Click LCA

One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit 13

Chapter 4
LCA in Revit –
A detailed review

One Click LCA

One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit LCA IN REVIT - A DETAILED REVIEW 14

4.1. Overview
The three buttons across the top are LCA in Cloud, Help, and Refresh. What each of them do is as follows.

“LCA in Cloud” will initiate the import process of “Help” leads to the support page explaining the
the relevant information from the Revit model Revit integration on the Customer Help Centre
into One Click LCA. The information exported will that you can access at this link:
be based on the settings defined by the user or https://oneclicklca.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articl
as per the default settings if these are not es/360015009600-Autodesk-Revit-Integration
defined before the export.

“Save” saves the plugin settings and material

mappings locally for future use in the same Revit
model.

“Refresh” checks for model/material updates

and refreshes results.

One Click LCA

One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit LCA IN REVIT - A DETAILED REVIEW 15

4.2. Primary Tabs

The primary tabs in the ‘LCA in Autodesk Revit’ window are the different parts of the plugin that allows the user to adjust the data retrieved from Revit, undertake the assessment and check the results.

“File” allows saving or loading all plugin settings “Login” needs to be done at the start to get the
from a previous assessment. results in the plugin and update the database.
Having an account is what you need to have
before this. If you are new to One Click LCA, an
account can be created by following this link.

The “Settings” tab contains general settings like

the types of data to be retrieved from Revit and
databases to be used in the assessment.

In the “Benchmark” tab, the building is

compared with the One Click LCA benchmark
based on the country, building type, and gross
In the “Models” tab, the basic rules for scope floor area of the building.
definition are applied.

The “Chart” tab contains a bar chart that

“Detailed Scope” is where the scope of the presents the results for the Embodied Carbon in
assessment is defined in more detail, e.g., Tons (CO2e) for the most impactful materials
categories, families, and types included. used in the project.

Materials are where the Revit materials falling in The “results” tab is of a similar layout to the
the assessment scope are mapped with EPDs materials tab and reports the values of the
and generic material datapoints. environmental impact of the materials.

One Click LCA

One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit LCA IN REVIT - A DETAILED REVIEW 16

4.3. Settings
4.3.1. Settings > Options
At the Options tab the user can select the database to be used in the LCA, define the parameters that contain classification and cost data, define the assessment scope at a high level, select the unit system and define
the default type of data taken form Revit (materials or family types).

For projects in North America, choose “Traci”. For In the “Field containing material cost (LCC)”, the
anywhere else choose “CML”. For regulation user can define which of the additionally
compliant LCAs choose the respective database exported type or material parameters contains
where necessary. cost information that can be used in a Life Cycle
Cost Assessment. This setting is optional and is
empty by default.

The “Scope” allows the selection of which

aspects of the building should be included in the
assessment. Choose from ‘Building,’ ‘Mechanical,’ In the “Field containing user classification”, the
‘Plumbing,’ ‘Electrical’, and ‘External Areas.’ user can define which of the additionally
exported type parameters contains classification
information that can be used in the LCA. This
setting is optional and is empty by default.
“Default Material grouping mode” is where the
user can define the default type of data taken
from the Revit model. This can be either material
or family type quantities if the material
information is inadequate. This option can be “Ignore 2D objects (paint materials)”. Check this
overwritten at the “Detailed scope” per Revit to ignore any 2D materials like paint materials
category and family type basis. and membranes.

“Units” can be either Metric or Imperial. Data library updated states the date and time
that the library of the One Click LCA database
was last updated.

One Click LCA

One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit LCA IN REVIT - A DETAILED REVIEW 17

4.3.2. Settings > Export additional Revit parameters

“Export additional Revit parameters” is where the user can select additional type or material parameters to be exported. Parameters that include LCC or Classification data must be checked here prior to selecting them in
the setting tab. This is an optional step and may be skipped if no additional parameters need to be exported.

This is the list with the material parameters that

This is the list of the available family type
can be exported in addition to the name and
parameters that can be exported to One Click
quantity of the material.
LCA.

This is the list with the material parameters that

can be exported in addition to the name and
quantity of the material.

One Click LCA

One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit LCA IN REVIT - A DETAILED REVIEW 18

4.3.3. Settings > Element Scope Grouping

The element scope grouping tab lists all the categories detected in the Revit model and allows the user to define the scope category under which they fall. This will dictate whether elements of a certain category will be
included in the assessment based on the scope definition in the settings tab. This is an optional step, as all Revit categories are assigned a scope category by default.

The One Click LCA Revit plugin automatically

detects the Categories that are being used within
the Revit model and lists them here. Each
category can be assigned to Building,
Mechanical, Plumbing, Electrical or External Areas.

One Click LCA

One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit LCA IN REVIT - A DETAILED REVIEW 19

4.4. Models
The “Models” tab is the first step in defining the assessment scope. At this step the user selects how the elements that material information is required for will be selected. There are three options available, the active view
where all elements that are visible in the active Revit view will be included in the assessment, the selected elements where only elements selected in the Revit model will be included and the detailed configuration where
elements will be included based on the workset they belong, the phase and design option.

“Active View” will only get materials from the

elements visible in the active view in Revit.
Elements that are out of the assessment scope
can be temporarily or permanently hidden in the
view. A view template may also be prepared for
LCA and saved in the organization’s Revit
template to simplify the scope definition. Note
that this option only gets elements of the main
model. Linked models will be ignored and must
be assessed separately or imported in One Click
LCA.

With “Selected elements in the model” the user

“Detailed Configuration” allows the user to can select all elements within the assessment
define the phases, options worksets, and linked scope. Only materials from these elements will be
models from which materials will be taken from. taken for the Revit model. The user can save the
This is the default selection when opening the selection as a selection set in Revit for future
plugin. reuse. This option only works for the main model.
Linked models will be ignored and must be
assessed separately or imported in One Click
LCA.

One Click LCA

One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit LCA IN REVIT - A DETAILED REVIEW 20

4.5. Detailed Scope

In the 'Detailed Scope' tab, further adjustments can be made for entire Revit categories, families and family types. The user can define whether these will be included in the assessment or not, whether they will be split into
materials or not and what will be the default unit for each of them.

In these checkboxes, the user defines whether the

elements in the respective Revit category will be
split into materials or family type quantities will
be reported instead.
This is a list that contains the main model that is
being assessed and the linked models to it. By
selecting each model in the list, the user can
adjust the settings for the available Revit
categories and families in that model. In these drop-down lists, the user can define the
default quantity unit used for the materials
extracted from elements in the respective
category. The unit can be changed individually
for each material reported later in the “Materials”
This is a list of all categories that exist in the tab.
selected model. The user can split all elements of
a category into materials or vice versa, include or
exclude them from the assessment, and change
the default quantity unit.

In these checkboxes, the user defines whether the This search box allows the user to filter family
respective Revit category will be included in the types based on their name.
assessment or not.

This search box allows the user to filter family

types based on their name.

One Click LCA

One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit LCA IN REVIT - A DETAILED REVIEW 21

4.6. Materials
The materials tab is where the materials within the Revit model can be reviewed and mapped with EPDs and generic materials. This Paragraph has been split into sub-paragraphs covering the 'Top Tabs', the 'Filter &
Search, and the 'Project Materials' sections in order to explain every aspect of the interface clearly and in detail.

4.6.1 Materials > Top Tabs

“Group” converts the “Project materials” table at

the bottom of the window to show the materials
grouped by Revit category.
“List” converts the “Project materials” table at
the bottom of the window to display the Revit
materials as a single list.
“Isolate in 3D” isolates all elements in the current
Revit view from which the selected material is
coming.
“Refresh Materials” refreshes the materials list.
Any new materials will be added. Any existing
materials will have their quantities adjusted.
“Find element from 3D” isolates in the plugin, all
materials associated with the selected Revit
model elements.
“Clear Filter” removes the settings applied in the
filter section below.

“Show data” card displays the details of the

selected environmental profile (login required).

One Click LCA

One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit LCA IN REVIT - A DETAILED REVIEW 22

4.6.2. Materials > Filter & Search

In the 'Filter & Search' section the use searches for EPDs and other generic materials and maps them with the selected Revit material(s).

"Update LCA database" updates the One Click

LCA database (login required).
The OCL material database search choices can
be refined by adjusting the “filter” criteria.
The "unit" filters the search results to only the
ones that can accept the specified unit e.g. m3,
ft3, etc.

The "Search" function allows for refining the

search of material options by typing material
names, manufacturer names, EPD numbers, etc.

"Assembly" filters the search results to only the

constructions/assemblies.
The "Search" window displays the materials from
the One Click LCA database. This list can be
refined by applying filters or typing in relevant
keywords in the search bar.
"Country" filters the search results to only those
from the specified country.

"Category" describes the Revit category of the

elements from which this material comes.

"Type" selects between Private, Generic,

Manufacturer, and Plant data. You can find the
descriptions of these on the page of Terms &
Definitions.

One Click LCA

One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit LCA IN REVIT - A DETAILED REVIEW 23

4.6.3. Materials > Project Materials

The interface displays project materials that are detected from the Revit model and maps the materials from the OCL database to these detected Revit materials. The materials are presented in a table format, along with
other parameters that are read from the Revit model. These parameters include Category, Family, Type, Material, whether it is a construction, One Click LCA Mapping, Unit, Multiplier, Quantity, Thickness, Volume, Area,
Length, Pieces, and more.

"Unit" is the unit used in the impact calculation "Multiplier" allows for adjusting the material
for this material. The user can choose from a list quantity from the Revit model. The multiplier
"One Click LCA Mapping" is the datapoint from of available units depending on the Revit must be lower than 1 for hollow elements "Quantity" is the quantity type (between volume,
the One Click LCA database mapped with the Category. modeled as solid. area, length, and pieces) used in the impact
Revit material. calculation for this material.

This column displays if the datapoint mapped “Quantity” data that has been extracted from
with this material is a generic material. the Revit geometry comes in the form of
Thickness(T), Volume(V), Area(A), Length(L),
and the number of Pieces (Pcs).

This column displays if this row represents a

family type instead of a material, i.e., family type
If there are any "warnings" associated with the
is kept grouped.
data point used, they will be displayed here.

"Category" refers to the Revit Category of the The material cost will be displayed in this column
element from which this material is taken. if it is included as a material parameter in the
settings tab.

"Family" is the name of the family from which the

material is taken in Revit.
"Structural Material" states whether the material
has been defined as structural in the Edit Type >
Structure > Edit > Layers section of the Revit
"Type" is the name of the family type from which parameters.
the material is taken in Revit.

The "User Classification" will include values from

the type or material parameter previously
"Material" is the name of the material that was specified in the settings tab as containing the
taken from Revit. classification codes.

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One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit LCA IN REVIT - A DETAILED REVIEW 24

4.7. Results
The results tab follows a similar structure as the materials tab. The results are presented in rows by material in tonnes of CO2e and as a percentage share of the overall impacts.

4.7.1. Results > Top Buttons

"Intensity Quintile" will divide the kg CO2e/m3

“Refresh Results” updates the results following results into quintiles (20% bands) and then
any changes in the materials tab. display them as Low, Medium, Average, High, and
Very high to give a quick overview of the
material's impact intensity.

"Absolute Quintile" will take the results of the % of

the total of tons CO2e, divide them into quintiles
(20% bands), and then display them as Low,
Medium, Average, High, and Very high to give a
quick overview of the impact of the material.

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One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit LCA IN REVIT - A DETAILED REVIEW 25

4.7.2. Results > Table

The table section of the results tab lists the Revit materials as gotten from the Materials tab together with the mapped datapoints and the resulting impacts.

Impact Quintile take the results of the % of total

of the tons CO2e and divide them into quintiles
(20% bands) and then display them as; Low,
Medium, Average, High, very high to give a quick
overview of the materials impact.

The "Mapped" column includes the datapoint

“Warning” will show any potential warnings
from the One Click LCA database mapped with
related to the mapped datapoint.
this material.

"Intensity Quintile" will divide the kg CO2e/m3

"Tons CO2e" shows the tons of embodied carbon results into quintiles (20% bands) and then
caused by the material represented in each row. display them as Low, Medium, Average, High, and
Very high to give a quick overview of the
material's impact intensity.

"% of total" is the % share of this material to the

overall impacts of the building.
"Kg CO2e/m3" is the carbon intensity of the
mapped material.

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One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit LCA IN REVIT - A DETAILED REVIEW 26

4.8. Chart
The chart tab contains a graph that displays the tons of CO2e of the most impactful materials.

The “Y-axis” displays the tons of embodied

carbon (CO2e).

The “X-axis” displays the material name and

orders the materials from the most impactful to
the least.

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One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit LCA IN REVIT - A DETAILED REVIEW 27

4.9. Benchmark
The benchmark allows the user to benchmark the results against the One Click LCA ‘Carbon Heroes Benchmark’ feature. More information about Carbon Heroes can be found in this link.

The "Benchmark Value" is the score from A to G

for the project's kg CO2e/m2 to the respective
By selecting the right "Country," the results are benchmarking criteria. More information about
benchmarked against the embodied carbon of this can be found in this link.
buildings in that country.

The "Building Type" selects which building you

want to compare against — i.e., office, apartment,
one-dwelling building, etc.

"Gross Area (sqm)" is required to normalize the

embodied carbo by m2 or ft2 so they can be
compared with the carbon heroes benchmark.

"Embodied Carbon Benchmark" specifies which

benchmark you wish to compare against.

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One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit 28

Chapter 5
Modeling guide and
considerations

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One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit MODELLING GUIDE AND CONSIDERATIONS 29

The One Click LCA plugin for Revit has been developed to work with multiple development levels,
modeling approaches, and techniques. There are no best practice modeling techniques that fit all One
Click LCA and Revit users; however, in this paragraph, some common challenges will be discussed when
it comes to getting the correct type of data from Revit and how the Revit model could be built to
facilitate the undertaking of Life Cycle Assessments after that with One Click LCA.

5.1. Material modeling in Revit

The One Click LCA plugin for Revit gets all material information directly from the Revit model based on
the modeled geometries and the materials assigned to these geometries. In simple terms, if a material is
not assigned to an object, the One Click LCA plugin will only consider the quantity of the object itself
instead. Note: It is important to ensure that the materials are assigned to the various geometries that
comprise the family and not just to a material parameter of the family. Figure 6 shows a pile family that
is assigned a concrete material. However, the material will not be recognized if the actual geometry has
not been assigned to this material as well. This is done at a family level and typically when the family is
created. If this is not the case, the family must be edited and saved back to the Revit model. Figure 7
shows where the material must be assigned in the same example pile family. It can either be done at the
material parameter of the selected geometry [1], or it can associated with the relevant family parameter
shown in Figure 6[2].
Figure 7: Material parameter of extrusion geometry of a pile family

For more information on applying materials to Revit families, refer to this article in Autodesk Help Centre.

5.2. Level of detail related recommendations

The first thing to consider when planning to use a Revit model for LCA is the level of detail of the material
information stored in the Revit model. If materials have not been modeled properly, then the best
possible data that can be used is family-type data. When material information is adequate, then
material information must be used in the LCA. A more comprehensive description of the different Levels
of Development and how to use BIM models in each case can be found in this article.

Depending on the level of development of the Revit model, the user will need to decide on the type of
information to be used for the LCA. This will be done on the settings tab, as shown in Paragraph 6.3.1.

As shown in Figure 8, splitting family types into materials should be chosen in the settings tab for models
where most elements have adequate material information.

Figure 6: Pile family with concrete assigned in the family material parameter

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One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit MODELLING GUIDE AND CONSIDERATIONS 30

Figure 10: Typical hollow core slabs

Figure 8: Example of a wall structure with adequate Figure 9: Example of a wall structure with Recommendations
material information inadequate material information. Family type A. Use a generic datapoint for hollow core slabs. These generic One Click LCA datapoints
information is more suitable in this case. represent typical slabs of this type and take into account the hollow core and the
reinforcement. The volume to be used should be the element volume, which coincides with
the concrete volume from Revit when the slab is modeled as a solid element.
For models where most elements do not have adequate information, as shown in Figure 9, keeping
family types grouped should be selected in the settings tab.

It is important to note that the grouping mode selection in the settings tab is not binding, as the user can
further define it by Revit category, family, or family type in the “detailed scope” tab. Different elements
can come with different LOD in a Work in Progress model, allowing the user to use the best available data
for each family type.

This flexibility in choosing the data type by category, family, and family type is beneficial for the following
cases where elements will typically not be modeled accurately, even at more detailed design stages.
B. Use a private construction. In this option, the user may use a private construction that they
Some elements typically not modeled accurately enough to use their material quantities are listed have created before or specifically for this particular case and map it with the area of the
below, with recommendations on how to include them in an LCA. concrete material or the slab type.

5.2.1. Hollow core slabs More information about private constructions can be found in this article.
Hollow core slabs are typically modelled as solid slabs in a Revit model. This results in the concrete
quantity taken off Revit being overestimated. The information required to create a private construction for a hollow core slab is the
reinforcement rate in kg per m2 of the slab, the concrete element volume ratio(m3 per m2 of
the slab), and the quantity of any tendons used if the hollow core planks are prestressed.

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 A. LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit
One Click MODELLING GUIDE AND CONSIDERATIONS 31

B.
C. Adjust the concrete quantity. In this option, the user may adjust the volume of concrete taken Recommendations
off the Revit model. This may be done while still in the Revit plugin, as shown in Paragraph A. Use a private construction. Similarly, the user may create private constructions for different
6.6.3, or in Excel when data are downloaded in Excel for review and adjustment, as described steel sheet types and slab thicknesses with hollow core slabs. You can find additional
in Paragraph 3.4. guidance on how to build private in this article.

The materials to be added in such a private construction include the concrete mix, the steel
5.2.2. Composite metal decks sheet, and the conventional reinforcement added to the top side of the deck. The steel
A composite metal deck is a floor slab composed of a galvanized steel sheet and concrete. The steel sheet's product sheet is the best place to start for such a construction. If the manufacturer
sheet acts as a permanent formwork and the bottom side reinforcement of the slab. has created an EPD that covers that steel sheet, then that EPD may be used. Otherwise, the
product sheet will provide the mass of the sheet per area unit of the deck. The product sheet
will also typically provide the volume of concrete per area unit of the deck for various
thicknesses. Finally, an assumption must be made for the top reinforcement mesh if a typical
one is not mentioned in the product sheet.

B. Adjust the material quantities. In this option, the concrete quantity taken from Revit must be
adjusted. The LCA expert must calculate the adjustment factor based on the steel sheet’s
product sheet and the concrete volume per area unit mentioned in it. The steel sheet and
reinforcement must be modeled separately.

5.2.3. WIndows
Material quantities of windows modeled
in Revit will typically not be accurate
enough to use in an LCA. A window
element will consist of a minimum of
two materials: the material of the frame,
e.g., aluminium, PVC, or timber, and the
glass of the window panes. As shown in
Figure 12, the window frame is modeled
as a solid element, while the two or
three glass panes are modeled as a
single glass panel with a thickness
Figure 11: Composite metal deck detail equal to the sum of the panes and
spacers' thickness. For example, a
Composite metal decks in Revit are modelled by using a concrete layer and a structural deck profile with 4/20/4 double-glazed window will be
zero thickness at the bottom. This will trim the concrete slab at the bottom in accordance with the modeled as 28mm thick glass, highly
applied profile and will show the slab’s geometry accurately in sections created in Revit. The material overestimating the glass quantity taken
quantities, however, are not adjusted accordingly as the steel sheet only has a visual effect in the Revit from Revit.
model. This means that a 1 m2 , 150mm thick composite metal deck modelled in Revit will give 0.15 m3 of
Figure 12: 3D section of a window showing the
concrete volume and no steel for the steel sheet.
frame and glazed panel being modelled as
solid elements.

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One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit MODELLING GUIDE AND CONSIDERATIONS 32

Recommendations 5.2.4. Doors

A. Use window datapoints. In this option, the quantity Similar to windows, doors will not be modeled accurately in Revit in most cases. The door frames will be
used in the LCA is the window area instead of the modeled as solid elements, even hollow ones. The same applies to the door panels. In many cases, door
frame and glass quantity. The window area will panels may consist of more than one material, for example, steel sheets and insulation for industrial
then be mapped with a datapoint representing doors. As doors often will not contain this information, it is better to use the door area instead and map it
the entire window. Such datapoints can be EPDs with a data point representing an entire door. Many door EPDs and generic datapoints in the One Click
from manufacturers, generic datapoints, or even LCA database represent different types of doors with different frames and materials in the door panel. If
private constructions created by the user. no suitable data point can be found for a door type, then creating a private construction may be the
best option.
The area of the window can be extracted in two
ways. The first is to keep all the family types under Note: When undertaking a building LCA, it is important to consider the impact of various elements on the
the Windows category grouped. This way, the user overall results. This helps the LCA practitioner assess the value added to the exercise by dedicating time
will get the overall area of windows by family type. to model certain elements more accurately. Doors, especially in new construction, will typically
The second way is, if the user has already split the contribute a very small part, which means that trying to model them accurately, if not modeled as such
family types into materials, to ignore the material already in Revit, will not add any value to the LCA exercise.
that represents the frame and only consider the
Figure 13: Window glass panel geometry
glass area. The glass area taken from Revit will be 5.2.5. Curtain Wall mullions
in Revit
slightly smaller than the window area. Curtain Walls in Revit are “parent” objects for hosting objects like curtain wall panels, curtain wall
mullions, windows, doors, and regular walls. Curtain wall mullions similar to window frames are typically
A. modeled with simplified solid geometries, as shown in Figure 14. This means that the volume of the
curtain wall mullion material obtained from the Revit model will not be accurate unless the mullion is
B. Adjust material quantities. In this case the user selects to split the family types into materials. solid.
Glass may be either mapped with a glass pane datapoint by using the glass area based or
with a generic glass material based on the volume which must be adjusted so it only Recommendations
represents the volume of the glass panes only. The frame quantities must be adjusted as A. Use the length of mullions and map them
well if the frame is made of PVC or Aluminium to allow for the hollow core of these elements. with suitable datapoints. Such datapoints
The best way to calculate the adjustment factor to be applied is to quickly measure the area can be either EPDs and generic materials
of the frame material and the overall frame in a detailed section of the frame if this exists. for curtain wall mullions that accept “m”
If this does not exist or for time efficiency this may be calculated for any PVC or Aluminium or “ft” as units or private constructions
frame that can be considered typical. created by the user that represent the
exact geometry of the mullion. Private
Important note: The area of materials taken from window and door family types is halved constructions may be more suitable when
before being reported in the One Click LCA plugin. This is because the area extracted from mullions are modelled with more
Revit represents the entire solid’s surface area, not the projected area. As the only useful area complicated geometries.
in the case of windows, glass panes, and door panels is the projected area, the area gotten
from Revit is divided by two to approximate the projected area. The value calculated is not B. Adjust the volume by applying a multiplier
accurate but very close to the actual area since the area of the upper, lower, and side in the Revit plugin or later in the Cloud
surfaces is negligible compared to the front and back surface areas, as visualized in Figure 13. version of the tool. The multiplier may be
defined based on detailed sections of the
mullion if available.
Figure 14: Curtain wall mullions modelled
with solid geometries

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One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit MODELLING GUIDE AND CONSIDERATIONS 33

5.3. Classification considerations

The One Click LCA plugin for Revit automatically translates the various elements’ Revit category into the
One Click LCA Class. Once the materials are imported or saved in the One Click LCA cloud version, these
classes are also translated into the local classification system if used in the selected LCA tool in One Click
LCA. The classification of materials allows for the breakdown of results by classification code, which local
standards, certification schemes, or policies may require.

For example, some LCA methodologies might only require the overall impacts of the building while
others, like the BREEAM UK Mat 01, require reporting at a more detailed classification level, e.g.,
distinguishing walls into internal and external ones and above or below ground.

For cases where the results must be reported at a detailed level, the modeling in Revit may be adjusted
to facilitate the material take-off. Examples of modeling considerations related to classification are listed
below.

A. Definition of internal and external walls. The function of the wall family types can be defined
in Revit by the “function” family parameter shown in Figure 15. This parameter is being read
by the Once Click LCA plugin, and based on its value, it will classify the wall materials as
external or internal walls.

B. Internal and external curtain wall panels and mullions. Similar to the wall families, the curtain
wall panel and mullion types used in internal and external curtain walls must be different if
the results must be reported separately for internal and external walls. This applies even
when the function is defined in the curtain wall type itself because the materials are taken
from the panels, mullions, and other objects hosted in the curtain wall.

C. Internal and external wall windows and doors. Similar to walls and curtain wall mullions and
panels, window and door families must be different when used internally or externally if the
results are to be reported separately.

D. Roof, upper floor, ground floor, and foundation slabs. When impacts from slabs at different
levels are to be reported separately, these objects must be modeled using separate family Figure 15: Function parameter of wall family types
types as well. For best practice, use foundation slabs for the lowest floor slab, floor slabs for
the upper floors, and roof family types for the roofs. Suppose floor families are preferred for When a classification system is applied within the Revit model, this information can be taken directly by
all levels. Different family types will allow the LCA assessor to distinguish which material the family type parameter in which the information is being stored. The modeling guidance given above
quantities are from the lowest floor, upper floors, and roofs. may still be relevant, but in this case, only for resulting in a tidier LCA model rather than for the results
breakdown, as this will happen based on the actual classification taken from the Revit model. To extract
E. Ground beams and structural beams. When ground beams are modeled in Revit, these must the classification from a family type parameter, you must ensure that this parameter is selected in the
be modeled as structural foundations, not structural framing. This is for these elements to be “Export additional parameters” tab of the plugin and specified as the parameter containing the
correctly classified later as foundation and their impacts to count in the foundation impacts classification in the settings tab, as shown in Figure 16.
instead of the structural frame ones.

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 A.
One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit MODELLING GUIDE AND CONSIDERATIONS 34

B.
C. If material build-ups in the BIM model is accurate enough or whether the assessment should
be based on element quantities instead of materials.

D. If there are any duplicate materials or elements either in the same BIM model or in multiple
models that are to be used in the LCA.

5.4.1. Missing Materials

Various materials may be missing from a Revit model because they are either too detailed for the
current design stage or are easier to draw in 2D drawings. Such materials can be reinforcements, wall
and floor finishes, railings, wall studs, and steel framing for façade systems and ceilings.

The assessor must become aware of any such materials and ensure they are included in the LCA
separately. In most cases, when the designer undertakes the assessment, such elements should be
known and taken care of. When a different LCA consultant undertakes the assessment, a quick review
must be undertaken before the material takeoff to identify any missing materials.

5.4.2. Materials that are out of scope

A Revit model typically contains elements and materials irrelevant to a Building LCA. Before the
assessment in Revit, such elements must be identified and excluded from the assessment scope. This is
done either by hiding out-of-scope materials and choosing the “Active view” option in the “models” tab,
as shown in Figure 17, or by filtering them out based on their workset, phase, and design option in the
“Detailed Configuration” option of the “Models” tab.

Figure 16: Selection of classification parameter in the settings tab

Figure 17: Active view option

5.4. System boundary related considerations in "Models tab"
When using a BIM model for a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), it's important to check:

A. If materials and elements are not modeled in the BIM model but should be included in the
LCA.

B. If there are materials modeled in the BIM model that are not in the LCA scope and how these
will be excluded from the assessment.

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One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit MODELLING GUIDE AND CONSIDERATIONS 35

Further filtering of out-of-scope materials can be done in the "Detailed scope" tab based on the
elements' Revit category, family, and family type, as shown in Figure 18.

Figure 18: Filtering out of scope elements based on the Revit Figure 19: Default material grouping mode
category, family and family type

5.4.3. Accuracy of material information within the BIM elements When family types are not split into materials, they must be mapped with a datapoint representing the
Elements modeled in Revit may not be modeled in an adequate level of detail for a detailed LCA, entire assembly using the publicly available One Click LCA constructions or previously made private
especially at early design stages. Examples include walls and floors with no materials assigned, material constructions. More information about constructions can be found here.
layers with the wrong thickness, e.g., too thick metal sheets, and layers completely missing, e.g., metal
studs, insulation membranes, etc. A review must be made before the assessment to assess the level of
detail of the Revit model and decide on the default type of material information to be taken from the
Revit model, as shown in Figure 19. Later, this setting can also be changed for entire Revit Categories,
Families, and Family types at the “Detailed scope” tab.

A quick assessment can be easily made by spot-checking some wall and floor family types, the layers
they consist of, and the feasibility of these layers’ thickness.

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One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit MODELLING GUIDE AND CONSIDERATIONS 36

5.4.4 Duplicates
Many elements may sometimes be duplicated either accidentally or because they are modeled in
parallel in more than one Revit model by different design team members. For example, an architect
may model the structural columns in the architectural model in parallel with the structural engineer
in the structural model.

To quickly check for duplicates, the assessor can apply a section box in the 3D view and adjust its
size at various times to reach elements in different building parts. By selecting various elements, it is
possible to identify if there are any duplicate elements in the same position. As shown in Figure 20,
duplicated elements are not highlighted in the same way as regular elements.

The assessor may also check the architectural model to see if the structural slabs and columns are
modeled. If this is the case and the structural model already contains the same elements, they can
be filtered out by hiding them and choosing “active view” in the model's tab or in the “detailed
scope” based on their category.

5.5. Objects imported from other modelling tools

Complicated geometries in a Revit model may sometimes be imported from other modeling tools
either directly in the Revit model or within a custom family created in Revit. Such elements that were
not created natively in Revit will typically not contain the material information required for an LCA. A
material take off must be done manually for such elements and added separately in the
assessment.

Figure 20: Duplicated floor element is not highlighted when selected

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One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit 37

Chapter 6
Performance optimization
with Revit and One Click LCA

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One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit PERFORMANCE OPTIMIZATION WITH REVIT AND ONE CLICK LCA 38

An LCA can be performed at any design stage. However, the embodied carbon reduction potential 6.1. Early-stage assessments with Revit
becomes lower as the design progresses, as visualized in Figure 21. At early design stages, the Revit model will typically be less accurate regarding material build-ups.
Elements like walls and floors may only be modeled to represent the geometry of the building initially,
and hence, no proper material may have been assigned. Even once the form of the building has been
concluded, elements like walls and floors may only be defined at an element level, i.e., designers define
the type of the wall or floor but not the exact build-up, which will happen later..

At such early stages, the assessor or BIM modeler may use the elemental quantities and map them with
One Click LCA constructions, while making several assumptions on the type of elements. This allows the
design team, mainly the architects, to optimize the geometry of the building in terms of embodied
carbon at the earliest stages.

6.2. Hotspot analysis

Regardless of the design stage in which the LCA was conducted, LCA results should be analyzed to
identify the most contributing materials and elements and consequently embodied carbon reduction
strategies. Using the One Click LCA plugin for Revit, the assessor can visualize the results directly in the
Figure 21: Decarbonization potential reduces as design progresses Revit 3D view, as shown in Figure 23.

BIM tools used at various design stages can automate the material takeoff process and provide instant
LCA results. Autodesk Revit can be used from the early concept design stage up to the construction
stage, and different levels of detail are used in the model. As such, it can also be used as the main data
source for the Building LCA during these design stages. The type of data acquired will depend on the
design stage and level of detail, as mentioned in Paragraph 7.2.

Figure 23: Impacts visualization in Revit

In addition the assessor can use the various graphs generated on the cloud once the assessment has
Figure 22: BIM tools used at different design stages been uploaded. The assessor can continue working and getting updated results in Revit and at the same
time update the results in the cloud and benefit from the numerous detailed graphs and charts that are
available there. Some of the available charts are shown in Figure 24, Figure 25, Figure 26 and Figure 27.

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One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit PERFORMANCE OPTIMIZATION WITH REVIT AND ONE CLICK LCA 39

Figure 24: Pie charts with impacts per module, element category and material type

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One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit PERFORMANCE OPTIMIZATION WITH REVIT AND ONE CLICK LCA 40

Figure 25: Bubble chart that visualizes the impact contribution of materials

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One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit PERFORMANCE OPTIMIZATION WITH REVIT AND ONE CLICK LCA 41

Figure 26: Treemap chart showing impacts per module and material type

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One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit PERFORMANCE OPTIMIZATION WITH REVIT AND ONE CLICK LCA 42

Figure 27: Bar chart showing impacts element category

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One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit PERFORMANCE OPTIMIZATION WITH REVIT AND ONE CLICK LCA 43

Once the most contributing elements and materials have been identified, the assessor must take action
to reduce the environmental impacts. When finding lower-carbon products, the assessor can use green
material benchmarking or advanced comparison features.

With the green material benchmarking feature, the assessor can use any selected material and get a list
of lower embodied carbon alternative products available in their country, nearby countries, or across the
world, as shown in Figure 28 and Figure 29.

Figure 29: List of products with at least 50% lower embodied carbon

With the comparison feature, the assessor can select all the products being considered for specification
and automatically produce a graph where products are compared on an embodied carbon basis, as
shown in Figure 30.
Figure 28: Material benchmarking feature

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One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit PERFORMANCE OPTIMIZATION WITH REVIT AND ONE CLICK LCA 44

6.3. Performance monitoring

Architects and engineers who assess their own Revit models can
monitor the embodied carbon of their designs throughout the
design process. Although a standalone assessment might
require a considerable time investment, this is not the case when
the assessment is repeated periodically using One Click LCA and
its integration for Revit. This is because all the EPDs and generic
materials assigned to the Revit materials and family types will be
remembered, and hence, any future iteration will only require a
few minutes to undertake.
.
In this case, assessors can undertake a first assessment at an
early stage when their Revit model is set up to an adequate level,
e.g., the form of the entire building is defined, and then keep
making iterations when design changes and material changes
occur. The results can be generated automatically by going to
the Results page and clicking “Update results.” All Revit materials
that were mapped previously will be automatically mapped
again before the results are calculated. Any Revit materials
added to the Revit model after the last iteration will be mapped if
they have been mapped previously in a different assessment by
the assessor or any other One Click LCA user. If the new Revit
materials have never been mapped in the past, they will remain
unmapped, and the assessor will need to map them manually
before the results are updated again.

Embodied carbon monitoring with One Click LCA can be set up at

an organizational level by importing all Revit materials in a
Figure 30: Advanced comparison feature design at One Click LCA and mapping them with the preferred
EPDs or generic materials. This can be done either by using a
sample Revit model that contains all materials and/or all family
types of the organization’s Revit template or by importing these
materials and family type names via Excel using the One Click
LCA Excel template.

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One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit 45

Chapter 7
LCA in Cloud or Revit?

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One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit LCA IN CLOUD OR REVIT? 46

The One Click LCA plugin for Revit allows the user to conduct an LCA directly within the Revit environment Following the material take-off, the main difference is in the user interface when mapping the Revit
or simply export the material information and undertake the assessment in the cloud version of One Click materials with EPDs and generic material datapoints and when reviewing the results. Consultants who
LCA. Choosing the option to proceed with depends on the following factors: regularly work on the cloud version of One Click LCA may prefer to map the materials and review the
results in the cloud. In contrast, professionals more familiar with the Revit user interface might choose to
1. Confidence in the data exported from the Revit model complete the assessment in Revit.
2. Expected level of automated mapping of materials
3. Personal preference The “LCA in Revit” option allows the visualization of the results directly in a 3D view in Revit. At the same
time, with the “LCA in Cloud,” the assessor has access to more graphs to enable a hotspot analysis. It is
Data confidence noted, however, that when “LCA in Revit” is selected, the assessor can still get access to the results in the
When the assessor is not familiar with the Revit model and is not confident with how any data gaps Cloud by importing the LCA undertaken in Revit to the Cloud, as mentioned in Paragraph 8.2.
(missing elements or materials) can be addressed, it is advisable to proceed with “LCA in Cloud” (either
directly or once the scope has been set up.” This will allow us to either import the materials without being
mapped or to download them in an Excel sheet for further review and analysis, as described in
Paragraph 3.4. This will provide the assessor the necessary time to review other design documentation,
recognize the exported materials, and build-up any exported elements.

Automated mappings
When Revit materials are mapped with EPDs and other generic material datapoints, it is easier to
undertake the LCA directly in Revit and get instant results as part of your embodied carbon monitoring
process, as described in Paragraph 8.3. This will typically be the case for assessors who have previously
used Revit models from the same organization to undertake LCAs, for example, Architects or Structural
engineers who assess their own Revit models or LCA consultants who regularly assess Revit models from
the same organization.

Suppose it is the first time that a particular organization provides a Revit model. In that case, the
assessor may proceed with “LCA in Cloud” or “LCA in Revit” based on their preference, as described in the
following paragraph.

Personal preference
In both the “LCA in Revit” and “LCA in Cloud” options, the plugin reads the material quantities from
elements that fall within the assessment scope, which must then be mapped with EPDs and generic
material datapoints to calculate the results. The process of defining the scope of the assessment is the
same and is done at the “Models” and “Detailed Scope” of the “LCA in Revit” option unless the assessor
selects to export all material quantities directly by clicking “LCA in Cloud” in the One Click LCA ribbon
without first setting the scope in the “LCA in Revit” option.

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One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit 47

Chapter 8
Frequently asked questions

One Click LCA

One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 48

1. How should I assess windows and doors? 6. How can I set up my LCA scope?
Windows and doors are best assessed by keeping their family types grouped. This means you will get the The scope of your LCA regarding the materials and elements that should be included in the assessment
overall projected window/door area instead of quantities of individual materials, e.g., glass, aluminum, can be defined with the following three steps.
PVC, etc. The window/door area must then be mapped with an EPD or generic data point that represents
an entire window/door, including the panel and frame. This is a better option because the frames in A. Define the scope at the settings tab by selecting any of the “Building,” “Mechanical,”
windows and doors are often modeled as solid elements ignoring the hollow part of the profile is made “Electrical,” “Plumbing,” and “External Areas.” This way, the plugin will exclude or include
of aluminium or PVC, and also because the glazing is typically modeled as a single, considerably thicker materials and elements from entire Revit categories based on whether they are classified as
glass pane instead of two or three thinner ones for double and triple glazed windows respectively. More Building, Mechanical, Electrical, or External Areas categories. The user can also change
information on this topic can be found in Paragraphs 7.2.3 and 7.2.4. default classifications.

B. Models tab: At this point, the user can refine the scope by selecting whether materials and
2. How should I assess hollow core slabs?
elements should be included based on the linked model they are included in, the workset, the
Hollow core slabs are best included in an LCA by using their area instead of the individual material
phase, the design option, whether they are selected in the Revit model or not and whether
quantities. This area must then be mapped with an assembly, EPD, or generic data point that represents
they are visible in the active Revit view.
the entire profile of this slab, including the concrete, the hollow cores, and the reinforcement. More
information on this topic can be found in Paragraph 7.2.1. C. Detailed Scope tab: At this point, the user can refine the scope further by selecting Revit
categories, families, and family types that currently fall within the scope based on the
3. How should I assess composite metal decks? previous settings but should be excluded.
Composite metal decks are best included in an LCA by using their area instead of the individual material
quantities. This area must then be mapped with an assembly, EPD, or generic data point that represents More information on this topic can be found in Paragraphs 6.3, 6.4, and 6.5.
the entire profile of this slab, including the concrete, the steel deck, and the additional reinforcement.
More information on this topic can be found in Paragraph 7.2.2. 7. Are materials from parts considered by the One Click LCA plugin?
Yes, materials from parts are extracted in the same way as if the family type was not split into parts.
4. How should I assess curtain walls? However, any part removals and other geometrical changes in parts will not be considered as these only
Curtain walls are typically best included by using the area of the curtain wall panels and the length of happen visually in Revit, and hence, the reported material quantities remain the same.
the curtain wall mullions. In both cases, it might be best to map these two quantities with custom
assemblies that accurately represent the panels and mullions. This is because, in many cases, curtain 8. Are materials from groups considered by the One Click LCA plugin?
wall panels are modeled at a lower level of detail in Revit models, while curtain wall mullions might be Yes, materials from grouped elements are reported similarly to any other element, i.e., segregated by
modeled as solid elements, ignoring the hollow core of their profile, and might also include materials and family type.
elements that form part of the panel in reality. More information on this topic can be found in Paragraph
7.2.5.
9. Are materials from nested families considered by the One Click LCA plugin?
Yes, the material quantities from nested families are reported under the name of the nested family, not
5. How should I use my Revit model for LCA if it is not detailed enough? the parent family. For example, if a pile family is nested in a pile cap family, the concrete quantity of the
The level of detail of your Revit model should not prevent you from using it for LCA. Revit models with a piles will be reported under the pile family type’s name, while the concrete of the pile cap will be reported
lower level of detail can still be used by extracting the family type quantities instead of material under the pile cap family type’s name.
quantities. These quantities can then be mapped with One Click LCA assemblies, e.g., the area of the
external wall from Revit can be mapped with an external brick slip wall assembly in One Click LCA. This
way, although it is probably too early in the design process to know the exact materials and thickness of
these materials, we can still take them into account by using an average/typical buildup of that wall
type. More information can be found in Paragraph 7.2.

One Click LCA

One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 49

10. How should I model Curtain Walls in Revit to get their materials quantities 16. Why does the plugin not isolate a material I select in the Materials or Results
for LCA? tab?
To get the best results regarding material takeoff, curtain wall modeling must align as much as possible This can happen if the material belongs to a linked model instead of the active Revit model and is limited
with the Revit definitions of curtain wall panels and mullions. In practice, this means that curtain wall by the lack of such native functionality in Revit.
panel types are better to include actual curtain wall panels only. If a Revit curtain wall panel is modeled
in a way that it includes other elements as well, like mullions, shading devices, windows, doors, etc, then 17. Why does the plugin not extract the area of some window and door types
the only quantity type for each reported material that can be used is volume, which in some cases might
not be the best option. If curtain wall panels only include curtain wall panel types, and if other elements
when these are not split into materials?
are modeled using the 14 appropriate Revit categories, then the material quantity types extracted can To enable the window and door area calculation, Revit relies on the dimensions of the door/window
differ depending on the element and better facilitate mapping with EPDs and other datapoints. opening (width and height). Although these parameters are integral to the calculation, they are typically
not directly visible to users. They are built-in parameters within Revit's API, which are then mapped to
visible parameters accessible to users in the window/door family. If the window/door type parameters
11. Why can I not split a family type into materials? are not linked with the right API parameters for width and height, the window/door area might not be
This can be because this family type has not been assigned any material, and there is also no default accurate or calculated. If the area of a window/door type is not calculated properly, please make sure
material assigned for this category in the “Object styles” in the “Manage” tab in Revit. that the width and height parameters are type parameters instead of instance parameters. If the issue
persists, rebuilding the window/door type using the latest Revit family templates for windows and doors
12. How can I use a specific material database only for compliance with is advised.
regulations?
To ensure you only use material datapoints from a specific compliance database such as the Swedish 18. Why can I not split a family type into materials if I have selected the
Boverket database, the Finnish co2data database, or BRE’s IMPACT database, you will need to choose the “Detailed configuration” option but can do so with the “Active view” option at
database from the settings tab in the One Click LCA plugin for Revit.
the “models” tab?
This can happen sometimes, especially with curtain wall panels, if some panels of the same panel type
13. My mappings from the One Click LCA plugin for Revit are lost when I send lose their material information. This can happen for various reasons, one of which could be that two
them to One Click LCA. Why? curtain wall gridlines are placed so close to each other that the panel's geometry in between is not
This can happen if the datapoints mapped to the Revit materials do not meet the requirements set by recognized. If the "active view" is selected, these problematic elements are not visible and hence ignored
the LCA methodology that the selected tool in the One Click LCA cloud application complies with. For by the plugin. In the case of the "Detailed configuration," they are recognized, but with no material
example, a mapping with a CML-characterized EPD will be lost if the assessment is sent to a project that information, and hence, the plugin will only allow the type quantities to be extracted.
only uses the “LEED for North America” tool because that tool can only accept Traci-characterized EPDs.
19. Nothing happens when I click at the “LCA in Autodesk Revit” button in the
14. How can I add materials that are not modeled in my Revit model? One Click LCA ribbon. Why?
Currently, materials that are not modeled in the Revit model can be added either in the online version of The plugin may be attached to the main window of Revit. Locate it, click on it and drag it to detach it from
the tool once the data is sent there to be stored or in the Excel file if the user chooses to follow the Revit.
process described in Paragraph 3.4.

15. Why does the plugin not extract materials from linked models?
This can happen if the “Active view” option is selected in the “Models” tab. Materials from linked models
can only be extracted with the “Detailed Configuration” option.

One Click LCA

One Click LCA Integration for Autodesk Revit 50

One Click LCA X Autodesk Revit

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