Learn how to use Building Information Modelling (BIM) at every design stage with One Click LCA. This guide explains how to integrate BIM models, from initial designs to final construction, with One Click LCA, applicable across various software platforms.
Back when I was still working with customers on a daily basis, one of the most common questions I was getting, was how to deal with data gaps in Revit (I guess same rule would apply to actually any BIM tool).
How to deal with data gaps really means that they are missing key components from the model (i.e., rebar or in some cases insulation etc.) and they wouldn’t know how to fill that gap in.
In practice there are two solutions (at least with OCL):
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Use private constructions which are essentially assemblies of multiple materials (i.e., an External wall that includes the concrete, the rebar, the insulation etc.). This way, you only need to draw the wall and through it’s surface area the tool will calculate the other items.
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Use CD3D (typically early on). Carbon Designer 3D was initially designed to be used for optioneering and early stage modeling but because it spits out entire bill of materials, it can be used to fill information gaps.
Protip → You can edit or create custom constructions as well so no need to rely on the premade ones. I actually think that’s by far what helps in taking off and doing LCAs reliably and fast, because one can easily modify assemblies to how they design and won’t have to think twice whether for example that thickness, or that material are suitable or not. These private constructions are also available in the plugins as well.
Last one, a bit cheesy though, is that at the end of the day - especially in early-stage cases - you really don’t need to have all of the information at hand. It’s better to have something that gives you a rough overview than having nothing available at all. You can always go back and enrich it the model with more info.
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