168
The user gets instant feedback on both the environmental and financial implications
of every decision that is made. This can help them to optimize both at once, so that
one evaluative criteria do not suffer at the expense of the other.
8.7 Other LCA Tools
While this chapter covered four common LCIA tools in North America aimed at
designers and other non-LCA experts, there are dozens of other tools that can be
used all with their unique objectives, strengths, and weaknesses. Different tools will
suit different practitioners based on many factors including their level of familiarity
with LCA, the objective of their study, underlying familiarity with different computer programs, and financial resources. This list is nowhere close to exhaustive but
aims to show the range of options available when selecting an LCA tool.
8.7.1 Rhino.Inside.Revit
LCA studies rely on a lot of different inputs of a variety of information, including
materials, building assemblies, and quantities. Due to the nature of a BIM model
and the amount of information embedded within them, they pair well with LCIA
tools. However, other 3D modeling software, such as Rhinoceros 3D (Rhino), only
have information about geometry, making it very hard to interface with an LCA
tool. While there are currently no LCA tools that can interface directly with Rhino,
a new beta from Robert McNeel & Associates and Autodesk can help to bridge this
gap and bring the power of LCA to more design workflows. Rhino.Inside.Revit was
not designed specifically for LCA studies but instead to create a way to link Revit
and Rhino models, using Grasshopper, to combine the power and workflows of the
tools. This enables users to bring geometry from Rhino into Revit as native Revit
elements instead of just a generic massing like in the past. In doing so, the elements
can then interface with all of the same LCA plugins that a model built originally in
Revit can. Anything built in Rhino, which originated as just geometry, can now
contain all of the embedded information that is paramount of a BIM model.
Rhino.Inside.Revit comes with specialized Grasshopper components that can be
used to rebuild the model in Revit rather than just transfer the geometry. These
“Revit Build” components require the same inputs and parameters that are required
when building a model in Revit so that any geometry transferred becomes an element native to Revit. For example, if a floor slab is brought from Rhino to Revit, the
Add Floor component will be used so that Revit knows what type of building component the element is. Furthermore, the user adds all of the parameters related to the
floor construction, materials, and associated level. Using all of this information, a
full floor component is built in Revit but is linked to the Rhino model and will
update with any changes made there. With a very simple grasshopper script and a
8 Dashboard
The user gets instant feedback on both the environmental and financial implications
of every decision that is made. This can help them to optimize both at once, so that
one evaluative criteria do not suffer at the expense of the other.
8.7 Other LCA Tools
While this chapter covered four common LCIA tools in North America aimed at
designers and other non-LCA experts, there are dozens of other tools that can be
used all with their unique objectives, strengths, and weaknesses. Different tools will
suit different practitioners based on many factors including their level of familiarity
with LCA, the objective of their study, underlying familiarity with different computer programs, and financial resources. This list is nowhere close to exhaustive but
aims to show the range of options available when selecting an LCA tool.
8.7.1 Rhino.Inside.Revit
LCA studies rely on a lot of different inputs of a variety of information, including
materials, building assemblies, and quantities. Due to the nature of a BIM model
and the amount of information embedded within them, they pair well with LCIA
tools. However, other 3D modeling software, such as Rhinoceros 3D (Rhino), only
have information about geometry, making it very hard to interface with an LCA
tool. While there are currently no LCA tools that can interface directly with Rhino,
a new beta from Robert McNeel & Associates and Autodesk can help to bridge this
gap and bring the power of LCA to more design workflows. Rhino.Inside.Revit was
not designed specifically for LCA studies but instead to create a way to link Revit
and Rhino models, using Grasshopper, to combine the power and workflows of the
tools. This enables users to bring geometry from Rhino into Revit as native Revit
elements instead of just a generic massing like in the past. In doing so, the elements
can then interface with all of the same LCA plugins that a model built originally in
Revit can. Anything built in Rhino, which originated as just geometry, can now
contain all of the embedded information that is paramount of a BIM model.
Rhino.Inside.Revit comes with specialized Grasshopper components that can be
used to rebuild the model in Revit rather than just transfer the geometry. These
“Revit Build” components require the same inputs and parameters that are required
when building a model in Revit so that any geometry transferred becomes an element native to Revit. For example, if a floor slab is brought from Rhino to Revit, the
Add Floor component will be used so that Revit knows what type of building component the element is. Furthermore, the user adds all of the parameters related to the
floor construction, materials, and associated level. Using all of this information, a
full floor component is built in Revit but is linked to the Rhino model and will
update with any changes made there. With a very simple grasshopper script and a
8 Dashboard