We’ll use the example of a model with very high plane count due to the curtain walls. One way we can not change or model, but still simplify for analysis for use with Sefaira is to use design options within Revit. While this guideline is looking specifically at curtain walls, this work-flow could be used to carry an energy analysis model within your Revit model file suitable for construction documents. 

1. Create a New Design Option

The first step is to create a design option which will contain our energy analysis specific elements. Click  the design option dialog icon(1), then under ‘Option Set’ (2) click new. This will create a new option set with one primary design option, Option 1(primary). We want to leave the primary option empty, so that none of our design option elements show up in our main model views. Select Option ‘New’ (3) to create a secondary option, and rename, for this example, we called the option ‘Simplified Curtain Wall’, since those are the elements in this option, but you can name it whatever makes sense.  When you are finished, close the design option dialog window (4). 

2. Copy Elements

Select the elements you wish to copy into your newly created design option(1). For this example we are selecting all curtain walls. Once selected, make sure to tick ‘Ignore for Sefaira’(2) since we will be ignoring our unchanged walls.  Copy the elements to the clip board and regenerate Sefaira views. 

3. Paste in Design Option

Open the Sefaira all elements view (1) and switch to make the ‘Simplified Curtain Wall’ design option current (2). Paste ‘Aligned to Same Place’ from the clipboard (3). Then edit the type of the walls to reduce the curtain wall to a single plane(4). 

Duplicate the wall type (5), and change the vertical and horizontal grids to none (6&7).