SPATIAL
LEVELS
Level Classes determine the use of the level in the BIM and Real Environment.
- Storey Levels: Determined the FFL (Finish Floor Level) of a Storey in use
- Structural Level: Defines the RL of the finish surface of the structural level on which building elements are mounted
RL – Reduced Levels
RL: Reduce Level, indicating height from Datum.
Datum is the project Level Zero, and it normally corresponds with the highwater mark (Sea Level)
Primary
Primary levels are Nominal, meaning they are the reference . Offset of zero means the level is right at the FFL.
- FFL – Finished Floor Level: Finish face that we step on. IT referencing a Storey from which FCL, SRL and Sub levels are linked.
- FCL – Finished Ceiling Level: Visible Finish Surface of the underside of the Ceiling. This is mainly used as a nominal level to which ceilings are built and rooms are referenced to the top level. FCL are highly variable from room to room, so the use is purely for referencing. Generally, CLH is more commonly used as it references the distance in mm from the FFL to the FCL in a space to space basis.
- SSL – Slab Level
- SRL – Structural Level
- FSL – Finish Structural Level
Secondary
Helpful in clarifying the RL of a specific element. These levels are normally abbreviated in accordance with the survey input. Most commons:
- TOG – Top of Gutter
- GU – Gutter (Street level)
- KR – Kerb
- RR – Roof Ridge
- TOW – Top of Wall
- BOW – Bottom of wall
Design Reference levels
These Levels are use to define design rules such as the default height of skirtings, handles, power points… These leaves are normally reference from the FFL
Level Fields
| Field | Description | Revit | Type |
| ID | Unique Identifier auto generated by Revit | – | |
| Building | To which Building it belongs | ABG_DAT_Building | Text |
| Number | Unique number ascending from the lowest level of the project. This field is use for sorting | BG_LVL_Number1 | Text |
| Prefix | L0, B1, B, GF… like it ill show in an elevator | ABG_LVL_Prefix | Text |
| Suffix | FFL, FCL, SRL, RL | ABG_LVL_Suffix | Text |
| Name | Name of the level. Ground Floor | Name | Text |
| Elevation | RL from the Datum | Elevation | Number |
| Offset | The height different in mm from the Nominal Level | Offset | Number |
| Structural | If the level is structural | Structural | Boolean |
| Storey | If the level represent the story of a building | Building Story | Boolean |
| Pinned | If the level is blocked, to avoid accidental displacements or deletion. | – | Boolean |
| Status | Control Field as per Status Standards | ABG_DAT_Status | Text |
| Comments | Control Field as per Status Standards | ABG_DAT_StatusComments | Long Text |
Level Prefix Field
By Default levels are understood as Proposed.
IN case we need to indicate an existing level, a”e”append to the prefix will suffice. eL0 – FFL – Ground Level (Existing ground Level)
Abbreviations & Sequencing in single Dwellings
| Abb | Level | Sequencing |
| A | Access Level to site | A: if only one access pointA1, A2… referring the different site accessThis refers to the RL at which the site is accessed from outside, such as driveways, pedestrian access… |
| B | Storey Level Underground | B: there is only one basement levelB1: Is the highest underground levelB2: Second highest underground level.*There is no B0 |
| L | Storey Level Above Ground | L0 = Lowest Above ground level**GL: Ground Level, and LG Lower ground are commonly used to substitute L0, or L0 and L1 when LG exists. |
| R | Roof (Highest level) | Unique Level, at which the roof is setout. |
Level Naming & Representation
Single Building Project
| Primary Level | L0 | – | FFL | – | Ground Floor | Overall Section & Elevations |
| Sub Level | L0.1 | – | FFL | – | Mezzanine | As per Primary Level |
| Structural Level | L0 | – | SRL | Building Sections, Concrete Setouts | ||
| Ceiling Level | L0 | – | FCL | Overall Sections |
More than one building projects
IIn case a project comprises more than one building with different level elevations, the filed of “Building” together with the field of “Number” will be used for sorting and filtering.
The Level Markers can be modified adding the Building prefix before the level prefix: BA – L3 – FFL – Second Level (Second level of Building A)
| Primary Level | BA | – | L0 | – | FFL | – | Ground Floor | |
| Sub Level | BA | – | L0.1 | – | FFL | – | Mezzanine | |
| Structural Level | BB | – | L0 | – | SRL | |||
| Ceiling Level | BC | – | L0 | – | FCL |
Graphic Representation
| Spot Elevations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Plan View | Elevation View | ||
| Survey |  | – | |
| Existing |  |  | |
| Proposed |  |  | |
| Setout – Survey Point |  | ||
| Setout Point |  | ||
Markers
| Primary Level | L0 – FFL – Ground Floor | Overall Section & Elevations |  |
| Sub Level | L0.1 – FFL – Mezzanine | As per Primary Level | |
| Structural Level | L0 – SRL – Ground Floor | Building Sections, Concrete Setouts |  |
| Ceiling Level | L0 – FCL – Ceiling Level | No MarkersOptional, Overall Sections, building Sections. | |
| Survey Point | RL##### | Overall Section & Elevations | |
| Setout Point | RL#### | Overall Section & Elevations | |
| Design reference Levels | H from FFL | Building Sections, Facade Elevations. |  |
Level Annotation
| Floor Plans | |
| Analysis – From Survey All RL captured by Survey.g |  |
| SITE PLAN – FFL Setout Points, Existing Levels of Street, adjacent properties to determine outline / volumen |  |
| GA – FFL FFL at any change of level with a FFL Steps, Stairs. Main walls and at entry of units, apartments, houses at any feature in landscape |  |
| ROOF – RLs all walls, parapets, ridges. |  |
| Concrete Plan – SRL Show any change in structural levels: Top of Slabs, concrete walls, hobs, setdowns, rebates |  |
| Ceiling Plans – CLH CL levels measure from the FFL directly below |  |
Spaces
Zones
Zones are used to classify compliance spaces, or abstract concepts such as fire compartments, clearances, HVAC zonification
Areas
Areas are use to classify spaces for physical characteristics which overlap with the spatial division such as Landscape area, catchment areas, deep soil areas, internal areas, buildable areas…
Spaces
Spaces are delimited by ownership , can be open spaces or enclosed spaces (rooms)
Spaces Classification
| W | Wet areas | Bathroom, En-suites, Powder Rooms, WC |
| K | Kitchen | Pantry, Back of house, Laundry, Kitchen |
| B | Bedrooms | Masters, Bedrooms |
| S | Dry Storage | Cloak rooms, Storage (no plumbing) |
| D | Dry living areas | Living rooms, dinings, rumpus, |
| E | External | Exterior private areas, POS, pools, gazebos… |
| P | Wet storage | Services, Plant, pool equip |
| C | Dry Common Spaces | Entries, Lobbies |
| L | Landscape | Gardens, COS, Common External Spaces |
| V | Cavities | Restricted access spaces, lift shafts, plenums, ventilation cavities, risers |
Abbreviations
In Multi SOU projects, use the following abbreviations to classify spaces. As a project may have several COS 1, COS 2, or POS 1, POS 2
COS – Common Open Space
CSS – Common Services Space
CES – Common Enclosed Space
POS – Private Open Space
CV – Cavity
Space Coding
Single SOU single level (1x field code)
Simple two digit number
i.e 02 (room number 02),
Single SOU multi level (2x field code)
First field is the level, second field the number
i.e L1.02 (room number 02 which is in level 1)
Multi SOU (2x field code)
Spaces belonging to an SOU
Use prefix letter such as U (unit), T (tenancy) A (apartment) D (dwelling)
Start counting rooms from 01 on each SOU
If SOU are common to have more than one level, then using a three digit number where the first number represents the level is also acceptable
i.e U3.02 (unit three, room number 02), T3.01 (space one in tenancy three), U7.203 (Room three on second level of unit seven)
Spaces not belonging to SOU
Common spaces such as Plant rooms, entries, lobbies…
Use Single SOU standard (simply add level code followed by space number)
i.e L2.02 ( in level L2, room number 02
Multi Building (3x field code)
For projects with more than one building, use an additional field at the front of the code that represents the building.
i.e A.L2.02 ( in level L2, room number 02 in building A)
Space Naming
Use simple self explanatory names such as kitchen, plant room, laundry…
For external spaces in multi-SOU, add prefix POS (private open space) and COS (Common Open Space)
The reason is that an apartment may have different balconies, terraces, gardens.. And same with communal spaces. This will make it easier to filter the external spaces for scheduling.
I.e L3.02 – COS 1 (external common open space in level tree, as space 02)