The letter “I” in the acronym BIM (Building Information Modeling) stands for Information, which is manifested through parameters and the customization they enable within Autodesk Revit, thereby building intelligent BIM Objects. This article outlines the different parameters within this modeling tool, focusing specifically on family parameters. Parametric families arise from customizing these parameters, offering a wide range of possibilities for the BIM Model.
The elements that make up a BIM Model—namely families, views, and sheets—have properties managed through parameters and the element information they store. Understanding the different types of parameters based on their origin is therefore essential for managing model information correctly and making decisions based on accurate, reliable data. To establish a general understanding of these parameters, it is worth noting that Autodesk Revit distinguishes between system, project, family, shared, and global parameters.
Family parameters are created within family files (.rfa); they belong exclusively to the object and control variations in the family's attributes. Through parameterization, users can develop flexible families tailored to their needs, avoiding the creation of multiple distinct families for different scenarios—a practice that results in inefficient BIM libraries. But what exactly is parameterization?
